Chapter One- The Rising of the Storm
The sound of clinking chains echoed loudly in that vast cavern. Support struts reached from the darkness, past gargantuan stalactites, to a small corner of the cavern, where a doorway had been hammered out of a tunnel. Here, crude pulleys linked together by aging chains strained against the weight of a metal door. The door rose slowly, revealing further darkness beyond the cavern and tunnel. When, at last, the door was brought to a halt high above its resting place, a single torch could be seen, illuminating the creatures behind it.
Legs strutting proudly, tail swinging in wide arcs, the great Koopa King Bowser followed after his trail of guards. They led the way along a narrow path, mere feet from a bottomless pit that stretched across the better half of the cavern. This sight, which normally gave visitors a sinking feeling in their gut, was ignored by Bowser, who stared off in deep thought.
The power of the Stars cannot be denied, Bowser was saying to himself. Neither can their importance in the impending war.
Bowser knew all too well how powerful the Stars could be. Years earlier, during his first conquest on the Mushroom Kingdom, he first witnessed a Star in action. It was that plumber… that fat, despicable plumber! As the plumber was approaching the Mushroom Castle (which, at the moment, had been Bowser's castle), a hundred of the best Koopa troops leapt from the shadows in a well-crafted ambush. It should have been an easy victory. It should have… but it wasn't. Without missing a beat, the plumber reached into his pants pocket and brought out what appeared to be a Star. The brilliance of the thing was enough to stun even the most battle-hardened Koopa, but it wouldn't end there. The Star seemed to disappear, and now, the plumber himself was shining with unearthly brilliance! Tossing off one of his aggravatingly jovial catchphrases, the plumber ran headlong into the troops, killing them left and right. Bowser watched with amazement as the plumber created a trail of blackened Koopa shells as he made his way to the castle. Before Bowser knew it, the plumber was inside.
Because Bowser had thought that the ambush attack would undoubtedly be a success, his defense inside the castle wasn't very strong. The plumber fought effortlessly to the top, where he confronted Bowser in a short-lived fight. Bowser had counted himself lucky to be alive. Later, he would look upon the loss with great shame. It was a shame that he felt even now, in this cavern deep under ground.
Yes… the Stars were powerful. But it was a power that could be harnessed. Bowser spent his years of recuperation studying the Stars. Countless hours were spent squinting at faded manuscripts under torchlight. He traveled the world using the most hidden paths, taking days, weeks, months. He and his advisors spent well over a year crafting a plan for re-taking the Mushroom Castle. Now, the plan was finally in effect.
Bowser was on his way to see how well the plan was going.
A final clanking gate rolled out of the way, and Bowser was standing inside the final segment of the cave. It was a series of connected caverns, some built, others natural. Metal paths and wooden support structures made the winding caverns look foreboding. Knowledge of the cave's history didn't help dispel fears. Several times, the cave had to be evacuated because of lethal gas that had been freed from the cave's dark depths by penetrating pickaxes. The cave wasn't easy to evacuate; each time, most of the workers were dead before the gas was contained. And the gas wasn't the only thing that could kill. Bottomless pits, unexplored tunnels leading into darkness, and weak support structures were the cause for multiple casualties. It was for this that the place was dubbed "The Hazy Maze Cave."
Yet for all its deadly charm, it was one of Bowser's most important strongholds. Not only was the ore taken from the cave essential to Bowser's army, but also the cave's depth and its darkness made it an excellent hiding place for any power Stars he found in the course of the war.
Bowser approached the foreman of the cave. A Snifit wearing a gasmask and night-vision goggles, the foreman turned around and gave Bowser a nod.
"What's the situation?" Bowser growled.
"Excellent," the foreman replied. "We've had a few casualties, resulting from a cave-in at one of the more remote tunnels, but aside from that, we've been making very good progress. Production is up 58 percent, losses are down 9 percent, and morale is up 2 percent. We've also discovered an underground river that leads to… well, sir, you wouldn't believe me if I told you!"
Bowser raised an eyebrow. "Try me," he said.
The foreman chuckled. "This river," he said. "It leads to… heh, heh… it leads to the Mushroom Castle itself!"
Bowser's eyes widened. His plan would need revision. Strategic maneuvers, multiple operations, entire divisions were now obsolete thanks to this new bit of information. Such a path could make for the most effective of ambushes! "Explain," he said calmly.
The foreman cleared his throat. "We were digging through to an iron vein in the rock, when one of the workers fell through. When we sent a team to recover him, they reported hearing running water by the site where he fell. It appeared that, some thirty yards away, there was a river flowing in darkness.
"I sent two teams, one to go upstream and the other to go down. The one who went upstream didn't go far. After a mile or two, they encountered a waterfall coming down from an unreachable crack high in the ceiling. But the team that went downstream was gone for days. When they returned, they reported that the river eventually came to the outside, where it fell as a waterfall. They estimated that this was twelve to fifteen miles downstream. What's more, they reported that the waterfall is one of the sources of the Mushroom Castle's moat."
"And you give me this report based on the speculation of ignorant miners?" Bowser said, his voice growing dangerously quiet.
The foreman didn't appear to be put off by Bowser's anger. "I verified it myself, sir," he said. "And I swear to you, the first thing you can see by the mouth of the waterfall is the castle's red roof and billowing banners."
The smile returned to Bowser's face. "Very good," he said. "Make that river your top priority. Send some workers down there to make a civilized tunnel out of the river, with lighting and bridges and reasonably wide paths. Now, I must be off to check on the status of my other strongholds. I will return in two weeks, and I expect more good news then."
"Yes, sir," said the foreman. "Oh, and one last thing. This was found by an underground lake, not far from the river." The foreman reached into his pocket. What he brought out lit up the entire cavern.
Bowser snatched the Star from the foreman's outreaching arm. He cradled it in his hands and stared at it with unblinking eyes. It was like staring at the sun, but he ignored the pain. His smile broadened, revealing rows of sharp teeth.
"The power of the Stars," he whispered. "Never fail me."
In another cave, many miles away, crowds of workers and soldiers were bustling with excitement. The nature of the cave, which served Bowser's purposes quite well, was very odd. There was an ordinary lake in a remote mountain range, which was the source of a great river. Because the lake had probably never been visited, and wasn't even named, no one ever questioned how a lake (of all things) could supply so much water to such a river. It was a Koopa scientist who first discovered the lake's unique nature. It was very deep, more deep than the surrounding mountains were tall. At the bottom was a bubbling spring, along with something else: a tunnel. This winding tunnel went deep into the earth before coming back up into an underground lake. Here were several more springs, and plenty of dry ledges. It was the ideal dock for a submarine.
The result of many months of work was resting in the dock, ready to be deployed. The Chieftain was the Koopa fleet's first functional war submarine. Fashioned from triple-screwed iron plates, most of which were drawn from The Hazy Maze Cave, the tube-shaped vessel floated in the black water, illuminated by overhead lights. On either side was a painting of the Koopa "Chieftain" himself, painstakingly painted by Bowser's personal artist. Invisible on the underside were four holes, designed for the emission of torpedoes.
The workers and soldiers standing on the dock had reason to celebrate. All tests were successful; the submarine was working and ready for war. Their only regret was that Bowser was not there to see it, but the Koopa king had given them strict orders to deploy the Chieftain as soon as it was ready. It would play a vital role in the coming war.
With all the crew onboard, the hatch was sealed shut and the cranes were released. The Chieftain floated idly for a moment while the engines started up. The Koopas standing on the dock saw water thrown into the air as the propellers turned at a faster and faster pace, all visible thanks to the overhead lights. All systems go, the sub dipped into the water, ignited a light of its own, and turned to navigate the tunnel. From there, it would surface in the topside lake, where the crew would perform several more tests. Then it would travel down the river until reaching the Mushroom Sea, where it would begin to carry out its duties.
The Koopa spectators could not help but cheer once again.
Scarcely visible through the mists of a dusky mountain range, a black army marched into the west. As night drew near and the sun no longer offered to create a glare, the blackness of the army grew more apparent, as did its equally dark intentions. Wagons of gunpowder, caravans of cannon, Chomps fastened to chains: soldiers dragged these things. Soldiers who were, in every practical sense, weapons themselves. Shrouded in mist and darkness, the Bobomb Army marched ever on, determined to reach its destination, where war was waiting.
"Sire!" called a purple Bobomb to the king. "It will be night soon. Navigating these hills will not be easy in the dark. We should stop and rest."
The Bobomb King turned toward his second-in-command. His moustache was twitching, a sign that his patience was wearing thin. "Stop?" he cried. "Rest? Treachery! To be weary is to be treasonous! We shall cross these mountains before morning. The Koopa King requests it!"
"But… the darkness…"
"Darkness be damned! You have enough incendiaries to destroy the planet and everything on it! Light some torches! But… do take care not to set the whole convoy on fire. Wouldn't want to toss the baby out with the bath water, you know. Hurry along, now!"
And so, torches were lit, and the army marched on. Hours passed. There was only one explosion, when a bomb near the back, thinking he stepped on a coin, brought the torch too close to his face. The explosion alarmed the entire army, but a couple barks from the Bobomb King set them into motion again.
When at last the light of dawn spread from the mountains in the back, the Bobomb king stepped off the pebbly mountainside and landed on soft grass. He looked out across the field, which marked the halfway point between the Koopa's haven and the Mushroom Kingdom.
"What'd I tell you, lads?" the king said with a hearty laugh. "Said we'd cross the mountains before morning, and so we did."
The Bobomb Army marched onward. They began to make their way across the field, where they would wage war on the Mushroom Kingdom. However, they would momentarily meet opposition in those fields.War had come sooner than expected. But it had come nevertheless.
High above the mountains, in the sea of clouds that most mortal eyes never saw up close, a factory of sorts was in full swing. Thanks to a long history of studying Black Magic, the Koopa army had perfected the ability to hover effortlessly in the air. They used this ability to construct a fleet where no one would ever think to look: above the clouds.
Koopa workers flew to and fro, either with wings or clouds or flying carpets, carrying materials and forwarding orders. Several flying ships were under construction in the sky harbor. At least one was already patrolling the skies.
The foreman here was a Goomba of unusual rank. Although Goombas were normally at the bottom of the ladder, sent in the front lines to die, this one had made its way to the top through a long and vicious struggle against the tide. Its name was Mercury, and as a sign of its status, it had a pair of magical wings.
Mercury ruffled his wings as he watched the factory from the comfort of his home. As a miracle of architecture (and a great conversation piece), this house was the size of a castle and built of solid brick, yet the Koopas' magic managed to keep it aloft. If Mercury never went up another rank, he would die a happy Goomba.
A Paratroopa flew circles around the house as it made its way to Mercury's side. It bowed slightly before giving the news. Mercury smiled. He never failed to feel proud at the sight of Koopas bowing before him.
"Two of the ships are near completion," the Paratroopa said. "With your permission, we would like to begin construction on another."
"Not yet," Mercury said quickly. "King Bowser has something special in mind for the final ship. Finish the other ships, test them, and make sure they are properly outfitted with crew and ammunition. Await further orders in the meantime."
The Paratroopa's eyes brightened. "This final ship," he breathed. "Could it be… his majesty's flagship?"
Mercury grinned. "That's classified," he said.
The Paratroopa bowed again and took off. Mercury watched him go, and then turned his attention back toward the incomplete ships in the harbor. King Bowser was a cunning military leader. He had always admired that.
And what better way to exemplify that cunning than by bombarding your enemy from the skies?
In an uninhabitable desert, miles from civilization, there was a place that had been completely skinned of rock thanks to centuries of violent earthquakes. Lava flowed from several active volcanoes and filled crevices like lakes. Smoke surrounded the region, creating a sort of greenhouse effect; the lava would never cool. The sun was not visible, but the sun was not needed.
The workers here were as alive as any worker could be in that atmosphere. They were solid steel, kept in motion thanks to the Koopas' magic. They carried baskets of molten rock along unnatural paths. Some of this lava would be processed to create weapons and explosives. Some of it would be molded into bricks. But mostly, the lava was left as it was. It made the place secure, since no army could ever pass through. No walls were needed, nor guards. The place, called "Lethal Lava Land," was its own protection.
A wall of volcanoes separated the lake of lava harvesters from the lake with an island. This island rose high enough out of the boiling lava to be inhabitable for living beings. Here, workers were busy building a fortress. It would come to be one of the fortresses that Bowser himself would live in. It would become a perfect place to hide the Stars.
In the Arctic Circle, specially equipped soldiers were building a stronghold out of ice. This ice fortress, surrounded by snowy mountains, would become as impenetrable as the lakes of lava on the other side of the globe. There was even a moat of water around the fortress, filled with a chemical to keep it from freezing even though its temperature was way below freezing.
But unlike Lethal Lava Land, Bowser felt it was necessary to guard the ice fortress. Hexed snowmen were buried like landmines in the snowfields. If an intruder came too close, an armed snowman would leap out of the ground and beat the intruder senseless. Then the elements would finish the job. As if that wasn't enough, Bowser dropped a couple of the metal workers from Lethal Lava Land in near the moat. To ensure that an intruder would fall into the freezing water, the metal workers were instructed to tackle any intruders, making them lose their balance on the slippery ice. This quality earned the metal workers the nickname "Bullies."
Again, unlike Lethal Lava Land, the fortress under construction was not intended for Bowser to live in. Aside from the impossibility of heating an ice structure, Bowser felt it was not necessary for him, or anyone, to have to endure the sub-zero temperatures of the Artic. Instead, he planned to use it as a sort of storage facility. Simply drop a Star into the fortress, and if necessary, submerge it in water so it would become stuck in a frozen cube of ice. No one could possibly make it that far into the Artic and still have the energy to thaw massive ice blocks.
Within two weeks, Bowser was standing beside the underground river. The foreman had been true to his word. The rocky walls had been carved away; the floors had been polished; the river had been covered with bridges; the ceiling had been fitted with hanging lights. He watched the cold water flow into the distance.
The army behind him was patiently awaiting orders. Bowser turned and gave them a nod. The war was to begin today. It would begin on several fronts, including the sky and the sea. But the most important battle would begin here. If all went well, they would capture the heart of the opposition on the first day. Then they could consume the kingdom from the inside out.
"March," Bowser said.
That order was all that was necessary. Soon the tunnel was flooded with soldiers. All marched downstream, toward the Mushroom Castle.