Still don't know if I'll finish this, just bear with me please
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Mario or its franchise; it belongs to
Nintendo and their affiliates. I just am really grateful to its creators for giving
me such a wonderful game and media series to write about!
I also don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all that belongs to J.K. Rowling,
but thanks go to her as well because, using her wonderful work, I can expand this
story to make it more interesting :)
Chapter Forty-Seven
Perhaps as a testament to his desperation and what was left of his immense prowess as a tracker, it really did only take hours for the young sorcerer to gather the majority of the items on the list. Ludwig was down to the last ingredient and was ready to get his impromptu scavenger hunt over with. He'd traveled near and far, back and forth across the capital city and to the edge of the Badlands and beyond. If he were at his usual mental caliber, he would've had the suspicion that the random order of the items wasn't so random at all, but maybe part of a bigger conspiracy to send him on a wild goose chase for things he didn't even question if he really needed or not. But he wasn't his normally rational self. He didn't care what he had to do, he just wanted the pain and the abnormalities to be gone forever and, somewhere along the line, he was utterly convinced that following the diminutive magician's orders would grant him this.
"It should be here," Fawcet Fulsom declared.
'Here' was a barren area known ironically as the 'Evergreen Meadow'. It was a broad expanse of flat lands with nothing but gray skies and dead brown grass as high as the twenty-year-old's knees. The land was always this way, but since the former Dark King, who had never once visited the area, insisted the name be something flattering, it was called the 'Evergreen Meadows'. Ludwig looked all around him and couldn't detect a hint of color around him, and yet the last thing on his list was red reeds from the Evergreen Meadow.
"Where is it?" He asked impatiently of his traveling companion.
Fawcet said, "It's all around you, it is!"
Ludwig looked again and saw nothing but long brown grass and weeds and the like. He frowned and watched as Fawcet started plucking the strands of grass that brushed against the front of his big red robes.
"That's the red reed?" Ludwig asked dubiously.
"Yes!"
"It's grass."
"Indeed."
"And it's brown."
"Uh-huh." Fawcet nodded exuberantly, "But it's been named, Red Reed."
Ludwig just shook his head. He moved the burlap sack from his shoulder to the ground and then crouched. The sack contained every sample of special dirt or dust, every vial of important liquid, every unique artifact and ingredient that was on the extensive parchment paper. He kept his emerald eyes on it as he began to uproot the so-called red reeds from the ground.
"Careful!" Fawcet chided, "You don't want to fling that dirt everywhere!"
Ludwig rolled his eyes and ignored the impish magician. He instead focused on yanking as many bundles of grass out of the ground as he could. Soon he felt the magician tapping his shoulder urgently.
"What is it?" Ludwig snapped. "Is this enough?"
"Quite enough," Fawcet answered, "But we have a problem, we do."
Ludwig narrowed his eyes because, for all his muted senses due to his ever-increasing insanity, he could still feel that something had shifted in the atmosphere around him. He stood slowly and beheld the sudden appearance of dozens of men on horseback. Ludwig regarded them with annoyance because, at first glance, he thought they were robbers. But upon further inspection, the young sorcerer could tell they were a bit more distinguished than that. No, by their gold plated armor and helmets, their clean white uniforms, and the emblazoned swords they had, Ludwig knew these were soldiers. He could only wonder where they'd come from, but that was soon answered.
One of the men dismounted and took off his helmet, tossing his oak-colored hair over his shoulder as he walked towards Ludwig. Only when the person got close enough did the navy-haired sorcerer experience the second unexpected occurrence of the day: under the bulky armor and billowing white uniform, this person was a woman. She had sharp grey eyes and a stern red mouth amidst alabaster skin. With her helmet in one hand and her other on her hip, she looked down her nose at the being who, in truth, was only a few years younger than herself.
"Step aside," She spoke with authority. "I've come with my troops to apprehend this creature."
Ludwig looked at the magician cowering behind himself and for a moment began to regret dealing with such a shady person. This Fawcet clearly had a criminal record or something that the sorcerer wasn't privy to. Nonetheless, Ludwig knew he had to keep the short man around for a little while longer so that he could get his own ordeal sorted out.
In no stretch of the imagination was he polite when he said over his shoulder, "Leave."
When Ludwig stood again, having bent down to retrieve the burlap sack, the woman had her sword pointed at his chest. Fawcet trembled against the back of Ludwig's legs.
The woman spoke firmly when she said, "I don't think you understand. I've come on behalf of our ruling Prince Peasley to retrieve a prisoner at large. If you stand in our way, as Commanding Officer of these men, I will not hesitate to unleash our forces on you."
Ludwig was unfazed.
He used his fingertip to guide the edge of the blade away from his chest all while gazing at the woman through emerald eyes hooded with annoyance.
"I don't think you understand me," He told her bluntly. "I am ruler of these lands, and if you don't do as I say, I will not hesitate to have you and your men hung by your fancy throats. Now leave."
The men, at Ludwig's proclamation of power, began to murmur among themselves. The Commanding Officer held up her hand to silence them.
"Stand your ground," She called to them. To Ludwig she said, "If you don't turn him over now, we'll have to assume you're in league with this criminal and we'll have no choice but to destroy you. Now hand him over; this is your last chance."
Ludwig scoffed and said, "I'm not in league with anyone, lady, but I do have business to attend to. After I'm done with him, he's all yours."
And Ludwig grabbed the magician by the back of his neck, intent on teleporting. Only it didn't work. They stayed right in the same place. Ludwig recalled, suddenly and vividly, a time where he lived under King Boo's custody. He remembered being particularly disobedient and destructive and, as a result, the old immortal had blocked his magic by way of a ward, one that extended throughout the entire mansion. He felt that same magic in the air now, and knew that there was a ward being cast. It was shaky, though, so the caster was actively holding it in place, it wasn't set. This meant that if he could just get to the person and take them out, the ward would collapse and he'd be free to teleport.
"There," Ludwig frowned once he'd glanced to the right.
Sitting atop a horse off to the side of the troops was a wizened old man. His eyes were shut and his hands were raised, and there was a silent chant on his lips. Ludwig knew to get to him, he'd have to cross the troops. Without the aid of his abilities.
He swore.
"Drop the ward," He commanded, "get out of my way, and never return here; then I may consider sparing you all."
The Commanding Officer sneered at him and drew back her sword. The rest of the soldiers began riding towards him with their weapons also drawn. Ludwig had but an instant to shove the burlap sack to Fawcet and sidestep the woman.
He told Fawcet, "Stay behind me."
And it was remarkable how much of his physical combat training he remembered. Like second nature it came to him in this hour of need, prompting him to use his hands and feet to swiftly disarm and fell the Commanding Officer before him. He didn't hear when she cried out through gritted teeth when he stepped on the back of her legs and then yanked her by her hair, exposing her neck. It must've been instinct that compelled him to give her neck a sharp twist. She fought him at the last minute and that was the only way she ended up on her side in the grass, prone from a blow to the back of her skull instead of dead from a severed cerebral cord. However, her troops assumed the worst and flew into a frenzy from what they'd seen.
Ludwig was ready for them, having taken the Commanding Officer's sword. He didn't think, didn't pause, just fought. And killed. And slayed, stabbed, bludgeoned, and murdered. He didn't stop until the Evergreen Meadow was eerily silent and painted red. Around him was the carnage, the brute evidence of his handiwork. Soldiers strewn about the area, unmoving. Not even all of the horse got away unscathed.
Ludwig watched the last of them dart away while Fawcet dared peek over the edge of the taller sorcerer's stained pants. Suddenly Ludwig leapt to the right, his body propelling him that way because a great ball of fire had come hurtling straight at him.
"Oh. You." He muttered.
Ludwig hadn't taken out the old man, and now the elder was hitting him with ancient curses that would surely make his skin curl up off his bones if they came into contact with him. But Ludwig was agile and the elder out of practice, and the old man soon met his ill-fated end with two words, spoken in soft Latin, aimed right at his heart. The killing curse. Infallible, unforgiving, yet flawlessly executed. Ludwig watched the man drop from his horse and then watched said horse flee from its master.
There was rustling sound to his left and Ludwig didn't take time to ponder his next move, he just shot his hand out and let a blast of energy leave his palm. His head throbbed painfully but the sound he held in was released through the Commanding Officer. She'd arisen and was trying to get away when Ludwig hit her with his energy. This time she did scream, but she persisted, limping her way away from her assailant with determination and tears in her eyes at the bloodshed she refused to dwell on. She knew she had to make it back to the kingdom even if it killed her.
Ludwig let her go. He knew what he'd just done and he knew there'd be political repercussions for his actions; killing that woman wouldn't change that.
"Let's go." He spoke callously to Fawful.
Something wasn't right. I could feel it. There was something off, something amiss in the air. I opened my eyes and saw exactly why I felt that way; there was a mass of white all around me. I could hear their breathing, normally silent but collectively near-deafening. They were just hovering there, staring at me. I stood and saw that I was surrounded. All I could see were their numerous, bulbous forms and the sun shining bright above me. That wasn't good. If the sun was up, I had to have slept past noon.
This is why I wish I would've had my phone; I've lost so much time, I thought bitterly.
An alarm would have definitely helped. Now I had to search around for my pack and hurry to the palace. It would take me hours, at least two or two and a half.
Where is my bag?
I couldn't see it and the Boos were closing in on me. I didn't even know why they were here, by the map's calculations they should be back at the mansion some miles away from here. Not that I had the map right now. It was in the bag, wherever that was.
"Get away!" I frowned, batting at the ever-approaching Boos.
They were getting too close now. Their rotund bodies bumped into me, their fangs and thick tongues, dry from hanging out their grinning mouths all the time, scraped my arms and face like sandpaper. I pushed and elbowed my way away from them but they just kept closing in.
"Move!" I shouted irritably.
They were suffocating me. I could feel them breathing down my neck. I dropped to my knees to crawl away but that didn't help, so, led by frustration, I started lashing out at them. Hitting them harder and less caringly than was usual. I heard some of them cry out in alarm or pain; either way, I didn't care. So long as they got out of my way.
This time, when I stepped through them, they just turned their back and covered their eyes, quivering and whimpering. I just sighed because I did feel kind of bad, in hindsight, for hurting them. But I didn't let it stop me from moving towards the tree where I had the horse tied up to. I saw my bag there and bent to pick it up. Of course it moved to the left because, why not?
I reached to the left and it darted to the right. Again and again this went on, until I'd had enough. I reached left but brought my foot down onto the center of the bag. The thing rattled and shook, which made me retract my foot and step back a bit, warily. Then the bag was still and an errant Boo flew out of it, looking perturbed. I sighed and knew their ruler couldn't be too far away. With weariness I bent and picked up the bag. As I was untying the horse, said royal spoke.
"You know, you didn't have to be so mean to them." King Boo said quietly. "They were just happy to see you."
"Yeah, they seemed real happy." I said wryly, with my back still turned.
When I faced the King, I saw he was rising from the ground in the creepiest way imaginable, like he was popping up through liquid or something. But I didn't spare him too much time because Daisy was waiting for me.
"I knew you'd come here." King Boo spoke cryptically.
"Then why are you in my way?" I asked him.
He said, "I wanted to talk to you."
"I don't have time." I replied, climbing back onto the horse.
King Boo stepped in front of me and I steered the horse to the right. He still stood in my path so I sighed.
"I really don't have time for your shenanigans." I stated. "Daisy's in trouble and I need to find out what's going on."
"I know." King Boo spoke patiently.
I faltered, then gazed into those eerie magenta eyes. He seemed serious, as he'd not cracked a smile up until this point. I gripped the reins tightly in one hand with the bag over my shoulder and the map in the other.
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked him at last.
He gazed to the left, his eyes hooded under fine black brows. It was a couple seconds before he spoke again.
"I know about your dilemma." King Boo stated slowly. "And I am willing to offer my assistance, but only because I fear for my so-...my ex-enforcer's welfare."
"What's wrong with him?" I asked with a frown.
King Boo shook his head and said, "Too much to be discussed at this time. But his fate and your lady's are intertwined."
"I know." I told him. "Ludwig kidnapped her."
"Yes, but do you know why?" King Boo countered.
"Don't need to." I dismissed. "I just need to get her out of there."
"Luigi, you don't understand what's going on." King Boo said solemnly. "You don't know what you're walking into. Ludwig isn't himself and he's very unstable."
"That's why I have to get her out of there," I insisted. "Now, please."
I tried to maneuver around him but he just kept blocking me. Irked, I jumped off the horse and led it by the reins, figuring I could just shove past the king. But it was no use. He just kept the pace with me.
"Come with me." King Boo implored. "Let me explain to you what's going on and help you retrieve her."
"Why can't you explain now and help me when we get there?" I asked pointedly.
Before he even spoke, I knew why. King Boo was terribly lonely and if he could sucker someone into spending even a few minutes with him at the palace, he'd do it.
Predictably, he said, "I can't discuss it here."
"Of course."
"The matter is delicate."
"How?"
"It involves the Dark King."
Now I stopped and faced Boo. He wasn't joking, there was still no hint of a grin or smile. He was serious. That was the only thing that made me pause.
"It won't take long." King Boo cajoled. "And besides, Ludwig isn't at the palace."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
King Boo said, "I went there meaning to check on the boy and he was gone."
"It'll take some hours to get there from here." I said, "Can't we just talk on the way? By the time we get there, he might be back."
"Or we could pass the same amount of time at my mansion," King Boo argued. "And once we're done, I can transport us there by way of magic in an instant."
You sad, lonely old man, I thought.
Aloud I said, "Fine."
It was either the brunt of despair or the makings of rage that gripped the girl upon waking up, not in her own bed in Brooklyn, but in the lavish sea of silk and crimson that was the Dark King's. She knew it meant that what happened wasn't a dream. She had talked to Ludwig and hadn't been able to reason with him.
What a shock, she muttered in her head.
A part of her knew that would be the outcome and that's why she had tried to run. Now she had nothing but a sour attitude and a sore back for her efforts. She reached a hand around her white t-shirt and touched the area, then winced. It was still tender.
"I could kiss it better for you." Came a wholly unwelcome voice.
Daisy sat up off her side on the bed and saw the Dark King on the floor. He was either trying to move the carpet or doing push-ups. Judging by the slick layer of moisture over his bare chest and arms, it was the latter that was the case. His tangled hair brushed the ground with each repetition and the girl had to force herself not to zone out by watching his hypnotic movements. He kept his dull eyes on her the whole time, not breaking at all in his exercise. Oh, and on his back there was the one person who was innocent in all this, his son little Bowser Junior.
Unlike his father, Junior was fully clothed in the same outfit from yesterday and was gripping his king's shoulders so as not to fall off. He seemed much happier today.
"What happened?" Daisy asked the king.
"Nothing, really." Bowser told her noncommittally.
She then asked, "Where is Ludwig?"
It was the child who answered with, "He's gone all the way out of the palace. Everybody is so happy now."
And from his giant smile, she knew at least Junior was elated. Her, not so much. The young sorcerer's absence confused her.
"Did he give it back?" She asked warily.
"Give what back?" Bowser feigned ignorance.
"Your subconscious." Daisy snapped quickly. She was feeling a bit of relief now.
If he has to ask, that must mean Ludwig didn't give it back after all, she reasoned among her own thoughts.
But her stomach dropped when the Dark King stilled in a planking position and let a slow but broad smirk cross his handsome features. Daisy's heart quickened in its pace and she gripped the bed sheets underneath her so as not to go darting to the head of the bed, far but not far enough away from the king's wolfish grin.
Bowser told her smoothly,"He gave back enough to remind me how much I've missed you."
Daisy grew nervous because she didn't know what that meant and she was much too afraid to ask. Not that the king would give her a straight answer, anyway. Instead the girl made herself unclench her fingers from the bedspread and fold her arms. Bravely she tilted her head up and appeared nonchalant.
"I see." was all she said, pretending not to care either way.
Inside she was a wreck and was trying to decide which room in the bedroom was safer to stay out of reach and to plot her next move in peace.
None of them are, she realized in dismay.
"Junior."
Bowser's voice made her jump but she was glad that his eyes were now on his son. The five-year-old clambered down from his father's back and stood as tall as he could in front of him.
"Yes, Daddy?" He asked eagerly.
"Go and get your Queen something to eat." Bowser instructed.
Daisy again felt a nervous pang wrack through her but kept her face clear of any sort of fear or anxiety. Junior let all the confusion that filled his small frame play baldly on his face.
"My Queen?" He asked in his babyish voice. Then he glanced at Daisy and grinned, saying, "Ohhhh! My Queen. Okay, Daddy."
And with an earnest bow for Daisy, Junior left the room with the lightest countenance he'd had for days. That did make her feel a little wistful because she couldn't stand seeing the child depressed. But with his absence came the full weight of what was going on: the Dark King had some of his subconscious back, but how much? Enough for her to manipulate his emotions? Enough for him to be baited into helping her in some way?
Daisy didn't really have much time to mull over this because her tormentor had risen with a lot more life in those jade eyes than was present before. He stood with that predatory edge and stalked towards her. Self-preservation instincts urged her to move but the king closed his hand around one of her wrists. While standing Daisy could see again just how tall the king was and it intimidated her. She kept her voice hard though, steeling out the mounting fear.
"Let me go." She demanded.
Bowser smirked and told her, "I just wanna' talk to you, Precious."
Contrary to those words he jerked her body close to his own and brought her hand up to his mouth. He'd only just kissed the back of it when she shoved him away. But he let himself be shoved because apparently she was amusing him.
"Stay away from me." Daisy commanded but at the same time backed away.
She didn't want to outright run from him because she knew he loved her fear and didn't want to give him the satisfaction. But he would have it in other ways; he gripped her roughly by the waistband of her pants and yanked her towards himself. This time he turned so that he was behind her and was almost brutal in the way he held her wrists behind her so that she was rendered immobile.
This is not happening again, Daisy thought with augmenting anger. She struggled with less fear and more ire this time.
"Get your hands off me!" She spat at the royal.
He buried his head in the crook of her neck and tightened his grip on her wrists, then clutched his other arm around her waist to hold her still.
If he keeps this up, there will be bruises, Daisy thought, but he probably wants that. He wants them all over my body, like trophies or something sick like that.
So for her own good she stopped and took a calming breath. She angled her head so that she could almost see him in the corner of her light eyes and relaxed against him. Predictably his hold began to slacken. She didn't move at once, though, because she knew he was ready to grab her again. Instead she tried playing him.
"What do you want to talk about?" She asked tersely.
He acted as if he didn't want to talk at all because he was pushing kisses against her earlobe and behind the shell of her ear. She shivered and squirmed against her intentions and he let that deep, velvety laugh rumble against her jaw.
He told her, "I dreamt of you, of all the things we'll do once you become my Empress."
"Never." She couldn't resist hissing out.
He smirked against her flushed skin and said, "You'll see. We'll reign together and you'll see that your destiny lies with me. You were meant to be my Dark Queen."
So insane, Daisy thought to herself. He can't honestly be thinking this; or maybe he is because he's a psychopath.
Bowser kissed her again, below her jaw, and this kiss was much more slow and sinful than the others. Daisy hated it, hated the way he was touching her and kissing her. She writhed in his arms because no plan of hers was worth enduring this any longer. Only her efforts were futile because it would seem the Dark King hadn't lost any strength that he couldn't gain back in the time of his captivity; he held fast to the girl.
"I'll give you a choice, little girl." He murmured. "In only a few days, I'll be leaving this place. You can come with me, of your own volition, and seal your fate as my Empress. I can tell you that I'll take excellent care of you. Anything you ask, you will have. Anything you want, I will see to it that you'll have."
The Dark King punctuated these promises with searing kisses that made her stomach twisted nauseatingly. There were tears coming to her eyes, but they were the angry kind that made her hands itch for a knife or some other weapon. Bowser didn't notice this or if he did, he didn't care to remark on it. Instead he kept telling her what she thought were lies.
"So long as you submit to me," He told her, "I will be your slave."
He must've felt the girl shiver because, to hear those words from the mass-murdering, power-obsessed, megalomaniac that was the Lord of the Badlands was staggering. She, for a moment, began to grasp how much power she truly had over this individual. For a moment, she didn't feel so impotent anymore; for a moment she felt the gravity behind knowing she could bring this tyrant to his knees.
But then she remembered he had his arms around her and she was at his mercy and he was just too dangerously unpredictable to play mind games with. She didn't have a weapon this time around.
But I have my body, She thought willfully.
And with that in mind she struggled with renewed vigor, letting him know through her actions what she thought about his twisted promises. He held her contoured against his body and kissed the side of her shoulder, but this time let his teeth sink down into her flesh a bit. Not to the point to where they broke the skin, but enough to let her know in converse what he thought of her reaction.
He said, "If you do insist on fighting me, know that you won't win. I won't force you to come with me. Like I said, I'll give you a choice."
And here his lips brushed her outer ear and here his tone took a vicious, threatening turn.
He whispered, "But when I return, I will hunt you down and I will drag your ass back where you belong, whether you like it or not."
"Go to Hell!" Daisy spat in turn.
Bowser just laughed and said, "Always so difficult."
Daisy wretched her body to the side and brought up her knee. The king was swift in releasing her in favor of stopping that devastating attack, but Daisy took that opportunity to flee to the other side of the bed. She looked around for anything she could use as a weapon.
Nightstand?
Too heavy.
Lamp?
Ditto.
Bowser gazed at her and set himself to chase wherever she decided to go. He mirrored her movements left and right and she began to fear he might actually leap across the bed. He just seemed highly, highly amused with her. That was never good because that was when he was always his most violent. Her breath came quickly and her options dwindled. There would be nowhere to run without him intercepting her.
And then, fate.
Junior was becoming her saving grace more and more lately, and this time was a shining example. He came through the door with a plate of food in his hands, none the wiser to what was going on. Thinking quickly, Daisy took the food from him and tossed it at the king's head. She figured scalding food to the face would buy her enough time to get to the bathroom. What she didn't anticipate was the royal's reaction.
As soon as the plate would have made contact with his face, Bowser brought up a hand and a great wall of fire the twice the length of his horizontally-stretched hand rose from thin air, turning the plate and all its contents to ash.
A/N: Once again, I don't know if I'll finish this. I'm just playing it by ear, I'm sorry again to everybody, but if I don't finish this, I might just post a detailed description of how it ends.
~DymondGold~