Chapter 12

Going Down…

"We better get out of here, Princess," advised Toad. "Before those goons come –"

The door flew open and a group of Magikoopas appeared, including Jazel. The green-robed wizard stared at them in shock, since he recognized the figures he helped earlier.

"Almida? Eramus?" he blurted out, "but I thought…"

"Enough chit-chat," bellowed Bowser. "Get them!"

The flunkies charged forward, their wands glowing. Toad stepped back, waving his wand to keep the Magikoopas at bay. It was not working, and he retreated to where the Princess stood; in front of the control centre.

"We can't lose already," she moaned, watching the Magikoopas surround them. In a moment they would seize her and drag her back to the cold, dark, cell..

"Hey! You stupid ugly vile reptiles!" Toad shouted tauntingly, throwing his only weapon at the flunkies and jumping madly in front of the Princess. "You say you can do magic. I bet that's a lie and those wands are nothing but disguised flashlights!"

Exasperated, some of the sorcerers were already muttering spells under their breath, their scepters now effulgent.

"Toad," Peach said nervously through clenched teeth, "I don't know what you're doing but…"

"DUCK!" the retainer shouted, and slammed into her body, knocking the both of them down away from the control centre just as a multicoloured blast was shot. It hit the control centre, creating an explosion that rocked the room. Bowser was shouting at his goons, but his words were lost in the deep rumbling that came from within the castle. No one needed Bowser to tell them that the Sky Castle was falling apart. Wooden support beams and heavy stones crashed, barely missing the running flunkies who were panicking wildly as they rushed out the door.

"Get out of here, Princess!" screamed Toad. "The control centre will be the first room to go!"

Peach nodded, dropping her wand carelessly and scrambled up just as part of the castle ceiling fell. She darted out of the way, but Jazel was not so lucky. The rolling rock caught his robe, and he tugged in vain trying to get free. Peach eyed the door. Toad, followed by Bowser, ran out the exit, and she turned back to the young Magikoopa.

"Hang on!" she yelled, dashing to Jazel's side and seized a portion of his robe.

The both of them managed to yank out the fabric, but not without a long rip in the cloth. She grabbed his free claw, almost dragging him out of the room. The hallway was more stable than the control room, but she knew they could not stay here long. The Sky Castle was crumpling apart bit by bit, soon there would be no safe place to retreat to.

Anxious and scared, she wondered which direction to take. Jazel noticed her hesitation and gave her a tap on the shoulder, gesturing to the left. Peach nodded in agreement and the two made haste down the passageway. There was no sight of Toad, Bowser or any of the King Koopa's flunkies. She wondered where the verdant-robed wizard was taking her. The Sky Castle did another violent rumble, but it came so sudden that the Princess and the young greenhorn lost their balance and tripped. Peach fell on her stomach, the wind knocked out of her. She gasped and crawled over to Jazel's limp body, and shook him gently. The wand was out of Jazel's grip and a very fine gray haze was emitting out of it as peach helped the hooded sorcerer up. Confused, she turned to the Magikoopa.

"Are you doing this?"

He shook his head as Peach started to reach for it. The mist touched her face as she bent down and Jazel noticed how her eyes were drooping and she was slowly staggering forward. He kicked the wand away before the haze could do more damage and grabbed her shoulders to sturdy her. The Princess shook off the drowsiness before regaining her balance and asked in a quivering voice, "What just happened?"

"It's some sort of sleeping spell, but I don't know what's causing this reaction," he said, backing away from the advancing haze. The spell blocked them from going any farther. The two hurried back down the passageway, the haze was spreading quickly, nearly at their heels. They skidded to a halt when they realized another sleeping spell was at work, seeping out of doorways.

"Shy Guys!" Jazel cursed. "We're trapped!" The magical spell encircled the two, wrapping them in the gray soporific haze. Peach already felt the sleepiness take over again, and her eyelids were straining to stay open. She collapsed in a kneeling position, fighting to stay upright, but her resistance failed and she was soon sound asleep on the slightly quivering castle floor.