Mario's Theatre (pt. 2): Retracing the Steps

After having had the misfortune to battle the Orm's Lords, Mario and his partners are now planning to enter Smithy's now-abandoned factory. There is only one problem: how will they get in? The only way to find out is to let Mario and Bowser to retrace the steps…

Once notorious in numerous circles of years past, but now forgotten by almost all life…

Its legacy spoken by society only in tones of interest and fear…

The mechanical harbingers of destruction, the Smithy Gang, sought to eliminate the peaceful world of dreams and replace it with a world of life-stealing weapons…

Only to fail with the arrival of five heroes…

The name of the heartless army has since faded into infamy…

Once perceived as a real threat…

Now treated as nothing but a mere myth…

Mario and his party members, along with Toadsworth, were now situated inside the battered remains of Peach's royal palace. To be more precise, they were inside the princess's parlor—the only area of the grand structure to be left untouched by the vile Lords. A fireplace was situated in one corner of the room; it was the only thing that bestowed a wave of warmth upon the Smashers and Toadsworth, and that wave served to protect all inhabitants from a malignant creature known as frostbite. Without question, the parlor's architecture was one of regal glory. There were beautifully decorated stained-glass windows—one was designed with a portrait of the crown monarch herself—an arched ceiling designed in the style of the Victorian era, a neat and smoothed-out carpet that expanded across the floor, a mini-chandelier glued to the ceiling, and light posts attached to the expansive walls. Various shades of pink and white painted the room to amplify the already-magnificent beauty that was present to the occupants. To sum it up, this parlor room was extraordinarily fabulous for a lady of royal heritage.

Many of the room's inhabitants were seated on the bed, which was not only soft and comfortable, but had a flowing curtain that could extend around the whole rim. The battered Mario was the sole exception; he had to remain standing to avoid spilling his blood onto the sheets. As he stretched backwards, a swelling pain tore through his chest. It was without uttering a word that the plumber squeezed his chest wound tightly to block the horrible pain felt.

"Toadsworth," he sighed, "Is there-a anything nearby that can patch me up-a?"

"Well…" the steward slowly hummed. "I suppose you can collect something from the store to heal you, old boy. However, I don't believe that there's anyone operating that place right now…"

"We'll-a still need to stroll down there. I would rather not-a let my injuries get the upper hand on me." After the termination of his sentence, his grip on the chest wound became even tighter. It was a nearly ineffective action, however. In fact, the pain's vicious grip on him continued to strengthen until the throbbing was outright agonizing. The urge to yell was suddenly unbearable, and the only thing that kept the long-standing hero from giving into that urge was his willpower. Luigi simply stared at the event out of spine-chilling fear; worry hovered over his mind as he came to comprehend the possibility of his older brother's death.

"He's right," DK puffed while crossing his arms, right before clarifying his position on Mario's situation. "He's lost a lot of blood, man, and that stab wound looks like it almost punctured a lung. If he doesn't receive some treatment soon, he will most likely be dead before we even reach Smithy's residence."

"Wait a minute," the elderly Toad protested, "You folks aren't planning to steal something from the store, are you? Good heavens, I suggest that you do not perform that kind of action!"

Before the steward could continue any further, Mario gently tugged a bag of coins out of his pocket. The dull, copper-colored bag was adorned with a Super Mushroom on the front side, while a tiny rope wrapped itself around the opening to prevent the contents from flowing outwards. The outer appearance was coated with lumps in all regions due to what was inside; it reminded some of the others of hives, especially the type that would have occurred because of an allergic reaction. Upon even the slightest movement, a metallic shuffling noise gently vibrated the eardrums of all party members plus Toadsworth. No doubt, this bag contained some of the Mushroom Kingdom's famous currency: coins. That solid fact alone was enough to silence Toadsworth immediately.

"I'll-a leave the money somewhere in the store," the red-clad plumber muttered. "That-a way, the owners will-a understand that I've-a paid up for the supplies—if they're-a still alive, that is. If they are dead, then at least the new owners will-a do their best to handle it. Do you wish-a to stroll down to the store with us?"

Upon hearing the question, Toadsworth completely shook out of fright. After the witnessing of the violent imagery outside the castle, he had vowed to remain inside and avoid laying his eyes on the blood and the bodies of the good-willed citizens. Also, now that his mind was glued to the topic, he once noticed—even for a relatively short time—a strong smell that had managed to pollute the once-pure air. As far as he could remember, the sewage system was not overflowing, and there were no spoiled supplies of food or any sort of trash on the streets. It was most likely originating from the bodies, and if that was the case, then the scent was a clear sign that the slow process of decay was beginning to grip the town's citizens. Whether the others even had an opportunity to detect that rancid smell or not was unknown to him, but it did not change the fact that staying outside for long was just too much for him to handle.

Also, what about those robed cultists? They could still be nearby, and if they were to attack while he was with the group, he could be a casualty caught in the crossfire. The risk was just too great…

"Eh," he finally stuttered, "I'm going to stay within the castle walls. Not that I wouldn't wish to join you folks, but it's just that… the sight of the town really gives me goosebumps."

The red-capped plumber nodded his head in the affirmative. "Okay, but one of us will-a need to stay here in case that the Lords-a return. Who would-a like to remain in this castle until we return-a?"

For what seemed like a minute, the room was filled with silence. No word echoed throughout the darkened parlor, which served to intensify the still-ominous atmosphere that silently loomed over the heads of all those present. Coincidentally, there was strictly minimal physical motion on the part of Mario and his allies.

They must be deeply pondering about this matter, he whispered internally. Meanwhile, Toadsworth was growing tense for reasons that the others could not identify. Was it because of the appearances that were assumed by some of the party members, such as Mario's blood-soaked form or Bowser's great bulk? Or was it the fact that the Lords could return at any time? And could there a deeper phobia of which Mario and his group currently did not know? They had not the time to figure out the reason why, for Yoshi suddenly raised his left hand into the air.

"Yoshi will stay," the grass-colored dinosaur exclaimed. Wario instantly fired a stare of jealously at him; anger filled the overweight miser's mind as he came to be denied a precious opportunity. In his perspective, he was the one who so strongly deserved a rewarding rest after the grueling battle with dangerous cultists. Upon examining his reaction, the others perceived it to be a glaring example of his greedy and consistently selfish personality. He clearly loathed it when things failed to flow in his direction, and as far as many people were concerned, he would do anything to ensure that he was above everyone else—even his own colleagues in Smash.

"No fair!" he cried. "Why does he get-a to rest in here, but I've-a gotta stick with you guys on the way to the stupid store?!"

"He raised his hand-a first," Mario sternly commented with arms crossed. "If you so badly desire to relax-a next time, raise your hand-a."

Wario was not ready to back down, especially in the face of his longtime rival. "But-"

"Wario…" Bowser growled in a low and sinister tone, "Shut up and get over it. The last I need is you whining your chubby ass off about the fact that you don't get to relax this time around. Now let's go."

The greedy man's skin instantly transmuted itself into numerous shades of bright red after having heard both comments. It was irritating enough that Yoshi had raised his hand first, but the comments from Mario and Bowser were complete low blows altogether. This was especially true in the Koopa King's case, for his words were utterly caustic.

They dare insult me, he growled within the confines of his mind, THE great Wario?! I'm gonna tear their throats out and hang them up in my room! His rage was contemporarily so intense that he had to violently punch a wall several times just to vent all the steam that was fiercely spraying from his ears. Once his fit of anger had concluded, he reluctantly stormed out of the parlor to assist Mario and the remainder of his party members, who were in the process of leaving the room. Yoshi remained with Toadsworth while the parlor door creaked shut.

"You okay?" the dinosaur asked. He was unsure if the elderly Toad had signs of permanent trauma, even in the comfort of the parlor.

"Yes, yes, I'm alright," the steward replied. "So, what are you folks doing here in the Mushroom Kingdom? It's been a long time since I have last seen the Mario Brothers and Bowser around here."

"Mario looking for piece of magical item known as Staff of Björn."

Toadsworth sat on the bed as he listened to the dinosaur's story. "And what is this "Staff of Björn" you are babbling about?"

Yoshi stared at the princess's portrait before continuing. "Yoshi will tell you."

Mario and his group exited the castle to return to the cold and blood-stained remains of the gutted town. As they trudged through the snow, a strange scent was beginning to overshadow the ruined streets. Although the freezing weather had dulled the valuable sense of smell for each member, this new scent was strong enough to tear through said dullness. It was surprisingly sharp and extremely bitter to the point where the Smashers covered their noses to avoid sniffing it. Even Wario had to shield his own nose; while he was quite accommodated to the smell of his own flatulence, the rancid scent proved to be so much worse as far as bitterness was concerned. From where exactly the smell was seeping proved to be an unknown factor, at least to the Smashers themselves, but one thing was for certain; this smell had not been present before, during the time when the group was arriving at the town. Along the way, Mario avoided the trails of blood to prevent the contamination of his wounds, which could potentially be fatal. Being a doctor with great experience, he was not inept as to why staying clear from the blood of others was important when injured. If his wounds ever absorbed some blood with a type that was incompatible with his body, or if the absorbed sample harbored a disease…

A handful of minutes passed before the fighters reached their destination. The store, just like the rest of the town, was in a state of disorder, with missing and damaged windows, a sign that was beaten and smeared with blood drops, and the door with cave-ins at numerous areas. As Luigi pushed the door open, the others realized that the inside was no better off than the exterior; most of the now-destroyed items were scattered across the floor with tiny shards of glass, which only worsened the mess that plagued the store. Additionally, the cash register had been knocked over—and its electronic display was smashed into mere fragments—a trail of scarlet liquid led to the exterior of the building, the lights were disabled, and above everything else, the owners were nowhere in clear sight. Admittedly, this mess indubitably constituted a form of complete disorder.

"It almost looks like an animal tore through this place," DK slowly gasped as he glanced at the damage present.

"So, what are you going to buy from this place?" Diddy asked Mario out of curiosity.

"I need-a to purchase a medical kit," the battered plumber answered. "The wounds on my body are-a too great to be healed by a Mushroom alone. If I have-a extra money, I may buy something else-a…"

While the others stayed close to the entry point, Mario approached the front table to notice a row of six items on top of it. Unlike the rest of the store, the table and its items were unaffected by the bloodshed that had occurred prior the group's arrival. In fact, there were no scratches, cave-ins, or traces of blood whatsoever. The items were also in a surprisingly stable condition, and they were, in a sense, ready to be utilized. Underneath each item was the respective price, currently glued onto the side of the table. From left to right, the signs read as follows:

Mushroom (5 coins)

Tasty Tonic (6 coins)

Fire Flower (7 coins)

POW Block (10 coins)

Courage Shell (15 coins)

Medical Kit (25 coins)

It was nothing short of a miracle for Mario that a medical kit was present and completely untouched. Had it been missing or damaged, if not outright destroyed, his condition would have worsened on the way to Smithy's former residence, and he would have completely lacked the strength to fight off what remained of the Orm's Lords. Examining the price levels closely, Mario dragged twenty-five coins out of the bag and sprinkled the tabletop with them, and when he completed the latter action, a darker shade of gold dotted the wood-colored surface. Mario grabbed the medical kit and hoisted it across his back via a thick and coal-colored strap. He then checked the coin bag to count the coins that were remaining; with his sharp eyes and precise counting, he noticed that there were twenty-two coins left. Maybe he could buy several more items to be more prepared in future scenarios. Since the Lords had proven themselves to be extremely dangerous adversaries, buying extra items would surely be an excellent alternative to entering a battle completely unprepared.

Dumping out the remaining coins, he purchased a POW Block, an item that was at heart a miniature earthquake within a small box, a Mushroom, which was a common delicacy in the Mushroom World, and a trusty Fire Flower. Stuffing the three items into his pockets, he was about to exit the store when Bowser tugged a coin bag from his shell. Where exactly Bowser had received the coin-holding bag was unknown, but it was possible that he had stolen it from a bank.

That was the hunch, however baseless it was, that Mario relied on.

Mixing his twenty-one coins with Mario's and tossing it all into the beaten cash register, Bowser grabbed the remaining two items from the table and inserted them into his shell. Almost forgetting about what he had originally planned to do upon purchasing his items, Mario then strolled back to the table to compose a note for the store owners. With a black pen and a plain sheet of paper from one of the cabinets, he completed his message in a matter of seconds before leaving it next to the register. To him, if the money in the register failed to convince the owners, then maybe this paper would help. The note was written like this:

Inside the cash register are the sixty-eight coins delivered to the store so that I could purchase all six tabletop items. I just want to clarify that my group and I have not stolen your items; we only purchased them.

-Mario

After this relatively simple task, the group exited the building, never to return. The travel back to the castle was almost the same as the one towards the shop, with the same decomposing smell, the still-haunting imagery, and the unchanged icy climate. No matter the location of the fighters, the area was still a frozen valley of death. The least unyielding of the six, Luigi and Diddy, were trembling in a failed effort to conceal their fear of dying. Other than journeying in a different direction, perhaps the one and only real difference was the set of items from the store, now in possession of the Smashers. As with the previous stroll, Mario shied away from the blood stains. Once inside the royal building, the warriors traveled up the rubble-coated stairway to resume temporary refuge inside the parlor. Upon entry, comforting warmth was once more upon their skins to protect them from the bitter cold. It was also at that point where they were greeted by Toadsworth's gruff voice.

"Master Mario? May I have a word with you?" he coughed.

"What do you need-a?" was Mario's response. As he faced Toadsworth, he positioned the first aid kit on one of the tables and proceeded to unzip it. Within the kit were several items, including a set of wrapping bandages designed to stop bleeding, a bottle of disinfecting hydrogen peroxide, a set of cotton balls, and other important items that were designed for medical treatment. Wasting no time at all, he removed some cotton balls from one of the kit's few bags and soaked all of them with the solution.

"Yoshi here revealed to me that you fellows are a part of this organization called the Super Smash Brothers. Is that really true?"

"Yes, it's-a true. The seven of us here are-a not the only ones. Peach, who is-a currently inside another realm, is a member as-a well. Not only that-a, but there are fighters from other worlds-a. Master Hand is our-a leader of the organization, and he's what-a holds everything together."

"Wait a second; the princess is in another realm? With whom?" Worry was the expression that the steward exhibited when he heard Mario's comment. As a mentor and close assistant, he had developed a strong sense of overseeing the safety of the crown princess to ensure that she stayed away from anything hazardous. It was a solid fact that Mario could recognize, for he could recall numerous examples of the Toad's desire to protect her in various locales. While some considered this behavior to be overprotective, the Mario Brothers could fully understand the reason as to why he continuously stayed close to her in the past; she had been subjected to numerous kidnappings over the years, especially those from Bowser.

"She's-a with a racer known as Captain Falcon, along with-a five others. Falcon's group is-a currently in the world of F-Zero, searching for a piece of the Staff of Björn."

Toadsworth adjusted his glasses as he spoke. "Ah, yes. That reminds me, you're searching for a piece of that artifact as well, am I correct?"

"Correct-a. The five groups that the Smashers, including us-a, are divided into are all-a searching for a piece in five-a different dimensions. We're-a doing this to help a woman named Lillian Åkerfeldt, who is from a mysterious realm-a different from our own." As he finished speaking, Mario had already cleaned his wounds with the hydrogen peroxide solution and was preparing to place bandages on them. He also pressed two smaller absorbent pads against the deep wounds from Agnetha's sword. Pain instantly raged within his body; the solution caused his wounds to catch fire, but the worst of sensations emerged from the chest area, especially in conjunction with the heavily applied pressure. The experience, in his mind, was not something that he would perceive as comforting, but it was something through which he had to limp while finding the staff piece.

"Yoshi also revealed to me that you folks are gathering the staff pieces to stop this "Svärtad Orm" from being released, while the robed fellows are trying to gather them to be able to unleash the creature."

"Yep. Per Lillian's statements, this-a creature was responsible for impacting all realms with-a death and destruction wherever it-a traveled. The staff was what-a sealed it away in the first place, thankfully. The Lords-a plan to revive that thing to resume its-a reign of evil, and if they succeed, then there's-a no telling how much damage it will inflict upon the realms-a. Right now, my group is-a set for Smithy's old factory; one of the staff's pieces will be right-a there. There is one problem, however; the only known-a way to enter the structure, which is a giant, mobile sword called Exor, was-a destroyed a few years back. Now it's up-a to Bowser and me to retrace the steps-a, since-a we are the only ones here who have-a spent some time in that-a dreaded factory."

The elderly steward was suddenly astonished at the workload to be handled by Mario and his crew. This adventure was perhaps much harder than anything that involved the usual kidnappings. "My word, Master Mario! You surely have a grueling adventure ahead of you, old boy."

"I sure-a do." By now, Mario now had bandages over different regions of his body; each one was slowly absorbing the dripping blood from the wounds. He still possessed a beaten appearance but was not as bloodied as before, for the bandages forced the rate of blood loss to be more stagnant. As he closed the first aid kit, he focused on Bowser so that he and his rival could concoct a plan to infiltrate the forgotten factory. Hopefully, Mario believed, the Lords were not inside the alternate realm already…

"Bowser, do you have any remains of the Smithy Gang in your-a castle?" he questioned.

"What?" the Koopa grunted, complete with a confused glance at the plumber. "Oh, do you mean those stupid machines that occupied my castle for a while? As much as I really despise revealing things to you, I think I've seen the remains of… a giant sword on the roof. It's not an ordinary sword because it had a face embedded on the hilt. The face seemed like it was capable of motion or something like that. Why are you asking that?"

"That-a sword, Exor, was what-a sucked us into the dimension where the factory was-a supposedly located. If we can reopen the portal that is within his mouth-a, then we can enter the factory to retrieve the staff-a piece. Our-a only obstacle is how to open the mouth up-a."

Bowser was about to shrug Mario's comment off; there was certainly no reason for him to be overcomplicating what appeared to be a simple task. The only thing to do was to open the mouth, and by doing so, the portal would open as well—at least if opening the mouth was possible.

You must be an idiotic one, pasta head, he believed. Suddenly, however, he was splashed with the last memory of Exor's crushing defeat.

As Mario delivered the final and punishing deathblow, Exor unleashed a terrible groan of pure pain. Upon initiation, the groan was excruciatingly deep and noisy to the point of rumbling the entire stone-forged castle. The party, which consisted of Mario, Geno, Mallow, Peach, and Bowser, could barely keep standing during the extreme vibration before Exor's jaw began to plunge. Before any of the protagonists could react, a bright scarlet light engulfed them, and an unidentified force started to relentlessly drag them into the sword's mouth. They desperately attempted to resist the pull, but it was all in vain. Within seconds, they were descending into a dark void…

"MAMMA MIIIAAAAAaaaaaa…" the plumber screamed as his physical form was launched downwards. He was not the only voice to be heard throughout the darkness; the cries of the other four were piercing the otherwise-quiet air of the alternate dimension, a sign of absolute terror. It was only when they were stuck onto a trail of some sort that the screams vanished entirely, left to echo past the floating structure. However, the landing was only the start of the descent into a sinister realm; surrounding the trail was a deep but faintly purple form of darkness, of which much of the otherworld was composed. The trail itself was created from darkened stones that were somehow floating in the wretched realm, and it led to a new type of blackness up ahead. Although faint, an ominous structure was present in the far distance, possessing a drastically different shape from Bowser's castle. Whatever the building was, it barely remained hidden in the darkness at that moment, but one fact was screaming into Mario's ears. This new realm was unlike anything Mario and his party had explored in the past.

Where were they?

Wait… Exor unleashed the portal just as he was defeated, so that could only mean…

The portal had to be opened willingly by the sword himself, but he disintegrated into pieces at the end of the incident, to be sure. Thanks to remembering that one important detail, a superficially simple task now revealed itself to be a trickier one. There was no way to disregard Mario's comment now…

"Alright," he finally puffed. "We'll head to my castle to retrieve Exor's remains and open up that portal. Let's get a move on!"

"Toadsworth," Luigi mumbled, slightly concerned for the steward's safety, "Can you handle hiding somewhere in this-a castle just in case the Lords-a return?"

"Of course, Master Luigi," the elderly Toad replied. "I've been hiding within a… secret room in this castle to avoid being detected by those blokes. Of course, due to safety reasons, I am not supposed to reveal its location to you; Master Mario may be aware of the secret room, however. Still, don't worry about me, and good luck on your quest! Also, please make sure that the princess is safe."

The Smashers soon departed from the parlor and, eventually, from the entire castle. As the warmth ceased to breathe upon their shoulders, they were now leaving behind the only confirmed refuge within the poor town's collapsed infrastructure and journeying into the darkness of the vast world. The intense chill that was not in the parlor once more inhabited the spines of all those who departed from the royal building. After they had fallen out of plain sight, Toadsworth gently creaked the door shut and stepped towards the glassy picture of the princess. With one last mental prayer for Mario and his group, he leaped into the picture and, quite amazingly, phased right through it, leaving behind only ripples on the physical surface. If the Smashers had stayed behind during this event, they would have it as a true example of magic. For now, however, the parlor was empty and silent…

Somewhere in the skies, a glorious kingdom resided on a massive cloud. While it was not massive, the center of the town was the home of a grand palace under the ownership of the royal family. Its unique architecture, vivid coloring, tall height, and decorated doors bestowed upon it an appearance of real majestic beauty. Surrounding it was an arrangement of lush trees that almost rivaled the height of the palace itself. It was an example of roses that mixed to conjure a grand form of beauty, all generated by each individual component. Nearby, smaller commonplace buildings resided in the central area and they, too, were coated with healthy trees. The sky was mostly empty in character since the kingdom was situated in the clouds. Only the sun and the products of condensation close to the horizon were visible.

The kingdom's people were quite different from the usual creatures that populated the earth below, for their bodies were not composed of the typical flesh and blood. Instead, they appeared to be forged from clouds, much like the platform that separated the kingdom from solid land. Their style of clothing was also noteworthy, so to speak; what the common folk wore were bright colors that varied moderately from one person to another. Some wore overalls—which were, in some case, reminiscent of what both the Mario Brothers and the Warios donned almost every day—while others clothed themselves in robes, which were a considerably uncommon style of dressing in the Mushroom World. Overall, it was a kingdom that would have been full of peace on most days, but alas, the memories of a recent turmoil were currently flooding the minds of the townspeople.

"The royal family is gone!" one of the citizens cried out, unable to conceal the tears that flowed from her eyes. She was dressed in a pink robe with purple highlights. "Oh, where could they have gone?!"

"Th-th-they were inside the palace yesterday," another cloud-person shuttered as he shook visibly. He was clothed in red overalls with an orange shirt underneath. "B-b-but now, the guards cannot find them anywhere…"

"Any sign of them?" a guard asked. Unlike most of the others, he was equipped with a spear that served as a weapon if danger ever reared its ugly head into the kingdom. He was also dressed in a specialized coat that signified his position as a guard. Outwardly, he was calm and free from pressure, but he was, underneath the surface, just as worried as everyone else.

If the royal family does not return, we're screwed... he noted.

"I've checked all the hallways and bedrooms, and to make sure I wasn't missing anything, I also searched the bath area and the throne room," a second guard answered. Like the first, he was garbed in a unique robe and was in possession of a silver-tipped spear. Unlike the first, however, he was visibly tense regarding the royal family's disappearance. "The king and queen have, needless to say, completely vanished; there's no trace of 'em anywhere."

"What about their son, Mallow? If his parents are gone, then we should be protecting him to the best of our abilities. Have you guys located him yet?"

"He's also gone, although I think he may have escaped through the hidden passage in the throne room. Still, we're truly in a very tight situation, wouldn't you agree?" The second guard released a soft sigh while lowering his lengthy spear to a horizontal position. Meanwhile, his facial expression morphed into a grim frown, which stemmed from the difficulty of pinpointing the family's exact location. As a dedicated guard, one of his many duties was to serve as a component to a mighty shield that was designed to guard the family from potential threats. With the recent situation, he would be neglecting his duties if he were to deliberately ignore the status of Mallow and his parents—with serious consequences to accompany his negligence. The short silence between the two cloud-people was broken when the first one finally uttered a response.

"Yes, things seem very grim indeed, but we can't just up and abandon them to their possible fates. We could lose our jobs for that." While their conversation grinded to a halt, the cloud-inhabiting citizens sensed a foreboding rumble from below, and this was coupled with the transformation of the cloud's previous whiteness into a duller color. The nearby clouds exhibited the same behavior. It was an undeniable sign that a storm was ready to pummel the earth…

It was now midday, for the sun's brightness was reaching a high point in the day-night cycle. Despite this, the gloomy clouds overhead prevented full sunshine from spraying the earth. In all honesty, it was no brighter than it was in the pre-noon section of this seemingly depressing day. Snow was beginning to fall from the skies, but the fierceness of past snowfalls was no longer impacting the weather. Rather, a gentle breeze guided the individual drops into the ground. Mario and his group were now isolated from the carnage-filled Toad Town as they were heading for Bowser's residence. As time continued to flow in the forward direction, a gradual change started to take shape; the further away the Smashers were from the town, the more forested the trail became. No longer were buildings or town infrastructures present; the urban society soon phased out of clear view as the presence of the natural forest reigned supreme.

While the climate was warmer than it was during the morning hours, it was still freezing compared to normal circumstances during the autumn and spring. Shivering, loud and erratic, easily overcame Diddy and Yoshi, for they were the ones that seemed to be the least adapted to the freezing winds. Bowser, DK, and Wario revealed no reaction—at least not externally—for it was not within their nature to display signs of weakness. An image to maintain; that was their goal. Luigi's teeth were gritting together tightly in response to the climate, and his moustache began to catch a small but significant amount of snow. Mario, a significantly more resilient man, expressed a minimalized version of his brother's reaction to the cold while also brushing off his moustache every few minutes.

"So," DK, who barely choked back a shiver, asked, "How much farther do we have until we reach the finish line?"

"When we reach-a Vista Hill," Mario answered, "We'll-a simply cross a bridge to enter the castle. The hill shouldn't-a be too far from here." It was through sheer luck that the plumber predicted correctly. As the group trekked through the snow, the forested environment was starting to disappear, and trees became less prominent with distance. Coincidentally, the typical dirt-based ground was also fading away, and darkened rock started to replace it. The latter set of changes failed to immediately capture the attention of the Smashers due to the heavy amount of snow, but when the snow was reduced to a thin layer, the Smashers were hammering their feet—as well as hands in the case of the Kongs, against a hardened surface. The distinctive sound of feet against solid rock was muffled due to the snow, but it still managed to echo throughout the increasingly barren land. The others could also notice that the climate was becoming… warmer?

"Hey," Wario puffed ecstatically, "It's not-a stinking cold anymore! Now I won't-a freeze to death!" He then revealed a huge grin across his elongated face, finally relieved that the icy conditions were fading away. This was paired up with fists soaring into the air and constant chuckling, almost as if he had achieved a huge victory over the climate.

He's so full of himself, Bowser pondered, disgusted at the miser's attitude. Maybe I should rake him across the face to shut him up. The others, however, were far less ecstatic. In fact, except for Mario and Bowser, they were filled with continuously increasing suspicion. This suspicion was fueled by the sight of the snow's decreasing ability to dominate the landscape as the scenery succumbed to a new darkness.

"Hold on, why is it suddenly becoming warm?" Diddy squeaked. "I mean, we're in the middle of January, and spring shouldn't be around for the next two months or so…"

"You'll-a find out why in a moment," Mario muttered. After the comment, the group noticed that the path was now beginning to shape itself into a rising slope, with no permanent traces of snow on the ground as far as anyone could tell. A grand column of ash and smoke extended its head from beyond the hill, and said column was a typical indicator of volcanic activity... and an ominous sign for many party members, especially for Mario and Luigi. The thick and poisonous smoke produced a sharp smell, while the sky was darkened because of the ashes that tainted the heavens above. Another noteworthy detail was the complete absence of trees near the slope, whereupon the area seemed to resemble a barren wasteland that a person would not even inhabit.

A cautious stroll towards a deadly fire…

A journey into a familiar darkness that was unaffected by the time of day…

Mario's travels to that place were, in one form or another, a deadly descent into a stronghold of evil. Bowser, on the other hand, hoarded comfort with his hands; he was finally returning to the place that he dubbed his true home after a significant number of years at the Smash Mansion. After his arrival, he would finally get to see his beloved children and the rest his longtime brethren. He could then spend some time with the Koopa family—maybe even plan to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom once more—but only after the group had eliminated the threat of the Svärtad Orm.

It was just so pleasant to be reunited with the Koopa Kingdom.

His greatest joy assumed the form of a castle with spikes, along with spiked Koopa shells to top off the towers and grant to the stone-forged structure a feeling of Koopa Troop-based power. The distant mountain, which happened to be where the castle resided, possessed the color of iron oxide, which was not unlike what was present on the surface of Mars. Additionally, one section had Bowser's menacing face carved onto it, a monument to the Koopa King himself. Surrounding the mountain was a moat of boiling and highly viscous lava. It was a unique feature of the castle that was almost impossible to miss, especially for those who visited the area frequently. For Bowser, the overall scenery was truly home, sweet home…

"Bowser, where is bridge?"

Yoshi's comment bisected the Koopa's elation like an axe's chopping of a log into pieces. Losing his sight on the castle, the Koopa lowered his head to realize that the bridge was entirely absent. Considering that the massive moat prevented castle access on the ground, there seemed to be no other way to reach the mountain. The Smashers were officially stuck.

"What the…?!" Bowser gasped. "How is that possible?! I could have sworn that I assigned some of my guards to bridge duty when I left this place!"

"There are no guards at the bridge from where I am standing," DK sighed in frustration. "Are they on a break?"

Bowser's face reddened as he confronted the larger ape. "Are you kidding me?! I made it perfectly clear that the bridge was to ALWAYS be protected and that slacking off was not allowed! I am SO going to tear their freakin' heads off when I enter the castle… Those lazy slobs…"

"Well, we've got lazy guards on our hands. Huh, this is going to be fun."

Luigi ignored the conversation and glanced at the lands in front of the hill. For a while, nothing seemed to distance itself from the usual environment of Bowser's residence. Nearly everything was lost in a sea of red, black, and bright orange. The younger plumber could also sense that his eyes were squinting harshly to locate abnormalities from where he was positioned. As his good luck was rendered invisible to him, he had to rub his eyes to dispel the painful sensation in his ocular muscles. Irritability was a dark cloud that hovered over his head, and it had no intention of leaving anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Bowser decided to contact Lillian out of curiosity, for he was suddenly reminded of the regenerative abilities that the Lords had in their circle. This special feature was not something that could have appeared out of the blue; there had to be an explanation for it, no matter how complex or ridiculous. Maybe Lillian could provide some insight on this matter and on the strange blood of the Lords, since she was from the same world as the enemy. Since he had nothing else to do other than stare at his castle, he decided to use this opportunity to learn more before it was too late. Unsure of how to contact her directly, he decided to slowly close his eyes while simultaneously focusing his mental energy on the effort to hear her voice…

"Well," Mario puffed, with arms crossed, "We'll-a need to search for another way of-a entering the castle. With the bridge-a destroyed and the moat around the castle, an air-based approach is our-a only option."

"Lillian, where are you?" Bowser grunted, stuck in relative silence as he hoped to receive a response from the maiden. His voice was out of hearing range of the others since he moved himself to the lower part of the hill.

"Bowser?" a voice suddenly resonated. "Did you contact me?"

The Koopa King cleared his throat before asking his question; the mucus in his throat was previously making his voice stuffy. "Hey, I was just wondering… Where did the Lords get their regenerative powers?"

"What?"

"I've noticed that they can regenerate deep wounds in a matter of seconds. During an earlier battle, I've slashed a couple of them up, but they could just heal themselves in an instant. I'm being totally honest here. Are they under the effect of magic or something like that? I would really like an answer."

After a short pause, the maiden revealed the answer. "Unfortunately, yes. They are under the effect of what is known as Antimors. It's a magical spell that grants them a specialized ability to survive and regenerate from injuries that would be fatal to a normal human, which is what enhances their reputation as deadly foes. The spell is also known to enhance the physical strength of its users."

"Hmm… Fire is one way to deliver a permanent end to those guys, am I correct? Luigi did expose that sort of weakness to me upon killing one of those robed freaks with a fireball."

"Yes; burns disrupt Antimors's healing process by damaging the cellular structure of the user's body, which will result in the cancellation of the spell and a fatality for the user in minutes. The other way to nullify the advanced regeneration is through dismemberment. Antimors cannot handle the loss of a limb or any equivalent injury, so if your group has access to burning or slashing attacks, utilize them."

"I also have another question," Bowser continued, whose mind was still hungry for more knowledge. "Why do the cultists have black blood? Is that a side effect of the spell, or is it the product of something else?"

"Actually, I do not have the answer to that question. I will examine this property in further detail. Also, how is Mario? I noticed his vital signs veering into abnormal territory for a few minutes before dropping back into normal ranges."

Bowser glanced at his bandaged foe and temporary ally. While he appeared to have blood on him, especially on the bandages, he was still standing with no visible problem. Even so, there was no telling how severely his wounds could affect him, especially in battle situations. He was secretly tempted to lie—so ready to claim that Mario was dead. It was nothing more and nothing less than an example of his intense rivalry with the plumber. He had long desired to be the victor of the ongoing struggle, but he would have to shove said battle aside, for an even greater threat loomed in the air.

"He was… cut up by a member of the Lords," he replied. "The member in question happened to be the captain of the group that we battled earlier."

The comment seemed to chill Lillian mentally, for Bowser could hear a small gasp from her mouth. The Koopa King was slightly confused at this; what was it about Agnetha that frightened her so much? Sure, the Lords were dangerous foes, but why was she singling out just the captain? While he was still attempting to figure out the answer, he heard the benevolent maiden's whispering of a nervous comment.

"A captain? Oh, no… Bowser, I need you and your group to avoid fighting with the captain if you can do so."

Bowser was not convinced by that comment. Lillian had to be exaggerating about Agnetha's full potential, he believed. "What do ya mean? I've already taken her down before, so she should be no problem-o."

"You may have defeated her once, but for reasons not yet revealed, she can revive herself completely, unlike a standard Lord. She and her co-captains also possess far greater combat prowess in battle, so fight them only as a last resort."

"What the…"

Before he could speak any further, the telepathic link abruptly disappeared. Now he was extremely confused. How could Agnetha revive after having been completely scorched to death, even after Lillian had clearly stated that the reason for such a feature was unknown? Upon asking that question to himself, another one that he had previously not considered suddenly zipped into his mind. Who was granting the Lords the magical powers of Antimors? He remained isolated inside his mind to discover the answers until Luigi dragged him out of his pondering with an urgent comment.

"Guys," he spat, "Something tells me that the bridge was-a destroyed." He pointed directly to the lower valley, which was a barren section of the earth decorated with blood-colored rocks, sharp rises at scattered points in the terrain, and sluggish lava flows. The molten area was in normal condition except for a massive column of lighter-colored rubble that stretched outward from the hillside all the way to the dangerous moat. Stone, wood, and steel littered the darkened land, and some segments were ensnared in the process of melting due to the extreme heat of the volcanic rivers. In a way, it was reminiscent of a batch of walnuts sprinkled on a chocolate-flavored cupcake or perhaps a set of candles on a birthday cake, albeit with a sinister twist.

"Oh, no…" Diddy gasped. His eyes widened in shock at the sight of the bridge's remnants.

"That's not all," the green-clad plumber continued. "Get a load of this-a." He redirected his pointer finger to the opposite end of the bridge, where the grand doors were supposedly located. As with the lower valley, the entryway seemed to be normal at first, for the great distance between hill and castle hindered the ability to discern exact details. The Smashers had to squint their eyes to examine the area more efficiently. Chilling horror would eventually reveal itself in the form of two deceased Koopa guards, unmoving and glued next to the doors. These soldiers had been impaled at the chest by lengthy spears, which created deep and still-dripping wounds at the center points of their bodies. The liquid of living organisms oozed from both sides of the torsos and stained the plain remains of the bridge while dripping into the moat below. Their heads and limbs were slouched downwards and exhibited no signs of momentum at all, a combination that signaled the death of the guards. To add, the eyes of the guards appeared to express pure terror and shock, possible emotions that they were experiencing before the Reaper overpowered them with his scythe. It was a shocking sight to most of the party.

"But that-a could only mean…" Mario muttered, "The castle was attacked-a before we arrived-a here."

"Are you… fucking kidding me?!" Bowser roared as his eyes were flaring up with fury. "Once I enter my castle, I'm gonna find and tear apart the bastards who did this!"

Mario glanced at the distance between the two endpoints of the former bridge, attempting to figure out the possibilities of reaching the other side. To be obvious, he could not reach the other side since jumping skills, great as they were, lacked enough power to cross the gap.

What about Luigi? His leaping prowess was superior to be sure, but this gap was far too large for even a Spring Jump to handle. At best, his specialized move was most likely going to reach the moat, where he would then be dipped into the lava and slowly burn to death.

Yoshi's flutter jump had the capability to cover the horizontal distance, but it lacked the effective vertical propulsion to remain at the same height as the bridge. Bowser had almost no way of reaching the other side, since his large mass and poor hops were more than capable of dragging him down to the valley below. Wario, despite being a heavyweight, could reach massive heights with his Wario Waft. However, not only was it missing a horizontal component regarding distance, but the move required him to be at full charge to be at its most powerful state. DK was a good jumper, and his Spinning Kong had the power to keep him in the air for a decent length of time, but neither of his abilities would fully aid him in this task.

Last on the list, but not least, was Diddy; he had a jetpack in his possession, correct? No doubt about it, he was the only one who could reach the other end of the bridge with no problem.

"Diddy," the plumber requested, "Can you use your jetpack-a to reach the castle?"

"Sure," the smaller ape replied. Without hesitation, he activated his trusty jet pack to prepare for the liftoff. Streams of fire soared from the bottom of the engines as Diddy gradually began to levitate into the air. After having adjusted the power of the jets to a speedier configuration, he clenched the straps tightly to secure himself before launch. A sudden jolt then rocked his entire body, followed by the progression of the scenery into a blur with the introduction of high speeds; it was like abruptly staring at a water-painted canvas of the vile land. While traveling to the front of the stone-carved castle, cool winds sprayed onto his body to counterbalance, if not outright overwhelm, the heat of the deadly terrain. While the region displayed higher temperatures than normal regardless of season, the winter wind still placed it into a chokehold with chilling properties.

After having crossed the moat, Diddy landed on the remaining portion of the bridge, right between the two impaled guards. Now that he was closer to the doorway, he could examine it in greater detail. A golden depiction of Bowser's facial features was adorned on the handles, with a vertical gap that split the face into horizontal halves. The polished handles served as an extreme antithesis to the rest of the door, which was forged from rusted iron. It was nothing more than a simple dichotomy between elegance and decay, and it was also like staring at two roses—one red and one black. Despite a blood-freezing fear inside his body that refused to fade, along with an urge to flee from the castle, Diddy stepped forward and yanked the two doors open.

As the interior entered his view, he realized that it was almost entirely pitch-black, most likely due to a power outage. The cause of the blackness was left unclear, but the versatile ape was not too worried about that matter as he paced into the room to investigate. Initially, he had difficulty discerning what was in the room; besides the lights that were stuck in an inactive state, the dim light that crawled from the doorway was ineffective in illuminating such a massive room. The warmer temperatures appeared to fade away when he entered the room, for the stone deflected the heat of the volcanic land and rendered the interior a chilled vessel. While strolling forward, one of his hands contacted a liquid.

"Huh," he sighed, "Water. Some dude spilled his drink in here and got too lazy to clean it up." His guess would be proven wrong immediately. As he continued his travel, the liquid was glued to his fist like honey. When he stopped to examine it, he noticed that it possessed a dark color, possibly red or purple. With the bare minimum light in the area, he glanced at it for at least two seconds… only to be exposed to a terrifying fact.

"B-blood?!" he gasped. It was only then that he twisted his head in all directions to find himself trapped in a new, more nightmarish situation. While his eyes were adjusting to the darkness, he finally acknowledged that the two murdered guards outside were merely the tip of the iceberg, for there were many more casualties that lingered inside the castle walls. The bodies of numerous Koopas, Hammer Brothers, Magikoopas, Koopatrols, Lakitus, and Paratroopas littered the main hall. Most of them were either impaled or slashed, and their blood painted the stone floors and walls with copious amounts of crimson. One unluckier Koopatrol was missing his head, and several Koopas and Hammer Brothers were crushed underneath a large mound of rubble. As Diddy proceeded to view the ceiling, there was a chandelier that hanged from above, and it was decorated with a deceased Magikoopa. This creature had a rope that tightly constricted its neck, which led Diddy to assume that it was hanged by an attacking assailant. The horrific scenery was further amplified by destroyed statues, incinerated portraits that were reduced to ashes, a torn-up carpet whose pieces were scattered across the floor, and broken doors. It was a classic example of a massacre's aftermath.

"Were the Lords responsible for this…?" he slowly gasped. He was about to continue his progress when the doors suddenly slammed themselves shut. Leaping into the air, he was now completely swallowed by the darkness. This was, in all seriousness, not a pleasant sign. He sprinted back to the doors to pry them open, but…

"What the?! They're locked!" Even after that important fact had burrowed its way into his mind, he still struggled in vain to shove the doors open. With every subsequent attempt, his arms were losing their pushing strength; after numerous failed attempts, they were reduced to mere noodles that could not even push a medium-sized crate filled with items. Trying to catch his breath, Diddy gradually rose from the ground to regain his composure. If the main doors were locked, he believed, then the only available options were to stay put in the hall or to explore the rest of the castle. To be blunt, holding his position in the hall was out of the question. In fact, just staying near the dead bodies was already driving him into an uncomfortable state. On the other hand, if he decided to venture into unseen territory, then maybe—just maybe—he could encounter the remains of Exor and benefit his team greatly. With a small grunt, he leaped from his spot to travel up the stairway, but a low growl suddenly resonated throughout the hall.

"Wait a minute, who's there?" he shivered. Once again, he twisted his head in all directions, this time to locate the source of the menacing voice. While this was occurring, he equipped himself with his simple yet effective popguns… just in case he was forced to fight. He aimed at various directions with his senses on full alert. Slight sounds were suddenly louder, and his nerves were at maximum sensitivity. As the growling continued, Diddy's instincts dominated his mindset, for he was now spinning in place even faster to pinpoint the position of his threat. Low and quiet thuds echoed, followed by more growling.

"Where are you?" the ape muttered. As he rotated again, he caught a brief glimpse of an exceptionally large figure, its outline to be more exact.

And that was the last thing that he noticed before a crushing blow struck him at the torso.

CRACK!

Diddy's grip on his popguns was lost instantly as he was hurled into a wall with brute force. Meanwhile, the double impact inflicted painful injuries to the point where he could not sustain himself; broken bones were present in his torso thanks to the attack, while his legs and head suffered the full impact against the wall. As he slid downwards, he was slowly plummeting into a state of unconsciousness. The last thing that he noticed was the giant figure, which was approaching him in a sluggish but threatening manner. This figure possessed a sinister purple outline around it, just a handful of shades lighter than the darkness that coated the main hall, and a pair of glowing red eyes that screamed pure evil. Before it could close in on him, he blacked out completely.

Back at Vista Hill, the other six Smashers were in a state of confusion as they noticed the inexplicable closing of the castle doors by themselves. While it was unclear as to why the doors exhibited such strange behavior, the fighters quickly realized that something unusual was occurring, which could be an unpleasant sign…

"What happened over there?" Yoshi mumbled. His eyes were still glued to the doorway.

"I have no idea," DK answered. "But I hope Diddy's alright in there. I mean, I would really be peeved if he were killed or terribly injured; he is a cousin of mine, after all."

"You think Lords closed doors?"

The ape scratched his chin for no more than three seconds. "Possibly, but I can't tell for sure."

"Well, we can worry about-a him later," Mario commented. "Right now, we need to focus on entering the castle ourselves-a. We should head-a down to Nimbus Land; if I remember correctly, there is a bus-a service that can travel to almost any location in the Mushroom World-a, even Bowser's fortress."

After his final words, the older plumber strolled down the hill with the others behind him. Within the time that passed into history, the climate was regressing back to its original state, and snow once more overwhelmed the landscape. Unlike the initial travel, a fierce blizzard was now battering the earth and causing a heavy whiteness to loom in the air. Coupled with the whitened environment from before, it was just enough to limit what the Smashers could observe within their line of sight. Also, there was a faint sound that only a handful of them could truly notice; underneath the blowing winds was a high-pitched whining that could only have been produced by an older child's voice. It seemed to resemble the sound of crying, and that was as far as the group could tell.

When Mario cocked his head to the left, he instantly caught a glimpse of a figure next to a pine tree. With the snowstorm's ability to limit visibility, it was difficult to examine the person's exact details at first, so Mario had to approach the person to identify him or her. At closer distances, he realized that this person appeared to be a younger male whose body was composed of clouds instead of the usual flesh and blood. As far as attire was concerned, he was wearing violet-tinted shoes and a striped uniform with shades of blue and white, complete with a belt. Mario froze in place at the sight of those details as he was consumed by a sudden revelation.

"Mallow…?" he muttered. "Is that-a you?"

The sobbing heir apparent of Nimbus Land redirected his attention when he heard Mario's comment. As the Smashers approached him, he struggled to control his tears to avoid embarrassing himself, only to realize that he lacked the emotional integrity to do so. Facing the group, he quickly wiped his tears as a means of saving face, but that failed to prevent the others from clearly noticing his emotional state, for they were now only several meters away from him. Something terrible was bothering the young prince, and Mario was ready to investigate the problem.

"What's-a going on, Mallow?" was the plumber's question.

Barely restraining another urge to shed some tears, Mallow raised his head to face his old friend. As his emotions gradually stabilized themselves, the snowstorm appeared to fade away in an instant. There was a mystical sort of link between the prince and the climate, but Mario was the only one who understood it entirely; the others were quite oblivious on that matter. Finally earning the strength to speak with a steady tone, Mallow muttered one shocking comment:

"My parents… They have been kidnapped."

Eyes widened at the comment and chills shot up spines as the Smashers realized that another problem was thrust onto their laps in a split second. Silence overshadowed the group for what appeared to no more than mere seconds. In fact, the only sound that anyone could hear for the moment presented itself in the form of the rushing wind throughout the forest, which was a typical aspect of nature. It was only after the few seconds had passed that Mario finally continued the conversation.

"Wait-a, kidnapped? By whom?"

"Well," the prince mumbled, "The kidnappers wore black robes that were obscuring their identities; the robes had this snake-like thing embedded on the front. I wonder if the kidnappers are a part of an organization of sorts…"

Once again, shock overshadowed the group, but the period of silence that followed Mallow's second comment was much shorter. In fact, the description of the kidnappers immediately forced DK to utter one simple comment.

"Aw, shit…"

This day just doesn't seem to get any better. First, we find massacred citizens in Toad Town, then my nephew gets trapped in Bowser's residence, and now we have a kidnapping situation on our hands! I've faced Kremlings, evil apes, Snowmads, and other typical baddies that I would encounter in the jungle, but the Orm's Lords are unlike any other enemy that I've beaten the crap out of in the past. Seriously, not even my past experiences have prepared me for the potential destruction that those robed dudes could cause. I can only hope something good happens soon.

-Donkey Kong

Looks like the group has quite a handful of tricky situations to handle, eh? The best that we can do for them now is to give them our support.

A/N:

-Antimors comes from the Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-, equivalent to the modern anti- or against) and the Latin mors (death).

-The secret room into which Toadsworth leaped during the chapter is based on one of the secret areas in Super Mario 64.