Heavy Is the Crown- The Story of Bowser

by Byronofsidius

In the Gora Empire, populated by the koopa and goomba peoples, a very different kind of koopa boy is born into the low caste of the green shell tribe. This boy is Bowser, and this tale is his own.

21. Chapter 25- Blitzkreig

div class="qowt-page-container" style="margin: auto auto 5mm; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-user-select: none; box-shadow: #d1d1d1 0px 0px 0px 1px, #cccccc 0px 0px 4px 1px; height: 279.3650793650793mm; width: 215.8730158730159mm; cursor: text !important; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"
div id="E-106" class="qowt-section qowt-eid-E95" style="-webkit-user-select: text; -webkit-column-count: 1; padding-left: 90pt; padding-right: 90pt;"
p id="E4828" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4830" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Bowser couldn't deny his core nature, which was governed by a slavering, rampaging dragon that delighted in obliterating everything in its path that would defy it. Yet that beast possessed a horrifying intelligence, and he issued orders and implemented adjustments as they came upon Loyal forces which left no doubt whatsoever about who would win each portion of the battle./span/p
p id="E4831" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4832" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4833" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"The rebellion lost twenty footsoldiers and a single kart against a Loyal battalion of seven-hundred men./span/p
p id="E4834" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4835" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4836" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"That first day moving toward the capital saw two more pitched battles, and no more assault karts were lost, though nearly a quarter of their cavalry died against Loyal mages and soldiers. Their losses were modest at most, but the Advisor's forces had taken a thorough beating. /span/p
p id="E4837" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4838" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4839" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"The second day saw more of the same, though three more assault karts were lost to Loyal mousers, suicide bombers who charged the karts with wild abandon. It would have been more, but Bowser's other drivers caught on quick and left those to archers among the marching infantry./span/p
p id="E4840" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4841" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4842" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"In two days, over seven battles, the rebellion lost only ninety-six troops, while the Loyal casualties reached nearly seven-thousand. /span/p
p id="E4843" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4844" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4845" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"By the third day, his battalion had ceased to see any enemy troops. Word came back from Shadow agents ranging ahead that the Emperor had recalled every battalion in the center stretches to fall back to the capital. Bowser didn't care for that at all./span/p
p id="E4846" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4847" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4848" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"He clicked over to channel six as he drove along at midday. "Wunderweiss, this is Bowser, copy?"/span/p
p id="E4849" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4850" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4851" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Copy, Your Majesty," the mage said with a snicker./span/p
p id="E4852" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4853" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4854" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Knock it off," Bowser grunted. "Hook up with a horseman and scout ahead for magical traps. I'm going to put us all on halt, copy." Wunderweiss just double-clicked his end, letting Bowser know he acknowledged the order. Bowser switched over to channel eight. "This is general Bowser, calling all halt," he said, bringing his kart to a stop and killing the engine./span/p
p id="E4855" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4856" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4857" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"He climbed out, taking a long drink of water as Welik walked over from her vehicle. "What gives, love?"/span/p
p id="E4858" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4859" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4860" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Too quiet ahead," he replied. "You know, when we reach the capital, we'll all be on foot," he said quietly. "I want you to stay close to me." She blushed, shoved him lightly./span/p
p id="E4861" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4862" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4863" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Well look at you, all Prince Valiant and everything," she chided playfully. "I've seen plenty of combat, you know."/span/p
p id="E4864" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4865" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4866" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""I know. Still, I'd feel more comfortable if I knew where you were at." Bowser nodded, then squared himself up as three commanders approached, one from the cavalry and to from the infantry. They gave him a formal salute, which he returned in kind. "What news?"/span/p
p id="E4867" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4868" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4869" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Word from the northern and southern ends of the front," said the cavalry commander, a blue tribe koopa named Rawlins. "They've managed a modest push in the north, but fighting is at a standstill in the south, forces fairly evenly matched. Segeant Havich of the rearguard also sends word from the east that more Mushroom Kingdom troops are massing along the border. He wants to know if we should send skirmishers."/span/p
p id="E4870" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4871" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4872" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Tell him not to engage, but also inform him that we should try to get more volunteers to shore up our own rearguard positions," said Bowser. "Send word back to Factory 7 to produce another line of Rolling Furies to be mobilized to the eastern border." Rawlins saluted and took off to carry out his orders, leaving Bowser and Welik alone, their forces taking a much-deserved respite nearby. Bowser looked out on them, quietly asking, "How many of them know the results of the senators' vote?"/span/p
p id="E4873" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4874" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4875" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Strictly the commanders and a few sergeants, love, and they all have gag orders."/span/p
p id="E4876" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4877" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4878" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""We're only assuming they're holding to those. Still, better than nothing. Tanya, if something should happen to me, you must promise to serve Meechum as best you can." She just nodded and kissed him softly on the cheek./span/p
p id="E4879" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4880" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4881" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Let's hope that isn't necessary," she whispered. /span/p
p id="E4882" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4883" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4884-owchain-0" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" data-ow-chain="orphan"span id="E4885" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4886-owchain-0" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" data-ow-chain="orphan"Godash felt a proper fool for not having issued this order earlier. The entire civilian population of the city had been packed off and sent west, every residence filled with soldiers and weaponry. If the rebellion wanted to take the seat of power, they'd have to defeat an entire Division's worth of troops. He knew they didn't have those kind of numbers coming, and they would be forced to leave behind their assault karts and cavalry horses when entering the city proper. Without those/span/p
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div class="qowt-page-container" style="margin: auto auto 5mm; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-user-select: none; box-shadow: #d1d1d1 0px 0px 0px 1px, #cccccc 0px 0px 4px 1px; height: 279.3650793650793mm; width: 215.8730158730159mm; cursor: text !important; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"
div id="E-107" class="qowt-section qowt-eid-E95" style="-webkit-user-select: text; -webkit-column-count: 1; padding-left: 90pt; padding-right: 90pt;"
p id="E4884-owchain-1" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" data-ow-chain="widow"span id="E4886-owchain-1" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" data-ow-chain="widow"advantages, Bowser and his troops would be destroyed handily./span/p
p id="E4887" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4888" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4889" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Godash sipped his wine and looked out over the city from the Emperor's balcony. "It will end soon, this nonsense," he said to the simulacrum, which sat silently in one of the deck chairs. "And when it is over, I will turn the full might of this Empire on the Mushroom Kingdom. They will fall under my heel, and Gora will reign supreme!" He swigged down the rest of his drink, then tossed the thin-stemmed glass over the railing. "Why can I not shake this dread? What is this feeling of loss I suffer?"/span/p
p id="E4890" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4891" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4892" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"He glowered at the simulacrum, its dead eyes staring vacantly at nothing. It offered no response, yet filled him with the very sensation he spoke of. Godash snarled at the living puppet and stormed back into the Emperor's chamber, leaving it to sit in the sunlight filtering down on the balcony./span/p
p id="E4893" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4894" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4895" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"When he looked at it, he saw the truth of the Gora Empire- it was a lifeless husk./span/p
p id="E4896" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4897" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4898" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4899" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4900" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"There had quickly arisen talk among the displaced, angry grumblings about the Emperor having lost his mind or his backbone. Long-time residents of the capital began exchanging stories about the glory days, but soon enough these gave way to tales of Impirial corruption and ham-fisted extortion. Change floated on the wind, some said, and it would be wise to stop and listen to that breeze before going on and trying to settle into a new town west of the capital./span/p
p id="E4901" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4902" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4903" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"What nobody realized, as they began giving serious examination to the idea of joining the rebellion and turning back upon the capital, was that they had been struck, all of them, by one of the most potent weapons ever conceived. It had been one that the people had been hit with many times, never noticing. It was a weapon against which no armor or shield could defend./span/p
p id="E4904" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4905" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4906" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Jaime and the rest of Renoit's Shadow agents, mingling among the cast-off denizens of the capital, cut through these people's loyalties with the hot blades of misinformation and subtle propoganda. They flitted from one cluster of civilians to the next, stopping only to cross-check with one another who had been convinced and who hadn't./span/p
p id="E4907" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4908" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4909" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"It was a slow operation in comparison to a battle of blood, but when it was over after two days, a Division's worth of angry people were heading back to the capital with whatever weapons and skills they could muster./span/p
p id="E4910" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4911" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4912" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"And the Advisor and his troops had no idea./span/p
p id="E4913" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4914" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4915" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4916" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4917" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Wunderweiss returned to the camp the following morning, tapping on Bowser's tent flap. When the huge koopa came out, wrapped in a blanket, the purple-shelled mage smirked at him knowingly. "Have a good evening, sire?"/span/p
p id="E4918" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4919" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4920" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Beyond good. You?"/span/p
p id="E4921" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4922" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4923" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Ample, though not as fleshy or full of sweat as yours."/span/p
p id="E4924" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4925" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4926" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Don't be crude. What say you?"/span/p
p id="E4927" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4928" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4929" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""The traps have been laid bare and removed," said Wunderweiss, bowing grandly. "I was masterful, if I do say so myself."/span/p
p id="E4930" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4931" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4932" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""No one else here to say it for you."/span/p
p id="E4933" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4934" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4935" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""True. And were you masterful?"/span/p
p id="E4936" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4937" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4938" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""There were no complaints."/span/p
p id="E4939" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4940" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4941" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Well, you're rather large. Perhaps you couldn't hear her begging for release under your torso." Bowser snorted a laugh and punched him on the shoulder. "The way ahead is clear, lordship."/span/p
p id="E4942" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4943" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4944" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Good. Start rousing sergeants, we'll get moving as soon as we can." An hour later, Bowser climbed up into his kart, activating all of his systems. He didn't want any unwelcome surprises, so he got the weapons armed in the event the Emperor had any troops on the move from the city./span/p
p id="E4945" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4946" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4947" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"After a quick check-in with the other officers hooked into communications, Bowser led the rebel forces on their way./span/p
p id="E4948" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4949" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4950-owchain-0" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" data-ow-chain="orphan"span id="E4951" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4952-owchain-0" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" data-ow-chain="orphan"Two veterans of middle age tossed dice against the outer wall of one of the border buildings on the capital's west end, passing time until the inevitable arrival of the rebels. Considering they would be coming from the east and be faced with Hammer Brothers in the city proper, these two/span/p
/div
/div
div class="qowt-page-container" style="margin: auto auto 5mm; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-user-select: none; box-shadow: #d1d1d1 0px 0px 0px 1px, #cccccc 0px 0px 4px 1px; height: 279.3650793650793mm; width: 215.8730158730159mm; cursor: text !important; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"
div id="E-109" class="qowt-section qowt-eid-E95" style="-webkit-user-select: text; -webkit-column-count: 1; padding-left: 90pt; padding-right: 90pt;"
p id="E4950-owchain-1" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" data-ow-chain="widow"span id="E4952-owchain-1" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" data-ow-chain="widow"figured they'd see no combat any time soon./span/p
p id="E4953" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4954" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4955" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Oh, tough luck, that," said one as his partner rolled snake-eyes. The unlucky koopa grumbled wordlessly, holding the dice out to his comrade. /span/p
p id="E4956" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4957" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4958" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Yeah, well, let's remember the score, eh? I still got you by eleven." His partner rolled a nine, and they traded barbs again, never once looking carefully to the west, where a cloud of movement advanced toward them, kicked up by the very people they had displaced two days earlier./span/p
p id="E4959" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4960" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4961" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4962" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4963" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Bowser could see the Heavenly Palace rising up from the center of the city clearly, only fifteen miles out from the edge of the capital with his contingent. At the five mile mark they would come to a full halt and reorganize, and Bowser would take a field report from Renoit. Meechum had informed him over the all-report channel that the Shadowcaster was awaiting him, and the other commanding officers were instructed to leave the two men alone./span/p
p id="E4964" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4965" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4966" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Renoit would not waste his time. Whatever the reason for him wanting to speak to Bowser, it had to be of vital importance. As he drove along, Bowser kept his attention on the fields before him, trying to focus on the task at hand./span/p
p id="E4967" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4968" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4969" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"The task would soon enough be bloody./span/p
p id="E4970" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4971" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E4972" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4973" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4974" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Renoit paced back and forth by the lone tree in the flowery field, stopping now and again to look through his spyglass to the west. If Bowser's company didn't arrive within the hour, they would show up to a battle already in progress. But even as he looked again, Renoit heard the rumble of the kart engines behind him./span/p
p id="E4975" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4976" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4977" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Three minutes later, Bowser pulled his kart up within a few yards of the tree and clambered out, adjusting his armor as he approached. "Shadowcaster," he said with a nod./span/p
p id="E4978" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4979" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4980" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Your Majesty," Renoit replied with a bow./span/p
p id="E4981" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4982" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4983" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Keep that quiet for now, Renoit," Bowser rumbled. "That needn't be said unless I survive what comes. Meechum says you have news for me."/span/p
p id="E4984" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4985" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4986" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""I do, sir. I ask you now to forgive me, for I have set in motion an action to protect us from Mushroom Kingdom hostilities upon our victory, should we prevail." Bowser raised one eyebrow at him. "Sir, I have Shadow agents inside of the Kingdom right now, in position to either act or retreat, as you command."/span/p
p id="E4987" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4988" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4989" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""What is the action in question?"/span/p
p id="E4990" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4991" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4992" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""The abduction of Princess Peach and her handmaids," said Renoit. Bowser sucked wind through his teeth, as I sucker-punched. "I understand that you don't like this move one bit, sir, but you must start thinking like a politician now. If the Mushroom King discovers we have his sole successor, we can buy ourselves time to prepare for yet another war."/span/p
p id="E4993" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4994" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4995" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Bowser planted his hands on his hips, shaking his head sadly. "We were acquaintances, she and I."/span/p
p id="E4996" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E4997" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E4998" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""I know, sir."/span/p
p id="E4999" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5000" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5001" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""She's going to think me a monster if I approve of this."/span/p
p id="E5002" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5003" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5004" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""I know, sir."/span/p
p id="E5005" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5006" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5007" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""But it's for the good of our people, isn't it?"/span/p
p id="E5008" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5009" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5010" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Yes, sir." Bowser sighed, and nodded./span/p
p id="E5011" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5012" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5013" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Very well, then. The moment they receive word of our victory or defeat, have them make their move. Until this is over, though, they hold ready."/span/p
p id="E5014" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5015" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5016" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Aye, King Bowser." Renoit flitted away, faster than any koopa had a right to naturally move. Bowser hung his head and thought, /spanspan id="E5017" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"If I must be named villain for the good of my nation, then so be it./span/p
p id="E5018" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E5019" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E5020" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5021" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5022" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"The guards at the city's west end were not much different than other soldiers in armies across the world. Show them their own citizens, and their standard reaction will be to amiably greet them and ask if there's any way they can be of service. It was perhaps because of this trained reaction, long honed in these two veterans, that they fell under a deluge of sling balls and thrown tools./span/p
p id="E5023-owchain-0" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" data-ow-chain="orphan"span id="E5024" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5025-owchain-0" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" data-ow-chain="orphan"The barrage alone would have been survivable, but the crush of bodies stampeding over them proved fatal. The first deaths of that final push in the rebellion came not at the tip of a sword or/span/p
/div
/div
div class="qowt-page-container" style="margin: auto auto 5mm; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-user-select: none; box-shadow: #d1d1d1 0px 0px 0px 1px, #cccccc 0px 0px 4px 1px; height: 279.3650793650793mm; width: 215.8730158730159mm; cursor: text !important; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"
div id="E-110" class="qowt-section qowt-eid-E95" style="-webkit-user-select: text; -webkit-column-count: 1; padding-left: 90pt; padding-right: 90pt;"
p id="E5023-owchain-1" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" data-ow-chain="widow"span id="E5025-owchain-1" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" data-ow-chain="widow"blast of magic, but under the calloused feet of a hard-working people who'd had enough./span/p
p id="E5026" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E5027" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E5028" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5029" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5030" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"When Bowser brandished his axes, he realized that he could already hear the commotion of battle in the city. Had someone else managed to get through before his own contingent? Had Renoit staged a distraction? Whatever the explanation, he led his people in with a resounding war cry, thousands of rebels hollering with him as they descended on the Loyals./span/p
p id="E5031" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5032" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5033" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"His first kill was a veteran yellow tribe, a spear wielder whose opening thrust he dodged with a nimble spin, following his own momentum through with an axe, shearing the man's head in half at a diagonal. The force of his attac rendered the helmet useless./span/p
p id="E5034" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5035" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5036" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Paratroopas flung arrows at him, but he brought these down with gouts of flame, reducing them to burning, screaming conflagrations on legs, kicking against the reaper as he came to claim their lives. Several fell atop their fellow Loyals, creating pockets of fiery death among the enemy./span/p
p id="E5037" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5038" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5039" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"A rapier-wielding Loyal tried to get around Bowser's side, but he spun and leaped backwards on him, using his spikes and weight to run him through. As he stood up, sergeant Welik pulled the dead man off. "Neat," she said with a savage grin./span/p
p id="E5040" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5041" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5042" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Thank you." The duo tore into their next foes, handily carving a path up the street. All around them, the final battle of Douard's Rebellion raged on./span/p
p id="E5043" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E5044" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E5045" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5046" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5047" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Godash stood with Chenok, First of the Hammer Brothers, looking out over the city. Behind them, the simulacrum, on cue, spoke to the huge black shell koopa. "Chenok, you are to stand final guard in the antechamber. You will defend me and my Advisor to the last."/span/p
p id="E5048" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5049" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5050" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Aye, Emperor," rumbled the hulking koopa, a man almost as tall and broad as Bowser. His voice came out muffled by the faceplate of his skull-shaped helmet. In his left hand he carried a tower shield of dark blue, a chromatic match for his segmented plate armor, which covered his entire body. On his left hip, handle up for a cross-draw, sat a single combat hammer, glowing with a golden light. "Advisor Godash, the Emperor's will is clearly to have you remain here, where it is safe. Should I fall, you will delay the assailants until he can escape."/span/p
p id="E5051" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5052" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5053" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""I understand," said Godash. He watched with mounting dread as one particular clutch of rebel soldiers cleaved their way toward the palace with alarming alacrity. Chenok exited then, leaving him to view Bowser's progress toward him./span/p
p id="E5054" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E5055" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E5056" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5057" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5058" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Bowser and Welik, along with several elite veteran rebels and four mages and Wunderweiss, barged through the palace's barricade and stormed through those troops assembled in the entrance foyer. When all were fallen or fled, Bowser holstered one axe and took Wunderweiss by the shoulder. "Wizard, I need you to go down to the dungeon and set free the prisoners."/span/p
p id="E5059" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5060" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5061" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Right."/span/p
p id="E5062" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5063" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5064" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Also," Bowser said, holding him still, "I need you to try and find something for me." He whispered his request into the wizard's ear, then released him. "If you find it, bring it up to me in the throne room's antechamber. Do you understand?" Wunderweiss nodded, grabbed two soldiers, and took off down a hallway to the east. Bowser regarded the others, taking up his second axe again, dripping gore. "All right. We ascend now toward the throne room. At the antechamber, there will likely be the Emperor's finest warriors. If you chose, you need not risk entering with me." /span/p
p id="E5065" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5066" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5067" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"The other soldiers and Welik said nothing, and he grinned as he led them on, toward Advisor Benjamin Godash./span/p
p id="E5068" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E5069" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E5070" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5071" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5072" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"On the seventh floor, after slaughtering scores of soldiers of all sorts, Bowser came upon the doors that would lead him into the throne room's antechamber. Three of the veterans had fallen on the way, along with two mages. Bowser had been stabbed in the left arm, and Welik had a deep spear wound in her right thigh, partially healed by one of the surviving mages. Bowser looked to his fellows, saw their resolve, and ducked his head, shoulder charging the doors open./span/p
p id="E5073" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5074" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5075" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Before him stood a long, wide chamber decorated with tapestries and paintings depicting Gora Empire's history. Several columns rose to support the cathedral ceiling, creating a wide central aisle space to the throne room doors./span/p
/div
/div
div class="qowt-page-container" style="margin: auto auto 5mm; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-user-select: none; box-shadow: #d1d1d1 0px 0px 0px 1px, #cccccc 0px 0px 4px 1px; height: 279.3650793650793mm; width: 215.8730158730159mm; cursor: text !important; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"
div id="E-111" class="qowt-section qowt-eid-E95" style="-webkit-user-select: text; -webkit-column-count: 1; padding-left: 90pt; padding-right: 90pt;"
p id="E5076" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"br /span id="E5077" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5078" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Halfway between stood a lone stalwart Hammer Brother in a finely crafted blue armor suit, made of segmented plates. In his left hand he held a tower shield, in his right, a glowing hammer. Bowser cast a glance around at the pillars, but spotted no sign of hidden guards. He faced the lone warrior and took three strides forward. /span/p
p id="E5079" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5080" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5081" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Be you alone, Hammer Brother," Bowser asked./span/p
p id="E5082" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5083" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5084" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Aye. Stands before you Chenok, First of the Hammer Brothers, sworn defender of the Emperor. And thou art whom?"/span/p
p id="E5085" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5086" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5087" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""I," Bowser began, breathing deep, puffing out his chest under his own armor, "am King Koopa Bowser, selected by the newly formed Senate that shall govern this nation after today. I am the student of Arnold Douard, this rebellion's namesake, son of Luther and Cassandra Entem, and enemy to the tyranny of Benjamin Godash." None of his words seemed to faze the Hammer Brother. /span/p
p id="E5088" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5089" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5090" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Shall we engage one another in honorable combat, then? Man to man, with no outsiders," asked Chenok. "If so, and I am victorious, I shall spare thy friends." Bowser kept his eyes on Chenok and motioned behind him with his weapons for the others to back up./span/p
p id="E5091" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5092" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5093" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""We shall," he said. /span/p
p id="E5094" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5095" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5096" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""It is well," said Chenok, raising his hammer toward Bowser like the tip of a sword. "En garde!" Before Bowser could take a step forward, a golden bolt shot from the hammer, shaped like the weapon itself, spiraling end-over-end. Bowser brough his axes up in an 'X', blocking the bolt but rocking back on his heels. His companions behind him shut the doors, staying out of harm's way. Another bolt flew, and this one Bowser barely side-stepped, allowing the energy projectile to dissipate harmlessly against the doors. /span/p
p id="E5097" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5098" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5099" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Handy trick," Bowser said with a smile. "I've got one of my own!" He belched out a fireball, which splashed out around Chenok harmlessly, flagging into smoke. "What is this?"/span/p
p id="E5100" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5101" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5102" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Mine armor is crafted from the shells of Beetle Bailies," Chenok intoned. "Fire cannot penetrate it." Bowser evaded two more hammer bolts, moving toward Chenok with each dodge. When he closed to striking range he swung hard with his right axe, which met the Hammer Brother's shield with a loud clang. Chenok countered with a belly-level swing of his hammer, which struck true, knocking Bowser back, armor dented. "Yours is but standard steel."/span/p
p id="E5103" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5104" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5105" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Not quite," Bowser rumbled, turning around so his spiked shell faced Chenok. He crouched down and whispered to his armor, "Fire." His entire body pounded through the air, propelled by the will of his sentient steel armor. The material used for making Bullet Bills had been used to craft his protection, giving him a unique set of attacks and defenses, none of which he'd had to use yet. At his back came a loud grunt as he crashed into Chenok, followed by Bowser putting his feet on the ground and spinning to face the Hammer Brother./span/p
p id="E5106" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5107" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5108" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"The shield had saved Chenok, though now it was embedded on Bowser's spikes. The force of the blow had thrown the Ammer Brother into column, which stood cracked and chipped, a slab of concrete and dust laying in his lap as he tried to stand. /span/p
p id="E5109" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5110" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5111" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""I offer you quarter," Bowser said, standing at the ready. "Take it now, or not at all."/span/p
p id="E5112" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5113" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5114" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""I need none," Chenok replied, getting to his feet. "Have at thee!" Chenok charged, hammer held out to his side. He closed, swinging hard up at an angle from the hip. Bowser blocked the swing, but the follow-up hook punch caught him in the jaw. He reeled aside, a punishing blow from the hammer pounding his breastplate. The steel groaned inward, but a second blow came and was blocked, the Hammer Brother swept to the floor by a tail-spin into his knees./span/p
p id="E5115" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5116" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5117" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Without pausing to aim and swing an axe, Bowser stomped back and down with one booted heel, rewarded with a crunch of segmented armor, bone, and a scream of agony that rattled his brain. He stumbled away several feet, and when he turned around, he saw Chenok's left leg bent at a terrible angle, shards of bone sticking out through the crushed armor. Yet the Hammer Brother was trying to stand, and he managed another burst of a projectile bolt from his hammer. /span/p
p id="E5118" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5119" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5120" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"The bolt glanced Bower's hip, spinning him off balance, but only for a moment. He flung himself forward, bringing his axes down on Chenok, one in his head, the other deep in his side. The helmet would have protected him against a standing blow, but with the added weight of Bowser coming down fro above, the axe head buried itself well into his skull. /span/p
p id="E5121" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;"span id="E5122" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5123" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Chenok the First was dead./span/p
p id="E5124" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
p id="E5125" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 0pt;" /p
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div class="qowt-page-container" style="margin: auto auto 5mm; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-user-select: none; box-shadow: #d1d1d1 0px 0px 0px 1px, #cccccc 0px 0px 4px 1px; height: 279.3650793650793mm; width: 215.8730158730159mm; cursor: text !important; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"
div id="E-112" class="qowt-section qowt-eid-E95" style="-webkit-user-select: text; -webkit-column-count: 1; padding-left: 90pt; padding-right: 90pt;"
p id="E5126" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"br /span id="E5127" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5128" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Wunderweiss brought what Bowser had sent him for into the antechamber, and once Bowser gave instructions on what to do with Chenok's body, the veterans began seeing to it. Wunderweiss positioned Bowser's request, and the new King stalked to the throne room doors, axes holstered. He would have no need of them now./span/p
p id="E5129" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;" /p
p id="E5130" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;" /p
p id="E5131" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"span id="E5132" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5133" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Godash could hear murmurs, several voices beyond the door. He should have known Chenok would lose, that was just how things were going, pear-shaped as his colleagues used to say. He had one last desperate hope. He clutched a Coin from his money pouch and called out softly, "Gannondorf."/span/p
p id="E5134" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"span id="E5135" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5136" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Nothing happened. The warlock was gone, and he wasn't coming back. There was nothing more for him now than to hope that Bowser would show him mercy. /spanspan id="E5137" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Right, because you've been so good with showing that to others, /spanspan id="E5138" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"he thought, giggling madly. /span/p
p id="E5139" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"span id="E5140" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5141" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"He was pacing when Bowser threw open the doors like a barbarian loosed on a treasury. He stood there in his battered armor, arm bleeding, spattered in blood like a savage god. "Bowser," Godash rasped, kneeling at the foot of the steps leading to the throne. "The Emperor gives you welcome."/span/p
p id="E5142" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"span id="E5143" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5144" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""The Emperor is a simulacrum, a soulless puppet you've used to try to rule," Bowser snarled. He took up Chenok's hammer from the back of his belt and hurled it upward. It struck the simulacrum, which burst apart in a shower of clay and mud, and fell atop the throne. Godash cried out, face ashen as he shot a look at the throne, then at Bowser. /span/p
p id="E5145" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"span id="E5146" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5147" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""How," Godash managed./span/p
p id="E5148" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"span id="E5149" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5150" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""The warlock told me everything," said Bowser. "The only reason more people didn't become aware was because of how insane such a thing would sound. Not that it mattered. You sealed the Empire's fate when you jailed Douard."/span/p
p id="E5151" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"span id="E5152" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5153" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Please, you don't understand, I was only trying to bring progress," Godash whined, clasping his hands before him for mercy. /span/p
p id="E5154" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"span id="E5155" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5156" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;""Silence," Bowser roared, his voice shaking the very room itself. "While you yet waggle your viper's tongue, even at this very last, you foul the air with lies!" Bowser drew out an axe and stomped toward Godash, who tried to get up and scurry away. But Bowser, even fatigued from fighting, caught him easily and pinned him to the floor, his massive knees on Godash's shoulders. He punced the politician in the mouth, shattering several teeth, and wormed his fingers in, snagging the tongue. He pulled it out, and as Godash gagged and howled, Bowser ran the edge of his axe through it, spraying himself with blood before getting off and turning Godash over so he wouldn't choke on his own blood./span/p
p id="E5157" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"span id="E5158" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5159" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"He hauled Godash to his feet like a rag doll. "That was for my people, who you deceived!" Next Bowser took Godash's hands in his own, squeezing until every frail, unworked bone snapped and crunched, causing a wordless, blood-misted spray to escape in a howl. "That, was for my mother, who died when you manipulated an assassin into position to start a war!" /span/p
p id="E5160" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"span id="E5161" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5162" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"Bowser snatched him finally by the collar, half dragging him to the doorway back into the antechamber, roughly shoving him out into the open floor. "And this, is for my father, whom you murdered out of petty spite!" Bowser pointed skyward, and Godash, weeping and bleeding from the mouth, looked up./span/p
p id="E5163" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;"span id="E5164" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;" /spanspan id="E5165" class="qowt-font4-Tahoma" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans serif', sans-serif !important;"He had just enough time to realize it was a Thwomp coming down at him before he was crushed underneath it./span/p
p id="E5166" class="qowt-stl1" style="list-style-type: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; line-height: 1.2;" /p
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