Marth's Theatre (pt. 4): The Advance and the Discovery
The assault on the hideout will begin here. Will Marth and his loyal soldiers drive the Lords out of Altea? And what has become of Ganondorf? Just watch…
This chapter will show where the final staff piece is at. Also, for a moment, we will also get a glimpse of how the leader of the cultists is feeling after four of the captains fail him.
Some say that sin is hereditary…
It is believed by several societies that whatever evil the ancestors commit will be transferred to future generations…
Those who believe in this concept state that the younger members of a group, be it a family or religious organization, should be held accountable for crimes committed by their elders…
However, there has been no proof of such a curse…
It is unreasonable to assume that a person should always be viewed in the same regard as the ancestors related to him or her, especially in relation to criminal activities…
Some proponents of the outdated concept have even gone to extremes…
Discrimination, violence, social expulsion, and even death have befallen those who were assumed to be just as vile as a wicked ancestor…
At the palace of the Lords, hours after Magnus's defeat…
WHAM!
"So, this is what everything has been coming to as of late," the leader snarled with verbal venom in his voice. He had just sent Magnus Hedin across the room with a powerful punch and was now past the point of calmness. Four captains had failed him now, leaving the task of assembling the staff in jeopardy. "And to think the previous incidences involving you were enough…"
"My master, stop!" the obese captain pleaded. He was now clothed in a uniform nearly identical to the one used in the Grand Prix, barring the cyan color. "Why must you be so harsh on me?! I was so close to-"
SMACK!
"Shut it, Hedin. You had a chance to prove that you could be a competent captain in my eyes, and you have failed to meet my demands. Ever since you ascended to your current position, I have had to deal with your violent temper and major blunders. You have executed failed attacks without my permission, tried to kill Captain Eriksson over minor pranks, attempted to eradicate Captain Lindqvist and her squadron of vampires, destroyed several resources out of anger, failed to bring Björnstad crashing down, allowed many of your soldiers to die, deliberately killed a few more, and allowed this Captain Falcon person to get away with the staff piece. I will tolerate your actions no longer. I will have you stripped of your rank by the end of this week."
Magnus felt his mind explode as he received the damning revelation. It was true that some of his actions were wrong and potentially crippling to the Lords, but the others were, in his mind, justified. He had just about had it with Johan's annoying antics, with some of them even going beyond realistic expectations, and he also harbored a hatred of vampires, whom he believed to be bottom-feeding creatures seeking to destroy societies for their own benefit. But to be punished via demotion was beyond unfair… The obese captain had shown what could possibly be signs of true loyalty to the organization, and some of them were now being interpreted as actions that no cultist would commit. He was now wondering if the leader was simply being biased towards the others, including the light-haired prankster and the seductive vampire.
"You are dismissed, Captain," the masked figure sighed. "Get the hell out of my sight, and if I hear another word about your uncontrollable anger issues, I will take greater action against you. Do you understand?"
"Whatever you say, sir…" the captain, dejected and shunned, replied. As he limped out of the room, his commander began considering the failure of the Lords when it came down to assembling the staff.
"The Smash Brothers have almost every piece in existence. There is no doubt about it; with our current mission, failure is a thing that is almost a reality. The prince has been disposed of, but what about the other person? I have a feeling that the fighters are already working with that special person… We may be doomed. Although, I could alter my plan to better suit the situation… The realm experts have already pinpointed the location of the headquarters, so I just need to wait until the time is right."
Inside the castle, early morning of the previous day…
"Your Majesty," Malledus announced, "The regiment is all set and waiting for your arrival." The advisor, still recovering from his earlier injuries, was using a wooden cane to keep most of his elderly frame away from the cold floor.
"Excellent," the Hero-King, looking at the cloudy skies from one of the windows, responded. "I shall make my way to the exterior, at once. With the kingdom's resources at my direct disposal, I just might force the Orm's Lords out of this peaceful realm."
"I will give my hope to the success of your endeavor, but if you somehow lose your life during the struggle, I will make sure to honor your memory."
Marth, now leaving the room, released a small smile to his trustworthy advisor. "Thank you for your support, my friend. Even when I stare right into the face of the horror, I shall keep your words in mind."
"Good luck." The room fell silent as the advisor watched his leader leave to assume control of the army.
The snow was falling once again as the young monarch, now accompanied by his family, faced the army standing outside the comfort of the town. Many fine soldiers, two hundred strong and belonging to an elite regiment of the army, were armed and ready to face the villainous cultists; swords, axes, bows, and lances were their physical weapons, and such tools of war appeared to have some degree of effectiveness against the threat at hand. Temple Knights stood at the front, assuming greater physical prominence above mages, lesser swordsmen, and the like. The winter's sheer coldness did little to chill their souls, if not their bodies.
"This is a day where the fate of our kingdom rests on our shoulders," the Hero-King announced. "Too long have the Lords infected this serene country with their unjustified violence and forced conversions into vampirism. They do what they've done in the name of a cursed demon never to be released from its slumber. They want to spill our blood, plunge the kingdom into a world of endless torment and hellfire, and bring about the end of our world as we know it. If they succeed in unleashing the Svärtad Orm, they will cause the total collapse of order. It is now our duty to drive our new adversaries out of this kingdom, and no matter how many warriors we lose, no matter how much damage our kingdom sustains, we will NEVER back down. We will go to the hideout and lay waste to it, and we shall also rescue the allies that I have brought into this world."
Whoosh!
"For Archanea!" Marth raised Falchion into the air, its shining glory now in full view of the army. As they focused on the weapon, the fighters repeated the phrase uttered within the last second or so. Like their commander and king, they brandished the weapons and held them up in the air. Meanwhile, the two female monarchs watched as their defenders prepared to leave for the sinister hideout; hope was on the horizon, and the army was now seeking to capture it before such an intangible force was shattered by the cultists. Caeda was filled with comfort as the chance for a final victory was about to be fulfilled by her beloved husband, but the same could not be said for Elice.
Soon, they will be yours to take…
"…" the princess sighed, ignoring the voice's malicious comment. Not wanting to stay outside for too long, she proceeded to quietly travel back to the castle.
Inside the hideout's throne room, minutes later…
"Since the Snake's Pit is under reconstruction, the final challenge for the fighters will take place at the top of the main tower," Lina sighed to her twin brother. Since she was preparing to sleep for the day, she was now clothed in red undergarments. Compared to the earlier set, both components were decorated with frills on the edges. "However, if you truly want to make changes in plans, then what shall we do to our guests?"
"We should perform the ritual used with earlier trespassers," Kristoff answered. He was clothed in briefs that reached down to the middle of his thighs. "I was hoping that the Jord-Marodörer would eliminate the fighters, but it is now clear that we have a major threat on our hands, one that could easily dismantle our organization. Soon, all fighters except for Ganondorf will be used as blood sacrifices."
"Ah, yes… Our dark-skinned guest has already been taken care of. And if Marth tries to rescue any of his allies, he will suffer greatly. He has no viable options left-"
"Captain Lindqvist," a distant Lady announced via telepathy, "I am observing a large army from the top of the main tower. We must prepare for a grueling battle if this group decides to attack us."
Lina froze as she took a moment to consider the subordinate's latest comment. An army… near this establishment? No… This could not be the work of… Regardless of who the leader of this army was, no mercy would be shown to the overall group. And if the leader happened to be the one enemy with whom she had crossed paths…
"Send a squadron to take down the army. If the leader is still alive at the end of the skirmish, bring that person to me. Do I make myself clear?"
"I will send a squadron as soon as possible," the lesser cultist replied. When the link was broken afterwards, Lina revealed the situation to her brother, albeit with a tired tone.
"Someone reported to me that an army with numerous fighters is within distance of this building. I have ordered a squadron to attack whoever the interlopers are."
"Could it be that the army is being led by the man you have battled before?" Kristoff asked. "Someone else could be leading the army, and it might be a person who is clearly weaker than your greatest adversary."
Lina tugged on her knickers so that the waistband was slightly higher than her actual waistline. "It is possible, but it matters not who is leading the group. Death will befall those who attempt to breach our domicile. On an unrelated note, I wish Agnetha had not suffered the fate she sustained inside her assigned realm…"
"It was a crushing loss, yes, but we will not let the death of a respected person hold us back." After locking the doorway to the main hall, Kristoff and his sister allowed drowsiness to get the better of them, eventually losing consciousness altogether.
With the army, minutes prior to reaching the hideout…
We either succeed or fail, Marth pondered. There is no reason to turn back. The bitterness of the returning winter winds, coupled with the heavier snowfall, left his face battered with stinging sensations. The cuts left behind by Lina's whip ached even more, almost as if the thorns were permanently stuck to his skin. Pain, however, had no effect on his spirit, and as the hideout became closer and more menacing, cowardice still failed to smother him. The other members did their best to stay vigilant, although the winter snow limited their range of vision to approximately less than a single kilometer. No good-hearted warrior, however, noticed a single regiment of fifteen Lords observing from an unidentified angle.
"Such is the effort of foolish warriors who oppose us," a single Lord, who was assigned to lead the group, hissed. From a hill close to the hideout, he was observing the group through a pair of magical binoculars that nullified the snowstorm's effect on vision. "The cold weather blinds them to our presence, which will soon lead to their ultimate downfall. Now…"
Click…
"It won't be long now…" Marth, keeping his blade close, sighed with a near-inaudible tone. It had nearly been over an hour since his army left the town, but the hideout was still nowhere in sight. The fact that all sense of direction was muddled by the snowstorm only made the spirit of worry grow stronger inside the young king. For all he knew, he could very well be leading his group in the wrong direction, and even a small delay could spell doom for the captured Smashers. Some of the army members were noted to be growing impatient with the long journey; because they had never traveled to the hideout or even noted how far away it was from the town, the bitter yet important sojourn felt even more prolonged to them. Of course, backing out was still not an ideal option.
The hideout made its presence known when the army was only less than a kilometer away. Feelings of both hope and dread suddenly occupied the minds of all fighters, including Marth. It was not difficult to realize why. If they succeeded in their mission, then peace would finally return to the kingdom, but if they failed…
"Get ready," the Hero-King ordered. "When we fight the cultists, we must either dismember or burn them, for they can only be eliminated by those methods." He led the others to the trail leading to the hideout's entrance, unaware that a powerful weapon was aimed at his group…
"Prepare to die, worms…" the leading Lord, now preparing to use an energized weapon of Rosträdgårdian origin, whispered. The weapon resembled a railgun, with twin particle accelerators mounted onto the battery-housing central component. Golden in color was the metallic surface, barring the small screen depicting the group within several crosshairs. Like the pair of binoculars, the screen utilized a special filter erasing all hindrances to visibility. As the weapon powered up, a low humming, accompanied by a violet glow emerging from the front, overtook the small hill and its inhabitants. The rumbling possessed the magnitude required to vibrate everything within one kilometer of the weapon's location, but nobody in the army felt the ongoing disturbance, largely because the group was too far away and standing in the suppressive snow.
"Be ready to take this place by storm," Marth announced. He then prepared to give an important signal to the army, with such an action occurring just seconds before the metallic beast on the hill unleashed its true wrath.
ZAP-CRACK! BZZZZZZZ…
"…?!" The young king struggled to process the sudden result of the violet-tinted beam striking down a few unfortunate members of the army. Those directly harmed by the attack were left shaking erratically and bursting with dark energy as their bodies slowly crumbled to dust. A brief instance of yelling erupted among several of the still-living fighters as they witnessed the clear and unnerving details regarding the deaths of their comrades. Mages quickly formed a red, hemispherical shield to protect the army from a second beam.
"Damn!" Marth gasped. "They already know that we're here!" Using voiceless signals to communicate, he ordered the mages to keep the shield up while the rest of the army moved forward. The entrance was only a few meters away, although it was still not enough to prevent the cultists on the hill, along with approximately two hundred of their comrades, from blocking the doors upon teleporting to the space between army and hideout. The weapon, due to a portion of the hill obscuring view of the front entrance, was no longer in use.
"This should be fun," Marth sighed in a sarcastic tone. Falchion was raised as the Smasher and his soldiers engaged their foes. Magical shots and swinging weapons filled the battlefield as both sides were now in a battle that would potentially determine the fate of Archanea. Besides the wind blowing, yelling filled the ears of all belligerents. Marth, after ducking to avoid a razor-sharp icicle, eviscerated and beheaded the foe who tried to kill him, while the rest of army did not hold back when dealing the opposition. Some soldiers were faring better than others, but the cultists were unarguably powerful enough to stop the army from progressing. Blood, red and black alike, was shed as both sides started to experience casualties. The Hero-King's attention, however, was directed towards the hideout; if he could enter the building, he could very well earn the opportunity to take out potential resources, rescue his co-Smashers, save his sister from her condition, and, if the conditions were right, defeat Lina. There was one task that he needed to do before he could venture into the building…
"No cultist will deter me from restoring peace," he sighed with a furious tone of voice. While approaching the front doors, Marth tore through the flesh and bones of those who were in front of him, occasionally dodging an incoming attack every few seconds. A shadowy sphere nailed him in the back, but it did not cripple him for long. As more cultists were slain, Falchion was slowly gathering black blood on its polished surface, eventually reaching the point where it was literally dripping wet. Marth's cape gathered small drops of red blood as several of the Archanean fighters met their unfortunate ends, usually by way of hazardous projectiles or energy constructs of bladed weapons. Speaking of enemy weapons categorized under the latter group, a blade wielded by a cultist tore through a small portion of both his flesh and his clothing.
SLASH!
Marth's response to the attacker was swift, with his blade completely beheading her. The young king's wound ached as it was subjected to the freezing winds of the mountains, although it did not hamper his efficiency to any significant degree. A cultist from behind attempted to strangle him, forcing the king to respond via the swift Dolphin Slash. Unlike previous instances of the attack, the blade was swung in a diagonal manner, resulting in the unlucky Lord being bisected from the right side of his abdomen to his left shoulder. While the Hero-King fell back down, some of the vampirical Lords resorted to draining their foes of blood. One unlucky swordsman was disarmed and then had one of his carotid arteries punctured by sharp fangs, while a few others suffered a similar fate. Had he not countered a grab in time, Marth would have also been drained.
I can only imagine the look on Lina's face when she finds slain Lords at her doorstep, he pondered. With no grain of hesitation in his mind, he plunged his blade into the head of an incoming attacker before performing a swift attack that resulted in the foe's decapitation.
Inside the castle…
"My future lies in uncertainty," Elice quietly sighed. She was now resting on the bed, the same area where she was initially stuck to following the attack. A sleeping Malledus and two Temple Knights were present in the room, although they paid no mind to the princess's statements. "The voice is wearing me down, but there is still a reason to have hope. I believe that Marth can defeat the Lords, including the vampire who attacked me, and drive them away from this kingdom. If everything goes well, peace shall return to the kingdom. This I state with the most honest of intentions…"
Really? The doppelgänger was back in the mind of the bitten princess, now utilizing the method of manifestation that was witnessed during the first encounter. Although the mirror was farther away, the imaginary double still maintained an intimidating appearance, especially since she was still retaining her most disturbing features from the nightmare.
"I don't need you to be around me," the innocent princess replied. "Let me be."
The reflection turned away and dropped the smile from her face, now expressing a subtle but deep-seated form of anger. Oh, I cannot do that. You do know that I am a part of your mind, correct? Nothing you say can change that fact, nor will anyone separate me from you. You are mine, and mine alone. Not even your dear brother or sister-in-law can do a thing to help you.
"I once believed that all hope was lost when Gra held me captive, but Marth endured all the trials and tribulations thrown at him, defeated the vile Medeus, and restored peace to the kingdom. He also triumphed during the incident caused by Hardin's unexpected betrayal. What makes you think that he won't prevail here?" The anger in her voice was, despite her softer nature, clear enough to make her resistance to the evil counterpart's sneering comments firm. Even so, the reflection was not intimidated in the slightest; in fact, she began snickering at her counterpart's defiance.
You still have some fight left in you, hmm? Oh, well… Just because your brother has decisively defeated two major foes, despite having the odds stacked against him, doesn't mean that he will successfully take down the Orm's Lords. On the contrary, he and his allies will fail, and when they do, Archanea will fall to the loyal servants of the Svärtad Orm. As for your sister-in-law and the elderly advisor, they will either die or be subjected to eternal servitude… whichever one comes first.
The princess turned away from the mirror. "You lie. The Lords may be stronger than any group Marth has faced, but they can be defeated. Furthermore, if anyone else saw what you are doing, you would be rightfully ridiculed."
Is that so…?
Click…
"Elice, can you come with me for a second?"
"…!" Elice was slightly shocked upon seeing Caeda enter the room without a single warning, with the two guards parting from the doorway. The queen looked like she had just witnessed something of strong interest, although the exact details had yet to be revealed. Meanwhile, the imaginary doppelgänger began to fade away, eventually being replaced by a normal reflection. Just seconds before she was truly gone, however, she left behind a chilling message:
Death shall befall the land of Altea…
"What do you need?" the princess, now freed from mental terror, asked. "Did you discover something?"
"I found something interesting at the site where some of the guards buried the remains of the deceased cultists," Caeda responded. "You should see for yourself."
The princess immediately chose to interrupt; she did not remember her sister-in-law telling her that several guards were ordered to bury dead cultists. "Wait a minute, when did you bury the slain Lords?"
The queen peered through one of the windows, observing the hole in the town's perimeter. "I haven't told you this, but after the encounter from two nights ago, I ordered some of the resting guards to bury the corpses before I entered this room with Marth and Ike. The cultists were buried just outside the town walls, past the hole created by the explosion. A few minutes ago, I noticed a black substance oozing from the burial site. Come with me and I'll show you everything."
"I shall." Elice removed herself from the bed and, after obtaining approval from the guards, proceeded to follow Caeda's lead. As the princess exited the room, she began to think about what might be causing the mentioned substance to appear. Was the process happening because of the Lords, or could it be the result of something completely different? Either way, there had to be an explanation for the phenomenon. After all, liquids could not appear out of the blue…
Back to the battle…
SLASH!
"It won't be long now," Marth whispered under his breath, ripping apart a foe as he did. "Soon, I will tear apart this damned organization's infrastructure in Altea from the inside." As the battle raged on, both sides were experiencing more casualties, but the sinister cultists were losing more members at a faster rate, largely due to the Archaneans possessing knowledge about Antimors's weaknesses. Some of the soldiers, having been drained of blood by a few vampires, were struggling to keep up with their comrades due to reduced strength and reflexes. Such weaknesses would eventually prove to be fatal for an unlucky few, as they could not dodge blades conjured from pure energy or magical blasts. Death by dismemberment and impalement soon befell the poor souls.
CR-SHINK!
"Trying to earn a drop of blood?" Marth asked as he impaled an attacking vampire in the chest with Falchion. Even with the symphony of pain-filled noises flooding his ears, the impaled victim's shrieking easily stood out with its piercing qualities and ugly tone, almost leaving the Hero-King disturbed. The horrible noise, however, failed to stop him from becoming a fierce eagle striking from above and finishing off his wicked foe via bisection. The four subsequent attacks that made up the Dancing Blade maneuver left a second enemy, who was not a vampire, gravely injured. A nearby Temple Knight rushed forward to finish the injured Lord off.
CRACK!
"Many thanks for the assistance," the young king complimented, ignoring the remains of the cultist's head spraying onto his face.
"My pleasure," the hammer-wielding knight replied. While the loyal fighter traveled elsewhere to help the army, Marth lunged forward to impale another foe, but Falchion missed its mark as the female cultist leaped away with quick reflexes. Undeterred by his latest failure, the king tried to attack again with the same maneuver…
WHAM!
He felt his nose crack as he was greeted with a mighty palm to the face. His grip on Falchion was almost lost as he felt his world transform into a blurred canvas, and when the back of his head finally touched the chilling yet gentle snow, he felt something wet, most likely blood, stick onto his scalp. Touching the affected area and bringing his right hand into view exposed him to the blood of a fallen Archanean warrior. Meanwhile, the woman responsible for striking him down prepared to attack with an energy-forged blade. Since the grip on Falchion was not firm enough to allow for a proper attack, Marth was forced to roll to the left. Unfortunately, the vicious cultist had quickly anticipated the move and stabbed him in the left shoulder. Marth tried to kick his opponent away, only to be impaled again.
"No, not like this...!" In a last-ditch effort to regain composure, he grabbed the aggressive Lady's arm and relentlessly pulled it down, lowering the cultist to his level. Upon regaining Falchion, he managed to horizontally cut the enemy in half before beheading her.
"That should take care of her," the king grunted under his breath. While observing the battlefield, he came to realize that the Lords were reduced to only a third of their original size, whereas the Archaneans had lost about a fourth of their members. Black and red blood were mixing in with each other to produce a dark red product that showed little homogeneity; some spots were redder, others were blacker. Regardless of which bloody color dominated, the mixture was still a strong antithesis to the snow in relation to appearance and temperature, with the blood possessing darker coloring and a greater amount of warmth. Marth was struck with a bladed weapon, although his latest injury failed to stop him from beheading two foes at once. After noticing a female mage struggling to break free from a foe's grip, he chose to assist her by beheading the vile cultist. As the new corpse became a bloody geyser for several seconds, it was pulled away from the loyal magician and then thrown into the ground.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," the green-haired, hazel-eyed woman chirped. Before returning to battle, she removed the black blood from her hair.
"My pleasure," the monarch replied. When he was finished speaking, he came to realize that there were only fifteen Lords and close to one hundred and thirty Archaneans remaining. Three of the Lords attempted to surround him and form an icy prison around his body.
SL-SL-SLASH!
They were greeted with Falchion splitting their bodies in half. To add, Marth, without any warning, managed to decapitate two of them. The third cultist had his head reduced to paste by a wounded Archanean's hammer. One cultist tried to reactive the railgun that reduced several soldiers to ashes, but an observant mage fried her with a scorching spell. Two Lords were slain by a single Temple Knight via broadsword, three were incinerated by two mages, and two were beheaded by Marth. The remaining four cultists, realizing that they were horribly outnumbered, teleported back into the hideout to inform the Lindqvist siblings.
"Do we have anyone who is seriously injured?" Marth asked, implicitly ordering a soldier to give him a report of the army's status.
"We have some who have been drained of blood," a Temple Knight replied, pointing to the Archaneans with the greatest injuries. "A few others have stab wounds and lacerations. One unlucky soul has a serious wound across her abdomen. Her intestines are in danger of falling out."
Marth plunged Falchion into the snow to wipe the blood off the polished blade. "We should have some of the soldiers stay behind and tend to the wounded while the rest of us head deeper into the hideout. The bitter weather will give us frostbite if we stay out here for too long, so we should, dare I say it, move into the main hall. It is a risky move, but we have no other choice. Get ready to move forward."
"Understood, sir." As the lesser fighter proceeded to help gather the troops, Marth slowly strolled towards the entrance, but just as he was about to enter, another squadron of cultists, this one containing one hundred members, teleported right next to the army. To make matters worse, approximately a third of these new foes were wearing cloaking equipment, giving them a potential advantage over the larger army.
"You have got to be kidding me…" the Hero-King moaned. As he watched some of his enemies blending in with the environment, he ordered what was left of his group to engage. The Smasher himself was about to bisect an incoming Lord when a cloaked threat launched him across the field with a fist fueled by electricity. Some of the Archaneans immediately fell victim to unseen attacks, with magical explosions dismembering a few and other attacks injuring many more. The mages were the only ones who could see right through the cloaking fields, but even they struggled to take down many cultists at one time without significant support. Some of the magic-wielding soldiers, along with fighters from other classes, formed a human wall to protect those who were wounded during the first wave. Determined as they were, however, the valiant soldiers failed to stop several Lords from finishing off some of the incapacitated. Painful screams pierced the atmosphere and blood drops soared into the air as the cultists swarmed the area. As he dragged himself from the ground, Marth had the misfortune to witness a few of his wounded allies meet their ends.
"No!" he yelled. Driven by fear and raw anger, he raised his sword as rushed into the chaotic field to hack a Lord to pieces. A cloaked opponent attempted to slice him apart with a magical blade, and it was only thanks to his quick reflexes that he managed to parry the fatal blow and respond with a deadly counterattack.
SLASH!
As her legs were amputated, the opponent lost her cloaking field and fell into the bloodied snow with her face looking down. She had not the time to sit up before she was swiftly cut into pieces by Falchion. A nearby cultist, hellbent on avenging his fallen comrade, knocked the Hero-King into the air with an uppercut before impaling him beneath the ribs with a magical spear.
CRACK!
"Damn!" Marth felt massive amounts of pain through his body, and said pain only worsened when he removed the glowing spear from the bleeding wound. The same cultist who previously attacked him knocked Falchion away before grabbing him by the throat, hoping to commit murder by strangulation. Marth, losing breath by the second, executed a desperate attack by using his thumbs to gouge the Lord's eyes out.
SQUELCH!
The monarch then proceeded to kick his enemy away before beheading him with the retrieved Falchion. With nothing else to do, Marth rushed over to the group of soldiers defending the wounded Archaneans to help fight off the remaining fanatics.
Outside the town walls, next to the hole…
"We're not sure where the substance came from, but in any case, it's here," Caeda spoke. Seeping from the snow-covered ground in front of her was a black, ooze-like substance that, unbeknownst to the queen, was the same type of liquid encountered by Mario and his group. She and Elice approached the affected area to get a closer look.
"We should dig up this spot to find the source," the princess suggested. Her still-red eyes took notice of the viscous aspect of the ooze. On cue, her sister-in-law retreated to the town to obtain a shovel from the castle. The circular trip was complete in less than a minute, although Elice's mind perceived it as being at least twice as long. Regardless, Caeda was fast enough to begin digging before a significant portion of time could pass. Besides the snow on the topmost layer, each chunk of dirt removed was coated with the tar-like liquid, and as the queen progressed further down, the quantity of the foreign ooze only increased with each subsequent chunk. Throughout the period of digging, the metallic end of the shovel also gathered a good amount of ooze on its surface. Upon reaching the bottom of the burial pit, both monarchs were introduced to an enormous puddle that appeared to be bottomless, especially with the dark color blocking any view of the bottom. The remains of the bodies were noted to be absent.
"I cannot see anything past that thick pool," Caeda sighed, both to herself and Elice. "I should keep going down to better determine the source." She continued with her task, but while clearing out the dirt underneath the ooze, her shovel struck something harder than the loose ground.
"…?" The queen, confused by this latest event, plunged her instrument downward and once again felt the collision between two hard objects. Something else was buried underneath the dirt, and whatever it was, it was likely to be associated with the now-deceased cultists. Aiming the shovel at a more downward angle, Caeda scooped up the dirt chunk containing the anomaly, exercising caution to avoid splashing the ooze on herself or Elice. After clearing the ooze with some water from the half-frozen moat, the queen broke apart the dirt to discover a metallic container. This item was shaped like a rectangle and was platinum-colored, barring the golden hinges and seal that kept the lid in place.
"What is inside that container?" Elice asked. Her sister-in-law did not verbally respond, opting to release the seal and open the lid instead. Both women were nearly blinded when their eyes received extreme light from the object resting inside, although no permanent damage was dealt. Inside the container was a metallic wing constructed from platinum, identical to the object by Captain Falcon in every way except for orientation. Like the staff pieces obtained by Mario and Falco upon first encounter, it was shining with a powerful aura fueled by energy of the divine sort. Initially, Caeda and Elice were unsure of what the object was supposed to be.
"What is it?" the princess replied.
"I have no clue, but it looks like it's important in some way," was Caeda's response. "We can take this object to the best mages in our kingdom. Maybe they can determine its purpose."
"Do you remember Marth saying that he was searching for a piece of an artifact, which is known as the Staff of Björn? What we are looking at may very well be what he and his allies are searching for."
But the queen was more skeptical than the princess first believed. "Maybe, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet. Regardless, it is important that we keep this object in a safe place, especially if the Lords come back to this town."
Oh, that looks like something important… Elice's sinister counterpart, now a mere voice, hissed. You better hope that it is not the staff piece, or poor Caeda is going to die. Oh, wait a second… She is going to die anyway, and you will pierce her neck to bleed her dry. It is now time for you to kill her, whether you like it or not.
"…?!" The princess felt the overwhelming urge to kill return for the first time in several hours. She made restraining herself a priority, even when it seemed that her willpower would inevitably crumble. Her fangs extended from her upper gums and obscured her normal canines, and their presence was enough to force the princess to warn her sister-in-law.
"Are you feeling well?" Caeda asked, noticing the distraught expressions. Not wanting to repeat Malledus's mistake from yesterday, she kept her distance.
"Get away…" the princess gasped. She felt her arms stiffen as she struggled to remain in control. "I'm losing control of myself… I do not wish to kill you, but my thirst for blood is consuming me…"
"If you want me to leave, then I shall." The queen, taking note of the previous incidents involving the gradual transformation, soon left with the piece. In her mind, it was better to remain out of sight if Elice was about to attack. Meanwhile, the princess, now by herself, faced chastisement from the voice in her head.
Foolish girl! How could you let her get away like that?! Why do you keep fighting the desire to feed?!
"Because I do not want to have an innocent's blood on my heads…" the monarch, with a restrained voice, replied. "I will never forgive myself if I kill someone out of the desire to consume blood, and I must therefore do my best to show restraint until Marth eliminates my attacker…"
So, that is how you want to play, hmm? If you wish to defy me, then I have no choice but to assume greater control over your mental faculties. I was hoping that the transformation would weaken your willpower by the later days, but because of your insolence, you must suffer the consequences…
Elice felt her body go numb as she was caught in a grueling struggle against her growing bloodlust. As she fell onto the snow, the air in her chest was temporarily prevented from leaving as the struggle threw her respiratory rhythm off-balance, and when she breathed in, her corresponding breaths were loud and exaggerated. With her teeth gritted together, the fangs were touching her lower lip, almost puncturing the blood vessels within. Her vision turned red for a split second before returning to normal, but this event was hardly noticed due to the princess's focus on maintaining her restraint. Her heart was racing uncontrollably, almost as if it was ready to burst like a blood-filled balloon. The world around her fell into silence, with her heartbeat and irregular breathing being the only things audible to her ears. The inside of her mouth was salivating such that the princess was effectively drooling upon facing down.
Unable to contain her agony anymore, she unleashed a piercing scream that echoed across the countryside and its small towns. The snowstorm, fierce as it was, did little to suppress the noise.
"AAAAAAAAAAGH!"
With the army…
SLASH!
"I hope we don't lose too many of our soldiers before the fight ends," Marth sighed. At this point, there were only forty Lords remaining and slightly under a hundred Archaneans left to oppose them. Despite being at a numerical disadvantage, the mysterious foes could push back the army at will, especially since the cloaking fields were giving non-mages extreme difficulty in combat; if anything, the Archaneans were losing fighters at a faster rate than the Lords. In a display of skilled swordplay, Marth beheaded three foes at once with Falchion before slicing apart a fourth. Additionally, with the help of a few mages, he unrelentingly quartered two cloaked Lords with such quick speed that all nearby belligerents almost failed to notice his attack. Meanwhile, three cultists combined their shadowy spheres into a larger projectile that, upon release, left nine soldiers dead and five more seriously injured. Another giant sphere was launched afterwards, although this one only killed five victims.
"Taste this!" the Hero-King proclaimed. The ferocity of the Dancing Blade was in full view again, but on the final strike, the swordsman unleashed a flurry of stabbing strikes left an unlucky foe maimed; said foe was eventually defeated by a hammer-wielding fighter.
SPLACK!
"It feels good to be fighting by your side, Your Majesty," the fighter, an older man with a long beard and blue eyes, commented. Before resuming his assault, he partly cleaned his weapon with a portion of the untainted snow.
"Thank you for your assistance," the king replied. While the mages continued to fight off the cloaked opponents, he placed his sights on a female cultist coming dangerously close to killing one of the wounded by piercing his neck with her fangs. With a furious yell, he impaled her at the heart before horizontally bisecting her entire body. After his latest foe was truly dead, the king decided to observe the battlefield again. There were now slightly less than fifteen Lords, not counting those who were cloaked, and approximately forty-five Archaneans, including wounded troops; of those fighting for the kingdom, only two-thirds of them were still fit for battle. Driven by the desire to cure Elice and rescue the captured Smashers, Marth rushed ahead to decapitate two of the uncloaked Lords. A third energy sphere created by multiple cultists wiped out eight soldiers and left two more incapacitated.
Inside the castle…
"Help me restrain her!" Malledus yelled. Despite his injuries, he maintained a firm grip on Elice, who was being driven into a crazed state by the overwhelming thoughts in her head. Her fangs were seeking to pierce someone's neck, but they could not yet do so because of the princess being forced into a face-down position. Muffled yelling vibrated one of the pillows as she struggled to break free, and when the two Temple Knights in the room came to assist the elderly advisor, her yelling only intensified.
"Sir, I have something that might calm her down!" one of the armored warriors announced. He then removed a vial filled with dark orange powder from his belt before helping Malledus turn Elice into a face-up position. After inhaling some of the powder, the princess felt her mind relax and her body grow limp as she was forced into a half-conscious state. The advisor and the soldier felt a wave of relief wash their bodies as they watched her become docile, albeit with a trace of worry left in their bodies.
"We were lucky enough to have Caeda warn us in time about Elice's condition," the advisor sighed. "If that hadn't the case, then the princess would have attacked someone. Marth is running out of time to cure his sister, as much I as hate to admit it."
"When we were carrying her to this room," the black-haired, hazel-eyed soldier admitted, "She was exhibiting strength far beyond that of the average human. She nearly sent one of us flying into a home, and when she attempted to strangle me, her grip was so strong that I couldn't break free. If you had failed to distract her, I would have been slain. We have heard of the incident of you getting launched into a wall with nothing but raw strength, but we initially didn't want to believe that Princess Elice was gaining superhuman prowess abnormally early during the transformation. However, given the recent turn of events, it's clear to us that you are not lying."
The advisor sat down on the bed to rest his body, still aching being slammed into a wall. "It pains to say this, but we cannot allow her to leave this room until Marth finishes his task. Also, we should not allow the princess to be anywhere near the object found by Caeda, for if what our queen has found turns out to be a component to the Staff of Björn…"
"You mean… Are you referring to what the invaders in this kingdom are looking for…?"
Malledus nodded his head in the affirmative. "Yes. The staff piece, in case you have forgotten, is why the Orm's Lords are here in the first place. If it falls into their hands, they will be one step closer to reviving a dreaded demon responsible for bringing chaos to numerous worlds millennia ago. Now, I am heading downstairs to get myself a cup of warm tea. Make sure you always keep an eye on the princess. Is that clear?"
"We'll take care of the princess, sir." As the advisor exited the room, the knight, along with his partner, stood by the drowsy princess, hoping that there was still time for their king to reverse the transformation. Aside from Elice's faint breathing, there was no sound to be heard within the room as soon as Malledus was far away from the exit.
Back to the battle…
SLASH!
"No more…" Marth grunted as he diagonally bisected his foe. With his foe's death, there were now only five cultists remaining, with none of them possessing the ability to become invisible. All Lords wearing stealth suits were eradicated by the army, especially with the help of the mages. One hammer-wielding soldier smashed an incoming foe's head into bloody chunks, a mage fried two more with her fiery magic, and Marth himself beheaded a fourth. The last remaining Lord, desperate to defeat the Archaneans, teleported to the railgun on top of the hill. He, with his absurd strength, pushed the deadly weapon across the area to obtain a better view of the army, just seconds before readying a shot that would invariably vaporize most of the soldiers.
"Not again," the Hero-King grunted. Since the weapon possessed a fast charge time and a near-instantaneous velocity for the projectile, there seemed to be, in his mind, no chance of escape. If he chose to flee from the field, he would be singled out in a heartbeat, but if he remained where he was at, then he would essentially be admitting defeat. What could he do…?
ZAP-CRACK! BOOOOOOOM!
In a surprising twist of luck, the surviving mages, including the green-haired woman, conjured an instantaneous, ocean-colored shield that not only protected the army but also reflected the beam back at the weapon, which was unlike the first barrier. In executing such an impressive display of magic, however, the magicians nearly drained themselves of mystical energy, forcing them to drop the shield rather quickly. Meanwhile, the railgun and its operator were completely roasted as the beam's impact resulted in an explosion powerful enough to kill a small army. As he watched the explosion on top of the hill, Marth finally felt some relief; with the squadrons eliminated, he could now lead his army into the hideout to save the Smashers, take down Lina, and slay the vampire responsible for biting his sister.
"We must head inside," he ordered. Keeping his soaked blade close to him, the king led his army into the hideout. The wounded were carried by those who still possessed the strength to lift heavier objects, including other people. Once the forty-person group was inside, the environment around it fell into silence that was almost absolute. Some of the wounded soldiers were moaning, albeit with a quieter tone of voice. Meanwhile, Marth was observing the corridor that ran perpendicular to the pathway leading up to the rearmost tower.
I have never been down either side of that corridor, he pondered. I should go ahead and explore one of the two possible routes. I'll send a group down the opposite side. No matter which path I take, I can only hope that we'll find Ike and the others before it's too late. If they are not discovered in either path, then I should head over to the back tower. I saw a door leading up to… somewhere.
"I will take a squadron down the corridor on the left," he announced to his crippled army. "Those who are uninjured and not coming with me should go to the right. Now, just to let you in on an important warning, during my first visit to this place, a knockout gas was pumped through this hideout's ventilation system to trap my original group. If you hear a humming noise prior to the gas being pumped out, stop whatever you're doing and retreat to the outside of the structure as fast as you can. There will be a bubble forming around the building prior to the gas, so be quick on your feet. Mages, you should be able to teleport out of this building with no problem whatsoever."
"Is there anything else that you want us to consider?" a Temple Knight asked. Although he appeared to be stone-faced, the dim lighting of the area, combined with the dark architecture, allowed nervousness to penetrate his mind. Unlike Hardin's soldiers, the Lords appeared to be mysterious foes whose potential could not be ascertained after a few battles.
"Yes… Don't stay in one area for too long." After remembering the unpleasant ambush from yesterday, Marth signaled the traveling portions of the army to split, with one following his lead. While traversing down the second hallway, the Hero-King encountered two doorways: one off to his right, and one straight ahead. The first was small and had no significant details; upon passing through it, Marth was introduced to a washroom filled with shower stalls, sinks, candles with perpetual flames, toilet stalls, and a long mirror. Nothing interesting was present there, forcing the monarch to reenter the hallway. As for the second doorway, it consisted of two larger doors, each branded with the emblem of the Orm's Lords. Keeping Falchion raised, Marth slowly opened the doors, revealing a stairway leading to a lower floor. Candles were present to provide some illumination, even if it was weak at best.
Here goes nothing… Marth pondered. The coldness of the building, despite being moderate compared to the raging storm outside, worsened as the group descended to an area once unseen. Some of the fighters felt chills as the air changed, but the fact that they were expecting the worst to happen also provided some coldness. To add on to the tension, there was some faint humming at the end of the linear pathway. It was unarguably deep, which could mean that something huge was waiting at the other side. With distance, the sound only grew louder, and as soon as the group was within touching range of another set of doors, it sounded like a monstrous groan. Marth pushed the doors open and was immediately greeted with a horrifying surprise.
"What is this place…?" The king was left frozen in place as he took note of the scenery ahead of him. Illuminated by white lights from above was a room containing eight organic chambers that, unbeknownst to Marth, were virtually identical to the one encountered on Tallon IV by Samus. Each chamber was connected to a humming machine that was pumping a strange liquid, colored a glowing black, into the interior. All eight chambers were pulsating, though not strongly as the one destroyed two days ago, but they had not yet developed their exit holes. To keep liquids from spilling onto the floor, a waist-high barrier was put in place for each entity. In the center of the room was a glass chamber containing a group of slaughtered insectoids that shared some similarities with the Helvetingar, although none of the creatures truly were the murderous foes previously encountered by the captured Smashers. For one thing, they were smaller and marked by brighter coloring; they were colored scarlet, yellow, and brown, and they also possessed some fur, unlike their monstrous counterparts. The outer body was generally smoother and, not considering the severe mutilation, nowhere near as grotesque. Their stingers were shorter and less pointed, which complemented the fact that there was only one stinger per insectoid. The blood present in the container, although colored differently from what could be seen in a human, lacked the black coloring present in a typical Helveting.
"I don't know how the Lords even obtained such creatures and moved them to this place," Marth sighed, "But there must have been a reason why the bugs were slaughtered like helpless sheep."
"They do not appear to be natives of this kingdom," a mage commented.
"They aren't. And as for the organic vessels in this room, I don't what the Lords are planning to use them for, but it is safe to assume that such entities may eventually pose a threat to the kingdom's well-being. Let's see if we can destroy them or at least cut off the flow of liquids into their systems. We must be quick, however, for if the Lords catch us destroying their precious vessels…"
"…" Nobody else spoke as the king's sentence trailed off. Given his tone of voice during the statement, they already could imagine the troubles they would face if the cultists discovered them. With all due haste, some of the soldiers focused on weakening the entities by cutting off the flow of the black liquid; they, opponents to the Lords, did so by slicing the tubes open and dealing damage to the machines via fiery spells. The army was working as quickly as possible to destroy potential hazards in this room before the Lords could figure out what was going on, but, unbeknownst to all, it was already too late. An omen familiar only to Marth soon reared its ugly head again…
Ooooooooooo…
"This cannot be happening now," the Hero-King gasped. Consumed by panic, he immediately bolted through the doorway, with many of the others following suit. The mages were the exception, opting to teleport outside the building instead. Following the evacuation, only one person remained, and it was not a person affiliated with the Archaneans.
"Run while you can," a female cultist, now dropping down from the ceiling and free from the effects of cloaking, whispered. "Pray that you are fast enough to exit this domicile before the energy field prevents escape. If you fail to get out, you will become a source of nourishment for Captain Lindqvist and those who can pierce necks with their fangs."
With the second active group, several minutes earlier…
I have a bad feeling about this, the Temple Knight in charge of the group, an middle-aged man with dark purple hair and blue eyes, spoke to himself. As he led his group to the doorway opposite to the one in Marth's direction, he kept his mighty hammer raised in defense. Even with several subordinates by his sides, he could not get rid of the nervousness inside his mind. The forces of Gra during the first incident and Hardin's soldiers during the second had failed to sway his courage, but there was something about the Orm's Lords that left him unnerved, even though he was not as familiar with them in comparison to his king. Was it their intentions? Appearances? Their slaying of multiple innocents? He was unsure of the answer, which only worsened his nervousness. The warrior was not the only one who was chilled, for many of his subordinates felt the same way as him. While passing through the doorway at the end of the corridor, none of the fighters uttered a word to avoid potentially telegraphing their presence. The hallway encountered was much like the one encountered by Marth's group, minus the preceding stairway and extreme deepness of the humming. The humming here was higher in pitch, though it was still deeper than most other sounds. Additionally, the coldness in this hallway was not as severe.
After what seemed like a minute, the Temple Knight and his group reached a doorway leading to another area unexplored by anyone opposing the cultists. The doors were opened in a slow manner to avoid making noises, but when the room ahead came into full view, the task came to an abrupt halt.
"…?" the leading soldier vocalized. In front of him was a room that bore some resemblance to the Eldklot-producing factory encountered by Falco on Macbeth. Like its now-vaporized counterpart, it contained numerous conveyor belts, although they were currently not transporting anything. Checkpoints were present, but they contained nothing. A few gray boxes were present at the end of each belt, with several more resting at the back of the room. Also in the back was a railgun identical to the one encountered outside; it was slightly rusted and coated with dust, but it was no less intimidating, regardless of its functional status. At the center was a Blå Eldklot that was half-assembled and colorless.
Although the architecture here was much like the factory's, there were several significant differences. For one thing, the painting of the Svärtad Orm was absent, with a simple shade of dark orange taking its place. Two chandeliers hanged from the ceiling and left the room cursed with a violet aura that made a few fighters nervous. The room's perimeter was rectangular instead of cylindrical, and each side was decorated with stained-glass windows depicting the monstrous demon. No second floor was present, but the overall room was larger to compensate for the loss of accessible space. Gears placed behind glass displays were scattered throughout the floor, often concentrated in areas where conveyor belts were present.
"This must be an assembly area of sorts," the Temple Knight sighed. "I wonder if we can take apart that object in the center." Without second thoughts, he approached the inactive bomb to examine it for any potential weaknesses. Despite its unfinished state, it harbored a sinister aura that would be enough to make any lesser person cower in fear.
"Let's do what we can to dissemble this object," the leading soldier ordered. While remaining as quiet as possible, he and a few others utilized their weapons to begin pulling the hazardous bomb apart before it could be deployed. Swords and hammers tore through weak points like knives tearing through butter, and witnessing such an event gave the other warriors hope. If everything progressed smoothly, they could cripple the Lords and drive them away from the kingdom. Nothing appeared to be problematic… at first…
Ooooooooo…
"What?" one of the swordsmen muttered, freezing at the sound of the chilling omen. Initially, no one even dared to move or make a sound. It was almost as if the noise had removed their ability to speak and walk. Something was going on, but what was it…
"Wait, do you remember what King Marth told us?" the Temple Knight mumbled. "He said that if we ever hear a humming noise, then…"
His sentence trailed as he realized what was going on. If he and his group did not get out of the hideout in time, then a terrible fate would swallow them all, with no mercy given.
"Run." With time running out, the Archaneans, barring the teleporting mages, sprinted out of the room. Hearts were pumping blood like mad as their owners sought to escape from the impending doom. Around this time, the fighters met up with those in Marth's group. Upon unification, all soldiers made a top priority to outpace the forming bubble in speed, but their success was not to be. Except for the mages and those at the front entrance, including wounded fighters, everyone was hopelessly trapped by the durable barrier.
"We're trapped!" Marth gasped. The bubble around the hideout was identical to the previous one in every aspect except for color. Instead of the red coloring from before, it was now green. Some of the mages began utilizing their teleportation skills to bypass the field and save those who were trapped, but on every attempt, they were rejected and unable to head inside.
"…?! Lina's gotten smarter since the first encounter…" Marth could not believe what he was witnessing right now. If even teleportation could not punch through the hideout's mighty line of defense…
"Your Highness, what should we do?" the green-haired mage asked. She felt outright uncomfortable at the thought of leaving her leader inside the trap, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not rescue him. Filled with tension, she awaited his orders.
"Just go. There's no way to save us. If you stay here, the Orm's Lords will capture you, too."
The mage gulped upon hearing those words. "But Your Highness… Won't you die here?"
"I'm sorry, but there's nothing that you can do. Just go!"
Unable to object to the order, the mage and those who were lucky enough to be outside initiated a hasty retreat from the sinister hideout. Meanwhile, the gas flooding the interior started to leak into the outside via the small slit underneath the doorway. The trapped Archaneans, including Marth, backed away as much as they could, but even their best efforts could not stop them from inhaling the gases and subsequently passing out. Weapons, including the cherished Falchion, were dropped into the snow, hardly making a sound as they were released. Meanwhile, a small squadron of mask-wearing Lords, led by the Lindqvist siblings, emerged from the front doors to confront the fallen fighters.
"You thought having an army with you could permanently turn the tide of the battle?" Lina, still in her undergarments, giggled. She placed a finger on one of the king's bleeding wounds before tasting his blood. "I would pity you for your latest failure, but after what you did to my loyal servants, I will not make your death a pleasant one. On the contrary, I will make you suffer, slowly and painfully. This time, there will be no escape for you or your loyal fighters."
"Ah, yes… These fighters shall provide us with enough sustenance to last for months, perhaps even years," Kristoff, also in his undergarments, hissed. "My dear sister, we shall have a feast to remember."
"We shall, but we will wait over the next two days for the full transformation of the little princess. When that happens, we shall then seek out those who have helped Marth in his crusade against our organization."
The twins, along with their subordinates, carried the fallen Archaneans back into the building.
With the prince, one night after Marth's capture…
"We are finally here, Prince," the elderly man announced. As the vehicle approaching its landing point, the young monarch took note of the small building ahead of him. Partly surrounded by trees and a few patches of roses, this hideout consisted of only one visible floor that assumed a rectangular shape. There were no windows to be seen, only solid bricks sustaining the foundation. The roof was flat and barren, only containing pathways to remove water during a storm and a chimney to exhale smoke from burning wood. There were several holes in the surrounding earth, likely caused by explosions, and burnt coloring on certain portions of the walls. Some of the trees were knocked down and resting on the ground. Traces of a black liquid could be seen around the building.
"Have any of your friends perished during the attacks?" the prince asked.
"We have yet to see anyone get killed, but if the assaults continue, then we may very well begin experiencing losses. Nevertheless, we will locate the girl before that happens, this I swear."
"Once Lillian is found by us, she will help us end the terrible war and restore peace to Rosträdgård. I have not been in contact with her over the past month, so I hope she is okay…" As the vehicle was parked to the right of the small residence, the prince and his driver prepared to enter without any problems, especially those caused by the sinister cultists. The air around them was freezing and bitter to the skin, almost as if the winter spirit were attempting to harm them with her breath. Before any damage could be done, however, the prince and the elderly man escaped to the warmth of the solitary building, where they were immediately introduced to a group of three figures: two males and one female.
"Welcome, Prince," one of the men, the only person to not remain in the shadows, greeted with a smooth voice. He was slightly younger than the driver and had darker hair, while his eyes were colored a vibrant shade of red, much like Lina's. His hair was combed back to reveal his smooth forehead, but his face was lacking in hairiness, with no mustache or beard to be found. Physically, he was tall and gaunt, much like Lars, although he did appear to possess some degree of musculature, unlike the captain. Clothing-wise, he was dressed in a gray robe that strongly resembled what the Lords wore, albeit without the logo representing the malevolent organization.
"I wish to find Lillian as soon as possible," the prince replied. As he looked around, he came to realize that the room was mostly plain; aside from dim lights on the ceiling, only a kitchen to his left, complete with a stove, a silver refrigerator, and a sink, and a fireplace to his right were present. Additionally, there was a small table next to said fireplace.
"If finding the girl is what you seek, then we shall assist you to the best of our abilities. We must act quickly before the vile Lords return." Utilizing powerful magic, he conjured a portal leading into a hidden area of the structure, far beneath the wooden floor. It was here that all robed persons, the prince, and the elderly man leaped into relative safety, completely obscured from the outside world. The portal remained open for several seconds prior to shrinking and eventually vanishing. Silence swallowed the empty room whole.
Two nights after Marth's capture, midnight…
"I cannot sleep…" Elice moaned. At this point, the princess was on the bed, struggling to find sleep in the middle of the night. It had been more than a full day since her brother left the town to defeat the cultists, and he had not yet returned. The reason for his absence, as well as the absence of several soldiers, was already clear to her, Malledus, and Caeda; the king had been captured and was being held inside the hideout. Even worse, because of the barrier blocking entry by conventional and magical means, there was nothing that anyone could do to rescue him or the others. And to top it all off, the princess's placement in solitary confinement prevented her from venturing out and seeking him, especially since her transformation into a dangerous threat was almost complete. She had maintained hope throughout the hectic days, but her optimism was starting to break down. With no available cure for her condition, the threat of the Lords, and the failure of all attempts by Caeda to rescue Marth, she feared that she would never see true peace again…
But her most agonizing moment of the crisis was about to come from behind and completely assume control of her mind…
Enough, it is time to assume total control, the doppelgänger hissed. After a lull in taunting for a day or two, she was back, more malevolent than ever before. This time, Elice could not fight back as she lost control of her body and mind. Almost immediately, she felt the vampirical urges overpowering her and numbing every nerve in her body, barring those placed next to her extending fangs and the inner portion of her head. She tried to scream, but her throat was so tightly constricted that she was unsuccessful in strongly vibrating her vocal cords. Aside from erratic breathing, no sound emerged from her mouth. While falling into a state of corruption, she noticed the skin on her body beginning to lose its natural color, eventually replaced by the pale skin of vampires. Her head felt like it was about to explode from exponentially increasing pressure, and the fact that she still could not move her body made it impossible for her to suppress the pain.
This cannot be…
This cannot be…
This cannot be...
That thought looped inside her head as her transformation neared completion. After a few seconds, her mind and vision went blank. The world around her fell into total blackness and dead silence.
…
…
…
Then, without any warning, she regained consciousness, albeit with redder eyes and a dark grin on her face. No longer plagued by numbness, she analyzed the room for anything or anyone of significant interest. Her sweep did not last long, for she immediately took note of the sleeping Caeda, who was clearly oblivious to the latest events. The princess, whose innocence was now corrupted, licked her lips as she conjured a plan for her sister-in-law.
"Don't worry, dear Caeda…" she whispered with a chilling tone. "I have something special planned for you and Malledus." With superhuman strength, she began carrying the queen across the room and through one of the windows, but not before gently opening the glass panels. With her new powers, Elice floated from the castle and towards the hideout, which was still surrounded by the green barrier. It was at this point that Caeda began to wake up.
"…?" she muttered. "Elice, how are you flying-"
SLAP!
"Oh, now, you should still be sleeping at this hour," the corrupted princess replied, seconds after she slapped Caeda into unconsciousness. "The Lords will be happy to see you and all other enemies properly disposed of. You will see Marth again, but the reunion will not be a pleasant one…"
With the moon shining at its brightest, the aerial journey to the hideout was marked by unobscured views of the smaller villages, the mountains, a near-continuous sheet of snow, and the freezing waters, all of which complimented the dark beauty of the night. It was currently a time when the black rose was blossoming again, overshadowing its red counterpart and assuming dominance over nature. Elice smiled as she took note of the scenery; this would the last thing anyone would see before the full wrath of the Lords was to fall upon this kingdom…
Soon, this kingdom will fall… Everything shall change forever. Nobody will stop the resurrection now...
…
-Pit
Well, Marth's mission has taken yet another nasty turn, and it looks like Ganondorf is… well, taken care of. Also, Elice has finally succumbed to her transformation and is carrying Caeda to the hideout. What will happen to the Queen of Archanea? Also, we have not heard anything from the other Smashers. We will see what is going on with them in the next chapter. On the other hand, the prince is getting closer to finding Lillian, so there is still hope for Rosträdgård. And Magnus… Oh, Magnus. You should have paid more attention to your master's orders and not get wrapped up in your violent temper.
A/N:
-This is the first time since Mario's theatre that the black substance has been seen. It does hold an important role in the story, but where it is coming from and why it forms are topics that will be revealed later in the story.
-On that related note, the insectoids seen in this chapter have a connection to the Helvetingar seen in previous chapters, although the relationship will be not explained until the Smashers move onto the next part of their journey.
-In relation to the first note, I wanted to include elements that harken back to the previous theatres, such as the organic vessels reminiscent of the one encountered by Samus and the presence of an Eldklot, one of which was originally encountered by Falco.
Anyway, I need to get a drink, relax, and clean up the earlier chapters due to a few, relatively minor errors. Stay tuned for the finale of the story's final theatre, but until then, read and review.