Group B made their way up the stairs, their hands brushing against the rough, cold cobblestone walls. Bits of the cement holding the bricks above their heads were beginning to flake and fall out, but not by much to cave in upon the Smashers.
"I… was not expecting so much from this," Gilbert sighed. "All this fighting. All these ambushes. Why does this keep happening? Is it really worth it? These are the questions I'm most worried about asking. I'm hoping you guys understand…"
"We understand completely," Daisy answered with a cheerful heart. "After all, that's what friends are for!"
"Through thick or thin, we will break through and come out victorious!" Falco spoke. "We've faced with much crazier crap before in our lifetimes. Why is this time any different?"
"Oh, I dunno…" the Mii Swordfighter responded with sarcasm. "Maybe it's because the enemies we're facing are brothers who hate each other. One wants perfection and restriction of freedom, the other threatens to destroy all rules and make anything possible. If any side wins, it results in defeat. OUR defeat."
The other fighters did not know how to respond to this situation. They were trapped in a castle filled with Dracula's monsters that work for Dharkon. Supporters and Primaries can ambush them at any point. What matters is that they take down the Seraphim of Order and Chaos and stop this madness there and now. Whatever was going to happen next surely would not be good if they don't do something.
Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Peach, Daisy, Dr. Mario, Falco, Lucina, Wario, Diddy Kong, Ridley, and the Mii Swordfighter managed to go up the stairs only to be met by a dead end: a large stone wall. Wario simply walked up to the front of the group and began winding up his fist, charging a powerful forward smash to break down the wall. As the group peaked out, they noticed by the stonework that they just came out from a large fireplace according to the ashes they were stepping on. The fireplace frame itself was carved and decorated with human bones, the faint candlelight melting the wax onto some of the skulls.
The room itself was large and vast, with pillars supporting the domed roof. Glassy chandlers hung from the ceiling, their crystalline ornaments reflecting the moonlight into faint rainbows on the cold floor and carpets. There were holes in the floor covered by vents, which easily led to the furnace deep within the castle as a means to warm up the ballroom.
"Good Lord, this place is freezing," Falco sighed, ruffling his blue feathers. "Would be nice if they heated up the place once in a while." As soon as Falco said that, one of the lids covering the furnace vents blasted off from a fiery pillar, which was already under the anthropomorphic fighter's bionic leg at the time. Falco quickly backed away to prevent his leg from melting, he and his pals surprised by the huge blast of fire burning on the floor. The vent then cooled down, and the flame pillar sunk into the floor. Plenty more of the vents were bursting with fire and scaring off the vampire bats hanging from the ceiling.
There were plenty of monsters and Supporters crawling out from the different cracks in the room, with the Shadow Bugs escaping from the vents unburnt. Spiders slithered down their thin but strong webs, the gargoyles spread open their stone wings and roared as they stretched. The living statues crashed through the stained-glass windows, meeting up with the Primids, Supporters, and mummies approaching the Smashers slowly.
"Everybody, get behind me," Lucina spoke, pointing her Parallel Falchion at the monsters surrounding the group.
"No way!" Ridley spoke out, his mouth dripping with a flammable acid. "If you're gonna keep us covered, then I'm going with you!"
"There's too many for us to take down…" Peach held on tight to the vegetable she plucked up, her gloved-white fingers clenching tightly to the long, thick leaves. "Even with our combined strength, I don't think there would be enough to escape this room." Both Peach and Daisy quickly jumped out of the way when they found out they were standing on another vent about to erupt with a flaming pillar. The princesses watched in horror as the flame pillar exploded outside, nearly burning their long skirts.
"I guess this is the end, huh?" Falco nervously chuckled, he and the fighters backing up to the fireplace. "Well I ain't going down like this. We're gonna have to fight back!"
"Before we go down, there's something I wanna get out of my chest-a," Wario sighed with guilt. "Years ago, back when we were attending the Olympic Games, I would-a always leave my boogers inside Mario's cap whenever we went to the showers in the boy's locker room." The fighters looked at Wario, their faces filled with utter regret, with Dr. Mario turning a pale white in the face.
"That's gross…!" Gilbert exclaimed in utter disgust.
"So that's-a why my hair felt-a sticky after I showered, back when Mario and I were one and the same person…" Dr. Mario muttered, scratching his brown hair.
"No more talking about each other's snot!" Falco called out, pointing his blaster at the charging monsters and Supporters. "We've got company!" Incoming gargoyles dove straight for the group, their stone fangs grinding against their hardened beaks. However, before any of the gargoyles could lay a hand on one of the Smashers, they were suddenly launched to the group's right. The moving winged statues shattered the second they rammed into the stone floor, with nothing but rubble remaining.
"What the-? Who's there!?" Daisy asked. The other monsters stopped for a brief moment before they turned around to face the opponent that attacked them. And the other fighters were surprised by the new challenger waiting for them to arrive in Dracula's Castle.
The fighter's structure was rather fit, and his fingerless black gloves showcased a burning flame hotter than the furnace below the ballroom. The new fighter was wearing a white t-shirt with a red vest and blue jeans, his flowing blond hair tied behind his head and hidden under a red-and-white cap which read "Fatal Fury".
"Power Geyser!" the stranger cried, jumping high into the air and clenching his flaming fist. The monsters charged right for the stranger until he rammed his fist into the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked back Dharkon's soldiers. He used a variety of martial arts moves completely different from Ryu and Ken to fight back against the monsters. A fireball charged up in the stranger's hands and was released into one of the empty vents, traveling down the furnace and overheating it.
The stranger used his powers to suddenly sense the group in the same room, and he quickly grabbed each and every one of them. As he ran out, the monsters chased after the mysterious fighter before they were engulfed in a powerful explosion that covered up the entire ballroom.
The Mii Swordfighter, Ridley, Wario, Lucina, Daisy, Peach, Dr. Mario, Falco, Pikachu, Jigglypuff, and Diddy Kong all squirmed out of the stranger's clutches once they escaped the collapsing ballroom. Each one of the fighters looked up to see the stranger holding out his hand. He grabbed ahold of Peach's delicate hand and gently lifted her back up, letting her adjust her balance.
"Sorry to handle you like that, Fair Lady," the stranger chuckled, delicately kissing her hand. Peach went red in the face, looking away in embarrassment while giggling. Daisy, filled with a bit of jealousy, got herself up and stormed to the new companion.
"Uh… what about me?" Daisy asked, giving the stranger a suspicious glare.
"Oh, yeah… sorry…" the stranger chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm Terry Bogard, otherwise known as the Legendary Hungry Wolf. I take it you people haven't been around the block a few times, haven't you?"
"We… just woke up here," Lucina answered, keeping her blade by her waist. "Some of us have no idea it had been ten years ever since our capture."
"Oh, ten years," Terry responded with familiarity. "Right… that was the time Dharkon took over against his brother, right?" The faces of the Smashers lit up in surprise, suddenly knowing that this new guest is talking about the Seraphim of Order and Chaos.
"You know about Dharkon?" Gilbert asked in shock. "We've been hunting him down ever since Galeem was defeated, and we really thank you for saving us back at the ballroom."
"Just doing my job, birdie," Terry spoke with a boastful voice, adjusting his cap. "Plus, I don't really think I need a helping hand ever since I split up from the Forgotten Resistance days ago…"
Forgotten… Resistance? Is that what this new guest said? Did he just admit he worked for the rebellion long before the fighters saved from Galeem woke up?
"You wouldn't happen to be one of the survivors of the Movements of Light and Darkness, would you?" Dr. Mario asked. The non-blood son of Jeff Bogard looked at the Prescriber, shaking his head and chuckling.
"Of course I am. Why would you say that?"
"It's just we met up with a… few of your friends back at the Undying Light," Peach spoke. "They're alive and well. Don't worry."
"Oh, thank God," Terry sighed. "I was becoming worried about Piranha Plant, Joker, Hero, Banjo & Kazooie…"
"Who're… Banjo & Kazooie?" Falco asked. From Terry's perspective, these fighters clearly haven't seen the bear and Breegull duo at all. This was pretty obvious considering they were only found by Group A.
"All we know is that Joker and the Hero left with Group A southwest, and Piranha Plant is with Group C," Falco answered. "I don't think we have any idea who Banjo & Kazooie are. Maybe we can meet up with them once we… defeat Dracula Vlad Tepes."
"I see…" Terry spoke, looking back at the empty hallway. "Well then, I suppose we make our way to Dracula's throne room and slay the vampire. I've been wandering these halls for quite some time. Perhaps I can give you a tour?" The other fighters nodded, already getting up and preparing for their adventure.
"Oh? You wanna get going already?" Terry asked again.
"Lots of our friends are still trapped in the darkness, and we need to rescue all of them as quickly as possible," Wario responded. Terry Bogard then adjusted his cap and popped his knuckles once he heard the news, running straight for the staircase to take the Smashers to the next room at the end of the hall. However, upon reaching the first step, Terry's senses picked up again, feeling some power and raw energy coming from… above him?
The Legendary Hungry Wolf quickly jumped back once he heard a flaming fist burn up above him, surprised out of his wits when he saw the Ken Primary land right in front of the group.
"Ken? Hey, wassup, buddy? I haven't seen you since the crossover days!" Terry spoke, cheerfully waving towards the captured fighter. The South Town Hero then looked behind himself to see the group he was traveling with huddle behind him, readying their weapons. Terry looked back at the Ken Primary, noticing the captured fighter was possessed by a powerful rival known as Akuma.
"I… take it he's not your friend?" Terry asked, shrugging shortly after. "That's fine. I got it from here…" Terry planted his fists in the stone floor, gathering the chi found within the castle. The Hungry Wolf powered himself to a stronger level and quickly parried the Ken Primary's foot as soon as he saw it flying towards his face.
Terry did a roundabout kick, his red sneakers burning bright with flames as he began hitting the captured fighter at the arms. The Ken Primary tried to use a Focus Kick, but Terry quickly ducked and grabbed the leg. His burning fingers scalded the captured fighter's bare foot, the Ken Primary screaming in pain. Terry managed to throw the captured fighter at the wall and used his Burn Knuckle move before the possessed Smasher could react.
Due to his blistered foot, the Ken Primary could only hop in place and do his best to balance himself as he tried to unleash a charged Hadoken. Terry Bogard quickly reacted and continued attacking the captured fighter with his Hakkyokuseiken technique, building up plenty of damage to finish off the Ken Primary while the other fighters in the group simply watched in awe.
Terry simply sent out his Power Wave move to finish the job, instantly KO-ing the Ken Primary with a soft touch. As the captured fighter succumbed to the Legendary Hungry Wolf, the tendrils of the Dharkon Lock slithered around Ken's body, shattering into the red mist. Both the mist and the Akuma Spirit flew out of the castle, leaving Ken's Fighter Spirit to reunite with his true vessel.
Ken, for the first time after ten years, opened his eyes to see Terry's hand reaching out to him. He was rather confused when he saw this strange warrior kneeling before him, thinking about how Terry managed to survive Galeem's attack.
"Terry?" Ken asked, standing up with a confused face. "Out of any of the fighters that could've rescued me, you're the one who saves me from Dharkon?"
"Yeah, I suppose," Terry answered, walking up the stairs. He looked back at Group B, with Peach and Daisy already helping Ken onto his feet.
"C'mon, people," Terry reminded. "In a haunted castle like this, there's no time for slowing down." Hearing the wailing noises of several ghosts, the members of the group followed Terry up the stairs, ready to take down Dracula.
Deep within the darkness of the Dharkon Void, the Seraph of Chaos watched the second group traverse through the long stairway, taking down winged monsters and Supporters, with Terry Bogard burning most of the foul creatures down. Just then, Mephiles, disguising himself as a Spirit, arrived behind Dharkon.
"I know you have tried your best, Mephiles," Dharkon softly growled, his blue eye looking at the crystalline hedgehog Spirit. "Despite transforming into a beast that could have slain the group in the Sacred Land, it was not enough to fully take them down… isn't it?"
"First of all, the Triforce of this land wasn't even real, and the rodent you let escape… Sonic, was it? He… managed to use the Master Sword of that realm and slay me as Ganon, the Demon King," Mephiles responded.
"I suppose after that terrifying encounter, I could give you a long vacation," Dharkon spoke. "Go for now. Your services are no longer required in this situation."
"Very well…" In the blink of an eye, Mephiles vanished, not once having his disguise uncovered. However, before he vanished, the small Insaniton poked out of his crystalline spines. That tiny slime was a sign of things to come. Dark, horrible things. Only Tabuu noticed this as he tugged on the Chains of Darkness, trying to escape. Alas, the Construct God was bound to the bars of Galeem's cage, where the seraphic dragon laid bound up in his restraints and shackles. A small smile creeped up on his face as he watched the Hungry Wolf tackle the ghosts and zombies on the roof with fiery fists through Dharkon's magical mirror.
"This new guest that has emerged from your shadows… Terry Bogard, isn't it?" Galeem asked his brother. "He sure looks like a challenging opponent. Look at the way he fights: an orphaned boy forced to grow up on the streets, attacking like a vicious canine with the lustful fire of action and danger. Surely, he sees you as his greatest challenge yet. Do you wish to give up now to avoid your blood on his fiery hands?" Dharkon's single eye looked back at the Seraph of Order, his breath growling like a dragon's.
"My servants will drag him down to the bottomless abyss of this world," Dharkon responded. "Give him time, and he will surely fall…"
