It was difficult for Elodie to step inside that dread castle once again, but she managed. The corridors were made of the a navy, almost black color where once they had been a light grey so fine it was almost silver. The windows had been blocked off—sealed—to ensure no light entered the castle. It was as lifeless as the courtyard had been.

"Come on," Mario had said when Elodie faltered in the foyer. He reached a hand backwards, allowing her the option to take it should she wish. "Let's get what we need and go."

Elodie took his hand and went on.

It did not take long for her to find something to assist with. Something new within the castle was some golden plaques upon the walls: they were written in an old language from a thousand years ago. Only she and Goombella—who had grown up an academic—were able to read them.

"All that you see is not there," she read aloud, narrowing her eyes at the tiny text. "Keep moving forward."

"Oh, great," grumbled Admiral Bobbery. "Riddles. Because I'm great at those."

Mario glanced around the room. It was near empty; another desolate change that had come over the castle. The furniture had disappeared, perhaps been destroyed. For better or worse, it was hard for Elodie to realize this was the place she had formulated some of her warm childhood memories.

Without mentioning what he was thinking, he continued walking forward to the edge of the room. His hand outstretched, as though feeling for something… only when he was directly ahead of the far wall did he murmur, "A-ha."

"What is it?" called Goombella.

He turned around, revealing that his hand was able to pass through the wall like it was air. "It's an illusion." Keeping one hand upon the hilt of his war-hammer, he stepped through the spell for whatever it was that lay behind.

Mario emerged within seconds, holding a silver key. "This was in a chest back there," he said. "Something tells me there will be more of these riddles."

So it was that they nine went from room to room, slowly solving the puzzles that had been prepared. Although Elodie figured that these things were much to Ingrid's style, she couldn't help wondering if they had been prepared by her mother, to guide her Shadow Sirens into the innermost sanctum in the event that they attempted to revive her…

But it was not the Shadow Sirens who had opened the Thousand-Year Door. It had been a different enemy, one that Elodie only had minimal information on.

"How is it that the X-Naut leader managed to take Peach past this place, leaving no trace they were here?" she murmured to herself.

Everyone paused and glanced back to her, apparently startled.

"What?" asked Goombella.

"The spell I put upon this place… I would know if it had faltered completely," said Elodie. Her silver eyes were pasted to the golden plaque she had just read for Mario, but she was not absorbing the words. "It should've been powerful enough to repel any mundane attempts to open the door…"

"You yourself said that the seal upon the door was weakening," Mario replied. He was not distracted from the riddle, the shy one hides his face, as he spoke. "He might've just forced himself inside."

Elodie frowned. It would be a difficult fight indeed, if they were to face such a person who was able to override her own spells…

The others did not seem as perturbed by this realization as Elodie was, although she couldn't begrudge them that. They were much too focused on the riddles and obtaining those silver keys…

But there was something making her on edge. Something was not quite right.

"I'll be right back."

Mario blinked and watched Elodie leave, though she did not offer an explanation for her departure. She could not help but wonder where this X-Naut Leader was in the labyrinth, for surely he had Peach with him: and if he reached the inner sanctum, if he performed the ritual…

Elodie found herself outside the castle once again, standing by the entrance ahead of the murky moat. The water was churning back and forth; she could not see beyond its surface. She was blind: just as she was to the entire situation.

There had been a spell she had learned from her mother, but never used. One that allowed one to detect a life-force. The enchantment was just on the tip of her tongue…

With a gasp, she remembered. "Specialis Revelio."

The world turned into a shade of black and white: living beings would be highlighted as balls of light. She saw two of them relatively far in the maze of the Palace of Shadow—those could only be the X-Naut leader and Princess Peach. They were not on the verge of reaching the inner sanctum, but they didn't seem to be in a hustle, either…

Elodie was just about to cancel the spell when she saw something else.

There were two more balls of light behind them in the labyrinth. Based on how quickly Mario and the others were proceeding through the maze, these newfound strangers would not catch them. And yet, there was absolutely no telling who they could be…

Still, she figured it would do to update Mario on the status of their enemies. Elodie took one more deep breath before forcing herself back in the castle.

When she reached the adventurers once again, they had all of the necessary silver keys within their grasp and were placing them into the keyholes. Hearing her rapid footsteps, Mario turned around. "We're just about finished up in here."

"Good," she replied, her face grave. "We're being followed."

Mario's eyes widened, but before he could reply, another giant rumbling took over the entire underground chamber. The quakes were so fierce that everyone was forced to lunge out and seize something to keep them from falling over—dust rained down from the ceilings, which prompted Elodie to shoot out a hand and cast a spell that would shield herself and her companions should the castle collapse.

After a moment or two, however, the shaking subsided. Seeing that there was no more threat, Elodie released the spell.

"How many behind us?" asked Mario.

"Two only."

He sighed and swept a hand across his forehead. "Then we'd best hurry before they catch us. There's no telling who it could be."

So it was that they rushed out of the castle; as soon as they were away from its depths, Elodie took a deep breath. It was like a large weight had just been lifted from her person, to have flown somewhere far away. She did not look back as they traversed through the hallway.

"How close were they?" asked Mario. His blue eyes were staring straight ahead, and his pace had quickened considerably ever since he had received Elodie's uncertain news.

"They were at the entrance of the labyrinth. It will take them some time to catch up to us, but they will continue to gain ground, seeing as they will not have to fight all of the malcontent spirits and demons that we did just to get here," said Elodie. She rushed alongside him, picking up the front of her scarlet skirts as their feet flew across the dusty carpets. "It is best that whoever takes the rear of our formation keeps a hand upon their weapons and an eye on the shadows behind."

She spared a glance back to Vivian and to Flurrie with this; the two spirits nodded and proceeded to follow her advice.

The hallways became darker and more sinister as they proceeded further into the Palace of Shadow. Red carpets became scarlet or black; less light illuminated the hallways. It became so dark that Elodie was forced to utilize a simple enchantment to summon a ball of light just so they could see and not be lost. Numerous doors also awaited them, proving true the idea that the Palace of Shadow was a maze.

"I do not remember all of these places," murmured Elodie. Her heart was beating fiercely in her chest; disconcerting proof that she had been temporarily revived by the power of the Magical Map and the Crystal Stars. "I am… sorry. But we will make it. We will."

She did not dare use the spell to detect life forms again.

After another confusing set of puzzles and determining which doors led to traps or the hallways beyond, Goombella asked, "How far underground do you reckon we are now?"

"Too far," said Yoshi, whose teeth were chattering.

Elodie sighed. "Even I cannot say. I did not make this labyrinth. I only added to its impenetrability..."

"Then who made it, dearie?' asked Madame Flurrie.

"My mother did… the demon."

A shocked silence crossed the air, one that Elodie could almost reach out and touch. Figuring it would be best to explain further, she added, "When she realized that my friends and I knew about the existence of the Crystal Stars, she sunk her castle and all of her property deep underground. A maze was created to surround it, to protect whatever of her research still remained a secret. It took a long time for us to gather enough information about it to launch an attack directly on her hidden base…"

"How did you get that information?" said Goombella in a hushed whisper.

Elodie bit the inside of her lip, feeling an imperceptible chill cross the air even though it was impossible for a draft or any wind to reach her in that place. "We… sent a few of our soldiers. Our best spies, those most willing to lend themselves to the safety of their homes and kingdoms. Only a few ever came back. The rest, they… their spirits linger in this place. The same ones we must defeat to reach her."

She glanced over her shoulder, a melancholy glaze to her thin face. "I do not claim to be a hero without faults. My orders have sent many good people to their deaths. Only once the demon is destroyed for good will their deaths be avenged. Only once that happens may I possibly be redeemed."

The next corridor that they crossed told Elodie and the others that they had reached the correct place. What darkness had lingered during their last minutes of adventure vanished; torches with bright-white flames stood on the sides of the path, leading directly towards a large antechamber covered in red carpets.

Elodie recognized this place instantly. She stopped in her tracks, prompting Mario to do the same.

Noting her stricken state, Mario said, "This is the beginning of the end, isn't it." He spoke more as a statement than he did as a question.

"Yes." Elodie swallowed hard, hardly noticing her wringing hands. "This leads into the innermost throne room. It… is where the demon's sarcophagus was buried. It… is where she will be."

The energy surrounding the party of nine zapped like a lightning bolt onto the earth. Each person instinctively reached for their weapons and moved into the battle formations that Elodie well-recognized by this point—before anyone could move, she held out a hand.

"The X-Naut leader will be waiting for you," she said, taking care to keep her voice low. "I know this because there is no sign that the demon has been revived yet. That means Princess Peach is not yet possessed… she is alive."

Mario froze, and began to turn towards the antechamber—

"Whatever you do, Mario, you must not let the demon be revived," said Elodie. Her words were crisp, bordering snappish; certainly sharper than she had meant them. "Princess Peach may be used as incentive to stop you in destroying the demon's spirit. It could be a trap the X-Naut leader may try to snare you into. Evildoers never play fair, Mario. Do not let yourself be deceived into thinking they might."

Although his mustache was a full one, Elodie could still see the downturn that had overtaken his lips. "He may kill the princess if I refuse."

"He cannot. She is his most valuable bargaining chip, and the only way to ensure the demon is revived in her entirety," replied Elodie. She reached out and placed a hand upon her champion's shoulder, still marveling at the fact that she was able to feel physical touch once again. "We must end this here. No matter what."

It had been tense between the adventurers before, but now the sharpness of the disquiet could've been cut with a knife. Realizing, however, that there was nothing to say, Elodie pursed her lips and waited for her champion to ascend the stairs.

He did so with a deep inhale and his hands clenched at his sides. The rest of his faithful friends followed him, leaving Elodie the rear of the formation. As they rose towards the center of the throne room, she kept a sharp eye out for any traps or soldiers that might ambush them on the way. She wouldn't consider it beyond the X-Naut leader's dishonor to begin the fight before even speaking.

He was there, standing directly in front of where Elodie's mother used to plant herself. The man was strange-looking: there was a dome atop his head that almost acted as a helmet, and a long purple cloak sweeping around his shoulders. In his hand was a long staff with a blue crystal at the tip—right away, she knew that this was a man acquainted with magic.

"Thank you ever so, Mario," said the X-Naut leader. Although Elodie could not see his face, she was certain that he was smirking; in that way, he reminded her of that accursed Beldam. "It was kind of you to bring all seven Crystal Stars here before me, so I might take them from you and use them to fully revive the Shadow Queen in all of her power!"

Mario scoffed once, his hand moving towards the hilt of his war-hammer. "I've defeated the rest of your minions, Grodus. You're just next in the line."

The X-Naut leader, Grodus, laughed. "Those fools were pitiful compared to me. This has been foretold: one thousand years after the imprisonment of the greatest demon the world has ever seen, she will rise again! She shall be a new power, guiding my hand to greatness!"

"One hand will extend to aid you, while the other will reach around your neck to crush you," said Elodie. Her silver eyes burned upon Grodus, who turned ever so slightly to acknowledge her. "You're a fool if you think you can harness her."

"I am the leader of a new world!" he cried, although now his voice was garbled, as though the helmet was blocking some of its clarity. "As a reward for guiding her back to this world, she will rebuild all of life in my image! All I need are the Crystal Stars… there is no stopping me now."

Mario sighed and rolled up his sleeves, acting as though it were any other Tuesday. "Yeah. Sure."

It was clear the fight was about to break out—but just as Mario withdrew his war-hammer and made a move to charge, the chamber began to shake. Dust rained down from the ceiling once again, coating everyone's hair. Unlike the time it had occurred earlier, however, the rumbling did not last as long… and it was also accompanied by pieces of the castle.

There was a loud roar as someone came tumbling down from the ceiling. It was a large, muscular person with sharp green eyes and armor; their hair was a bright orange, much like the color of a pumpkin.

"You've got to be joking," murmured Goombella, who could only stare as a second person—an elderly sorceress—floated down after the man who had fallen.

Elodie stared at the two, the latter of whom was fretting after the muscular man like a mother hen. Seeing the incomparable exasperation on Mario's face, she merely asked, "Bowser?"

Mario sighed and nodded. "Bowser."

Hearing his name, the man glared upwards. His eyes flared upon seeing Mario standing just ahead of him; Bowser scrambled to his feet and jabbed a finger in Mario's direction. "YOU!"

Mario gripped the war-hammer tightly, apparently prepared to take on two threats at once—but Elodie could not allow this. The Shadow Queen would take all of his and his companions' energy to defeat; if they dawdled and wasted time on these two buffoons ahead, they may not be able to win the battle that truly mattered. And that was without mentioning that Elodie did not know of the powers that either of these enemies possessed.

There was only one choice.

Elodie launched forward and pushed Mario back behind her; she took a deep breath and, using what charm and influence she still pertained, declared, "Bowser! Did you not come here for Princess Peach? That man has the princess, not Mario!"

She pointed directly towards Grodus, whose surprise was not visible, but was emanating off his person in waves all the same.

Bowser froze and turned his gaze back towards the original fight that had been waiting for them. He clenched his fists and roared; it was a deep and fearsome sound, one that sounded like it belonged to a dragon rather than a human.

Then he charged forth towards the X-Naut leader, the elderly sorceress directly behind him.

"Go!" shouted Elodie, who pushed Mario forward. She had not wasted a second and was already sprinting forward towards the back entrance where she knew the demon's sarcophagus lay.

The clattering of footsteps behind her told Elodie that her champion and his friends were following. Behind them, Grodus and Bowser had engaged in combat; they were likely to be preoccupied for a little while at least, and buy them enough time to at least begin the battle against the demon's spirit…

Elodie hadn't remembered how long the descent into the dark chamber was until she was flying down the steps, her hands hitching her dress's hem so she wouldn't trip. It was a frightful journey illuminated only by black candles, surrounding by walls of navy blue so rich it was near black: certainly a chilling, yet fitting, resting place for the person who had once been her mother.

At last, they reached a great set of doors. Elodie halted in front of them, her breath coming in short gasps. She whirled around to see Mario halt by her side and asked, "Do you have the Crystal Stars?"

He nodded and showed her all seven.

It was time: after one-thousand years, it was finally time. Elodie's eyes sparked with tears of both fear and pride: she took Mario's gloved hand and kissed the top of it, whispering, "Then let us finish this. Mario, whatever happens from here forward… I thank you. I thank you on behalf of not only myself, but everyone else whom I have loved. If things go ill… at least we gave it everything we could. The world has never seen a hero like you."

Before Mario could reply, she released him and swung open the doors.