Mario and Luigi looked at the dead Koopa commander with no hint of remorse. The insignias that he wore on his jacket looked like rankings for how many adversaries he had slain over the years, with the true purpose of intending to expand Bowser's empire. "This place," Mario said in a hushed tone. "Makes me feel uneasy, makes me feel afraid, makes me fe-"Before he could finish his sentence, Mario proceeded to barf on the dead corpse. His body becoming rattled from the effects of being in the Darklands for an unprecedented amount of time. "Luigi, no good can come from this place. Let's burn everything. True evil like this cannot be stopped until the roots are pulled out and left to die."
"You got it," Luigi said who was also feeling the side effects of the Darklands.
The Mario Brothers began burning down everything in the first village, all the buildings, all the troops that were coming to attack them. Nothing stood a chance against their might. When the first village was eradicated, they proceeded to attack the other four villages which were located on the map. Bowser's empire was crumbling fast, and the Mario brothers knew that only one thing stood in their path, which was the castle itself. Mario kept thinking of Princess Peach and how she must be suffering up there, while Luigi was thinking the same thing but about Princess Daisy. The brothers didn't know what the outcome would be, but they never fought for money nor did they think the princesses would love them; they did it for the adventure and the preservation of a kingdom that offered them a place where they think they wouldn't get one for being so different.
The princesses saw the flames from the lone dungeon window. They knew what was happening to Bowser's tyrannical empire, and that the castle was next on the list. "I can't believe it," said Princess Peach who was astounded by the destruction she was witnessing. "I almost feel sorry for Bowser, if I didn't know he was such a brute."
"True Justice being served to that evil brute." Said Princess Daisy who couldn't help but smile at the devastation. "I wonder who is causing all of this; it couldn't be the work of a couple of heroes right?" Before that question could be answered, several Koopa troops came unlocking the dungeon door, attempting to move the princesses again.
"Bowser wants to see you," said one of the Koopas giving a menacing grin. "He has special plans for you." The Koopa troops proceeded to bring the princesses to the throne room, where Bowser was waiting for them.
"Put them into the cages," commanded Bowser, with ferocity echoing through his words. "My plans will not be undone yet, and those princesses are the key to my success." The Koopa troops locked both Peach and Daisy into the cages and then proceeded to continue their patrol duties. "You really think you're victorious yet?"
"Well yeah, if you considered the damage done to your king-"Peach replied, but harshly interrupted when Bowser slapped Peach's face hard.
"Shut your mouth you tramp!" Bowser said, still angry by what was going on outside his kingdom. "When I want you to speak, I'll tell you got it?"
Peach was silent for a moment, and then afterwards building up tears in her eyes.
"HEY!" Daisy angrily yelled, turning Bowser's attention to her. "Don't you ever raise your hand to my friend, or I'll break it."
Bowser had a wicked grin upon his face as he approached Daisy, causing her to feel uneasy with each footstep he made. "So feisty aren't' you," said Bowser in a menacing tone, causing Daisy to have nervous shakes all around her body. "That makes you even the better to taste my dear princess." He then proceeded to lick the princess around her face, causing her to faint from the terror she was feeling. "I don't want to hear a word from anyone of you. I've got a couple of heroes to squash." The princesses were silent, hoping for the heroes that awaited them to get here sooner rather than later. Bowser then ordered the guards to send the archers on the roof. "They don't get in the castle or else." Bowser gave him a threatening gesture, motivating the guards to effectively carry out his order.
"That's the last village Mario." Said Luigi brushing off the dust from his shoulder as nothing but burnt remains of the five villages stationed around Bowser's Kingdom remained. The inhabitants were all slayed, in large part to them attacking the Mario brothers. The smoke from the fires engulfed the Darklands, covering the last thing that remained, Bowser's castle, in smoke making the threat more ominous.
"Time to end this then." Mario said, with fireballs in his hands ready to be cast at any moment. The Mario brothers approached the castle bridge, which was very close to falling apart. Koopa archers readied at the roof at the castle, aiming their arrows at the heroes themselves. These were some of the top marksmen in Bowser's army, able to hit anything that moves with impeccable accuracy.
"Bows at the ready men," commanded the archer sergeant giving the Mario brothers a ferocious look. "Their progress ends here, forget the villages because we can rebuild. Our empire must be preserved and the only way to do that would to end their lives. When I give the order, we attack and end this threat here and now."
"Ready Luigi?" asked Mario giving a small smile of confidence.
"Ready Mario," said Luigi looking at the archers with a hero's look, unnerved, unbent, and unbroken by the threat that surrounds them. "Mario, whatever happens here, I just want you to know that I love you like a brother, and no Koopa, no Goomba, and no tyrant can take that away."
"Luigi," said Mario, turning his head to look at Luigi. "I love you man. Now let's finish this. No matter what, we give it our all."
The Koopa archers had their bows in the ready position, ready to let go of the arrow when told to do so. The Koopa master archer grinned at what he thought was his impending victory and let yelled out a command with all the viciousness in his voice. "FIRE!"