The Beginning of the Journey to Björnstad
Johan: J.C., where are ya, man? Are you back home? Look, I'm here to apologize for sending Flandre over to your place. I even have Remilia to help me out. Hello? Where are- Hey, there's a note:
I will be away for family-related business during the next week or so. Please do not mess around with my items. (That means you, Johan.)
-J.C.
Remilia: He never said where he was going to be. We have no choice but leave.
Johan: Oh, here's the script for the next chapter. It's not finished, though; I think patching things up in it should be an adequate apology on my part. Let's get started, shall we?
Remilia: I'll be with you if you need anything, Johan.
The Svärtad Orm
It is the ultimate incarnation of evil, born from the darkest forms of magic in Terramythica. It seeks nothing but the destruction of everything that it despises. It is feared by many and has been responsible for severely crippling the fabric of the multiverse, destroying a few unfortunate realms completely and leaving many more severely damaged.
And yet, despite its infamous legacy, almost nothing is known of its origin…
Some say that it is a personification of hatred for the good-natured spirits of the planet. Others say that it was a magical experiment gone horribly wrong. Still, there are few others who interpret the demon as the soul of an evil magician. Regardless, the truth has been all but lost across millennia, unknown to virtually all peering eyes.
-On the Origin of Demons by Hans Østlie, Chapter 32: The Svärtad Orm (p. 1043-1044)
"Heh, this is much more peaceful than any of Master Hand's portals," Falco sighed. Indeed, his Arwing was not exposed to any extreme forces inside Stefan's portal, and neither were the other Smashers nor Stefan himself. The magical pathway was a gentle spiral of greens throughout, providing a temporary environment for everyone to gawk at. Gravity was absent here, allowing free reign for even bulkier fighters like Bowser. At the far end was a portrait of a colorful forest, filled with roses of all colors.
"Here goes nothing." The avian pilot braced himself for the exit, which came much sooner than anyone, sans Stefan, had expected. Within the seconds that followed, Mario and most of the Smashers made a gentle landing on an open field of grass; only a certain few, including Yoshi and Pichu, were not as lucky and incorrectly impacted the ground. Meanwhile, all vehicles zipped out with furious speed and halted themselves a few meters away from the grounded fighters.
"Where-a to, Stefan?" Mario asked. The forest around him seemed to be nearly identical in all directions, with trees and an unusually high of roses composing the environment, and the fact that the sky was cloudy and utterly dark only worsened the problem. Unless the prince had something up his sleeve, there was almost no way for the Smashers to discern where to go.
"There is a ferry nearby, sitting on the River Solen," the prince responded quickly. "It can take us to the kingdom's primary bullet train, which passes through the national capital of Björnstad."
"How large is this-a ferry? I don't-a want to have some of us-a walk the entire distance."
The prince pulled out a magical sapphire to create a map of the surrounding area. His map was essentially a series of lines and symbols superimposed over the natural terrain, accompanied only by the names of notable locations. "The ferry is suited to carry as many as fifty people, so there is no need to worry, Mario."
"Yeah, we'll just stick to our vehicles," Bowser grumbled. He was eager to take off in his clown-styled vehicle, as was his son. "Good luck taking the slow ride, folks."
"If you wish to go ahead of us, be sure to follow the river southward. Once you reach the intersection between it and the bullet train's pathway, head westward. You will know that you are heading in the right direction if you see the skyscrapers of Björnstad. Watch out for enemy forces, especially once you approach the city." The prince held up his holographic map and enlarged it for all the pilots to examine.
"We'll be waiting for you guys once we get there," Falco, after momentarily opening his vehicle's hatch, announced. "Stay safe." Resealing his vehicle, he led the other pilots towards the River Solen, with Peach and Charizard—the latter accompanied by Red—following suit; Wario and Captain Falcon drove on a trail that supposedly led to the river. Meanwhile, the landbound Smashers waited for Stefan's instructions.
"The nearest ferry stop is less than two kilometers away, southwest of our current position. Our only obstacles are the potentially confusing structure of this forest and possible traps conceived by the Lords." The young monarch kept his eyes on the map, which he had shrunk for easier viewing. "Of course, the first problem cannot be avoided, but if we keep our eyes and ears open, we should be able to avoid the second."
"Lead the way, Stef," Dedede muttered. The journey started without further ado, with no one saying anything relevant to the adventure. Since the darkness in this silent forest was a significant problem, the Smashers that could do so illuminated the area with anything that may produce light, among them: Rosalina's wand, Mario's Firebrand, the flashlight on Snake's USP, and Luigi's Thunderhand. Nervousness was present in some, especially in the Ice Climbers and Yoshi.
"Yoshi don't like forest," the dinosaur slowly squeaked, walking with the others on a trail close to the one taken by Wario and Captain Falcon. "It make Yoshi a little nervous."
"You're not the only one, Yoshi," Popo admitted. Truthfully, he was not accustomed to being in the dark for too long, mostly due to a fear of the dark containing unknown threats for him. This was an aspect about living in the polar regions, especially during the winter, that he did not miss.
"I'm not-a scared yet, but this-a wind is-a giving me chills," Luigi muttered. Despite wearing a blue sweater on top of a green shirt marked with an 'L' and a pair of dark jeans, he could still feel the forest's chilling wind, however subtle it was. It was like the winter spirit utilizing her strength to penetrate the younger brother's defense against the cold, ultimately forcing him to stay near Mario's flame.
"Pika-pika," Pikachu chirped, agreeing with Luigi's statement. Its only protection from the cold was a scarf dyed with the colors of a standard Poké Ball, and its natural fur could not do much to help.
"I hope the ferry has some air conditioning system inside," DK sighed, carrying his signature weapon with him. He was wearing a short-sleeved jacket branded with his initials and a black scarf on his neck. "Falco and most of his group got lucky the second they started using their machines or, in Peach's case, got cybernetically augmented. It would be nice if I had a vehicle as well."
"Keep your heads up-a," Mario ordered. He and the other travelers remained vigilant, examining the forest for anything that might resemble a trap. However, nothing in the immediate vicinity was out of place, for only ordinary flora was in clear sight. As the group traveled further down the trail, the thickness of the trees appeared to decrease, providing a clearer view of the cloudy sky. None of the planet's moons were visible, and it was impossible for the aurorae and nebulae to be shown due to their position above the clouds. Some rustling emerged from the trees, but the noise produced was relatively light and did not warrant major attention from anyone. Likely because their minds were not too worried about distance, the Smashers and Stefan completed their first kilometer towards the ferry and the River Solen.
"I'm not seeing some traps here," Popo commented. "However, that could change on the way to the city."
With Falco's group, just seconds after takeoff…
"How are you holding up, Fox?" Falco asked, hoping that his friend was not falling too far behind.
"I'm okay, Falco," the vulpine pilot replied. "Also, the view of the kingdom's forests from above looks beautiful despite the dim lighting." Indeed, the overhead view provided a dark but beautiful shade of green, complete with some distant lights. Where the lights came from, the Star Fox leader had no clue, but that mattered little to him.
"Yo, have you connected to Peach's commlink yet? I have."
"Well, not yet. In fact, I'm gonna do that right now." Fox accessed the options menu of his Arwing's computer and selected the communications submenu for possible signals. Only five such signals appeared on a list, with two of them belonging to his co-pilots, one to Captain Falcon, and a fourth one to Olimar. The last of these signals was marked by Peach's cyborg designation: ZXM900-01. It was selected without hesitation, giving Fox the ability to communicate with the princess after several seconds of delay.
"Okay, I'm connected; I should be able to communicate with her from this point onward. Smooth sailing for the rest of the travel, eh?" The Star Fox leader kept his head leaned against the seat to provide some comfort, assisted by the pure warmth flying from the Arwing's air conditioning system.
"Heads up, McCloud," Wolf announced suddenly, "I'm getting visuals of a river flowing through the forest, most likely the River Solen that Stefan talked about. Remember to go southward."
"Well, this is faster than I expected." Fox maintained a stark quietness to his voice, almost avoiding the ears of Wolf and Falco outright. Meanwhile, Red stared at the forest below, almost amazed by its beauty.
"Man, think of the wonders we could explore once we're done with the Lords," he sighed excitedly. "What do you think, buddy? Want to go explore Rösajordia after we defeat the cultists?"
"Rargh," the Flame Pokémon answered in the affirmative. The cold winds were hardly problematic to it because of its ability to keep warm, especially on the part of its fiery tail.
"Okay, going southward right now," Falco muttered. Following the compass on his vehicle's radar, he guided the other flyers towards and across the Solen, its waters unfrozen despite the low temperatures. The area around it was less forested, probably—in the ace pilot's mind—to reduce the likelihood of a tree falling in and becoming a hazard for the ferry. Due to a combination of forestation and extreme distance, the bullet train's path was not yet visible, but this was to change in due time.
"Man, if the Lords had set up some traps in the forest, I'd so hate to be anyone within Mario's group. Of course, I don't expect the skies here to be completely clear." Falco maintained his awareness relative to the environment—as did his partners—hoping, maybe even praying, that there was not a single Lord-related hazard in the cloudy skies. There were none, thankfully, but something else of major concern would expose itself to the soaring group within the next few kilometers.
"There's a smoke column up ahead, but I wonder what could be producing it…" In front of him was a pillar of smoke, not too far away from his position. Perhaps a patch of forest was on fire, and this was his initial assumption… but a closer look would reveal the true source of it all.
"Woah, look at that, Papa," Bowser Junior called to his father. Beneath and in front of the Koopas and their allies was a decimated town, with roasted and smoking patches of land that had long stopped burning. Homes and other vital buildings were smashed to pieces and smoking slightly, roads were nearly stuffed to the limit with damaged vehicles and numerous corpses, and the nearby forest was reduced to black, cold ashes. No living person was present, evil cultist or otherwise, and all lights that would have been active during this night were disabled, possibly destroyed; this combination bestowed upon the town an undeniably eerie appearance, an appropriate one to assume in the aftermath of a violent event. The bridge connecting the two halves of the area was mostly gone, with the endpoints being the only surviving bits. Bloodstains were present, but those were extremely difficult to notice due to the low lighting and the fact that the fighters were so far away from them.
"Oh, shit…" the Koopa King gasped. "Looks like the Lords have been a little busy." Witnessing the unfortunate town below him was bringing him back to the moment when he and the rest of Mario's group entered the bloody, burning remains of Toad Town. As little as he cared for the well-being for the victims there, he had been shocked because the attack—and subsequent first battle of the adventure—opened his eyes to how far the Lords were willing to go so they could achieve their goals. During his resting period at the Smash Mansion, he had almost forgotten about those early events and certainly would have completely done so, if this disturbing sight had not just entered his mind.
"Yikes, this can't be good," Falco, having witnessed the mess below him, muttered to himself. "I bet those cultists can't be too far away. If that's the case, then…"
"I hope there were some people that escaped during the attack," Fox sighed nervously. "Lillian would be worried sick if she ever saw this, as would Stefan."
"So, this is what they do to towns like this one," Wolf remarked. "Should've known they'd do something like this. Well, the quicker we reach Björnstad, the sooner we can put a halt to their rampage. There'd better not be something to cause us trouble." So far, there were no major obstacles in the way, yet the lupine mercenary felt like the circumstances would change soon, perhaps too soon. It was likely his instincts becoming paranoid, he believed.
"That's terrible," Peach gasped. Her bionic eye, assisted by its ability to see in the dark, scanned the town's remains for any survivors, but no signs of life, aside from Captain Falcon and Wario in their vehicles, were detected. This resulted in her heart sinking greatly, almost to where her synthetic stomach was located; if most of the Rösajordian towns were like this, then time could almost be up for the kingdom. Down below, Falcon and Wario had to take an off-road detour to bypass the messy roads in the town.
With Mario…
"How close are we?" Mario asked of Stefan. The forest was beginning to appear repetitious to him and some of the other Smashers, simulating the feeling of traveling over the same strip of land continuously. In fact, the only way he could tell that progress was being forged was through a group of strange lights in the upper part of the trees. These entities were of multiple colors, but nothing else could be discerned.
"We are only several meters away from the stop," the Rösajordian replied. "Once we are there, we can take the time to rest."
"I'm curious, Stefan," DK asked, hoping to figure out the answer to a necessary question. "Why didn't you teleport us direct to your kingdom's capital city? I mean, it would've made our jobs much easier if you had done that."
"Firstly, the city has been under a major siege within the last three years; due to numerous enemy forces stationed around the perimeter, any attempt to directly enter Björnstad by one of its access routes will cost us dearly. Second, there is a certain barrier around the city that was originally used to stop enemies from entering via air vehicle or portal, but it has been reprogrammed to work against us instead. Therefore, I cannot create a portal that can lead you to the city's interior." Stefan formed a map of Björnstad with his sapphire, showing the major enemy groups around the kingdom's besieged capital.
"Wait, but won't Falco and his group be in trouble when they get near the city?" Snake suddenly asked, concerned that the flying Smashers might be killed.
"It is possible for them to experience problems, especially if the kingdom's forces mistake them for hostiles. However, if they play their cards correctly, they might be able to cripple the Lords and put an end to the horrific siege."
"Maybe, but if they get shot down, that'll be a serious loss for us Smashers." The aged soldier removed a cigarette from one of his pockets and heated its tip with a lighter, much to the hidden annoyance of a few Smashers. The smoke forced those near its borderless shape to cover their noses, if not outright move away from its area of effect.
"Cigarette-a smoke kills…" Luigi mumbled under his breath. He was not ignorant to the consequences of inhaling secondhand smoke, which could be fatal to nonsmoking characters like him. "And it-a hardly matters if you're a smoker or not-a."
"Hey, that building up ahead looks important," Ness announced. His right index finger pointed towards a building past a natural hallway of trees. There were golden lights that illuminated the exterior of the Victorian-style structure, allowing brick and steel to glow in the night. The few windows were illuminated, yet the curtains behind them barred the fighters from peering into the structure's warm interior. Smoke ascended from the chimney, with an appearance as black as the darkest night. Behind the building was a large ferry, its appearance barely visible due to the poor lighting and its distance relative to the small structure.
"Is this-a it?" Mario asked, unsure if he and the Smashers were at the right destination. In fact, due to the night imposing poor visibility, he could not tell if this structure was supposed to be a ferry stop.
"We are at the stop," Stefan answered calmly. "All we need to do now is convince the owner to let us ride across the Solen. My position as a monarch should let us board the ferry, but if I cannot convince the owner or if he is unavailable, then we'll be walking near the river."
"Work your magic, man," Dedede demanded. "I don't wanna be walking in this cold weather for much longer." The young prince, sensing the king's desire to be warm, approached the small building's entrance with some urgency. A fragment of worry remained on his mind during this time; despite the active lights inside, it was possible that the owner was not available: either away for some important matters or, Heaven forbid, slain by a hostile. Indeed, considering the state of the kingdom, it would not be uncommon to find unfortunate citizens dead in their homes or missing. With a silent knock, Stefan hoped for the best and expected the worst…
Tap-tap…
"Yes, who is it?" a semi-familiar voice echoed from the other side. The prince felt a sense of déjà vu as he tried to recognize the speaker's identity, but the faintness associated with those spoken words and the cold walls were problematic to him. It almost sounded like…
"This is Prince Stefan," the young man replied hesitantly. "I need to use the ferry so that I can travel across the River Solen."
"Ah, Prince. I was wondering when I would see you again. Let me open the door." When the olive-green door was jerked open, allowing warm air to temporarily bleed from the building, the prince's suspicion was ultimately confirmed.
"Svante? Were you not at the hideout when I left for the Smash Mansion?"
"I was, but I could not stay there for long. I had to return to this building so that I could resume my business as a ferry driver. This has been my career prior to my involvement in the Rösajordian Black Guard, and it still is to a degree." The older man was wearing a plain uniform marked with a pale shade of blue, complete with a brown belt and a green headband with the kingdom's coat of arms printed on it.
"When were you going to tell me about that?"
Svante chuckled lightheartedly in response to the question. "Heh-heh, I can be quite forgetful at times. You are free to pin the blame on old age, Prince. When you have lived so long like I have, it may become difficult for you to remember the major events of your life. Now, who are those people behind you?"
Stefan twisted to observe the Smashers standing behind him. "These people are inhabitants of the Smash Mansion. They safeguarded my sister prior to her kidnapping by the Lords and have gathered the pieces of the Staff of Björn prior to my arrival at their residence. Were it not for them, we would have lost the war already."
"Ah, it is wonderful to have the staff in good hands, but I am sorry to hear about your sister's kidnapping. Rest assured, we can get her back before it is too late. I want you and your travelers to come with me. There is no need to worry about payment; I will give you all a free ride."
The younger man was relieved upon hearing of Svante's willingness to give the group a ride. He let off a subtle grin as he spoke. "Once again, your willingness to help me has given satisfaction to my soul. You have my deepest respects."
"Tell your allies to come aboard." After Svante traveled to the back of the building, Stefan gestured the Smashers to travel forward. Due to the size of the group relative to the small rooms inside, a single-file line was formed to let everyone pass through without having to enter all at once. The interior was nothing unusual, with the first floor containing only a kitchen and a door leading to what appeared to be an office. A wooden desk, complete with a telephone and several files, could be observed through the translucent windows. The far wall was home to a stairway that led to the upper floor.
"Quite-a simple," Mario remarked. His time inside was relatively brief, for the next minute saw him on the other side of the building, closer to the lonely ferry, a giant of white and gold. This vehicle was equipped with large propulsion units on the back and golden wheels on the sides, and its underside was printed with a special variant of Rösajordia's coat of arms; the roses were absent, and the lion was dashing along the surface of water.
Mario could notice Svante quickly climbing into the driver's chamber before activating the ignition sequence. Not wasting time, he and the other Smashers proceeded to climb onto the floating vehicle and drop into the seating area; Snake had to, against his own wishes, get rid of his cigarette before entering. The interior was remarkably posh, with red cushions on the seats and elegant lampposts built to illuminate with the right amount of light. The ceiling and walls were designed with a style almost identical to the one present inside the Smash Mansion, giving some Smashers a feeling of familiarity. A red carpet colored the pathway across the room.
"It's good to feel some warmth," Ike commented. His sword was placed against the wall nearest to his seat. "We should enjoy it while it lasts."
"Can't argue with that," DK agreed.
"Hey, Marth?" Pit questioned suddenly, noticing something out of place. "Why are your eyes red?"
"What do you mean by that, Pit?" The muscular mercenary was not yet aware of the anomaly in the Hero-King's appearance, but in the light of the ferry, he, the other Smashers, and Stefan would immediately come to realize this sinister change.
"What's-a wrong with your eyes-a, Marth?" Luigi silently and nervously asked. He felt like the red eyes was a sign of the Altean slowly succumbing to corruption, a black gift bestowed by, in this case, Lina Lindqvist. Marth was sure to become hostile soon, the green plumber believed.
"It was inevitable that you would discover this," the Altean sighed. "Do any of you know my suffering, my near-death, at Lina Lindqvist's hands? Well, I am now undergoing the same transformation that my sister once experienced."
"Yes," Roy muttered. "You told me that Elice was corrupted into a powerful, malicious vampire by Lina's brother. And that was because of the magic usable by your attacker and at least some members of her kind."
"Damn," Snake grunted, worried that he and the group would eventually be attacked by a corrupted ally. "I don't know what we should do with Marth. Should we separate him from us?"
"The only surefire way to reverse the transformation before it's too late is to kill the vampire responsible for the attack," Ike affirmed. "The only problem with this action is that we don't know Lina's current location. Stefan, do you know where the Lords have their base of operations?"
"The kingdom's aerial forces have pinpointed the location of the base," Stefan answered. "It is located on the Isola del Inferno, a mostly-uninhabited island owned by Rösajordia's southern neighbor, Orchidacelia. The island itself is a maelstrom of volcanic activity, preventing most forms of life from prospering there. Only those accustomed to the extreme heat and hazardous gases can survive. The Orchidacelian authorities have tried to remove the cultists there, but to no avail."
"Man, I hope Lina's within this kingdom's area," Dedede concernedly remarked. "If we don't find her soon, we'll be in serious trouble with Marth near us. Also, I am seriously hoping the Isola del Inferno isn't too far away from this country."
"The island can be reached by air vehicles, with the fastest ones arriving in under an hour. However, we cannot immediately travel to there yet, as much as it hurts me to say it. I wish to save Lillian as soon as possible, but I must, against my personal desires, understand that I cannot rush the mission at hand."
"We'll take out the enemy forces here first and do our best to cure Marth, then we can go to the island when we're ready," Ness commented. As he placed his backpack on an empty seat next to him, Svante entered the room to be introduced to the Smashers on his ferry.
"Prince," he asked, "Do any of them know how to speak the Rösajordian language?"
"Unfortunately, no," Stefan confirmed with a low voice. "I am not sure if I or anyone else can teach them such a thing in so little time."
"Well, no need to worry, Your Majesty. I know the language they speak, so there will be no problems when they need vital information from me." Svante adjusted his headband and stepped in front of the prince to communicate with the Smashers.
"Greetings, everyone. I am Svante, driver of this posh ferry and member of the Rösajordian Black Guard. Prince Stefan was under my care after I found him in a mortally wounded state during a calming walk, and when he made a proper recovery, I and other members of the Black Guard helped him locate his sister. It seems that you are already familiar with the Lords and the plan to revive their favorite idol."
"Yeah," Mario, holding the Staff of Björn in his hands, confirmed. "We've-a fought tooth and-a nail for the staff pieces. All that's-a left is to wipe out-a the enemy forces here and-a rescue Lillian. Name's-a Mario, by the way."
The elderly driver paused momentarily upon hearing the plumber's name. He had heard of it several times in this kingdom, particularly among a few immigrants from a certain southern republic. Could it be that he was from there? "Hm, Mario… That is a fascinating name; are you from Orchidacelia?"
"No. I'm-a from the Mushroom Kingdom, separate from your-a world. We Smashers are from-a many different worlds. There are-a many differences between us, but we can-a work together to defeat-a your greatest threat." Mario lifted his cap while alternatingly staring at Svante and the Smashers.
"Foreigners, hmm? Well, it matters not whether you are from this kingdom; you all certainly appear to be strong enough to take on any major threat. Now, let me get this thing in motion. Sit back and enjoy your moment of relaxation." As the driver reentered the front to pilot the ferry, Stefan sat down on one of the first-row seats. He was initially undisturbed as the ferry removed itself from the stop and crawled its way across the Solen like a lonely sea creature made of steel, but he soon found himself confronted by Mario with a curious question, one which also had yet to be properly answered.
"Why do the cultists want-a your sister?" the coat-wearing plumber asked. "Other than her-a status as a monarch, I don't-a see her importance to them-a. Does she have-a some magical powers that can change-a the tide of the war?"
"She is powerful, yes," the prince sighed in the affirmative, "But as far as powers that could change the tide of the war are concerned, I doubt her possession of such things. Thus, I cannot answer why the Lords have been seeking her during most of this grueling war."
"Then why did that-a boosted Legionär almost-a kill her? I think-a that moment where-a Lillian got eviscerated was an accident-a."
Stefan stared at the scenery outside, noticing a slight recession in the clouds. Small patches of the clear sky were now visible, but only a small portion of the nebulae and accompanying aurorae were noticeable. Meanwhile, the moons were still completely out of sight. "That was what I thought after escaping from the monster. It makes no sense for them to seek my sister for years and then suddenly try to kill her. I know not what the mysterious leader was thinking prior to or even during the fateful battle, but it is unlikely that he wanted Lillian to bleed out and die. And it can be difficult to determine his exact personal desires outside the resurrection of the Svärtad Orm. Despite his position as leader of the cultists, he is quite the reclusive person; in many cases, the captains under his wing receive more publicity than he does."
"Well, we'll-a find out who he is-a when we confront-a him." Mario felt warm air flow from the ferry's compact air conditioning system as he watched the nighttime scenery scrolled past him, though he was far from being the only one. Many vents were present to give comfort to other Smashers inside the ferry.
"Thank goodness for this warm air," DK sighed.
With the leader of the Lords…
"She is unconscious…" the mysterious leader sighed. "The Plågoande has left its mark and is no longer inside her body. All that is left now is to ensure that she is awake when the time comes. In the meantime, I should accelerate her recovery process." In his personal room, he had the unconscious Lillian on the bed. She was reduced to her violet underwear, and her cap was removed from her scalp, exposing the scar on her head. Near her sleeping form, on a stone table to the bed's left, was a vial containing a liquid with a violet glow.
"Once she wakes up, she will eventually discover her true purpose, her role in bringing about Armageddon." Pulling out a syringe from one of his robe's pockets, he gathered some of the liquid and, after ensuring that he had the right amount, injected it into the princess's neck. The veins in the affected area momentarily glowed violet, the same color as the substance, before regressing to their normal state. Incidentally, the wound on the back of Lillian's head began to heal at an abnormally quick rate, eventually becoming a faint scar—a faded memory of a paramount event. To provide some restoration of his captive's natural beauty, the leader utilized an amulet retrieved from his personal desk and sprayed a blue light all over the scalp, keeping the princess seated upright to avoid missing certain areas. After the treatment, the final hairstyle was shorter compared to that of most Rösajordian women, with bangs reaching midway down the forehead and hair stands along the sides and back stopping where the hairline ended. The strands closer to the top were longer than those near the bottom.
"A future queen—MY beloved queen—in the world of destruction deserves such a lovely hairstyle." The leader, after letting Lillian rest on the bed again, exited his personal room and teleported to the building's science wing. His destination was decorated with the same architectural style as the rest of the building and had numerous doors marked with triple-digit numbers. Only the one at the far end of the path—black and branded only with a red variant of the organization's insignia—captured his interest, however.
"Isberg has already made much progress when I last checked on him," he sighed. "I would not be surprised if he was already finished by now. He is surely deserving of a reward." Using a cube-shaped key resembling the ones taken from the Macbethian base by Falco, he released the lock and quietly entered a hallway illuminated only by dim candles on the sides, isolated from all traces of light and warmth. Upon entering the room ahead, he received another bout of exposure to the personal lab of Lars Isberg. Vats of strange liquids were seen all around him, complete with auxiliary devices placed above them. A stone cabinet filled with magic-related materials was present at the farthest part of the room, filled to maximum capacity and towering over every other object in clear sight. Two doors were present to the sides of the stone giant. A large operating table, stained with blood and carrying a skinless corpse on top, stood in the middle of the room, illuminated by an orange light suspended above it. Opaque glass chambers filled in the space between the vats and were filled with obscure creatures. Captain Isberg himself was adjusting the flow of liquids into one of these chambers.
"Lars…" the leader greeted. "Have you finished making improvements to my personal Legionär?"
"The creature's defenses and offensive power have been enhanced," Lars confirmed. "Its cardiovascular weakness has been partially remedied with the addition of multiple hearts, as with the Jord-Marodörer, and the hearts themselves will be tougher to break, though they are still not truly invincible."
"That weakness, thanks to your contributions, shall be so small such that it would have to be considered negligible. It will be impossible for the kingdom or its allies, including the Smashers, to defeat my personal bioweapon. I plan to have it in Björnstad as soon as possible."
"What about our aerial bases, my master?" Lars had not forgotten that Johan and Lina were out to guard vital bases due to attacks by Rösajordian forces. "We may lose many of our vehicles in the long run, and I fear that the Smashers, especially that bastard Falco, will take advantage of our scenario."
"Never fear, Lars. I will send in my personal vanguard to accompany Captain Lindqvist, and as for Eriksson, he will be assisted by a vanguard under the command of Agnetha."
"Are you sure that Captain Lindgren will be ready to fight?"
The leader stared at the creature inside the chamber closest to him. "While she was making her recovery, I ordered our medics to give her a special… enhancement, one that will make her the most feared among the captains."
Lars started at his leader in fascination. He felt some chills upon realizing what was being implied, and this was unusual, considering his almost-fearless nature. "You mean… Did you-"
"Yes, I have given it to her."
With the Smashers aboard Svante's ferry…
"Looks quite peaceful around here," Snake sighed, sightseeing aboard the ferry. The trees around the river were wooden giants that were sleeping in the middle of this night, while the river was a black trail of peacefulness, silent and unmoving. "Can't wait to explore the kingdom in full once we're done with our mission."
"Sure thing-a, Snake," Luigi remarked. While speaking, he realized that the ferry was now far from its starting point and deep into rural territory, a clear sign that progress was being made. "In fact, I'm-a gonna go outside to look-a." Climbing the ladder to the ferry's upper deck and passing the hatch, he proceeded to stare at the area ahead of the vehicle, not expecting a pillar of smoke to be among the few things visible to him.
"Huh, maybe there's-a quite a bonfire over there." The source was far from visible, shielded by the barrier of trees and the night's blackening cloak. The river's pathway, which was not straight, also contributed to viewing problems. Despite the cold weather damping his sense of smell as well the distance from the source, Luigi could detect weak traces of a smoky scent, a familiar one associated with burning wood.
"What the…?" He was unsure whether there was a wildfire tearing through the environment or if the event was simply a small but heavy bonfire. Being on the cautious side and due to fear of embarrassment, he initially refused to report anything to the Smashers regarding this matter. He needed not excessive worry on his mind, instead waiting for the moment when the Smashers would do whatever they could to save Rösajordia's capital city. A few turns later, disturbingly, the true cause of the smoke was slowly and finally revealed.
"Mamma mia…!" the hero in green gasped, almost with a loud voice. The wreckage previously observed by Falco and his group was in full view of the ferry, but its horrifying details were even more pronounced under closer observation. The blood stained across the streets was clearer and redder, especially in areas that were overwhelmingly choked with bodies, and numerous forms of mutilation were easier to notice on the deceased. Whether the corpses were roasted, hacked to pieces, gutted, sprayed with dangerous projectiles, cut, impaled, splattered, bisected vertically or horizontally, or crushed, the scene was far too graphic and detailed for Luigi to ignore. Around the town's boundary, patches of smoking forest were observable.
"Not again…" Remember the moment when he was slapped in the face by the horrific image of Toad Town's remains, Luigi felt his body stiffening like newly formed ice—barring his stomach, which felt like ejecting all contents through the wide-open mouth. He was not only one to be chilled by this new scene; many Smashers inside the ferry also expressed shock as they also came to witness what was left of the victimized town.
"I'm glad Port Town didn't end up like this," Dedede mumbled. "The streets there would have been suffocating in blood if we hadn't stopped the cultists."
"I'm hoping the other towns in this kingdom aren't like this," Snake commented grimly.
"If we can do so, we'll-a try to save as many towns as-a possible," Mario asserted firmly. "Rösajordia has-a suffered enough already."
"It has, dear Mario," Stefan, heartbroken by the loss of another town, sighed. At this point, he was not sure how much more destruction he could bear to witness.
With Falco…
"There's the station," Falco announced to Fox. "It's time for us to go westward." As the Star Fox pilots led the rest of the group along the bullet train's path towards Björnstad, they felt a spark of hope enter their minds. By taking this path, they were coming one step closer to ending the Lord-spawned menace that lured them here in the first place. The odds were still against them, no doubt, but they still had a chance to come out as the triumphant heroes of a war that had been ravaging the kingdom for almost a decade.
Hope was a shining beacon, pulling towards it those who were seeking justice for the fallen souls of good nature.
"Poyo," Kirby chirped. He could notice Captain Falcon and Wario riding across a concrete trail, accessible via an intersection with the dirt pathway, that touched the polished rails. The F-Zero pilot kept restraints on the speed of his vehicle to avoid traveling too far ahead of the group.
"This should be the calm before the storm," he sighed. Waves of forest passed by as he and his partners inched ever closer to the besieged city. Nothing was out of place for the next hundred kilometers or so, until the environment began changing into a vast assortment of hilly, rolling plains. Trees were fewer in number and far more spaced out, giving the area a more open feel and reducing whatever chills that might have been felt by the Smashers. Cattle-like creatures, gentle and of different colors, were grazing some patches of fertile grassland, especially in farm-owned territories. But the greatest change was yet to come within the next half-hour, one which heralded a transition into an urban environment.
"Getting closer…" Samus, still in her Zero Suit, noted. Buildings and other bits of urban infrastructure assumed dominance over the natural countryside, albeit with low-rise buildings and few roads early on. Unlike the bloodied town along the river, there were almost no damaged buildings—save for a few anomalies—and no bodies choking the streets with their rotting presence. And yet, there were no Rösajordians quotidianly managing their normal lives, regardless of how dark the sky was; on the contrary, the outer suburbs were completely devoid of life.
"Where is everybody?" Peach, through her internalized commlink, asked Fox.
"Perhaps the town has been evacuated," the Star Fox commander answered. "I mean, considering the situation in this kingdom, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case."
"I bet the people of this place are someone safe," Falco added. "And I hope that's true, 'cause if it ain't, this place is likely to become a ghost town after the war. And that's if the kingdom thinks it's beyond saving." More kilometers passed over time, and the transition from nature to city transformed into a more pronounced form, with buildings far too tall to reside in a small town and numerous roads which fabricated the basic grid for daily transportation. As with the smaller suburb, there was no activity, though far more buildings were in a horribly eviscerated state. Furthermore, some high-rising roads had collapsed into the ground below. The final part of the urban transformation was the presence of Björnstad's central district, placed a few kilometers away.
"Holy shit," Bowser gasped. "Even Star Hill can't compete with this place's beauty." Giant skyscrapers, colorful sentinels of the city's beating heart, were gathered in a massive group that potentially overshadowed those of most cities observed by the Smashers. Some of the giants inside reached as high as the clouds in the atmosphere, with one even surpassing that limit. Roads reached around and passed through the district—with some entering the buildings themselves. Occasional explosions and smoke columns tainted the scenery with their unnatural presence, but even they failed to block the sheer beauty of Downtown Björnstad.
"Poyo-poyo," Kirby chirped to Red, amazed by the city's attractive appearance.
"Yeah," the trainer replied. "It sure looks beautiful, but it soon won't be if the Lords get their way. We should get over there as quickly as possible."
"Time to get down to business," Wolf grunted. The first few kilometers towards the city was devoid of anything interesting, be it an event or a special sight. However, when the group was close enough…
"Woah, there's a hell of a fight going on," Fox announced to those who could hear him. Around the border leading to the central district, grounded vehicles of various types were stationed: some belong to the Lords, others to the Royal Army. The machines belong to the latter group were recognizable by their golden coloring and the kingdom's coat of arms printed on their bodies. Around both sides, mass destruction was present, with streets and buildings in total disarray, defeated war machines burning and smoking profusely, bodies of belligerents and a handful of unlucky civilians scattered across the ground, and fortifications toppled over. Wario and Captain Falcon were forced to stop when they noticed a massive gap in the railway and its corresponding concrete path.
"We can't go any further this way," the bounty hunter quipped. "We need to turn around and find another way in." With a tight U-turn, he proceeded to travel to the nearest stop on the tracks, with Wario following suit. Meanwhile, the aerial Smashers began to consider entering the city to find a safer place to wait until the others arrived.
"Well, shall we go in?" Wolf grunted bluntly. "We can't just sit here all day."
"We're going in," Fox confirmed. "Let's get moving, everyone." While he and his lupine rival immediately soared towards the city, they were immediately slapped with a warning from Peach.
"Wait!" she yelped. Her bionic eye, in a special mode used for detecting electromagnetic waves outside the visible spectrum, was detecting an extremely powerful, microwave-based energy shield around the city's core. "The city is surrounded by an electromagnetic barrier that can fry unshielded equipment instantly. If you try to enter the city in your vehicles…"
"What? I don't see any stinkin' energy shield." Wolf, due to lacking what the cyborg princess had, could not observe the hidden barrier, nor could anyone else in the group. "I'm going in."
"Wolf, wait!" Fox tried to get ahead such that he could prevent Wolf from hastily rushing towards the city and its supposed barrier, but just when he was about to get ahead…
ZAP! ZAP!
"Damn!" Falco growled. Horror swallowed him as he watched Fox's Arwing and Wolf's Wolfen receive, without warning, a nasty shock that forced all systems to deactivate. Without the power of flight, the leaders of two rival mercenary groups were at the complete mercy of an inevitable crash.
"Wolf, you fucking idiot…" Fox moaned. The area around him blacked out almost instantaneously, and the lack of power meant that he could no longer battle the phantom of gravity. Nothing could be done by the other Smashers to save him and Wolf, and they eventually fell far beyond the line of Rösajordian vehicles. Meanwhile, some of those same vehicles—anti-air units to be more specific—began to fire away at the remainder of the airborne group.
Boom! Boom!
"Oh, great," Samus moaned sarcastically. "Now they're firing at us." She entered an evasive state as some of the shots came close to roasting her gunship. Most of the other Smashers, save for Olimar, also evaded constantly to avoid death and serious injury. Due to the lack of agility on his ship's part, the Hocotatian had to flee to a nearby district, with Captain Falcon and Wario not too far away from him. To make matters much worse, some Lord-operated vehicles also began to attack the group in an unintentional case of teamwork with the Royal Army.
With Mario's group…
"There it is," Stefan commented. His right hand pointed towards the area where the bullet train sat. Sitting at a station connected to a ferry stop, this golden creature of steel was seven cars long and came equipped with lights for safe travel and Rösajordia's coat of arms on the middle car. The station was partially shielded from the natural environment by a glass corridor that stretched from the Solen to at least half a kilometer from the station itself. A small building, supposedly the ticket sales office, sat next to the glass corridor.
"Get ready for departure." As the ferry froze and powered down at its intended stop, the young prince guided the Smashers towards the bullet train, with Svante not too far behind. A short trip to the small building introduced the group to a small ticket machine with a keypad and a blue screen.
"I'll take care of the tickets," the elderly driver sighed. "I may not look like it, but I am quite a wealthy man." After using a personal debit card to access the machine, he performed a quick census of the entire group before buying tickets for everyone but himself and Stefan. Once said tickets were printed out, they were handed to every Smasher in view.
"Let's-a get on the train," Mario commanded. Upon entering the nearest cabin, he and the others were greeted with a ticket-based scanner off to the right, which they promptly scanned their tickets with. Stefan and Svante were the exceptions, instead using special passes to gain seats for themselves. Nearby, a middle-aged driver with light hair and a blue uniform noticed the group take up seats throughout the middle cabins.
"And just when I thought nobody was going to come aboard…" he sighed. "I have yet to wonder what the vehicles from before were doing, however." Tugging on his black tie, he immediately entered the driver's cabin and quickly activated the train's engines. Following the completion of the ignition sequence, he allowed the vehicle to rush forward with a gradual but massive increase in speed. As the ride came closer to maximum speed, some of the Smashers felt tension inside their bodies. They were not used to riding a vehicle so absurdly quick that it could put even Arwings to shame.
"Okay, this thing had better not crash during our trip," DK quipped nervously.
"I'd-a never thought a train could go this-a fast," Luigi squeaked with a fascinated tone. "Perhaps-a the Mushroom Kingdom should-a incorporate something like this-a." With nothing else to do, he and the Smashers awaited their destination at Björnstad.
With Fox…
"Ow…" Fox moaned with a weak voice. Having been struck in the head during the crash, he was concussed and almost at the point of a complete blackout. The world around him was dark and blurry, but he could already tell that his Arwing was damaged, perhaps beyond repair. Keeping his blaster in hand, he fiercely kicked the hatch open to get out, only to find out that Wolf was gone, presumably far from the comfort of his Wolfen…
Click...
…and that a few Rösajordian troops had their weapons trained on him.
"Identify yourself," one of the soldiers demanded. However, Fox had no idea how to speak the Rösajordian language and was, therefore, in no position to respond properly. In fact, after hoisting his hands into the air, he could only mumble the following words:
"Well, shit."
This is gonna be an exciting battle. I can't wait to see what I can do to the Lords. I am SO gonna make them pay for what they did to Castle Koopa.
-Bowser Junior
Johan: Ah, there we go! Should be all ready to submit. I think he would thank me for assisting him on his story. I'd love to stay here and chat with the audience, but I have a show to perform in Rösajordia. Hey, do you wanna come, Remi?
Remilia: What are your shows like, dear?
Johan: Oh, you'll see. They should provide much entertainment for you and your crew. C'mon, we should be going.
Remilia: I will bring everyone from the Scarlet Devil Mansion to your show.
Whoosh…
…
Okay, I'm back. Time to see how the chapter looks so far.
Click…
Wait, someone already finished it? Huh, I wonder who did this. It's nice that I have less work to do, however, so I should give my regards later. Anyway, here's to hoping that Mario's group can catch up to Falco's before it's too late.
A/N:
-"Orchidacelia" (pronounced "or-kee-da-CHE-lia") is derived from "orchidacea" (Italian for "orchid"), while "Isola del Inferno" can mean either "Island of the Inferno" or "Hell's Island", since the word "inferno" in the Italian language can refer to Hell—like in Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy.
-"Solen" is Swedish for "Sun".
-The bullet train is inspired by an actual train system in Japan that can reach speeds over 500 MPH.
-Since the Smashers are now in Rösajordia, there will be information to come about the kingdom and other countries around it for virtually the rest of the story.
R&R, and I will see you all later.