Hey guys! Thanks for reading my new chapter! This is where things get more interesting, so I hope you enjoy!
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Peach arrived at the lake, and parked her car. She looked at the lake she visited once or twice on holidays. As she looked into the clear blue waters, she noticed some rocks in an odd formation. They formed a star pattern, and she suddenly remembered her holiday there. Mario and Luigi were telling the story of when they wound up in Bowser's body. They described where they visited, and Peach decided to visit them herself. When she was there, she noticed the star pattern as well. Then, she thought it was just a cute coincidence, but after the adventure she's been having, she knew it was no such thing. I'm guessing that's the entrance. She thought. "Indeed it is..." the voice replied. So how do I get down? She asked the voice. "You'll have to repeat after me again..." she told Peach. She started uttering ancient chants again, and Peach repeated. A dark circle started forming around her feet, and it also started appearing over the star formation. A dark aura enveloped her, and the same darkness fell over the circle. With a flash of light, Peach disappeared, and reappeared on the dark circle in the lake. The middle piece of the star rocks shook a little and slid out of the way. Despite the fact it was lake, no water entered the dark corridor. Peach swam in and sighed a breath of relief as oxygen reentered her lungs. She looked around the cave and noticed it was clearly different from the one in Teehee Valley. There was dark bricks with crystals embedded in. Suddenly, the crystals started glowing, and they appeared to start speaking in quiet voices.
"Is it really her? Is it really the chosen one?" one said.
"It must be, no one has been down here for years." another chimed in.
"She certainly looks like the chosen one." a different one remarked.
"Does that mean we'll finally be freed?" one asked.
"I sure do hope so..." one muttered.
What do they mean, freed? And who are they? Peach asked the voice. "It doesn't matter..." the voice told her nonchalantly. Peach walked to the end of the corridor, and open the grand doors. What she was met with was a huge underground castle, and a path leading to it. She marvelled at the grand palace, and wished hers looked as good. Wow... What is this place? Peach thought to herself. "It is the remains of an ancient civilisation... And where the Dark Star was created... Now. Do you see the star patterns on the ground?" Peach looked at the floor and saw the edges of the path were lined with beautiful star patterns, all made with the same black crystal as before. "You must touch all of them..." the voice said, and Peach obliged. She took of her gloves, and brushed her hand against all of the stars. The crystals were smooth and nice to touch, and they glowed after being touched. When all were glowing, the path turned into a stair case, and Peach wandered down it. She reached a room lit only with purple candles, with a single crystal ball in the middle. "Yesss... We are finally here..." the voice said, clearly happy they had finally made it. "You must now awaken the Dark Star..." the voice told Peach. How do I do that? She asked in response. "Simple... Just focus your energy... And redirect it into your hands..." the voice told her. Peach was confused by this, but tried anyway. Much to her surprise, it worked. The Dark Star started shaking, and red eyes appeared on its centre. The red eyes got brighter and brighter, until it flew out of Peach's hands. It looked around, then at Peach. It stared and stared and stared. Peach looked nervously at it, and was scared by its power. What do I do now? Peach asked the voice. "Tell it to power the orb..." the voice told her.
"Dark Star, I demand you power this orb immediately!" she said, trying to act confident. Surprisingly, the Dark Star obeyed, and started sending its dark power into the orb. The orb grew darker and darker, until it eventually was pitch black. A spirit started to rise out of it, and it started cackling in the same voice as the one in her head. The spirit took on a humanoid form, but it was made of only purple mist. It had dark red eyes, and those eyes looked directly at Peach. What's going on?! Peach tried to ask the voice, but no reply came.
"Trying to talk to that voice in your head? That won't work anymore..." the dark spirit said.
"Why not? And how do you know about that?" Peach asked in a distressed voice.
"Because... I was that voice..." the spirit smirked. Peach cowered in fear, not knowing what would happen next...
