42. A Four-way Encounter
The moment Mario and his friends returned to Rogueport they went directly to the Thousand-Year Door, however at the door a nasty surprise awaits them.
'I have been waiting for you Mario.' An all too familiar voice spoke the moment Mario set foot in the large room where the Thousand-Year Door stood. Shadows appeared in the room, they quickly formed a portal where Azrael stepped out of, he had his arms crossed, his eyes were half closed and he had a feint smile on his lips. 'Azrael.' Mario growled through his teeth.
'You will not see the sun rise today Mario.' Azrael showed Mario his left arm, shadows formed a black Duel Disk around Azrael's arm: 'I want a Duel to the death.' Azrael spread his arms shadows quickly consumed the entire room. 'So the Trinity finally makes it's move.' Mario replied.
Azrael closed his eyes, the pattern of black lines appeared around his left eye, when he reopened his eye the left one was glowing golden.
'No Mario the Trinity don't make it's move, I do, as we speak Exodus is making his move on the sixth Crystal Star he knows where it is, now the second Crystal Star is already in the X-Naut Base and you have the other five.'
'So you want to break your own rules?' Mario scoffed, Azrael merely chuckled: 'It isn't breaking the rules of the Trinity if I am here of my own free will, doing this on my own the Trinity has nothing to do with any of this.' Azrael took two cards from his hand. I Set the Pendulum Scale with Vector Pendulum, the Dracoverlord and Lector Pendulum, the Dracoverlord.' Two pillars appeared next to Azrael in the first pillar was a man hidden in black mist, the only visible thing was his head he had pointy, silver-colored hair, in the other pillar appeared another man he had long silver-colored hair, he had a tail and was clad in armor made of dragon scales, two dragon-like wings were folded on his back.
'This allows me to Pendulum Summon Monsters of Level four.' Azrael took two more cards from his hand. 'Let darkness blight this very land, swing my pendulum of hatred! Pendulum Summon, come out my Monsters!' A wicked-looking pendulum appeared between the two crystals, slowly it started to swing, then two beams of black light appeared out of the first came a hideous-looking dragon-like creature covered in gray scales with an extra wolves head growing out of it's neck. (1650 ATK) Out of the second beam came another dragon-like creature this one had green scales and the head of an eagle grew next to the original head, the wings of this dragon were one dragon-like wing and the other was an eagle wing. (1750 ATK) 'Next I Release my Amorphage Wrath and Amorphage Pride.' Azrael continued, first the dragon with the wolves head disappeared followed by the second one. 'I Advance Summon Amorphage Goliath!' In place of the other two Monsters appeared a grown-up dragon covered in gray scales, it kinda resembled Amorphage Wrath without the wolves head, the creature let out a roar. (2750 ATK)
'Your choice Mario.' Azrael then said: 'Either you take me on right now or I command my Monster to kill your friends where they stand.'
Mario activated his Duel Disk and D-Gazer. 'AR vision - link established.'
(Azrael: 8000) - (Mario: 8000)
'You've really asked for it this time Azrael.' Mario drew his opening hand.
'I activate Double Summon!' Quickly Mario played the Spell card it briefly appeared on the Field. 'I Summon two Spartan!' Before Mario appeared the two ancient warriors, they held their shields up and their spears pointed toward the Dragon. (1600 ATK x2)
Mario just wanted to declare his next move when an all too familiar voice sounded from a distance. 'So everyone is gathered here?'
Mario looked over his shoulder, Bowser just entered the room pushing Mallow and Luigi aside. 'Mario and Azrael.' Bowser said: 'This is how we gonna do it.' He continued while activating his Duel Disk and D-Gazer. 'Azrael will tell me the location of the X-Naut base so I can raid that place, then Mario will give me all the Crystal Stars he has and that magical map of his, then when I finally have all the Crystal Stars I shall be king!'
(Azrael: 8000) - (Mario: 8000) - (Bowser: 8000)
'Since I just got here, I will take the turn now.' Bowser triumphantly said, then the Life Point counter on his Duel Disk started to flash red, before Bowser could react he got shocked, screaming he fell to his knees, smoke coming off from his clothes.
(Azrael: 8000) - (Mario: 8000) - (Bowser: 4000)
'Did you forget Bowser?' Azrael sneered: 'Whenever a person intervenes in a Duel he does get the turn, however their Life Points are halved.'
Bowser cursed as he slowly managed to stand up, he drew his opening hand. 'Gwa ha ha ha! I activate Polymerization to Fuse the two Blue-Eyes White Dragons from my hand!' Bowser discarded the two cards from his hand, yet no vortex appeared, Azrael started to laugh like crazy: 'As long as I control Goliath no Monsters can be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck except for Amorphage Monsters!'
Bowser cursed as he took two cards from his hand: 'Then I activate Monster Reborn and Silver Eyes!' Two roars sounded through the room as two Blue-Eyes White Dragons appeared behind Bowser. (3000 ATK x2)
'Well good thing to know that I can't Summon from my Extra Deck, too bad that left Bowser with two of his dragons out.' Mario thought, then Bowser's voice brought him back into the Duel. 'I activate my Raigeki to clear Mario's Field!' Bowser played his Spell card and as soon as he did two bolts of lightning struck Mario's Spartans, the warriors fell to the ground where they incinerated. 'Now my dragons! Direct Attack, White Lightning!' Mario braced himself, he expected great pain but when they attack hit him, it felt like it usually felt some pressure on his body but no actual pain.
(Azrael: 8000) - (Mario: 2000) - (Bowser: 4000)
'Bwa ha ha! You're nearly finished Mario! I shall end my turn!' Bowser roared.
'So only damage dealt by Azrael hurts, now I have to watch out Bowser left me wide open and the turn is Azrael's.'
Azrael grinned as he drew his card. 'I once again Pendulum Summon Wrath and Pride from my Extra Deck.' The wicked-looking pendulum reappeared behind Azrael, two black beams appeared on the Field and the two dragonic creatures once again appeared on the Field. (Wrath: 1650 ATK, Pride: 1750 ATK)
'Now Goliath kill Mario!' The dragon looked at Mario his eyes glowing with hatred, the creature opened it's maw.
Suddenly two pillars shot up next to Mario in the first one appeared a unicorn clad in armor, in the second pillar appeared a green toad wearing a cape. Mario looked at the unicorn first then at the toad: 'Kirin and Ogama?'
'This time I will help you Mario.' Mallow said, he took three cards from his hand. 'I Pendulum Summon Ogama, Bunbuku and Yata!' First a second of the green, cape-wearing toads appeared, next to it appeared a small raccoon dog wearing a pink cape and finally appeared a purple crow wearing a pink cape. (Ogama: 500 DEF, Bunbuku: 900 DEF, Yata: 1500 DEF)
'Don't get your hopes up of activating those Pendulum Monster Effects.' Azrael grinned: 'Lector negates the Effects of Pendulum Monsters under my opponent's control.' Azrael's dragon still looked at Mario then it latched out, Yata leaped in front of the dragon blocking it, then Wrath and Pride leaped at Mario, Ogama blocked Wrath while Bunbuku blocked Pride.
'This Battle Phase had to conclude first, but since you intervened your Life Points get halved!' Azrael bellowed, Mallow fell to the ground screaming as lightning rapidly struck him, Azrael was laughing over Mallow's screams.
(Azrael: 8000) - (Mario: 2000) - (Bowser: 4000) - (Mallow: 4000)
Mario helped Mallow up: 'Thank you Mallow, you've given me the fighting chance I needed.' Mario turned his attention toward Bowser, he drew his card. 'So now to deal with you first Bowser.' Mario growled.
Mario quickly glanced over his hand, an idea started to form. 'First I shall Summon Thousand Blades!' Before Mario appeared the a warrior clad in heavy armor, he carried countless weapons on his back. (1300 ATK)
'Next I use the Effect of Thousand Blades, by discarding one Heroic Monster I can Special Summon a Heroic Monster from my Deck.'
A card slipped from Mario's Deck he took it in his hand: 'I Special Summon War Hammer!' As Mario played the card the warrior clad in heavy armor appeared, he swung his battle axe around a few times. (2100 ATK) Then Thousand Blades knelt down on one knee and shielded himself with his arms. (1100 DEF)
'Don't you dare Mario! I know what you're planning!' Bowser roared: 'I won't have it, we need my Blue-Eyes to deal with Azrael!'
Mario shook his head: 'If I let you go off the hook now, you will bite me in the back eventually.' With that Mario took a card from his hand. 'I activate Riryoku on War Hammer and Blue-Eyes White Dragon!' As Mario played the card a line of light connected between the two Monsters, Blue-Eyes became vastly weaker while War Hammer became stronger. (Blue-Eyes: 3000- 1500, War Hammer: 2100- 3600 ATK)
'Attack!' Mario roared, the warrior heaved his hammer and with a sickening blow bashed in the head of the majestic dragon. 'Now your Blue-Eyes becomes an Equip card to my War Hammer.' Mario started, sparks of electricity appeared around War Hammer, he let out a war cry. (2100- 5100 ATK)
(Azrael: 8000) - (Mario: 2000) - (Bowser: 1900) - (Mallow: 4000)
'You'll pay for that Mario!' Bowser cursed, for a second Mario could hear a slightly distorted voice speaking at the same time as Bowser, Mario looked at Mallow to see if he had noticed too but he was too focused.
'Anyway.' Mario sighted: 'I Set this card and I end my turn.' A reversed card appeared behind Mario's War Hammer.
'My turn.' Bowser growled, he drew his card then he started to laugh like crazy. 'I told you I would make you pay!'
Bowser played the card he just got. 'I activate Burst Stream of Destruction! This destroys all the cards on your Field!' Bowser roared, the only remaining Blue-Eyes White Dragon unleashed a volley of lightning strikes, Mario shielded his eyes for the bright flashes, when the flashes stopped his Field was empty. 'Since I used Burst Stream of Destruction Blue-Eyes White Dragon cannot attack this turn, thus I end my turn.'
'My turn.' Mallow stated, he drew his card. 'I Set a Monster and I end my turn.' A horizontally placed card appeared before Mallow.
'You are all just pathetic.' Azrael growled, he drew his card. 'I activate Monster Reborn.' The Spell card as well as the holy Ankh appeared before Azrael. 'Be reborn mighty Blue-Eyes White Dragon!' With a mighty roar one of Bowser's dragons appeared behind Azrael, the latter crossed his arms and started to laugh, Bowser then suddenly let out a roar of anger.
'Looks like I accidentally stepped on your toes, but Bowser as you soon will realize your Monster serves me better.' Then Azrael turned his attention toward Mallow. 'But first Pride destroys that hidden Monster.' Azrael's dragon with the eagle head leaped at Mallow, the card placed before him disappeared and got replaced by Kyubi, the yellow fox with nine tails, wearing a red cape. (1000 DEF)
One slash of the dragon's claw made short work of the fox.
'Now my Blue-Ice White Dragon take down Mario! White Lightning!'
Goombella, Luigi and Mallow gasped, Mario was wide open and Mallow had no means of defending his friend, Mario closed his eyes, he could feel the electricity charge around him, the lightning made a feint ''singing'' sound, when it became louder Mario feared a lot of pain, suddenly a loud roar made him open his eyes, Bowser's second Blue-Eyes White Dragon stood before Mario, two White Lightning attacks locked into a power struggle, Azrael cursed loudly.
'Azrael.' Bowser growled: 'I will be the one to beat Mario! You have brought dishonor to me and my Blue-Eyes White Dragons! No longer will this majestic beast be under your control!'
The attacks of the two dragons shot back to their owners, both beasts fell down to the ground and both disappeared with one final roar.
'Now you did it! Mario I wanted to finish you off, but take a direct hit from Wrath for now!' As the dragon with the wolves head leaped at Mario knocking him down, Mario felt a huge pain in his body where the claws of the dragon dug into his flesh, the head of the dragon savagely chomped at him, Mario blocking each blow with his Duel Disk, finally the dragon leaped off his chest.
(Azrael: 8000) - (Mario: 250) - (Bowser: 1900) - (Mallow: 4000)
'Goliath kill!' Azrael bellowed, the dragon turned it's head to face Bowser black ooze dripped from it's maw as black smoke came through it's nostrils, black flames burned in the eyes of the beast as well as in the eyes of Azrael, the dragon opened it's maw a wall of black flames erupted from the back of it's throat surrounding Bowser in no time, Mario could hear Bowser scream as the black flames licked his flesh, Mario quickly started to chant, black mist appeared throughout the wall of flames, an explosion followed.
Mario was breathing heavy, Bowser laid on his belly, not moving at all.
(Azrael: 8000) - (Mario: 250) - (Bowser: 0) - (Mallow: 4000)
'Mario?' Mallow stammered.
'He's fine Mallow, I used some spells to protect him, after he saved me I couldn't let him die.' Mario knelt next to Bowser to check his pulse, his heart was beating normally. 'Can any of you take Bowser out of here?' Mario asked, Luigi and Bow did as Mario asked.
Azrael was watching this all the wile grinning: 'You've used your magic to counter mine, I am impressed you managed to do it.' Azrael unfolded his arms: 'You have no more magic left to protect yourself or one of your friends.' He said this while looking at Mallow. 'Azrael this is between you, me and Mallow.' Mario said: 'Mallow can fend for himself!'
(Azrael: 8000) - (Mario: 250 & Mallow: 4000)
'Now Bowser is out of the Duel dealing with Azrael should be easier.' Mallow stated as he drew his card, Mallow smiled: 'Time to lay the smack-down to you Azrael, I activate my Spell card, Wavering Eyes!' Mario quickly inserted the card in one of the slots. 'This Spell card destroys all Pendulum Monsters in Pendulum Zones.' The four crystals that were on the Field started to crack, suddenly they scattered four Monsters dropped dead on the ground, the remains of the crystals disappeared.
'Now I get to activate Effects based on the amount of Pendulum Monsters destroyed.' Mallow explained: 'For one Monster destroyed I deal 500 points of damage.' Sparks appeared around Azrael a jolt of lightning struck him, Azrael showed no signs of pain.
(Azrael: 7500) - (Mario: 250 & Mallow: 4000)
'For two Destroyed I can add a Pendulum Monster from my Deck to my hand and I choose Kirin.' Mallow retrieved the card he just named.
'For three Destroyed I get to Banish one Monster on the Field and I choose Goliath!' Azrael's eyes narrowed as a vortex appeared behind his big dragon, slowly the creature got sucked in and the vortex disappeared.
'For the last Effect I can add another Wavering Eyes from my Deck, but I don't have another.' Mallow concluded.
'In that case let me help you Mallow.' Mario stated: 'I activate Call of the Haunted!' Mario's Trap card opened up, the ground broke open and one of the Spartan leaped out of the hole. (1600 ATK)
'Thank you Mario, now I shall borrow your Spartan and Release it so I can Advance Summon Kirin!' This time the unicorn appeared on the Field instead in one of the crystals. (2000 ATK)
Then Mallow took another card from his hand: 'I activate my Monster Reborn and I Special Summon Mario's Double Lance!' The warrior reappeared on the Field this time standing in front of Mallow. (1700 ATK)
'Now my Kirin take down Pride!' Lightning struck the eagle head, then the dragon head was stricken making short work of the monster.
'Now I use the Effect of Kirin, I send it and Wrath back to their owners hands.' Mallow stated, both Monsters disappeared and the players retrieved the cards. 'Double Lance direct attack!' The warrior charged forward the first both lances pierced Azrael's shoulders, Mario saw pain in the demon's eyes, yet Azrael showed nothing.
(Azrael: 5550) - (Mario: 250 & Mallow: 4000)
'I cleared his Field Mario, there is nothing he can do now.' Mallow said, Mario remained suspicious Azrael showed no signs of being worried at all.
'My turn.' Mario stated as he drew his card.
'Now that we can Special Summon from the Extra Deck I Summon Extra Sword from my hand!' Before Mario appeared the warrior clad in heavy, green armor, he unsheathed both of his swords. (1000 ATK)
'Now I create the Overlay network with my Extra Sword and Mallow's Double Lance!' Mario shouted, mere seconds later Excalibur landed on the Field, the warrior held his sword aimed at Azrael's neck. (2000- 3000 ATK: 2 ORU)
'Now I Detach both Materials from Excalibur and double the Original Attack!' Electric sparks appeared around the legendary sword the warrior held. (3000- 5000 ATK)
'Direct Attack!' Mario bellowed, Excalibur rammed his sword through Azrael's gut, the demon gasped for breath and fell flat on his back the moment Excalibur retracted his sword.
(Azrael: 550) - (Mario: 250 & Mallow: 4000)
'That deals with that problem.' Mario scoffed as he looked at the motionless Azrael, blood was quickly coloring the ground around him red.
'Damn you.' Azrael's voice suddenly sounded through the room, the body that laid before Mario dissolved in shadows, then new shadows reformed slightly behind the body, Azrael wasn't looking too good, his body was covered in blood, Mario could see the demon had some difficulty breathing. 'That really hurt you know.' Azrael groaned: 'The blood you made me lose, I will make you lose twice as much!' Azrael drew his card.
'I activate Card of Demise!' Azrael quickly drew five new cards. 'Now I activate Tribute to the Doomed!' Azrael discarded one of the cards from his hand, then bandages wrapped around Excalibur, a hand broke through the ground and dragged Excalibur under.
'I activate the Effect of Amorphous Persona I just discarded!' A Spell card appeared on the Field, black mist started to swirl around the card. 'I Tribute a Goliath from my hand!' Azrael roared, the dragon appeared in the midst of the black mist. 'I Ritual Summon Amorphactor Pain, the Imagination Dracoverlord!'
A terrifying roar bellowed through the sewers, the ground trembled, slowly two gigantic, black claws appeared from out of the mist then the hideous face of a black dragon appeared, green poison dripped from it's maw, it's eyes glowing with a red, evil light, it's gigantic wings unfolded revealing the upper-body of a man was fused with the dragon, the ''man'' wore black armor he had two demonic-looking wings on his back his white hair pointed to all directions. (2950 ATK)
'Next I Equip Pain with Axe of Despair.' Azrael said, the wicked-looking axe appeared in the hands of the man. (2950- 3950 ATK)
'Attack Mallow directly!' The claw of the black dragon knocked Mallow in the air, there the man gave Mallow a slash across his chest with the Axe of Despair, before Mallow could fall down, the dragon got him in it's maw and hurled him against the wall, Mallow's body slammed to the ground, he was bleeding all over his body and he wasn't moving.
(Azrael: 550) - (Mario: 250 & Mallow: 50)
Mario knelt next to his friend, he noticed Mallow's shallow breathing.
'He is still alive, but not for long.' Azrael spoke.
'Don't worry Mario.' Mallow said with a weak voice, I can still go.' He tried to sit up but he couldn't slowly he drew his card, he dropped the card on the floor.
'Then the Effect of Pain activates.' Azrael sneered. 'You must skip your Main Phase One.'
Mallow coughed, Mario knew there was nothing he could do, he had used up most of his energy saving Bowser. 'I activate Pot of Riches.' Mallow continued, slowly he played a Spell card. 'I Send Kirin, Ogama and Kyubi back to my Deck so I draw two cards.' Barely Mallow managed to place the three cards in his Deck, the Deck auto-shuffled and two cards slipped out, Mallow took them and Set them both, the cards appeared vertically on his Field.
'Mario, please finish him off.' Mallow groaned.
'I will my friend.' Mario wanted to draw his card. 'Before you draw Mario I activate Dimensional Barrier.' Mallow's Trap card opened up. 'I declare Ritual Monsters.' Mallow said with a weak voice.
'Now no player can Summon Ritual Monsters and the Effects of all Ritual Monsters are negated.' Mario explained as he knew what the card did.
Azrael's eyes narrowed. 'Now I Normal Summon Double Lance!' Mario shouted, the Warrior appeared on his Field once again. (1700 ATK)
A second Double Lance appeared next to the first one kneeling. (900 DEF)
A few seconds later Mario's second Excalibur landed on the Field. (2000 ATK: 2 ORU) 'I Detach two Monsters! Mario shouted. Sparks appeared around the sword again, Excalibur grew stronger. (2000- 4000 ATK)
'Excalibur attack Pain!' Mario roared.
'You won't kill me with that attack Mario!' Azrael roared.
'No but I will.' Mallow replied, he sounded really weak now, slowly his finger moved to his Duel Disk, he managed to press the button, then his hand fell down he wasn't moving.
'Mallow! MALLOW!' Mario roared he checked his friend's pulse, there was none, meanwhile Mystical Space Typhoon revealed itself, Axe of Despair was blown out of the hand of Pain. 'Reanimate him!' Mario roared to his friends, at the moment he roared Excalibur slashed away at Pain, separating the man's upper-body from the dragon. 'Damn!' Azrael bellowed as Excalibur gave the demon a fatal blow against his neck, Azrael staggered backwards. 'Deactivated your magic? Coward!' Mario roared, then he leaped at Azrael, the latter turned tail and leaped away using the pillars for momentum.
(Azrael: 0) - (Mario: 250 & Mallow: 50)
After a short chase Mario saw Azrael running below him, Mario leaped off the ledge landing in front of Azrael, the latter came to a quick stop. 'I won't let you escape this time Azrael, you wanted a Duel to the death, you nearly killed my friend I won't let you run off.'
Azrael braced himself but before he knew Mario lunged at him creating a spear of darkness in his right hand and rammed it through Azrael's chest piercing his heart.
Azrael coughed up a lot of blood, then the demon sank to his knees.
'Not... Yet...' He managed to say with a gurgling sound as more blood came into his mouth, Azrael coughed again more blood dripped on the floor, now his nose started to bleed as well, Mario saw Azrael reaching into the pockets of his pants he took out a small, black, crystal-like orb.
'My... Redemption...' The Demon wheezed as even more blood started to drip from his mouth, he quickly crushed the orb, Mario saw some black goo forming in his hand, quickly Azrael spread the goo over the wound Mario made in his chest.
Azrael's eyes opened wide, the goo disappeared into the wound, closing it, Azrael let out a terrifying roar, black mist appeared around the demon.
'What did you do?' Mario gasped as Azrael stood up clearly unharmed.
'That was the crystallized soul of a Nephilim.' The demon calmly replied: 'Courtesy of Exodus, a really crafty that one, managed to extract the soul of a Nephilim and made it into it's crystallized form.'
Mario could see Azrael was still tired, he himself was at the edge of collapsing as well. 'Consider yourself lucky Mario.' Azrael scoffed: 'I could kill you now but that would cost me all the energy I have left, your friends would kill me, so I choose to make my escape, seeing your energy has almost ran out as well I won't advice chasing me.' With these words Azrael snapped his fingers a black portal appeared behind him, he jumped backwards into the portal then it disappeared together with Azrael.
Mario returned to the Thousand-Year Door, Mallow was breathing again. 'He made it Mario.' Goombella said, she was relieved. 'Bow is really amazing.' Luigi said while looking as Bow. 'Thank you Luigi.' Bow said and she quickly gave Luigi a kiss on his cheek. 'Mario.' Bow then said: 'I had to use some magic to reanimate Mallow, I got his heart beating the normal way but Azrael's wounds kept pulling him back into the void, I had to magically heal him, I also used some magic to make him sleep, he needs his rest.' Mario grabbed Bow's hands. 'I thank you from the bottom of my heart.' He stated, Bow started to blush a bit.
The moment Mario stood on the pedestal he held out the map and the Crystal Star, the map started to glow as a new location was revealed, this Crystal Star was located in what seemed to be a quiet town near a railroad.
X-Naut Base.
Azrael dropped out of the portal, he checked if Mario had followed him, that wasn't the case. 'Rough time?' A slightly distorted voice asked, Azrael looked up. 'Exodus?' He groaned, the masked stranger stood against the wall, suddenly Azrael threw up, he puked black goo all over the floor. 'Nasty side effect that.' Exodus grinned: 'Never thought you would actually use the crystallized soul.' The black goo slowly disappeared as Azrael collected himself. 'Mario didn't leave me much of a choice, stabbed me through the heart.'
Exodus moved away from the wall. 'You know that crystal only held the power of a Nephilim, I had the essence removed, consuming that crystal is perfectly safe, your body is now creating Nephilim cells, those cells are healing your wounds, wounds your own cells cannot heal, since this is unnatural you feel sick, will become much worse the coming days, just lay low for a few days, once your body accepts the cells you can fully harness the power of a Nephilim without actually becoming one.'
While Exodus was supporting Azrael the two walked to Azrael's room.
'So I take it you have the Crystal Star?' Azrael asked.
'Not yet, the thing is secured by some mean security mechanism, I've given the town an ultimatum of three days, either they give me the Crystal Star or I'll destroy the town.' Exodus replied.
'You know that Mario can only go there by train, a journey that costs him three days, he will be there when your ultimatum ends.' Azrael groaned.
'Maybe not, the train will pass by an abandoned train station, the Shadow Sirens will make sure the train has to stop there, I have left a nasty surprise near that station, once the train stops my present will sneak aboard, even if Mario survives that encounter he will be severely weakened.'
Azrael opened the door to his room. 'Exodus it's fine for you to toy with Mario, it is fine if you kill him, but whatever you do return to me with that Crystal Star.' With these words Azrael closed his door.
Next time:
The hunt for the last unknown Crystal Star is on, Mario has three days before Exodus attacks, the only way to his destination is by train, however the train tickets go through Don Pianta, the Don has a mission for Mario, if Mario completes it the train tickets are his.
Act 7. Excess Express: Fawful's Fury. Coming next.
