59. Bowser's Wrath.
Mario dealt a decisive blow against the X-Nauts taking down Sir Grodus in a Duel and putting an end to the X-Nauts, Grodus was forced to flee to the inner chamber of the Palace of Shadows, with Mario activating the last two Crystal Stars the seal on the Shadow Queen's prison is broken.
Grodus looked back the door behind him closed, Bowser for him had just come in time, quickly he made his way towards the seemingly dead end, quickly his fingers touched several bricks until one slightly moved, Grodus took a step back as the wall slowly shoved aside revealing some stairs that went further down, without hesitation he walked down until he reached another door, this door was a simple wooden door, Grodus opened it and found himself in the tomb, a large, round chamber large candles stood against the wall they were burning with black flames, in the middle of the room on a stone stage stood a large coffin, it was decorated with golden markings, some could recognize it as the language of the Celestians.
Behind the coffin, on a chair sat Rozalin tied up, she was wearing her pink dress, her back was facing the coffin.
'It's time.' Grodus spoke as he slowly walked towards the coffin, Rozalin tried to look behind her, she was struggling trying to get free.
'The Shadow Queen.' Grodus muttered as he placed his hands against the coffin, he could feel life pulsing from within, with incredible strength he started to push, the massive stone lit started to move, with a cold laughter Grodus was pushed back, the lit started to move by itself.
'Finally!' A cold voice echoed through the chamber, purple mist burst from out of the coffin quickly filling the chamber.
'A fine vessel you brought.' The cold voice spoke, the mist started to swirl around Rozalin then it started to pour into the princess.
Suddenly everything fell silent, Grodus didn't move.
'A fine vessel indeed.' Rozalin spoke, her voice sounded cold, with ease Rozalin broke out of the ropes slowly she stood up.
'So mortal, what is your wish?'
'Bowser.' Mario growled through his teeth: 'Let me pass, I have no time for you now.'
Bowser replied with laughter: 'You're going nowhere, you've been up to something and I want in on it.'
Mario sighted: 'This ain't a game Bowser, the fate of this world depends on this, if you want to Duel we can do after this is all over.' Mario said.
'No deal Mario, those Crystal Stars you have, I want them and you're gonna give them to me.' Bowser said with a hint of a threat in his voice.
'Looks like I can't get out of this, okay then Bowser we shall Duel if you win the Crystal Stars are yours, but if I win you'll let me through without complaining.' Mario stated.
'Agreed, not that you'll win.' Bowser replied with a chuckle.
Then both Duelists activated their Duel Disks, for a moment they stared each other down.
'Duel!' Both then shouted.
(Mario: 8000) - (Bowser: 8000)
'Bowser, well this turn determines the rest of the Duel.' Mario thought.
'I activate Neos Fusion.' Mario started his Spell card flashed on the Field.
'I Fuse Elemental HERO Neos from my hand and Neo-Spacian Glow Moss from my Deck.
The silver-skinned Hero appeared behind Mario next to it appeared the glowing, plant-like creature, a vortex opened and both were sucked through.
'I Fusion Summon Elemental HERO Glow Neos!' Out of the vortex leaped a new Monster, it mostly looked like Neos, his skin was glowing, he had dreadlocks covering the back of his head and a nasty spear made of light in his right hand. (2500 ATK)
'Next I shall Set this.' Mario continued, a reversed card appeared behind Glow Neos.
'Now I end my turn, but instead of Glow Neos returning to my Extra Deck I Banish Neos Fusion instead.' Mario stated, he pocketed the Spell card.
Bowser slowly drew his card.
'I know your one-turn kills Bowser, if I can make it through this turn I have a chance of winning.'
Bowser saw Mario was nervous.
'I shall show you something Mario.' Bowser said with a grin, he played a Spell card and the Fusion Portal opened behind him.
'I Fuse three Blue-Eyes White Dragons!' The mighty dragons appeared in the chamber, all of them flew through the portal.
'I Fusion Summon Blue-Eyes Alternative Ultimate Dragon!' Bowser shouted, three terrifying roars sounded through the room as a massive dragon stepped out of the portal, it looked like Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon it was taller, it's claws were longer and sharper, there was an axe attached to it's tail and blue orbs were etched in it's skin mostly on the neck and arms. (4500 ATK)
'I use the Effect of my Monster, when Summoned it can Destroy a card on the Field, I have to give up it's attack for that.' Bowser explained.
'But that's where the De-Fusion in my hand comes in.' He thought.
'I Destroy Glow Neos!'
The glowing Hero let out a scream when the blue flames of Bowser's Dragon licked at his body.
'I activate Reverse of Neos!' Mario shouted, his facedown card opened up.
'This Spell card allows me to Special Summon Neos from my Deck when a Neos Fusion Monster is Destroyed, Neos gains 1000 attack points but is Destroyed during the End Phase.'
A beam of light struck the Field and Neos leaped out. (2500- 3500 ATK)
Bowser looked at the De-Fusion before he placed it in his Duel Disk, it appeared behind his dragon.
'Your move Mario.' Bowser stated, Neos saluted before a beam of light devoured him.
Bowser slowly started to clap: 'I had expected nothing less from you Mario, dodging my one-turn kill like that, you've left the game open for a counter attack, don't disappoint me now.'
Mario said nothing he drew his card.
'So his facedown card is De-Fusion, he wanted to activate it after destroying my Monster with his Fusion, then he would have Summoned the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons and that would have been game.'
Mario took a card: 'Bowser I control no cards therefor I can activate my Trap card: NEXT from my hand.' The card materialized on the Field.
'This card allows me to Special Summon Glow Moss and Neos from my Graveyard!'
In a flash of light the two heroes reappeared on Mario's Field, both were kneeling down and shielding themselves with their arms. (Neos: 2000 DEF, Glow Moss: 900 DEF)
'Now I activate Skydive Scorcher!' Mario stated, his Spell card appeared on the Field.
'I control Elemental HERO Neos, which means that all Monsters you control with a higher attack are destroyed and you take damage to the highest attack points among the destroyed Monsters!'
Neos started to glow then a beam of light shot from his fist.
'I activate De-Fusion!' Bowser shouted, his Spell card opened up the Fusion started to glow, the beam of light shot through it as three Blue-Eyes White Dragons appeared before Bowser. (3000 ATK x3)
'In that case I activate Neo Space.' Mario continued, the room disappeared and Mario, Geno and Bowser found themselves in space.
'Then I Contact Fuse Glow Neos again!' The two Heroes started glow they were drawn together and when the glowing stopped Glow Neos stood before Mario again. (2500- 3000 ATK)
'I end my turn.' Mario stated.
'I dodged another one-turn kill, had I not targeted his Blue-Eyes Alternative Ultimate Dragon with that destruction effect, he wouldn't have activated his De-Fusion then I would have to count on the Effect of Glow Neos to stop the Battle Phase.
Bowser drew his card.
'Smart move Mario, you can stop any one-turn-kill I try, but it left your defenses low, but I see you, you want me to sacrifice a Blue-Eyes White Dragon, as you wish.' Bowser said then he pointed at Mario's hero the middle of his dragons fired it's destructive attack, Glow Neos leaped into the air to evade the attack then he dashed forward impaling the dragon with his spear, the two Monsters struggled for a bit before the Blue-Eyes in it's dying moments mortally wounded the hero by a mean bite.
'Now my other Blue-Eyes attack directly!' Bowser roared, Mario felt the White Lightning coursing through his body, he screamed as it felt his heart would burst, Geno quickly started to cast some spells to ease Mario's pain.
(Mario: 2000) - (Bowser: 8000)
Bowser waited for Mario to recover.
'You know Mario, this was all in vain, I have Monster Reborn!' Bowser roared in a flash of light the third Blue-Eyes White Dragon reappeared in between the other two, it seemed slightly agitated. (3000 ATK)
Bowser stood before Mario laughing with his arms folded and his eyes closed.
'Mario.' Geno said as he pointed at a shiny object tucked away in Bowser's pocket, a dark-blue star-shaped object hung half out of the pocket.
'I know that star.' Mario said with a growl.
'Me too.' Geno added: 'That is the Cobalt Star, an object of immense power.'
Mario nodded: 'Grave and I used it to seal away Princess Shroob, I left it at the church we faced the Shroob princess in for Star Haven to find it.'
Geno shook his head: 'We never found anything, of course we went there to see where that surge of power came from but when we got there the place was empty, seems like Bowser beat us to it.'
Bowser stopped laughing, he looked at Mario.
'This is mine.' He simply said as he pushed the Cobalt Star back in his pocket: 'I needed power and I found it, I will get my hands on those Crystal Stars you've been hunting, whatever it is they do everyone here seems to want it therefor I want it, now it's your move.'
Mario drew his card, he knew the only way to make Bowser see reason was to beat him.
'I use the Effect of Bubbleman to Special Summon him.' Mario stated before him appeared the brave hero with the water tanks on his back, his water guns were loaded and aimed at Bowser. (1200 DEF)
'This allows me to draw two cards.' Mario continued as he added the cards to his hand.
'Next I activate Future Fusion.' The Spell card materialized behind Bubbleman.
'And I end my turn with a facedown card.' He stated as the second card appeared next to Future Fusion.
'Mario, that Contact Fusion of yours looks like fun, let me try it!' Bowser said as he rose his hand, two of the Blue-Eyes White Dragons started to glow. 'Contact Fusion Summon, Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon!' The two bodies of the dragons merged together, when the glowing stopped a bigger Blue-Eyes White Dragon stood before Bowser, it had larger arms, bigger wings and two heads. (3000 ATK)
'Twin Burst Dragon attacks Bubbleman.'
Mario quickly pressed a button, his facedown card turned around, it was Waboku, the three priestesses in blue appeared blocking the blast.
'When Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon attacks a Monster and that Monster is not Destroyed it gets Banished!' Bowser shouted, his Dragon roared a portal opened up behind Bubbleman slowly the hero was dragged through.
'I figured you would pull a trick like this, nice try but you can't keep outsmarting me.' Bowser said with a grin.
'We'll see if I can outsmart you or not.' Mario replied as he drew his card.
'First Future Fusion activates.' Mario stated the hologram of a card appeared above him it was Elemental HERO Core, the muscular hero clad in white armor with red lines over his body and limps, it had red orbs etched in his armor at his shoulders, wrists, his head and his knees.
'I now send Elemental Heroes: Neos, Bladedge and Wildheart to the Graveyard.' Mario stated as he retrieved the cards, Future Fusion started to glow, the hologram of Core appeared above the card.
'Now I shall Set this Monster and end my turn.' Mario stated the card materialized in front of him.
'You really want to decide the outcome of the Duel on Glow Moss?' Bowser asked, he had his guard up.
'Blue-Eyes White Dragon attack that hidden Glow Moss!' Bowser roared, the hidden card disappeared and the glowing plant appeared once more. (900 DEF)
'Draw your card Bowser.' Mario said.
'You really let it all ride on this draw? I'm disappointed though I am impressed you even made it this far.' Bowser laughed as he drew.
'You're lucky Masked Dragon so the Battle Phase ends.' Bowser shrugged his dragon closed it's maw and the lightning disappeared.
Mario drew his card.
'First through Future Vision Elemental HERO Core is Summoned.' Mario stated, the hologram turned real and the massive Hero leaped onto the Field. (2700 ATK)
'Now I replace Neo Space with Skyscraper!' Mario shouted, the stars around them disappeared they found themselves back in the hall, then around them rose the city the Elemental Heroes protected.
'Attack Blue-Eyes White Dragon!' Mario shouted, the orb in the stomach of Core started to glow then a red beam of light burned the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, it tried to resist but the attack points of the Hero rose. (2700- 3700 ATK)
The Dragon let out a shriek as it dissolved into ashes.
'Now Bowser since Core Destroyed a Monster by Battle I can take out another one, I know Twin Burst Dragon cannot be Destroyed by Battle, but Effects are a different story.' Mario said, the Hero slightly moved his attack incinerating the two-headed dragon.
(Mario: 2000) - (Bowser: 7300)
Bowser blankly stared at the two heaps of ashes.
'Mario?' He finally spoke sounding confused.
'Where am I and why am I Dueling you Mario?'
Then Bowser started to pound his head: 'I vaguely remember, I found a blue star-shaped object a couple of days ago, since then it's all a haze.' Then he grabbed his head as if he was in pain.
'There is someone in my head! Get out!' He roared.
'Geno?' Mario whispered.
'On it.' The sorcerer replied, he started to chant Bowser calmed down a bit.
'I've severed the connection only briefly.' Geno spoke.
'I know what to do, the voice disappeared when I took damage, I just need to inflict more.' Bowser took the Masked Dragon from his hand.
'I Summon my Masked Dragon.' Bowser stated, before him appeared a small dragon it had beige scales and a red underbelly, neck and tail, it had big hindlegs with smaller front legs and two wings folded on it's back. (1400 ATK)
'Bowser, great plan!' Mario shouted: 'When that Monster is Destroyed you can Special Summon a new Monster, come on attack Core!' He encouraged his opponent.
'Get out of my head whatever you are!' Bowser roared, the Masked Dragon charged in Core quickly vaporised it, where the first Masked Dragon stood a second one appeared. (1400 ATK)
'Get out of my head!' Bowser roared again as his second dragon charged in and got oblitherated like the first one, then a third one appeared. (1400 ATK)
'GET OUT!' Bowser screamed and the third dragon charged in, after it got vaporized Bowser screamed and fell to his knees, purple mist erupted from his body.
(Mario: 2000) - (Bowser: 3400)
Bowser's screaming suddenly stopped, the mist swirled around him slowly he stood up, he chuckled his voice sounded different, a blue light shone from his pocket where the Cobalt Star was.
'A nice try, but I won't let you escape yet puppet.' Bowser spoke Mario heard a second voice over Bowser's original voice.
'I end the Battle Phase before my puppet does anything stupid again.' He then took a card from his hand.
'Instead I shall activate Dragon's Mirror.' The Spell card flashed on the Field and a big mirror appeared in front of it, the golden frame was shaped like Ouroboros a dragon that was biting it's own tail, this one had wings added to it.
Then Bowser retrieved three cards from his Graveyard the images of Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon and three Masked Dragons appeared in the mirror, Mario braced himself as he knew what was coming, first five heads shot through the mirror one head was skeletal, the second one made of flames the other three were normal heads then the mirror broke revealing the bronze body of the five-headed beast it had large wings, thick legs where it stood on, a long tail that could crush a building and two small arms, each head roared, spewing flames as they did. (5000 ATK)
'This is my Five God Dragon, the device of your destruction.' Bowser said, his voice had changed again sounding more feminine now.
'And the poor soul thought he could get rid of me by sending his Monsters on a suicide run, in fact he helped me Summon my ultimate beast.'
Purple smoke came through the nostrils of the five-headed beast.
'Mario.' Geno whispered: 'I have an idea, we can't beat Princess Shroob here, beat Bowser that should stun her for a moment, I have a spell ready, we'll deal with her later.'
Mario turned back to face Bowser. 'For now there ain't much I can do.' He said after he drew his card.
'I shall end my turn.' Mario stated.
Bowser drew his card.
'I am not a fool.' Bowser's voice now almost sounded like the cackling voice of Princess Shroob.
'You want me to attack Core so that you can activate his Effect doubling his attack points, then my Five God Dragon will survive the battle because Core is an Earth Monster and only Light Monsters can Destroy my dragon but since Core battled you can use his Effect to Destroy a Monster on the Field.'
Bowser took a card from his hand: 'I shall activate Card Rotator instead, by discarding a card the Battle Position of all your Monsters are changed.' Bowser explained, he discarded his Call of the Haunted, Glow Moss stood up while Core knelt down and crossed his arms. (Core: 2200 DEF, Glow Moss: 300 ATK)
'Now what to do with my battle Phase, if I attack Glow Moss I win but if I draw a Monster or a Trap the Battle Phase is either ended or Glow Moss changes to Defense Mode, that gives Core an opportunity to do something, so instead of risking to waste my Battle Phase by attacking Glow Moss I Destroy Core!'
The five dragon heads roared a storm of purple mist wrapped around the Elemental Hero he screamed as he was slowly torn apart.
'This should suffice, Glow Moss can't do anything, but just in case I Set this.' Bowser stated, a card materialized behind his Five-God Dragon.
Mario said nothing as he drew his card.
'First I change Glow Moss back to Defense Mode.' Mario said, Glow Moss crouched down again seemingly asleep. (900 DEF)
'I Set this Monster and end my turn.' Mario stated as a reversed card appeared next to Glow Moss.
Bowser laughed as he drew his card.
'First I activate Dragon's Rage for Piercing Damage.' He stated as his reversed card opened up.
'Now that Set card could be Neo-Spacian Grand Mole, that won't be good, so I'll take my chances and attack Glow Moss!'
A shield of light appeared around the Neo-Spacian.
'Draw your card, if it's anything else than a Monster card you win.' Mario said calmly, Bowser drew his card the hologram of the card appeared above Bowser: Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
The light shield slowly pushed back Five God Dragon's miasma.
'Should have attacked my Set Monster.' Mario stated as he flipped the card around, a new Hero leaped onto the Field, it looked like a young version of Neos. (1900 ATK)
'This is Neos Alius, a Gemini Monster so I Gemini Summon him to activate his Effect.' Mario stated, the Monster started to glow.
'Neos Alius is now treated as Elemental HERO Neos, which means I can Equip Neos Force to him.'
Mario quickly played the Spell card, Neos Alius became slightly stronger. (1900- 2700 ATK)
'Neos Alius is a Light Monster so I attack Five God Dragon!' Mario shouted, the Hero braced himself then took a leap at the mighty dragon pulling back his fist.
'I Discard Honest Neos increasing Alius' Effect by 2500!' Mario shouted, two wings sprouted from the back of Neos Alius, the Hero's fist started to glow. (2700- 5200 ATK)
The five heads of the Five God Dragon tried to stop the small Hero but he dodged all the heads then plunged his fist through the heart of the mighty dragon, one by one the heads fell dead on the ground then the body collapsed.
'And Neos Force deals damage to you equal to the Attack Points of Five God Dragon!' Mario shouted, Neos Alius landed on one knee before Bowser, the wings disappeared and with one mighty uppercut the Hero floored Bowser.
(Mario: 2000) - (Bowser: 0)
'Geno now!' Mario roared as he leaped back, purple fume came out of Bowser's mouth and nose as he slowly stood up, Geno leaped forward punching the ground with his fist, a pentagram appeared under Bowser then a pillar of light shot through him, Bowser slumped over.
Mario ran up to Bowser to check his pulse.
'What did you do?' Mario asked.
'I severed his connection to this realm, Princess Shroob possesses the body but she needs Bowser's brain to operate the body, Bowser's brain at this moment is asleep in a different realm, it's the same thing I did to protect Pandora, but Princess Shroob is strong she'll find a way to bring Bowser back and take control once more, but we can't worry about that Kali the Shadow Queen awaits we can deal with Princess Shroob afterwards.
Next time:
The final battle is finally here.
Kali the Shadow Queen awaits the arrival of Mario and Geno.
And what about Princess Shroob? That will have to wait for now.
''The Heart of the Palace'' coming next time.
