18

"I've got you right where I want you." Lord Crump said as he approached the two brothers. Mario and Luigi fearfully backed off. "Hand me the crystal star!"

"How do you know we even have the star?" Mario asked.

"I saw it shine inside of your backpack!" Lord Crump said. "What kind of crap do you keep inside of that thing?! It looks like it's stuffed to the very top!"

"Why do you care?!" Mario said. "You don't see me judge you on how fat you are!"

"ENOUGH!" Lord Crump shouted. "Now…about that crystal star…"

"Sorry!" Luigi said. "It's not for sale!"

"Well, that's too bad." Lord Crump. "I was planning on giving you over two thousand gold coins to help you on your quest for the princesses. I guess you two are willing to starve then…"

"We don't take money from chumps like you!" Luigi said.

"Really, now?" Lord Crump asked. "Is that what you consider me as? A chump?"

"Well, it's better than considering you fat!" Luigi said.

Angered by his comment, Lord Crump attacked Luigi and knocked him to the ground, along with Mario, after which he pulled out a large knife blade. He pointed the blade at the brothers.

"Now you listen to me!" Lord Crump said. "I'll give you a simple decision. Either you give me that star and receive some coinage, or you die and I take it myself."

Sounds like a deal that was already offered to us… Mario thought as Lord Crump brought the knife blade closer. He reached into the rucksack and took out the glistening, five-pointed diamond treasure and pondered over the decision.

"That's right, Mario." Lord Crump sneered. "Give the star to me."

"Don't do it!" Luigi said. "It's a trap!"

"JUST GIVE THE DAMN STAR TO ME!" Lord Crump shouted.

Mario did not know what to do. On one end, he could save himself and Luigi from death by giving the star away, but at the same time would bring Bowser a step closer to initiating his evil plan. On the other hand, the brothers would die, that is if they were willing to pull off another amazing stunt. But they had already wasted much of their energy trying to get out of the cave to the point where they could just fall asleep. Still, even if he did give in to Lord Crump's request, he probably would kill them anyway. Mario could not trust him.

"What's it going to be?" Lord Crump asked. "Are you going to give me the star?"

"Maybe…" Mario said.

"Maybe?! What is that supposed to mean?" Lord Crump asked.

"Maybe in a million years!"

Lord Crump was flushed with anger and immediately threw the knife at Mario. Luckily, it did not kill him, but it did manage to cut his arm. Mario cried in agony and immediately swallowed a green mushroom to ease and destroy the wound and the pain that came with it. Mario went over to pick up the knife, but Lord Crump tackled him to ground before he had the chance.

"Luigi! Help!" Mario cried as Lord Crump started twisting his arms in hurtful positions.

"What's your brother going to do?" Lord Crump sneered. "He's just as weak as you are, if not weaker!"

"Get away from my brother!" Luigi yelled as he kicked Lord Crump in the face with all his strength. Mario was then able to escape, but quickly realized that something was missing.

"The star!" Mario said. The brothers turned around and heard an evil laughter as Lord Crump got up onto his feet and took the star into his hands.

"Luigi! Grab the knife!" Mario said. "He's getting away!"

"Catch me if you can, chumps!" Lord Crump shouted. "Now, you'll never be able to fulfill the prophecy! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Mario and Luigi started running after Lord Crump with the last bit of energy that they had and was surprised at how far ahead he was. However, since the brothers were athletically superior to him, they were already beginning to catch up to him. Lord Crump turned around and became nervous as they started gaining on him.

"You can run, but you can't get away!" Mario said.

"That's what you think!" Lord Crump shouted back.

"Are you sure about that?" Luigi shouted.

Lord Crump was starting to gain energy again when he accidentally stumbled over a small rock that was jutting out of the ground; he fell into the grass and groaned as he saw the two brothers standing over him with the intention of hurting him. Mario and Luigi then started punching and kicking him with all of their strength, leaving Lord Crump bruised and bloody. Finally, Lord Crump started to give up.

"PLEASE! STOP!" he cried. "I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"

"Give us the star!" Mario demanded. "NOW!"

"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! YOU WIN!" Lord Crump said. "Take your damned star! Just don't kill me!"

Mario picked up the diamond star and gave Lord Crump one final glare before kicking him in the head once more, knocking him unconscious.

"Do you still have the knife, Luigi?" Mario asked.

"Yes." Luigi said.

"Keep it." Mario said. "It may come in use later."

"I think we should get out of here." Luigi said.

"Hold on." Mario said. "Let's see what else Lord Crump has give us."

Mario reached into his pockets and found Lord Crump's wallet, which contained over three thousand gold coins, some useless pictures, as well as a couple of cigars. Mario took the money and the cigars and stored them inside the rucksack. Luigi gave Mario a weird look.

"Uh…why do we need cigars?" he asked.

"I don't know." Mario said. "I just feel like taking them to make Lord Crump miserable."

"I see." Luigi said. "That money is definitely going to help us though."

"I know. Mario said. "Now, let's hurry and find the nearest town."

Mario and Luigi left Lord Crump lying in the green grass and walked towards the west with the sun's orange morning rays shining on their backs. The landscape around them was completely different from the archeological dig, indicating that they made some distance, almost if they had travelled though the center of the earth. Mario and Luigi were certain that they were still somewhere in the Mushroom Kingdom outside of Rogueport. Nonetheless, they found themselves lost in a strange environment in the middle of a grassy field surrounded by small tree-filled mountains hosting danger around every corner.