Ch 9: We'll fight to the death

A.N: It's been a while and I feel as though I owe you all an apology. My computer's hard drive failed and failed hard. For the past couple months, I've actually been writing with my phone. Needless to say, it's a pain in the ass. But a big shout out to the people who kept reading and reviewing while I was gone. Your words helped a lot. Now without any further adieu, let's get to the chapter I've been looking forward to for a long long time.

Please don't forget to leave a review when you're done, if it's not too much trouble.

Raven

The castle rumbled dangerously as Raven ran for the control room. The force field was taking a massive pounding out there.

As she opened the door,Kamek spun around in surprise. Alorn, his apprentice, was with him.

"We need all the Magikoopas.'' Raven was breathless, doubling over. "The Force Field will not last if-"

"I'm doing just fine, thank you." Kamek's voice was curt. Blood was dripping freely from his nose now.

"Kamek. You will DIE if you keep this up." Raven placed a hand on his shoulder. "Bowser needs you. I need you. Don't kill yourself like this."

Another blast rocked the castle and Kamek recoiled. Kammy spoke up from the console where she was watching the fight.
"At least let me take some of the load off."

Roy looked up from the control console as well, his face grim.

"How are we holding up?" He questioned.

Raven shook her head once.

"We almost lost Ludwig earlier." She croaked out. "He was on one of the airships that went down."

Roy closed his eyes briefly.

"All the civilians are in the tunnels under the city." He replied. "Wendy is in the process of evacuating. That way, Kamek need only worry about the castle."

Raven nodded in relief as the door opened behind her.

Bowser entered the room. The screen Roy was watching flashed with a red triangle.

TRANSMISSION INCOMING

"Bring it up." Bowser's voice was quiet.

As the transmission started, Peach's face filled the screen.

Her smile was unnaturally wide. Her eyes, usually blue as sapphires, were like two chips of ice. Her hair was cropped to her chin.

"Hello!" She chirped.

Raven stared down the fake.

"Hello Fake." Her voice was hard as a rock. "Are you about ready to give up? Or do I have to come up there and tear your throat out myself?"

The clone's eyes hardened.

"Well if it isn't the Hybrid dog that Bowser adores." There was no longer any trace of the simpering innocence that she was faking.

A stab of pain went through Raven's heart. She hadn't realized just how much she'd missed her sisters.

"I have something I want you to see," The clone yelled over her shoulder. "BRING HER IN."

A bandaged woman was thrown in front of the camera. Her entire body was covered, save for her eyes and her mouth.

But Raven would know those shimmering emerald eyes anywhere.

"..Daisy?"

"Raven." Daisy croaked out.

Tears came unbidden to Raven's eyes.

"I'm sorry. I should have come back sooner."

"Sokay. These bandages itch somethin' awful though."

Why would they have her in-

Raven's eyes widened.

"Are they suppressing your third eye?"

Daisy nodded once.

Red was dotting the edge of Raven's vision.

"Give my sisters back. NOW."

The Peach clone shook her head.

"When we take this castle, you shall join them. And you will become as your precious Peach."

The air in the control room seemed to be very heavy. Raven was finding it hard to breath.

"Oh didnt you know? Mario has been having such FUN with Peach. Lina may have a sibling soon."

Raven could feel Bowser's hand on her shoulder. But her vision was red. Red like her rage.

"I will carve your lying tongue from your lying mouth and shove it down your throat."

And with that, Raven turned and sprinted out of the room. She was vaguely aware that her swords were laying on the console.

"RAVEN!"

Oh. That was her father.

As she propelled herself past him, she swiped his sword. She would need a weapon.

As she sprinted up the stairs, she realized that her heartbeat was all she could hear now. Pain was all she could feel.

Is my heart giving out? She wondered dimly, Am I dying?

As she reached the roof, she could see the Crystal airship above her. Pain began erupting from her back as her wings unfurled to their full length.

Would these wings even work? Had Morton rigged them?

There was only one way to find out.

She shot straight up into the air. For a moment, it was enough to knock her from her Rage state.

For two years, she had been confined to the ground. Two years of looking up to the skies, instead of simply flying. And now, she was free. The ground no longer held her prisoner.

The ship began to fire at her the moment she went through the barrier. As the ship drew ever closer, she spotted the ship's anchor.

Wasn't that how Mario usually got onto Bowser's ships?

She landed on the anchor and began to climb, one hand over the other and wincing at the iciness of the chain.

The wind whipped through her short hair, chilling her to the bone. She could barely feel it though, as she swung herself into the nearest open porthole.

Almost immediately, she dropped to the ground. Hundreds of Crystal people of a hundred different hues were facing off against each other.

Very slowly, Raven snuck towards the double doors. Her head was feeling very heavy.

Just when she made it to the door, something sharp prodded her in the back. She turned to see half a hundred Crystal people pointing weapons at her.

"..Well fuck."

THE CRYSTAL KINGDOM

"Status report." The Crystal King's voice was cold as ice as he reclined on his enormous throne hewn from Lava Rock.

The servant, one made of Rose Quartz, visibly flinched.

"The attack on Dragonstone is going excellent. Although the Barrier is still there, the Magikoopa weakens."

"And how is that good news?" The king snapped irritably, his clawed hands digging into the armrests of the throne.

"Because We've captured Princess Raven."

The King was out of his seat in an instant.

"She didn't have the kingdom swords on her." The servant clarified. "She apparently swung right into the training room."

The King stood over his servant.

"I want her brought to me. She has valuable information about Darkland's weaknesses," He ordered. "Hurt her if she resists, but I want her alive when she gets here."

"Anything else, your Grace?"

"Set up a communication with Diamond."

The servant handed him a small cube and quickly scurried from the room.

Another coward, The King thought bitterly, just like the rest of my denizens.

Once this war was won, he would destroy all of the weak minded citizens and create new ones. The Heart Stone would surely yield stronger minded soldiers.

A holovid appeared just above the cube.

"You called, my king?" The voice was raspy.

"It is time. Initiate Operation Volcanic Eruption."