11. Dragon Slayer.
Just when we found out what was going on with Koops, he and Luigi ended up Dueling, Luigi won but when I wanted to grab the Crystal Star that pesky shadow demon took it, time to beat the real thread once and for all.
Mario stormed out of the ruined castle first, he was closely followed by Mallow then Goombella and finally Luigi who carried Koops.
The shadow demon was waiting for them. 'Finally caught you.' Goombella snarled. 'And you actually think you caught up to me?' The demon sneered: 'I let you caught up to me, so I could tell you my plans.'
Mario's hand started to tremble, as his body was filled with dark powers again. 'You and I Mario, we will Duel.' The demon spoke: 'But you stand no chance, you changed Decks quite a few times, can't find anything that fits you? Well you know why some Duelists can't seem to lose a Duel?'
The demon remained silent. 'I don't know.' Mario replied.
'Some call it the heart of the cards.' The demon answered its own question: 'But that is not it, if a Duelists soul is one hundred percent in their Deck, they start a connection with their Deck, your soul is not in your Deck Mario, my soul is and that is why. I. Shall. Not. Lose!'
Mario closed his eyes: 'You think we shall Duel? You went too far I must stop this! Return the Crystal Star to me!' Shadow wings grew out of Mario's back, the demon chuckled. 'If I would have boots I now would be shaking in them, not.' Mario slowly opened his eyes then charged at the demon, grabbing it with his shadow claw, the demon dissolved then reappeared behind Mario: 'So much anger, what do they call you?' The demon sneered. 'I am Shadow Mario.' He simply said.
Then the demon let out a blood-curling cry, two claws appeared next to him. 'You destroyed the mechanical Hooktail, but you don't have it in you killing me now that I am all powered up.' The Crystal Star appeared before the demon. 'Bring it.' Mario snarled, the demon swallowed the Crystal Star then started to glow, the two claws became fists, they came at Mario really fast, but Mario stopped both of them with his hands, he crushed the claws then charged in punching the shadow demon, Mario's fist was stopped by an invisible barrier. 'You won't hold me!' He bellowed, the barrier protecting the demon cracked as Mario send in more of his shadow magic, slowly Mario started to change back into his human form, he only managed to keep one of his shadow claws.
'Got you.' Mario growled grabbing the demon with his shadow claw.
'Let me go!' The demon howled. 'Now tell me one thing, are you the soul of Hooktail?' Mario asked, the demon snickered: 'I sure am.' It replied: 'I possessed Koops so he could prepare my return, at first I wanted to use that mechanical body, but since you got and destroyed it I have to fall back on plan B.' The shadow demon dissolved then reappeared outside Mario's range: 'You didn't think you could hold me?' It sneered before flying off to Petalburg.
Mario and the others were still watching the demon disappear.
'We should catch it!' Mallow shouted. 'Calm down, we know who the demon is, Hooktail wants to face us, she won't do anything until we arrive.' Mario calmed down everyone, at that point Koops woke up: 'What happened?' He growled: 'I have a major headache.'
Goombella quickly explained what had happened.
'If that is so, I only remember I got to Hooktail's Castle to save my father, I remember nothing after that.'
Koops sighted, he tried to hold his tears back.
'Koops we need to know what happened, the truth, I mean what Hooktail let you told us might not be the truth.' Goombella said.
'Okay.' Koops started: 'Koopley, my father, was the mayor of Petalburg, all people loved him everyone looked up to me to be his successor but I hated it. I wanted to live a normal life in Petalburg, have a regular job.'
Mario stopped Koops. 'Koops there is a flaw, when Hooktail possessed you, you told us you had the old mayor poisoned and made him believe his name was Shhwonk, he was trapped in the ruins behind Petalburg.'
Koops scratched his chin: 'Shhwonk you said? Shhwonk was a man who hated my father, Shhwonk wanted to become mayor, the night before my father disappeared Shhwonk told him about Hooktail.' Koops sounded confused.
'I get it now.' Mallow then shouted slapping his fist in his hand: 'Shhwonk must have built Hooktail, somewhere around that time the shadow demon got freed, the demon waited in Hooktail Castle for someone to appear, Koopley following the rumors about Hooktail found the dragon, Shhwonk must have activated the dragon from a distance, at the same time the shadow demon wanted to possess Koopley who resisted the demon, the demon then possessed the mechanical Hooktail...'
Tears rolled down Koops' eyes, Mallow stopped.
'So Hooktail stomped him flat?' Koops sobbed.
'I don't believe that.' Mario muttered: 'You followed your father and then everything went blank right?' Mario asked Koops nodded.
'From that point Hooktail possessed you, what if she kept Koopley as leverage? I mean by the time you returned Shhwonk would have claimed to be the mayor since you and your father were crushed by Hooktail, then you returned, and trapped Shhwonk in the ruins and around that time we came in.' Mario concluded.
'I must say it sounds logical.' Goombella muttered: 'But we searched through everything, if Hooktail had Koopley we should have found him.'
Mario put his hand on Goombella's shoulder who turned red immediately.
'He must be trapped inside the Shadow Realm, in the past people like Marik Ishtar could do that to the soul of someone, now Hooktail is a hundred times powerful than a normal human, so who knows what she could do.' Mario concluded.
In the meantime they reached Petalburg. 'There she is.' Luigi said as the shadow demon was floating above the town.
'I see you came!' The shadow demon roared: 'Just in time for your final hour!' The soul of Hooktail started to chant some strange words, gigantic bones came out of the ruins of Hooktail's Castle and the ground surrounding it. 'That is some powerful magic.' Luigi gasped, the bones formed around the shadow demon slowly the bones formed a skeleton as big as the mechanical Hooktail.
When the skeleton was formed a thick shadow fog formed around the bones, slowly flesh and scales appeared around the bones, the result looked exactly like the mechanical dragon. 'Finally I got my body back.' The soul of Hooktail whispered, the Crystal Star appeared before it, the shadow demon shoved the Crystal Star inside the mouth of Hooktail then the shadow entered the body itself.
'I AM BACK! HOOKTAIL! I SHALL BURN THE WORLD AROUND YOU!' It roared, Hooktail tried to shoot out some fire but it didn't work.
'Seems not all my powers work yet, well who needs it? I can stomp you flat!'
Hooktail flew over a few times to get used to her new body.
'It feels good being free again!' She roared.
'I'm sorry it won't be long.' Mario growled, his shadow form partly returned in the form of his wings. 'You actually still think you can win?' Hooktail sounded amused, she crash-landed on the ground.
'You know I could swallow you whole.' Hooktail threatened: 'Well that won't be fun, I'd rather beat you at your own game!' Hooktail spewed some flames in the air, darkness descended on the Field, Mario's wounds healed, he felt his energy being renewed because of the Shadow Magic filling the area.
'You seems like a smart dragon to me.' Mario said: 'But how do you want to Duel? You cannot hold a Duel Disk, let alone you can hold cards.' Mario pointed out.
'And you think I would be stopped by such trivial things?' Hooktail replied, she roared and five cards appeared in front of her, suddenly one of her cards disappeared then reappeared set on the Field, Hooktail roared again and the cards disappeared. 'That is how I Duel.' Hooktail said.
'But I doubt it is fair.' Mario replied: 'I mean you can make cards appear, possibly you can take any card you need.' Hooktail closed her eyes, she chuckled.
'I thought you would say that, so I have another solution here.' A puddle of darkness appeared next to her, an old man dressed in ragged clothes and clad in chains appeared he had a Duel Disk on his arm, his expression was bland like he was not really there, he had a striking resemblance to Koops.
'Father?' Koops whispered as he saw the man: 'Father!' Koops shouted.
'Don't Koops.' Mallow said he firmly held Koops: 'You see that? It is only your fathers body, his soul is not there, Hooktail must have Koopley's soul trapped in the Shadow Realm.' Koops calmed down a bit.
'Koops, I will free your father! And I will get the Crystal Star in return for that!' Koops knew Mario wasn't negotiating.
'Anyway enough stalling.' Hooktail growled, Mario nodded his Duel Disk activated, shadows appeared around Mario's left eye it started to glow golden. Hooktail's left eye simply started to glow: 'I am Ancient, older than anything on this world. I am a god among the living! Your days are numbered.' Koopley's Duel Disk also activated. 'Duel!' Hooktail and Mario shouted at the same time.
(Hooktail, the Ancient: 8000) - (Shadow Mario: 8000)
'I shall start this fight.' Hooktail bellowed she landed behind Koopley.
'I summon Venom Serpent, and I set one card facedown and leave it at that.' In front of Koopley a green snake with two heads appeared, it hissed and green goo dripped from its jaws. (1000 ATK) Behind the monster a facedown card appeared.
Mario looked at the two-headed snake. 'I know where this is going, Venom Deck, relies on one Field Spell.' Mario drew his card: 'Never faced a Venom Deck before.' He added.
'Oh don't worry about that, it probably won't be my Deck that kills you.' Hooktail hissed. 'Anyway, it is my turn and I Normal Summon Double Lance!' He continued, a blue and white armored warrior appeared he carried a spear in each hand. (1700 ATK)
'Since I summoned one Double Lance I can Special Summon another from my hand in defense!' A second of the warrior appeared next to the first one, this one knelt and held his spears in front of him. (900 DEF)
'I create the Overlay Network with my two monsters!' Mario shouted, the black void appeared above the Field both Double Lances were sucked into it: 'Xyz Summon! Come forth Excalibur!' Out of the void the warrior clad in heavy red and gray armor appeared his enormous sword pointed at Hooktail. (2000 ATK)
'I activate my facedown card.' Hooktail calmly spoke: 'Damage = Reptile!'
Her Continuous Trap card spun around: 'Now each time I take damage from a battle involving a Reptile I get to summon one from my Deck with an attack equal to or less than the damage I took.'
'Attack Venom Serpent!' Mario commanded, the warrior heaved his sword and beheaded both heads with one strike. 'I summon a second Venom Serpent.' Hooktail spoke, a new two-headed snake appeared. (1000 ATK)
(Hooktail, the Ancient: 7000) - (Shadow Mario: 8000)
'I end my turn.' Mario stated.
'You drew first blood, good for you.' Hooktail sneered: 'But that won't stop me.' Koopley drew Hooktail's card. 'I activate a Field Spell.' The dragon said, Koopley inserted the Field Spell, Petalburg changed into a swamp area, dead trees everywhere, high grass and in the middle a puddle of poisonous water, it had a reddish color, Mario inhaled the foul air, he started to cough, his lungs started to hurt.
Hooktail grinned, a gas-mask appeared on Koopley. 'One breath of this poisonous air is a simple warning.' Hooktail spoke: 'Inhaling it again could be your death, can you beat me before your breath runs out?'
Mario chuckled: 'You don't get me Hooktail.' Shadows appeared around Mario's mouth and nose protecting him.
'I activate Venom Serpent's Effect, once per turn I can give a Venom Counter to one monster on the Field.'
A dark blue snake slithered out of the swamp, it lunged forward biting Excalibur, where the snake clamped itself around the armor some kind of purple goo appeared around the wound. 'This weakens a monster by 500 points for each Counter.' Excalibur sank to one knee. (2000- 1500 ATK)
'Then I sacrifice my Serpent for Venom Boa!' The two headed snake disappeared in the swamp water and a fat, ugly, purple and yellow snake slithered out, it had three eyes and a mouth as its tail. (1600 ATK)
'I use Boa's Effect.' Hooktail continued: 'By giving up its attack I can place two venom Counters.' Two more snakes slithered out of the swamp clamping themselves to Excalibur. (1500- 500 ATK)
'I set a card facedown and my turn ends.' A facedown card appeared next to Damage = Reptile
'Now the effect of Venom Swamp activates!' Hooktail bellowed, during each End Phase a Venom Counter is set on every monster on the Field except for Venom monsters.' One of the dark-blue snakes slithered out of the swamp clamping itself to Excalibur. (500- 0 ATK)
Slowly Excalibur started to sink in the swamp. 'What is going on?' Mario asked. 'When a monster's attack reaches zero thanks to the Venom Swamp, that monster gets destroyed.' The dragon explained.
Mario quickly drew his card.
'I activate Monster Reborn!' He shouted Excalibur leaped from out of the swamp, his armor was all dirty. (2000 ATK)
'Next I summon Ambush Soldier!' The tall grass suddenly started to move a bit, a man crawled out of it he wore a trench-coat and a camouflage suit, he drew a small sword from his belt. (0 ATK)
'Excalibur attack Boa!' Mario commanded.
'You won't.' Hooktail growled: 'I activate Negate Attack!' A barrier appeared between Excalibur and Boa, the warrior drew back.
'I set a facedown card of my own and end my turn.' Behind Excalibur a Spell or Trap card appeared.
Two of the snakes slithered out of the swamp the first clamped itself to Excalibur: (2000- 1500 ATK) The second one clamped itself to Ambush Soldier but nothing happened. 'Ambush Soldier is immune to your Venom Swamp, it had no attack points so you cannot bring its attack to zero.' Mario grinned.
'You think yourself so smart?' Hooktail sneered: 'We shall see I draw!' Koopley made the draw. 'I activate Pot of Greed!' The happy pot appeared on the Field it scattered as Koopley drew two more cards.
'I activate Snake Rain!' Hooktail shouted, a Spell card appeared on the Field: 'I discard one card from my hand.' A small screen opened in front of Mario, showing Venom Boa.
Koopley discarded the card to his Graveyard: 'Now I send four Reptiles from my Deck to the Graveyard.' Hooktail explained, suddenly one Venom Boa's and three rattlesnakes covered with metal spikes who were called ''Venom Snake'' fell out of the sky into the swamp where they sunk immediately. 'Then I activate Boa's Effect!' Two Venom Counters crawled out of the swamp latching onto Excalibur: (1500- 500 ATK)
'Then I end my turn with a facedown card.' Hooktail continued, first a reversed card appeared before Koopley in the Spell/Trap Zone then two more dark-Blue snakes slithered out latching on Ambush Soldier and Excalibur, the latter slowly sunk into the swam as its attack points reached zero.
Mario hesitated to draw his card, he had no clue what was going on, Hooktail didn't seem eager to attack at all, but filling her Graveyard was suspicious. 'I draw!' Mario shouted drawing his card.
'I activate the Effect of Ambush Soldier! By tributing it I can summon two monsters from my Graveyard!' Ambush Soldier disappeared, in its place the two Double Lances appeared. (1700 ATK x2)
'I create the Overlay Network again!' Mario shouted, the void appeared and his second Excalibur came out of it. (2000 ATK)
'I Detach the two Overlay Units!' Mario continued: 'To double his attack until your End Phase!' The two orbs disappeared into Excalibur's sword which started to glow. (2000- 4000 ATK)
'Attack Boa!' Mario commanded, Excalibur charged in and with one slice with his sword cut off the snake's head.
(Hooktail, the Ancient: 4600) - (Shadow Mario: 8000)
'I activate the Effect of Damage = Reptile to summon Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes!' Before Koopley appeared a man covered in a cloak the hood resembled that of a snake head, the man had no legs but his bottom was that of a snake, from under his cloak appeared some snake heads. (0 ATK)
'Vennominon gains 500 ATK for each Reptile in my Graveyard.' Hooktail explained, the snake-man let out a roar. (0- 4000 ATK)
'I end my turn.' Mario said, a Venom Counter appeared latching itself onto Excalibur. (4000- 3500 ATK)
Koopley drew Hooktail's card. 'Let me see.' Hooktail muttered.
'Vennominon attacks!' Hooktail roared, the snakes that stuck from under the cloak shot forward. 'I activate my Trap card!' Mario shouted as his card spun around: 'Sakuretsu Armor! Vennominon is destroyed!'
The hooded man gasped for breath then he suddenly exploded.
Hooktail laughed: 'I can Special Summon him by Banishing one Reptile monster from my Graveyard, but I won't, instead I activate Rise of the Snake Deity!' The facedown card in front of Koopley activated.
'When Vennominon is destroyed by a card effect I can summon Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes!'
Suddenly bubbles appeared in the swamp, slowly a woman surfaced she had snakes for hair, two snake heads for arms and the trunk of a snake, her eyes glowed red and an evil aura surrounded her, the creature hissed. (0 ATK) 'Vennominaga has the same Effect as Vennominon, she gains 500 ATK for each Reptile in my Graveyard.' Hooktail explained, the evil aura around Vennominaga became stronger. (0- 4500 ATK)
'Attack.' Hooktail hissed, Vennominaga rose her arms, suddenly they extended and bit Excalibur.
(Hooktail, the Ancient: 4600) - (Shadow Mario: 7000)
Suddenly in front of Vennominaga a smaller version of herself appeared.
'What is that?' Mario bluntly asked. 'That.' Hooktail replied: That is a Hyper-Venom Counter, I get one when Vennominaga deals damage and when there are three Hyper-Venom Counters I automatically win the Duel.'
Mario's eyes narrowed: 'So that is why you didn't try to deal damage, well your strategy has one major flaw, I can destroy Vennominaga.' Mario pointed out.
'I am not afraid of that, you would need a monster with high attack, you won't be able to summon that.' Hooktail said with a grin. 'I end my turn with two facedown cards.' Hooktail concluded her turn. The facedown card appeared behind Vennominaga.
Mario didn't seem to be nervous. 'You know Hooktail, I didn't know what I could expect from you, I expected you attacking me with Shadow Magic, you only created a poisonous Field I canceled out with my Dark Form, then you summoned a monster which can generate an automatic victory for you, you even protected it from destruction, but I kept this Spell card.'
Mario drew his card and added it to his hand then he took another card: 'Hooktail I expected much, but you disappoint me.' Mario played the Spell card, a vortex opened above the Field. 'What Dark Hole!' Hooktail growled. 'Bye bye Vennominaga!' Mario yelled, but nothing happened.
'Ha ha ha! Got you!' Hooktail laughed: 'Vennominaga is unaffected by Spells, Traps and monster Effects!' The vortex closed, now Mario started to sweat. 'You see? I created a monster you cannot destroy!'
Mario shook his head: 'I set one monster.' Mario simply said, a reversed monster appeared before him.
'Oh? You think you are so smart?' Hooktail sneered: 'Reversed card open! Shadow of Eyes!' One of the two Trap cards disappeared, two huge, blue eyes appeared in mid-air, shadows surrounded the eyes. 'This forces your monster to attack mode.' Hooktail sneered, on Mario's side of the Field his set card disappeared and was replaced by Heroic Challenger - Spartan (1600 ATK)
'And I activate my second Trap card! Battle Mania!' Hooktail shouted, her second Trap card also opened. 'Damn, well played Hooktail.' Mario growled: 'In that case I Equip Spartan with Magnum Shield, which increases his attack with his original defense.' Mario explained, a gold and purple shield appeared in Spartan's hand, it was decorated with golden spikes. (1600- 2600 ATK) Then Spartan charged in Vennominaga simply grabbed the warrior with her snake-arm and drowned the warrior in the swamp, a second mini Vennominaga appeared next to the first one.
(Hooktail, the Ancient: 4600) - (Shadow Mario: 5100)
'I set three cards and end my turn.' Mario stated three reversed cards appeared in his Spell/Trap Zone. 'Turn end.'
Koopley drew his card. 'This shall end now.' Hooktail said with a grin. 'Vennominaga attack!' She cried, unleashing a ball of darkness at the same time, Mario's shadow wings formed a shield in front of him, the black ball dissolved, the wings retreated, a single Trap was open Threatening Roar.
'So you made sure I could not attack? Well you stalled your loss for one turn, but I use Foolish Burial.' The Spell card appeared Koopley discarded a second Vennominon, Vennominaga became stronger. (4500- 5000 ATK)
Mario seemed to be calm as he drew his card.
'Time to end it this turn, I activate Call of the Haunted!' Mario shouted, Ambush Soldier appeared on the Field. (0 ATK)
'Then I Equip Ambush Soldier with Heroic Retribution Sword!' Mario's second Trap card spun around, the sword of Ambush Soldier was replaced by a claymore with a flaming pattern in the middle.
'Ambush Soldier attack!' Mario commanded, Hooktail's eyes widened, she started to laugh, you just signed your own doom!' Hooktail fired another ball of darkness, but Mario caught it with his bare hands.
(Hooktail, the Ancient: 4600) - (Shadow Mario: 100)
'I won!' Hooktail yelled: 'You took damage! I get my third Hyper-Venom Counter!' Mario stood there with the ball of darkness in his hand.
'Not yet, first the Effect of my Retribution Sword activates, it Chained to your Hyper-Venom Counter since it is my turn my Chain goes first, and Retribution Sword deals the same damage to you that I just took!'
Mario hurled the darkness ball back to Hooktail hitting her square in the face.
(Hooktail, the Ancient: 0) - (Shadow Mario: 100)
Hooktail shook the attack off. 'You... have... got... be... kidding... me?' She spat: 'Yes I do kid you.' Mario replied: 'Activating Foolish Burial was... foolish, and yes pun intended.' Meanwhile the swamp and the monsters disappeared Hooktail's eye stopped glowing, Mario's improvised gas-mask disappeared. 'Why the hell did you activate Foolish Burial? It is not that your monster was too weak.' Mario said.
'I guess I wanted to be sure, will you forgive me?' Hooktail asked.
'Sorry won't fall for that.' Mario replied.
'Then die!' Hooktail bellowed, but before she could anything cracks appeared in her skin. 'Seems your body falls apart.' Mario sneered, pieces of Hooktail's skin came off revealing her bones, then darkness shot out of the bones reforming the shadow demon, the bones crumbled into dust.
'I still hold the Crystal Star! I will give it to the Shadow Queen myself! As reward she will provide a new body!' It cackled.
'I won't let you.' Mario simply said, he pointed his index finger at the demon. 'Soul Crush!' He yelled, the shadow demon screamed as suddenly its body was ripped to shreds, only the Crystal Star remained.
'Finally.' Mario sighted, his shadow form slowly disappeared he picked up the Crystal Star.
The moment Mario touched the Crystal Star Koopley fell on his stomach, he groaned and tried to stand back up.
'Dad!' Koops sobbed he hugged his father, Luigi and Mallow helped Koopley on his feet. 'What happened?' Koopley wondered.
Mario explained what had happened to Koopley and Koops.
'So Shhwonk ey?' Koopley muttered: 'He gave me and my son to Hooktail, it is time we put an end to Shhwonk.'
Mario shook his head: 'No need, Hooktail dealt with Shhwonk by imprisoning him in the ruins, we defeated him there and released his soul to the next world.' Mario said.
The next day Mario and his crew left Petalburg, Koops, Koopley and the other villagers were waving them goodbye, Koopley had decided to become mayor again, to Koops' relieve.
Mario took one look back he waved back.
'So where to now?' Goombella asked.
'Well, when we got the map we got the nearest Crystal Star on the map, so I figure we go back to the sewers.' Mario replied
Suddenly Mallow stopped: 'Mario I figured something out, can you remember Hooktail?' Mallow asked: 'Yes, big, red dragon tried to kill us, why?' He asked, Mallow chuckled: 'Remember that one Semi-God that crushed Bowser's roof during the attack of Smithy?' Mallow asked, Mario shrugged: 'Yeah I can remember it happened, I cannot picture the Semi-God nor can I remember his name...' Mario fell silent: 'I see what you mean.' Mario slowly continued: 'I can remember Hooktail, she clearly was no Semi-God, I mean she called herself ancient, I had expected Ancient to be the same as Semi-God.'
Suddenly Mario started to tremble, Goombella grabbed him by his arm: 'What's wrong dear?' She asked. 'I don't know, someone or something was watching us.'
A figure in the shadows was closely watching Mario, he saw that Goombella hugged Mario. 'So the Thousand-Year Door it is then.' The man muttered. 'You got lucky against Hooktail, but I shall make sure your grave will be at the sewers.' The man looked at his hand, the number ''96'' appeared on his hand.
Next time:
With one Crystal Star in their possession Mario and the others decide to return to Rogue Port so they can visit the Thousand-Year Door.
But a familiar adversary will be waiting for them there.
Can Mario survive another Shadow Game or will this be his final Duel? ''Creeping Shadows.'' Coming soon.
