Back in Twilight Town, everything had returned to normal as Mayor Dour apologized. "I can't believe it was a fake ally of you all that time... So we were all fooled... I'm so sorry, dear Craw... After all you've done for our town with your friends... Did we hurt your feelings?"
Christian shook his head as he held the Crystal Star, its glow pleasant to him as Alex let him handle it for a bit. "Not at all, I was lost for a moment, not knowing what had even happened, but I never would hold any of you in contempt, you were just as confused as I was."
"You're a bigger man than I, Craw! Such fortitude! You're a true hero! You've brought a shinging ray of light to our dim little town! Twilight Town thanks you!" Christian wanted to add his friends for their aid as well, but a glance had Alex shaking his head, Amethyst hiding behind him, Goombella and Koops looking down for failing to realize, Flurrie just hugging Anya and Mark who was just dying from the embrace as Vivian spoke, her hand resting on the Star.
"Hey, Christian... We need to get back to Rogueport, right? Let's go." With a farewell to Dour, the Party headed to back to Rogueport, Vivian's hat now banded with silver with her name inscribed into the material. Returning, however, yielded another message from Princess Peach, adding another dangerous problem to the adventure...
Leaving out of the room, Alex's SP rang out as Vivian, startled by it, asked about the noise. "Oh my goodness, Alex! Would that be an e-mail from Princess Peach?"
"No, likely it is from Mario who is in connection to Peach." The Koopa said as he checked it and the words ringed out as the party caught it as well, the mood darkened.
'My friends, Peach has learned the legendary treasure's real nature. It is not of wealth or value, it is a soul of a demon! These X-Nauts wish to revive this thousand-year old monster and use the power it has to take control of the world. This is a larger problem than Bowser, but you have the keys to the imprisonment, the Crystal Stars are needed in both sides as they open the door and also release the monster! They also keep the beast locked up so continue in your mission and keep those Stars out of the X-Naut hands, thwart their plans and rescue Peach! -Mario-'
"...Guys... this adventure just got ten times more dramatic." Alex grimaced as he pocketed the SP. "Which means my hunch was right... It is the same demon that ruined the kingdom here and was locked away, it is all lining up."
"You... are... impossible..." Christian groaned with Anya as he continued. "How do you even know for a fact that this demon soul is the same one!?"
"...A hunch..." All fell on the ground in surprise as Alex was left standing as he continued on with the party behind him, slipping under the fallen pillar in a livable part of the kingdom and down to the Thousand-Year Door to which Christian jumped onto the pedestal and shouted with Star raised up.
"Oh great Star, show us where to look for the next of your kin!" The Star took its place and the Map floated out of Alex's sachet, the parchment glowing before the next location was discovered, a small island far from the port with a small skull rock to display with a blue Star shining to life on it before the fragments, forming more of a eight-pointed star, scribed its riddle for Vivian to see as well.
'With the guard return, the freedom of a soul binds the outcasts once more'
The Map and fragment floated back down as Christian stared at it in question before Alex took both off his hands before he spoke. "Another riddle that must mean something and connects us to its whim once more..." The Koopa shook his head as he motioned everyone to follow. "Let's tell Professor Frankly about this and rest for some time, it has been a long day of weirdness and revelations." The band nodded as they headed back up and toward the Professor's home...