14

Mario and Luigi climbed the tall stand dunes and admired the vista of the pyramids. There are hundreds upon hundreds of labyrinths and tombs buried underneath, as the brothers learned a few years ago in their history classes. They knew that finding the second Crystal Star would be a Herculean task unless they knew exactly where to look. So far, the only information that they have is that it is buried underneath one of the pyramids; in other words, the information they have is not very helpful. To make matters worse, the brothers were quick to notice lights running about halfway around each of the three large pyramids before them. It was another archeological dig set up by none other than Bowser.

"Not again!" Luigi said. "I knew that we'd walk into another trap!"

"Luigi, it is fine!" Mario said. "We just have to stay out of sight and remain calm, just like before back in the Mushroom Kingdom."

"I'm just afraid that they have more ways to kill us here." Luigi said. "After all, Bowser knows we're here. So, the Koopa Army is very well aware of our presence."

"I am aware of that!" Mario said. "I'm also aware that it is in our best interest to stay focused and not chicken out on this adventure. Like I told you before, just think of how the princesses feel right now. They would want us to win."

Luigi said nothing. The brothers continued making their way down the other side of the sand dunes to the flat sand below, which looked darker than the surrounding sand in the distance.

"Something doesn't seem right." Luigi said.

"What doesn't seem right?" Mario asked.

"I don't know. I just have that gut-wrenching feeling that something doesn't make sense."

"Oh, please!" Mario said. "You're just being paranoid!"

"I'm not being paranoid!" Luigi said. "I'm just following my instinct."

"Have you ever considered that maybe you're instinct is trying to scare you into not accomplishing this feat?" Mario asked. "Have you ever considered that maybe this has been going on for much of your life?"

"What are you saying?" Luigi asked. "Are you saying that you don't believe me?!"

"Here, I'll prove to you that there's nothing wrong here!" Mario said.

Mario made the first step onto the flat, muddy sand.

"See? There's nothing here!" Mario said. "It's just solid sand! No hollow ground or any deceitful weapons of mass destruction buried in the ground. Everything is perfectly fine!"

"You know what, I think I'm just going to stay right here!" Luigi said, turning away from his brother. "It's just not fair that you ignore what I have to say..." Luigi suddenly noticed something strange. He turned back to his brother with a fearful look on his face.

"Now what?" Mario asked.

"You're getting shorter!" Luigi asked.

"What are you talking about?!" Mario asked. "I'm not getting shorter, you're getting taller!"

"I'm not getting taller!" Luigi asked. "You're standing in quicksand!"

Mario looked down at his feet and ankles and saw they were getting buried in the wet, parasitic sand. He tried to move, but was hardly able to do so. Panicking, Mario tried jumping out of the sand, but that did not do him any good at all.

"Luigi! Help!" Mario cried. "I'm stuck!"

Wasting no time, Luigi rushed down the last few steps of the hill and reached his hand out for Mario to grab it. He reached as far as he could, but his long arms were unable to grab Mario's hand.

"I...can't...reach!" Luigi said.

"Keep trying!" Mario said as he tried wading over to Luigi. "I need to get out of here!"

Luigi looked around for anything that he might be able to use as an anchor. He could not find anything that could be useful. His luck ran out.

"Hurry!" Mario shouted. "The sand is almost up to my hands!"

"Grab my leg!" Luigi shouted. "Can you reach it?"

Mario started reaching for Luigi's boot, but was unable to reach it the first time. He tried again and started pulling himself out of the sand.

"Keep your balance, Luigi!" Mario shouted. "I think its working!"

Luigi was struggling to keep his balance as Mario's weight pulled him down. He tried to keep himself balanced by leaning backwards a little, which ended up not being very effective as Luigi found himself falling into the quicksand as well.

"Luigi!" Mario shouted. "I told you to keep your balance!"

"It's rather hard when you weigh so much!" Luigi said. The only part of him that was not covered in wet sand was his upper body. "Now we're both stuck in here! We're doomed!"

"No we're not." Mario said. "I know how to get out of this!"

Mario waded through the muddy sand to the edge where a large boulder stood, undisturbed.

"We can use this boulder pull ourselves out!" Mario said. "Follow me!"

Mario slowly led the way over to large boulder and Luigi followed behind him. Upon reaching it, he reached up with hands and desperately tried pulling himself out. It took him away, but he was finally to free himself from the sand.

"Luigi, grab my hands!" Mario said. "Hurry!"

Luigi lifted his arms and grabbed Mario's hand with his left hand and grabbed the boulder with his right hand. Luigi struggled as he used all of his strength.

"You're almost there, Luigi! Keep pulling!" Mario said.

"I'm trying!" Luigi replied. "But it's not working!"

"Try harder!"

Using the last bit of strength he had, Luigi gave one last major effort to pull out of the quicksand. With Mario's help, Luigi was finally able to pull himself out of the sand trap and make it back to the safety of the hill. Both of them were now covered in mud and soaked. Nonetheless, Mario and Luigi breathed a huge sigh of relief that they were still alive. Mario turned to Luigi, his chest beating wildly out of control from the adrenaline.

"Remind me not to do that again." he said.

"I always trust my instinct." Luigi said. "You should too."

"Well, in that case you should trust mine too. Mario said. "After all, if it weren't for me, you would've died."

"If would've listened to me in the first place, then maybe we wouldn't be covered in mud right now." Luigi said.

"I'm just glad that we made it out alive." Mario said.

"Yeah, me too." Luigi said. "Although, I wonder how many more times we'll come close to death before we reach the princesses."

"I wish I knew, brother." Mario said. "Otherwise, I would tell you."

Mario took an ice flower from the rucksack and rubbed it in the palm of his right hand. When the ice powers took over, Mario used the power on the quick sand to solidify it, forming a 'bridge' to other side, where it was safe to walk on.

"I think I saw an oasis not too far from here near the pyramids." Mario said. "Let's head there to get some water. We'll need it to stay alive out here."

"Okay." Luigi said. "After you, brother."

The two brothers carefully walked across the iced over quicksand and made it to the other side. From there, they started walking downhill again as they made their way to a nearby oasis. The archeological dig was still about two miles away, Mario judged.

After about ten minutes of walking in dark, barren landscape, Mario and Luigi finally arrived at the oasis. A large pool of water was present and was surrounded by many palm trees and papyrus plants. Mario wasted no time rushing to the pond to get a quenching drink.

"Finally, I can get rid of that nasty wine taste!" Mario said, splashing water into his face. "Luigi! Get over here! This water is perfectly crystal clear! It's just like the water we used to get out of the refrigerator at home!"

"I'll be there in just a minute!" Luigi said from behind a nearby palm tree. "I'm taking a piss."

Mario rolled his eyes as continued drinking from the pond. Luigi joined him and started guzzling the water like dry sand. Then, Luigi jumped into the deeper water and submerged himself for a few moments before surfacing. Mario looked at him like he was crazy.

"What on Earth are you doing?" Mario asked.

"The water's fine!" Luigi said in a jovial tone. "Come in! Get all that mud of you!"

Mario declined, but was suddenly greeted by a splash of water. He looked at Luigi, who was laughing hysterically.

"Now you're asking for it, brother!" Mario said. "Come here!"

Mario jumped into the water and started splashing Luigi. Luigi simply ducked under the water surface and splashed back. Both of them were now laughing and having a good time, just as if they were little children again; they were essentially living the childhood that they never had, and it made Mario and Luigi feel more alive than they ever used to be.

After a few minutes, the brothers climbed out of the pond and found a boulder large enough for them to lie on and stare up at the stars. There was no light pollution, so each glittering point resembled a bright sparkling diamond. It was a truly beautiful sight.

"I haven't felt this great since we were little." Mario said. "I just wish we would've had more time to have fun like this."

"Yeah." Luigi said. "I do too."

"Luigi?" Mario asked.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think of Daisy every time you look up at the stars?"

"Yes." Luigi replied. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing." Mario said. "It's just that, I think of Peach every time I look at them."

"Really?" Luigi asked. "That's weird."

"Well, what can I say? We are brothers after all."

Mario and Luigi laughed.

"You know, I bet whenever Peach and Daisy are looking up at the sky, they always see us." Luigi said. "It's just a hunch."

"I wouldn't doubt that for one moment." Mario said. "I just wish they were safe with us and not stuck with Bowser. God knows what's going on with them right now. The thought of it just makes me shiver!"

"We should probably leave now." Luigi said. "I don't want to fall asleep and wake up in a dungeon inside Bowser's Castle!"

With that note, the two brothers immediately got up from the boulder and got one last drink of water from the pond before leaving the peaceful oasis and reentering the barren and dangerous desert. They were now closing in on Bowser's archeological outpost next to the great pyramids of Sarasaland, which were now less than one and a half miles away. There was no turning back now.

Mario and Luigi have discovered another archeological dig set up by Bowser in the middle of the desert. The brothers barely managed to escape a sand trap and find a fresh source of water in an oasis, where they hydrated themselves and had a fun water fight, something they haven't been able to experience in their miserable childhood. However, good things must come to an end, for the threat of getting caught by the Koopa Army is still very high. So they leave the oasis and start walking towards the pyramids. What will they find in the archeological dig? Will they get any closer to finding the second Crystal Star? What other dangers await the Mario brothers in the barren desert?

As always, I look forward to sharing the next chapter with you guys. It's been such an epic journey, but it is still only the beginning! Keep your eyes open for the next chapter. Until then, I will see you later:)

saturn95