Hello readers!
Judging by the reviews I got from the last chapter, you guys were pretty excited about the cliffhanger I left at.
This chapter was originally short when I decided to add to it.
Hope you guys enjoy it.
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Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the story idea.
Chapter 9:
The Crystal of Dreams
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Dear Princess Peach,
We fear this letter bare terrible news.
Late one night, an unknown man dress in dark colors had sneaked inside the castle with the attempt to assassinate Princess Daisy.
Thankfully our princess wasn't present as she had left to visit your kingdom.
He had already interrogated several of our guards and threatens their lives if they didn't tell him the princess' whereabouts.
Fortunately, no one was fatally injured and the assassin left empty-handed.
But we feared he will stop at nothing until our princess is in fact dead.
For her safety, we ask of you to keep her with you and protect her until the threat has been dealt with.
Sincerely,
The Advisors of Sarasaland
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A deadly silence filled the room. No one dared said a word until a familiar outside voice did.
"…What?"
Everyone snapped out of their thoughts and turned to the door. Daisy stood there with a surprise look on her. "My life is being threatened?"
"Daisy…"
"Seriously?" Daisy interrupted. "As if Luigi's sudden disappearance and everything else going on here wasn't bad enough, but now someone wants me dead! I swear someone have something against me."
Daisy's arms collapse by her sides as she turns away; tears threaten to form in her eyes. Peach walks over and tries to comfort her. Daisy rarely cries and when she does, it's usually when she has a lot on her mind. Luigi's disappearance was a hard blow for her. Peach knew she had developed a crush on the younger brother and had feared for his safety. To hear that her life was now in danger seems to be the final blow.
"It'll be okay, Daisy." Peach said sincerely. "We'll keep you safe. And we will find Luigi."
Mario nodded. "Right. Don't worry, Daisy. No one will get near you with me around."
"Oh boy, what an unfortunate serious of events." signed Toadsworth "First the major crime spree in Poshley Heights, next the 'assassin' incident with Bowser, then a major attack on a heavily populated city, and now this? Such horrible situations can't be a coincidence, can it?"
Peach place a hand on her chin in thought. "You know, Toadsworth, I think you're right. All this can't be a coincidence."
Mario, Daisy, and Toadsworth looked at her with confusion. Peach explain her theory.
"Well, think about. All these events happening are within a few days of each other. Much too close for them can be random. They got to be connected somehow."
"So, what are you saying?" said Daisy "You think someone plan for all this to happen?"
"It's possible. But I don't think it's just one person. Regardless of the situation, this looks like the work of more than one person."
"What about Luigi?" Mario asked, fearing the answer.
Peach frowned. "It pains me to say this, but I'm starting to think Luigi's disappearance is connected to it as well."
Mario cast his head to the side. That wasn't what he wanted to hear, but he knew the princess was right. Everything that had happened before now were connected and unfortunately Luigi had gotten in the middle of it.
"So, what are we going to do now?" he asked. With no idea about his brother's whereabouts, Mario can't do anything to help him. He'll have to wait which was something he hated to do.
"Toadsworth, do you think we can have more guards around the castle? We have to secure the castle so that no one can sneak in. And make sure no one knows about this. Everyone is terrified as it is, and we don't want to accidentally tip someone off."
Toadsworth nodded. "Good idea, princess. I'll get on it right away."
The old toad ran out of the room, leaving the others to discuss on things further.
"Hmm, I'm afraid that's all we could do for the moment. Now we have wait and see what happens next. Whoever is behind all this will have to show themselves eventually, especially since their assassin failed his last mission."
Mario let out a frustrated sigh. Waiting wasn't really his best suit, but in this case he doesn't have much of a choice. Looking over to Daisy, he could tell she wasn't too big with the wait either. It was nice to see he wasn't the only one impatient enough when it comes to saving Luigi.
As the three of them continue to talk; they were unaware that they were being watched. A pair of bright red eyes was hidden in the shadows of the castle. The eyes scan all three of them before fixing its gaze on Daisy. They flickered briefly to white before returning to their red color. The eyes linger on her for a while longer before disappearing out of thin air.
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Shiver Region;
Crystal Palace
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The Crystal Palace; it was once a shrine to the Star Spirits. Now its location and how it had gotten there has become lost over time. Unbeknownst to everyone, it wasn't always used as a shrine. The main reason for its construction was to guard an ancient treasure, hidden here long before it was used as a shrine.
Mr. L walked through the Palace's mirror-like walls with little problem. His master told him where exactly he had to look for this ancient treasure so making through this maze-like palace was a lot easier than normal.
Entering the room where Mario had saved the Star Spirit Kalmar (Paper Mario), Mr. L quickly went into work. Pressing his glove hands on the far wall, he slowly started looking for the secret panel that would lead him to the ancient treasure. The room was large and it could take days to search the whole place from top to bottom. Regardless, Mr. L wasn't one to give up easily.
It took several long hours, but he finally found the panel. The center of the wall shifted before rising slowly. Dust and icy cold wind flew out from behind the hidden stone passage way and into the open.
Once the door was lifted, L started his way through. The passage way was long and the temperature was colder than before. L used his thunderhand to light the way and adjusted his scarf to keep the cold from getting to him.
After several long minutes of walking in the dark, L finally saw some light at the end of the tunnel. He walked towards it until he had reached the room he was looking for.
The room was made out of pure ice and snow, and was constructed to look like a mystical alter. Magical crystals that light the whole room hang from above. Mr. L walked down the long flight of icicle stairs until he stood in front of a beautiful, light blue and white ice crystal place in the center.
This crystal was called the Crystal of Dreams.
Mr. L reached for the crystal and grabbed it. He carefully held it in both hands and nod in satisfaction. He turn away from the altar and headed for the exit, unaware that some of the ice and snow had moved. He was about half way up the stairs when he paused, remembering something his master had told him before he left.
"Be on your guard when retrieving the Crystal of Dreams," said Dimentio. "It is said that a guardian will appear to protect the crystal if one was to gain its possession."
Suddenly, the whole room started shaking and Mr. L struggles to keep his balance. Ice icicles and snow started falling from the ceiling until a large amount of it fell in between him and the exit. That large lump of ice and snow soon started to take the form of something large and heavy. Mr. L took two steps back as the pile of snow and ice took the form of a dragon. It roared,
"I am Frosttail; guardian of the Crystal of Dreams. I was ordered from the ones who created me to protect it from outsiders. You have comes a long way, but I'm afraid you must meet your end!"
Frosttail took a deep breath and let out an ice-breath. Mr. L used his Super Jump to dodge it. He landed a few feet away from the dragon and where he last stood which was now just a pillar of ice. Mr. L put the Crystal in his pocket for safekeeping and took a fighting stance, his Thunderhand ability sparking in his gloved hands.
His master needed this crystal to complete his plans and he wasn't going anywhere without it.
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