14. Hostage Crisis.

With the Shadow Sirens out of the way the Boggly Woods can finally be entered, Mario found a mysterious cabin and the place is crawling with X-Naut soldiers.

And then there are Lord Crump and Azrael prowling about.

Mario was waiting at the forest entrance when Mallow returned a few minutes later Goombella and Luigi also returned.

'So what happened?' Mario asked, Goombella spoke first: 'I faced Marilyn, she really can only say ''Guh'' or variations on it, used a Batteryman Deck, to me it seemed she was just following orders.' Goombella concluded then Mallow spoke: 'I found Beldam, she is truly pure evil, she seems frail but she is strong and ruthless, she was using a Snowdust Deck, Mario I don't like to say it but Beldam needs to be killed she is dangerous.'

Finally Luigi spoke: 'Naturally I found Vivian, when I found her it was peaceful around her, she was just sitting there. But once the Duel started she became fierce, she used a Volcanic Deck.'

Mario saw something was bothering Luigi: 'Bro what is wrong?' Mario asked: 'It's just Vivian, I mean not that I like her but there was a sense of sadness around her, her soul wasn't in it, I think she is forced to do her sister's bidding.' Mario scratched his chin: 'I see, Luigi if that is true we might be able to get her out, give her a safe place where she can be herself, she might hold information.' Mallow nodded: 'Yes if we can convince her she might even join us.' Mario saw Luigi was smiling.

'Now I have found something as well, a cabin at the edge of the forest, there was nobody home and the door was locked, I didn't really trust it either footprints of the X-Naut soldiers were leading toward the place.' Mario said. 'Then let's check it out.' Mallow said, they followed Mario into the forest.

After a few minutes walking they found the cabin as Mario told them.

'I thought you said it was abandoned.' Mallow noticed as there were about ten X-Naut Soldiers in front of the door, one of them was bashing the door with his fists: 'Open up! You need to obey the X-Naut army!' He bellowed.

'Nobody's home, I've tried.' Mario said all X-Nauts turned around.

'Wait a second, isn't he that Mario character?' One of the soldiers noticed, another one pulled out a picture from his pocket. 'Mustache, red and blue clothing, travels in a group, all check.' The soldier put the picture away: 'Get him guys!' The same soldier then yelled.

Ten Duel Disks activated at the same time. 'Seriously?' Luigi stammered then Mario and his group also activated their Duel Disks.

Ten minutes later:

Six of the soldiers laid on their backs, their cards all sprawled around them, Ojama King just did his Flying Belly Flop Drop on a Jinzo taking out the monster and the remaining Life Points of its owner, Luigi and Mario had summoned their Numbers because they were heavily outnumbered, Utopia and Rhongomyniad took out another two soldiers, Mallow's Raiza the Storm Monarch just send back a Masked Beast Des Gardius to its owner's Deck giving him the chance to finish off the last soldier.

'Man they're strong.' One of the soldiers gasped, the other soldiers stood up and gathered their cards. 'Run!' One of them yelled then they scattered in all directions, Mallow sighted: 'Let them go.'

Then suddenly they hear someone approaching. 'Who goes there?' Mario shouted then a woman appeared from behind the trees, for the looks of it she was pretty young, early twenties if Mario had to guess, she had a fair skin yet a bit pale she had dark green eyes and silvery long hair that almost reached to her waist, she had bangs on the side of her head almost covering her ears, the bangs were held together with two red and yellow ribbons, the woman was wearing a white dress that reached to the ground, leaving her arms bare, she wore gloves on both hands and a piece of fur around her neck, in her right hand the woman held a purple and pink fan.

Mario relaxed as he saw the woman, but the woman was just looking at them then she unfolded her fan, it started to glow then changed into a fan-shaped Duel Disk she slipped it on her wrist, then she took a standard D-Gazer from under the Duel Disk and slipped it on.

Then she seemed to realize something. 'Are you with that group of soldiers?' She asked.

'No we're not, we are just here to defeat them.' Mario replied, now the woman relaxed she removed the D-Gazer and the Duel Disk changed back into a fan.

'This your cabin?' Mallow asked, the woman shook her head.

'No it belongs to a friend of mine, but she is enjoying a long vacation right now, she asked me to watch her cabin for the time being.' She answered.

'So you wanna tell us why these soldiers were here?' Mario asked.

'I dunno.' The woman simply said: 'I was out doing some shopping, when I returned here those ten soldiers were knocking on the door, I hid in the forest as soon as I saw them, point is I seem to have misplaced my key when I was running away.'

'Those soldiers must have thought you were hiding something.' Luigi muttered. 'Luigi before we decide we need to know who this person is.' Mallow said. 'I'm sorry.' The woman said: 'My name is Bow, Lady Bow for most people but I hate titles.' She said.

'Bow, we are currently after that army, they have powerful people, we need to know more of you.' Mario said.

'Powerful people? You mean Nephilim?' Bow asked.

'You know about Nephilim?' Goombella asked.

'Yes I was living in Twilight Town somewhere near Rogueport, I had to run because of a Nephilim causing havoc there a couple of years back, I went to the main island where I bought a mansion in Forever Forest, when the Nephilim was killed I decided to stay in the mansion, this is actually the first time I went back to Rogue Port.' Bow concluded her story.

'I see, seems we can trust you.' Mario said: 'Bow we shall search for your key, we need to find something ourselves, but I shall make no promises.'

To find a key in a forest seemed to be quite impossible, Mario had decided to split up. Luigi and Goombella were to search for the key alone while Mario and Mallow would look for the key while they would take a look at the Great Boggly Tree.

Luigi was running around the forest when he all of a sudden bumped into a group of three X-Naut soldiers.

'Watch it.' One of the soldiers said then they turned around.

'Look it's green Mario!' Another shouted, Luigi sighted: 'For god's sake! My name is Luigi! Can someone remember it?!'

None of the soldiers reacted. 'We don't care about your name, you are an enemy.' The three soldiers activated their Duel Disk.

'Here we go.' Luigi sighted.

A couple of minutes later the three soldiers laid facedown on the floor, one of them had dropped a key, Luigi picked it up.

Luigi returned to the cabin where Bow was still waiting.

'Hey Bow, this your key?' Luigi asked, Bow nodded, she took the key from Luigi then kissed him on the cheek, Luigi started to blush.

'So what do you keep in there that the X-Nauts thought it would be so important?'

Bow sighted: 'There is an entrance to a basement, but it is small and only has a few wine racks, so unless they are after wine there is nothing here.' Bow replied. 'Still can't believe one of these X-Naut soldiers had the key and not realizing their partners needed it.' Luigi And Bow went inside the cabin to wait for the others.

Mario and Mallow who had decided to search together approached the Great Boggly Tree, there stood two X-Naut soldiers in front of the door.

'Intruders!' One of them shouted activating his Duel Disk, the other soldier, Mario and Mallow did the same.

A few minutes later the soldiers laid defeated on the ground. 'Run.' Mario said pointing to the exit of the woods, the soldiers looked at each other then they ran off. 'How many of these soldiers are there?' Mallow sighted.

'Quite Mallow, I can sense someone coming.' Mario whispered and indeed from the woods an older-looking man appeared, he was around the fifty years old, was growing bald but had a gray beard and mustache, the man wore a gray suit with matching pants and shoes.

'Thank you.' The man said: 'I thought these ruffians never went away.'

Mario and Mallow looked at the man. 'My name is Punio.' The man said: 'I am the mayor.' Mario and Mallow took a few steps back.

'What? Did I say something wrong?' Punio asked.

'No, no you didn't.' Mario quickly said: 'We are just careful around mayors, you see a few days back we had a run-inn with mayor Koops of Petalburg, turned out he was possessed by an evil force.' Mario explained, Punio chuckled: 'Don't worry I am not possessed, why don't you come in to my office?'

Punio used a key to open the doors to the Great Boggly Tree, when Mario and Mallow stepped inside they saw the tree was filled with smaller buildings people were running, walking and talking with each other.

'Wow.' Mallow gasped. 'Amazing isn't it?' Punio proudly said.

After a walk through what seemed to be a main-street filled with small shops and cafés they rode an elevator to what seemed to be the top of the tree, the office of Punio was spacious to say the least, the office itself wasn't all that big but there were rooms behind the office where the living room, kitchen and bathroom were at, the room had a couple of huge windows that showed the whole forest.

'So please take a seat.' Punio said as he himself sat down behind his desk, Mallow and Mario also sat down. 'What brings you here? We don't get that many visitors now the forest seems to be crawling with some kind of soldiers.' Mario looked at Punio. 'That is the reason we are here to fight these soldiers.' Punio folded his arms: 'You seem to know who they are.' Punio replied. 'These are X-Naut soldiers under the leadership of Sir Grodus, there is an artifact here called a Crystal Star, both my team and the X-Nauts are looking for them, point is the X-Nauts want to revive an evil entity with it and we want to prevent it.'

Punio stood up. 'Sorry can't help you.' He said: 'This forest is almost as old as Rogueport, this tree we now live in was created because of that Crystal Star, the elders have buried the Crystal Star somewhere at the base of this tree, many years later one of my predecessors wanted to protect the Star better, he dug it up then build an enormous room beneath this tree there it is. But nobody knows where the entrance it.'

Mario stood up: 'It is clear to me you don't want to help, point is if you don't give us that Crystal Star the X-Nauts will keep swarming the place until they have it.' Mario paused to await Punio's reaction. 'You can threaten me all you want, this Tree won't survive without the Crystal Star, take it and you would doom us all.' The mayor said, Mario shook his head.

'I have powerful friends, who are actually really kind, if I ask them they could provide a new source maybe even more powerful than the Crystal Star.' Punio sighted: 'No means no and nothing will change that.' The mayor stated: 'And I want you to leave, I give you one day then I shall send my security forces to deal with any intruder.'

Mario and Mallow walked to the door. 'There is just one request I have.' Mario then said, Punio sighted: 'Tell me.'

Mario looked the mayor in the eyes: 'There is supposed to be one of my enemies here, guy named Azrael, really powerful guy not one to be trifled with, let me deal with him at least before you send your guys on a suicide mission.' Punio thought for a moment: 'Okay, I agree to that if he is one of your enemies you must face him anyway, let me know if you got rid of him.'

After searching for a while an hour Mallow and Mario hadn't found anything, no key and no soldiers. 'Seems the soldiers have retreated, we shall head back to the cabin.' Mario decided.

When Mario and Mallow wanted to walk away their eyes caught something, a huge ark-like boat completely made of wood with a white small sail, then all of a sudden the ark disappeared and an Angelic-like creature appeared in its place, it had a dark-purple skin tone and six wings, the monster put its hands together then a blinding light erupted from that location, when the light faded the creature was gone as well.

'Did you feel that?' Mallow asked, two horns of darkness were growing out of Mario's head. 'I felt nothing, but from the sight of these horns growing out of your head I'd say it was Azrael.' Mallow concluded.

'Yes it was.' Mario said the horns disappeared: 'But I wonder who was he Dueling?'

One hour earlier before Azrael's Duel.

The mayor of the Great Boggly Tree looked at the strange duo in his office, the first one was the demonic-looking Azrael dressed in a sharp, black suit with matching shoes and a tie, behind him stood Lord Crump dressed in his regular clothes minus the viking helmet which laid on a small table and he was wearing a bow-tie, it was quite a comical sight to behold.

Azrael gave a death-stare at Lord Crump as this was his idea, Crump on his turn needed to suppress his laughter.

'I take it you are here for business?' Punio asked, he motioned Azrael and Crump to sit down, Crump refused but Azrael sat down.

'Yes we are here for business.' Azrael really sounded irritated.

'So what do you need? I am a busy man, and an army is standing at my doorstep.' Punio stood up again, Crump followed the mayor's movements.

'You know who's army is standing outside?' Azrael asked.

'I have no clue, but I should be preparing to fight, not talking business.'

For a second Crump and Azrael looked at each other.

'We are here for the Crystal Star.' Azrael then bluntly said, Punio sighted.

'You are the second ones coming here for that, one Morio, or what his name might have been, came here for the reason, I told him to buzz off and I'm telling you the same thing, the Crystal Star is sacred to us you cannot have it and that is final.'

Azrael's eye was twitching Crump saw the anger in his eyes.

'Wait Mr. Mayor, you cannot refuse us?' Crump was speaking in a very loud voice: 'I even got my associate to dress up in a suit!'

Azrael now gnashing his teeth took a deep breath.

'Crump, will you please shut your mouth? I am doing business here.' Azrael sounded awfully calm.

'Well I am sorry sirs, but we do not do business, like I said I am not selling the Crystal Star.

Azrael slammed his fists on the table, Crump slowly took his helmet and put it on, he was smirking. 'Okay I'm sick of it!' Azrael yelled he stood up, Azrael gave a dirty look at Crump: 'You've said that we would get that Crystal Star if we did business! You even managed to get me in a suit!'

Then Azrael looked at Punio, the mayor was at least a head smaller than Azrael, the demon pointed at Punio: 'You... I tried to remain friendly! I am here in a suit trying to take the Crystal Star without bloodshed! But no you need to ruin it!'

Azrael abruptly turned around. 'Crump! It was my mission to take down Mario! This mess is your fault! And you should fix it!'

Azrael seemed to calm down, then he ripped his suit to shreds, Crump was closely following Azrael's moves in fact he was frightened.

After that Azrael kicked down one of the windows: 'Twenty-four hours.' He said still looking out of the window: 'I give you one day to get that Crystal Star Crump, if not I'm gonna start to burn down this place.' With these words Azrael leaped out of the window.

Punio was simply standing with his mouth open, Crump cleared his throat:

'I'd say we got lucky here.' Punio closed his mouth: 'That guy has some serious anger issues.' Punio sat down behind his desk: 'So now I know that army at my door belongs to you, are you gonna stand here all day or what?' Crump noticed it took Punio a lot to remain calm.

'Damn that Azrael, he ruined everything, burning down this place Sir Grodus didn't want any casualties except for Mario and his allies... If Azrael gets the Crystal Star he will get all the credits again... If I get the Crystal Star Sir Grodus will finally acknowledge me... I mean Punio is just a mayor how strong can he be?' Crump thought to himself he smiling.

'Well?' Punio asked: 'Stay or not?' The mayor really sounded annoyed now.

'I got a proposition.' Crump slowly started: 'We gonna Duel now...' Crump looked at the Duel Disk on the table behind the mayor.

'I accept your challenge, but if you lose you and your army must leave.' Punio said. 'Deal.' Lord Crump said, he and the mayor shook hands.

A few minutes later they both stood outside Duel Disk and D-Gazer activated.

Some fifteen minutes later Lord Crump landed a direct hit on Punio with an XYZ-Dragon Cannon, the Life Points of Punio dropped to zero.

'Buh buh huh huh huh, an old man like you shouldn't Duel!' Lord Crump laughed: 'A few random Plant Monsters together with some basic Spell and Trap cards ain't a Deck.' Lord Crump took a few steps forward: 'Now grandpa spill it where is the Crystal Star?'

Punio chuckled: 'I won't tell you, the deal was if you lost the Duel you and your army would leave, you never made a counter offer that if you would win I would tell you the location of the Crystal Star.'

Crump was dumbstruck he looked at the mayor his mouth open his right eye twitching. 'Now I've had it!' Crump bellowed. 'Azrael can burn down this forest if he want to! Know that I have tried to make it easier for all of us!' Lord Crump opened the door: 'And with that... POW I'm gone!' He bellowed before slamming the door shut. 'What a couple of nut-jobs.' Punio sighted shaking his head.

A few minutes after Azrael's visit to Punio.

Goombella was looking around her she was on her guard watching out for X-Naut Soldiers, suddenly twenty or so soldiers leapt out of the bushes and were getting from behind trees. 'Buh buh buh huh huh, and here I thought this day couldn't be any worse, and look who I find here! My favorite anchor decoration!' Slowly Lord Crump emerged from behind a tree.

'You!' Goombella said she looked around her for a way out but she was completely surrounded.

'Crump I want you to stand down.' All soldiers turned their heads to where the voice came from.

From the distance a man slowly approaches. 'Azrael you stay out of this.' Crump said when the man finally reached them.

'Azrael?' Goombella thought she knew she was in trouble.

'Crump I am through with it, that mayor is still working on my nerves! I need some diversion, and this will be it, I beat the girl you can have her as a prisoner but only as leverage for Mario.' Azrael said. 'What are you talking about?' Crump asked confused. 'I mean I need to beat Mario, that is my mission, I lure him to the top of the tree and take him out simple as that.' He looked at Lord Crump: 'Mario is sure to protect that mayor, if I lure him to the top of this tree his friends would surely come with him, with Mario and his friends out of the forest you have all the time to search.' Azrael explained to Crump, Goombella activated her D-Gazer and Duel Disk, Azrael closed his left eye a complex combination of lines appeared around it when he opened his eye again it was glowing with a golden light, then he activated his Duel Disk.

(Goombella: 8000) - (Azrael: 8000)

'I shall start this Duel.' Goombella stated. 'I activate Ojama Country and protect it with Field Barrier.' Goombella played the two Spell cards, the Ojama houses sprouted out of the ground like mushrooms. 'Now I summon Ojama Yellow!' The yellow Ojama appeared in front of one of the houses he was belly-dancing. (0- 1000 ATK) 'I end my turn.'

'Now it is my turn and I shall show you my divine powers!' Azrael spread his arms then he started to float. 'Six cards then appeared in his hand.

'You know I could end it within a few turns, but that is boring, I shall give you the honor to play with me for a bit before I destroy you.' Azrael was looking down on Goombella, the girl didn't dare to look Azrael in they eye, even she could feel his powerful magic. 'You can't say for sure, you know I can fight.' Azrael chuckled. 'You know what, I shall simply pass on this turn, give you a free shot at my Life Points.'

The demon crossed his arms, Goombella started to sweat, she had heard stories about Azrael, Mario neglected to tell her Azrael was really terrifying.

'Uhm Azrael, not that I don't trust your skills.' Lord Crump then said: 'But this is a serious matter, should you be playing around this much?' Azrael glared at Lord Crump. 'Come on, let me have my fun, I put on a suit for you and I was real nice to the mayor, so give me my pleasure.'

Lord Crump shook his head: 'Nearly broke his desk, threatened him and broke his window, if you call that nice...' Crump shut his mouth when he saw Azrael glaring at him.

Goombella had drawn her card. 'I summon Ojama Black!' She shouted and next to the yellow one the fat, black Ojama appeared trying to do a belly dance. (0-1000 ATK) 'Double Direct attack!' Goombella shouted, the two creatures flew at Azrael who annoyingly slapped them aside.

(Goombella: 8000) - (Azrael: 6000)

'I'll end my turn.' Goombella sounded nervous, Azrael just lost Life Points yet he didn't seem to be bothered by it at all, Azrael drew his card he looked at it then added it to his hand. 'You know I would like to be god, but being a god creating creatures all day long, then destroy them at a flick of your wrist only to begin anew again.' Azrael took a card from his hand.

'I summon Black Stego!' Azrael shouted a dinosaur started to appear on the Field, it was a Stegosaurus with black scales. (1200- 2000 ATK)

'And this is how I turn your own Field Spell against you, Black Stego attacks Ojama Yellow.' The creature tried to run away but it got trampled by the dinosaur.

(Goombella: 7000) - (Azrael: 6000)

'I shall set one card and end my turn.' Azrael stated, a facedown card appeared behind his dinosaur.

Goombella drew her card. 'What is this guy playing at? Is he really toying with me?' She thought. 'Okay first of all I summon Ojama Green!' The slimy, green guy appeared he was laying on the ground leaning on one arm. (0- 1000 ATK) 'Next up Monster Reborn!' Ojama Yellow reappeared under the holy ankh. (0- 1000 ATK)

'Then I use Ego Boost on Ojama Black!' The Spell card appeared, Ojama Black flexed its muscles as its attack power rose to 2000.

'Now you activate my Trap card! Absolute End!' Azrael shouted, his card spun around: 'Now any attack is turned into a direct attack.'

Goombella was dumbstruck, Lord Crump looked nervously around him.

'Come at me.' Azrael said in a mocking tone, the three Ojama's leaped at him when Goombella gave the sign to attack, again Azrael swatted them aside.

(Goombella: 7000) - (Azrael: 2000)

'Turn end.' Goombella stated, Azrael didn't looked worried at all.

Goombella now was really unnerved.

Azrael drew his card. 'Now I think you have done enough damage as it is, time to show you what I could really do.' The air around Azrael changed, it felt heavy. 'I activate my Field Spell! The Great Flood!' The moment Azrael played the card water covered the whole area, there were several smaller islands where the Goombella stood on, Crump and the other soldiers also stood on islands Azrael was still floating in mid-air, Black Stego was struggling against the water, so were the Ojama's. 'This Field Spell nullifies other Field Spells.' Azrael said, Black Stego and the Ojama's became weaker. (Black Stego: 2000- 1200 ATK), (Ojama's: 1000- 0 ATK)

'Time to add another thing in the mix.' Azrael continued: 'Two-Headed King Rex!' In the water yet another creature appeared, a purple dragon-like dinosaur with wing on its back and two ferocious-looking heads. (1600 ATK) 'My monsters destroy those Ojama's!' Azrael commanded, Goombella looked away as the two-headed monster and the Stegosaurus dragged Ojama Black and Green underwater.

(Goombella: 4200) - (Azrael: 2000)

'I shall end my turn, which activate my Field Spell, during the End Phase that turns player monsters get destroyed unless they are Water monsters or have wings. Two-Headed King Rex flapped its wings and took the sky, Black Stego sank to the bottom.

Goombella looked at Ojama Yellow struggling to keep his head out of the water, she drew her card. 'I activate Mystical Space Typhoon!' Goombella shouted, the tornado appeared creating a water tornado, when the storm died out the flood was still there.

'Did you actually think you could destroy my Field Spell?' Azrael laughed.

'It cannot be destroyed by normal means.'

Goombella frowned. 'Then I shall end my turn here.' She said, Ojama Yellow slowly drowned.

'Back to me.' Azrael grinned he drew his card. 'I summon Marauding Captain.' The famous warrior clad in armor appeared, with his short blonde hair and two swords, (1200 ATK)

'I sadly have no other monsters I can summon with his effect, well does not matter, you are wide open!' Marauding Captain managed to draw his sword and threw it at Goombella, Two-Headed King Rex swooped down and scratched her.

(Goombella: 1400) - (Azrael: 2000)

'I shall end my turn, which means Marauding Captain drowns.' Azrael watched his monster struggle.

Goombella drew her card, she took a quick glance at Azrael who was still completely calm. 'I shall teach you to take me not seriously. 'I activate Card of Sanctity!' Coins dropped from the sky, both players refilled their hand. 'Next I summon Ojama Red!' A new Ojama appeared wearing the same knickers as the others, he wore some kind of shawl around his neck, the Ojama had a normal body and an onion-shaped head. (0 ATK)

'When this card is summoned I get to summon up to four Ojama's from my hand.' Goombella explained, one Ojama Yellow, Ojama Black and Ojama Green appeared. (0 ATK x3)

'Finally I Equip Yellow with United We Stand!'

The moment Goombella played the Spell card ridiculous large muscles grew on the monster's arms. (0- 3200 ATK)

'Attack that Two-Headed King Rex!' Goombella commanded, the Ojama leaped out of the water and slammed the dinosaur with his fist, the beast pummeled into the water where it sank.

(Goombella: 1400) - (Azrael: 400)

'Are you done?' Azrael asked he sounded annoyed.

'Yes I shall end my turn.' Goombella said, the four Ojama's immediately were swallowed by the water.

'I shall show you why you could never win, even with the extra cards you gave me I had the cards to win in my hand.' Azrael took one card from his hand, he played it, a huge wooden ark submerged from out of the water, it had a white said with a weird pattern on it.

'This is Shinato's Ark, now I use the Effect of my Field Spell by destroying it I wipe the Field clean of the Ark and any other Field Spells!' Azrael closed his eyes, how fast the water appeared, it disappeared just as fast, Shinato's Ark was now stuck on dry land somewhere between a few trees.

'Now Shinato's Ark is removed from the Field! I shall call upon a divine being!'

Goombella looked at the sky, the sky then broke open a huge creature with six wings descended, Goombella could only describe the monster as an Angel, he had a dark blueish skin tone, and wore armor.

The monster clasped his hands together, a blinding light shot forth from the monster, Goombella felt a great force knocking her off her feet, then everything went black.

(Goombella: 0) - (Azrael: 400)

Azrael landed he checked the unconscious Goombella.

'Will you never do that again?' Crump said: 'You had nearly lost that Duel!'

Azrael merely chuckled. 'Like I said, I could have ended the Duel when I wanted.' Crump scratched his chin. 'You got lucky you could render her Field Spell useless, but that Deck of yours never works against Mario.'

Now Azrael started to laugh: 'That Deck? It merely existed of some random cards I had with me, my real Deck shall destroy Mario.'

Crump shook his head he lifted Goombella from the ground: 'I shall take care of her, you lure Mario to you so I have the chance to search for the Crystal Star.

Some unknown time later, on an unknown place.

Goombella opened her eyes, she felt tired like the Duel drained her, she tried to move but found out she couldn't.

Goombella looked around the room, it was rather spacious and dark, she looked down only to see ropes around her chest and belly, her legs were also tied, she tried to look behind her only to see she was tied to a thick iron pipe.

Goombella knew struggling was useless she tried to yell but only then she noticed something was stuffed in her mouth she tried to push it out with her tongue but she couldn't because of a cloth tightly wrapped around her mouth.

Slowly Goombella looked around the room there were at least four X-Naut soldiers, two guarding a door and two sitting at a table in the corner those two were Dueling, at the other end of the room across the table with the Dueling soldiers stood a strange pink robot with the X-Naut logo on its chest the head of the robot was a dome filled with wires and what-not.


Next time:

The crew returns to the cabin, but not for long.

When Mario learns Goombella is taken by Crump and Azrael he, Mallow and Luigi rush to the aid of their friend.

But Azrael is not to be taken lightly Mallow and Mario, will they overcome Azrael? Find out next time. 'Tree-Top Rumble.' Coming next.


Card details:

The Great Flood

Field Spell

During the End turn destroy all monsters of the turns player except for Water monsters or monsters that can fly. When you control 1 ''Shinato's Ark'' you can Summon up to 3 monsters on ''Shinato's Ark'' those monsters cannot be destroyed by the Effect of this card. As long as this card remains face-up negate the Effects of other Field Spell cards. When you control ''Shinato's Ark'' you can destroy this card, ''Shinato's Ark'' and any other Field Spell.

Note: The above card was created by me for this story only. Nobody is allowed to use this card for their own.