Hello Dears! Two updates in one month, surprising right? I'm working on the finale as we speak! Of course that's chapters and chapters away! So as the norm, read and review! The reviews make working on this much easier!
Ch 6: Find the strength to see this through

BOWSER AND RAVEN

Bowser stared her down.
"Big joke Raven." His voice was flat.

"M'not joking. Syrio helped with the birthing, and you're the only one I've ever done that with. She's definitely ours. She's got my eyes and your hair."

Bowser took her hand, sliding the coiling dragon up her right arm. He looked deep into her eyes. When he saw no trace of humor in her face, he smiled.

"You've no idea how happy that makes me. " His voice was trembling. "May I see her soon?"

"She's in Ludwig's room. I'll show you her later. She's safe there. Let's head back inside and get this War Council over with."
-

Raven headed into the War Council room.

"Syrio. Father. Did you know what he was going to do?" Her voice was stern.

Syrio nodded , grinning softly.

"He knows about Amara."

Syrio choked on his water. Ness was the first to ask.

"Who is Amara?" His hand was being clasped by Paula, who was also looking curiously at the princess.

"I'll tell you later."

Lemmy was the first to notice the dragon. When he did, he shook Larry's shoulder in excitement.

"Larry look! Larry look! She said yes!" He was bouncing in his seat, rainbow hair bouncing all over the place.

Larry looked up, wide eyed. He had been resting his eyes.

"She did?"

Lina, who had been amusing herself in Tyrion's lap, toddled over to Wendy. The princess, who had been in the process of filing her claws, glanced down.

"Yes?"
Lina's eyes were big with curiosity.
"Up please!"

Wendy scoffed ad picked up the princess, resting her in her lap.

Lina cooed and hugged her star plushie.

"Auntie Thalia! Look! I'm sitting with a pretty lady!" She called over to Thalia.

Wendy glanced down at Lina.
"Alright, maybe you're a LITTLE cute."

Raven strode to the front of the table.

"Alright. Bowser's a bit delirious from happiness right now, so I'll be taking over the meeting. The question remains. Which do we hit first: the capitals, or Morton's labs?"

"We might need to hit Grandfather's labs first." Iggy was sporting a head bandage. "How's your nose?"

"Fine. How's your head?"

"Been better. But we need to move quickly. Our Grandfather isn't one to be trifled with."

"I agree. If he's working with them, and if Mother is working with them, we're fucked. There's two in the castle right now. I can go investigate if you-"

"No, mom." Morton Jr. interrupted. "You need to get some sleep. I can take Thalia and Roy with me to check. "

"Alright. Meeting adjourned." She nodded before turning back towards the balcony. She had some questions for her new fiancée.

THE HEIR

Left. Right. And left again.

He dodged the next attack, sweat dripping from his forehead.

The massive hydra rose in front of him, letting out a roar of anger. The stench emanating from the east was overwhelming.
The creature reeked of death and it was very hungry.
"RAAAAAH!"
A fireball issued from the Heir's mouth. As it hit the creature, it roared in pain.
Then he had to dive behind a column as the Hydra's middle head spewed an enormous fireball.

It was very dim in this room, save for a single torch by the door.

The Hydra roared angrily and began to lumber after him. Hydras, he knew, could be defeated if you burned the stumps once you cut off the heads.

Leaping out from behind the column, he slashed at the Hydra with the sword he'd stolen.

The middle head hit the floor. Before it could grow back and multiply, he breathed fire on the stump. The creature roared as loud as it could, causing the walls to shake.

The Hydra began to thrash around violently, attempting to throw him off.

The small Koopa dug his claws in and braced himself. He could not die here. It was only the first trial.

"NO." He growled out. And with that the left head was burned off.

The hydra reached up with a clawed paw and grabbed him, throwing him at the nearest wall.

CRACK!

Intense pain radiated through his back. As the Hydra loomed over him, he hissed.

"Not today. I won't die today!"

And he swung. As the hydra fell, he got to his feet shakily, and began to limp towards the now open door.
As he passed through, a bright light blinded him, causing him to drop to his knees in pain. Once his eyes had adjusted, he found himself in a meadow like place.

A small pond was in the corner flanked by several dozen berry bushes. A plaque sat beside the pond, mounted on a large rock. As he limped over, he read the words:

Drink and be healed. Eat and be energized. One of these awaits after every trial. Return as many times as necessary.

He knelt down and scooped up the water, drinking deeply. As he did, his cellphone began to ring. With wide eyes, he answered it. He had assumed there would be no signal of any kind down there.

"Hello?"

"Junior." Bowser's voice was full of relief.

"Hello Papa." Junior was feeling the exhaustion begin to settle in. "Hydra's dead. Everything hurts. The water's helping though."

"You weren't ready. You weren't- LUDWIG was supposed to-"

"Dad, I'm proving a point. I want to be useful in this upcoming war."

"I-" The phone was wrenched from Bowser.

"You IDIOT!" Ludwig yelled into the phone. "What the HELL were you thinking?"

Junior chuckled at that.

"Give Mama a hug for me. I have to go."

''JUNIOR NO-"

Junior hung up. Then he devoured the berries, feeling them work their healing magic, his pain dissipating.
Then he moved onto the next room.

Damp darkness enveloped him like a cold bath. He spat fire into the air, trying to find his way around. The room appeared to be circular. Massive stalactites hung from the ceiling. There was an unlit torch nearby, and he stumbled in that direction.

When his hand brushed against the torch, he spat a fireball into it.

The room filled a weak light. That was when Bowser Junior, to his horror, realized he was surrounded on all sides by very large spiders. Those Stalactites he had seen were, in fact, wrapped bodies of long dead heirs.

"Oh Shit."

And with that, they descended on him.