Time- 4:53 PM, Sunday, October 14, 2001 – Cavern near Sandstorm, Desert Land.
The gang is excited as they see the double doors, the official beginning of this long and tough journey. They try to open one of the doors, but it won't budge open. After this failure, they try to open the other, but it also does not budge. Nature tells them to stand back for a few seconds as she tries to find some more engravings on the doors. She knows there must be some words written on them.
She finally found the words she was looking for, "Garhhorrk Sientusha Halihyas!"
The door makes a shifting noise, and the doors swing in two different directions, leaving the opening of the cave exposed for everyone to see—well, to try to see, anyway; the cave is dark!
Everyone boards Alex's magic carpet with Alex piloting it. She controls it to go through the dark entrance, but as she is continuing deeper into the cave, torches on the walls somehow light themselves!
Alex got an idea from this happening and decides to use it to their advantage, "Hmm, four of you please get a torch in case we need it."
Toad, Daisy, Larry and Wendy get off the carpet and grab a torch from the wall. Now the ground in front of them is lit like the headlights light the road in front of the car. The group keeps cruising down the path, eventually passing through some catacombs.
"This place is creepy!" Violent gasped, "There's dead bodies and coffins everywhere!"
"One sign that we are closer to the end!" Nature added, "But we still got a ways to go."
This area is huge, containing the tombs of hundreds, even thousands, of important-looking carcasses, most likely those of former rulers of Desert Land. Exploring through this area on the speedy magic carpet, the group has no problems at all, but then they crossed a literal red line…
Several creepy noises are heard; otherworldly, ghastly sounds are emitted all throughout the area as undead monsters rise up from the ancient, decaying coffins. The characters are stuck in the mist of an undead apocalypse, a legend they thought would never happen!
"This is not good! This is not good at all!" Nature screamed, "This is the sign of the beast getting closer and closer! There is no other reason why dead people will suddenly rise to an undead species!"
At this time, the group is getting surrounded by zombies, vampires and other undead species. Using his fire breath, Bowser manages to keep most of them at bay, preventing them from surrounding the group. Alex, seeing the danger, makes the magic carpet soar above the beasts. Successfully avoiding the undead, the group passes area number one.
"If I remember right, there are about four or five other areas we need to complete," Nature simply said, shrugging her shoulders.
"What?!" the group all yelled.
"Do not worry, the information you will receive will be well worth it," Nature replied to everyone's negative outburst.
"Oh great, this is the greatest vacation of my life," Roy added sarcastically, "Stuck with some supernatural woman who somehow knows the way to get to the information, yet not the information herself."
"It will be all right, Roy!" Violent tried to cheer up the burly Koopaling and trying to make him think positive.
"Anyway, let's quit this yakking. Alex! Let's get past this second area!" Nature commanded.
This area now consists of a deep magma pit and an old bridge crossing the pit. So far, as the characters can see, the only way the group can pass the pit is if they are to walk. Fearing the safety issues presented with the bridge, the characters instead plan to pass it using the magic carpet, but…
"The magic carpet is not working!" Alex cried out.
Alex is right; the magic carpet, most likely overheated in this extra hot room, shuts down, leaving all the passengers stranded. Seeing as the magic carpet is no longer functional, everyone begins to get off it. When everyone gets off of it, Alex leaves the carpet at the exit of the last area to prevent heat-related damage. The four torch carriers blow out their torches and also put them aside—the next few areas look like they are lit up well enough.
"We must hurry! The thermometer I have records 97 degrees Celsius in here! If my calculations are right, we will have about fifteen minutes to pass this area before we become dry like raisins!" Iggy cried out.
"We don't have the magic carpet to help us! But we can cross that bridge over there!" Daisy shouted out to everyone. She starts to run towards the bridge. Everyone else hesitates, but end up following her.
As Daisy steps on the bridge, however, the whole thing shakes violently, and a piece of the bridge under her falls into the pit of magma. Screaming, Daisy barely manages to get off of that section before it broke apart.
"Ahh. We have to be careful, everyone," Nature advised, "This bridge may not have been used for centuries. It can collapse on some parts of it."
"I sure didn't know that!" Daisy seethed, her sentence leaking in sarcasm and anger. Once again fearing for the safety of their lives, the characters look hesitant and unwilling to cross the pit using the bridge. The female Koopaling decides to be the spokeswoman for the scared characters.
"Isn't there some magic spell you can do?" Wendy inquired. "You know, something that can either get this bridge steady, or to get over this?
"Magic in here is not allowed; something here prevents me from using it," Nature replied, "Otherwise I would love to use that option."
"Enough talking now! Like Iggy said earlier, we have a time limit! We need to get past here before that time limit is up!" Luigi takes a step ahead, taking charge of this situation.
"Luigi's right. Let's go all four humans at once, and three of everybody else. Deal?" Mario planned.
"Okay," the group commented.
Mario, Luigi, Peach and Daisy step onto the bridge, holding onto the provided support ropes incase the bridge decides to break through. The four of them reach the first quarter of the bridge with no problem. Although they haven't ran into trouble, that fact does not last long at all. Peach, straying away from the single-file line the other three are making, steps on a rotting part of the bridge, resulting in the bridge breaking under her. Peach could not step out of the way; it is too late.
Luckily, Peach's reaction is fast enough to extend her arms out, preventing her from slipping down all the way into the hole.
"HELP!" Peach cried out in anguish, begging voice, "I'M GOING TO FALL THROUGH SOON!"
Mario panics, a spike of adrenaline running through his system, "HOLD ON PEACH! We're going to get you out of there!"
Peach continues to scream and cry out for help as Mario and Luigi both hold onto her arms to pull her up.
Eventually, the Mario Brothers are able to get the crying, flustered Peach out of her death trap, and the group continues walking down the bridge with no other significant events occurring. They've passed the half mark with no further events happening, then they cross the three-fourths marker.
"This bridge is not as bad as I thought it would be," Daisy told the others thoughtfully. Peach rolls her eyes at that; she nearly died from the bridge, but Daisy brushes off the challenge as if it is nothing!
The group finishes crossing not long after, and they wait on the other side for the remaining characters to cross. Peach checks her phone for the time. 5:21; they have been in this area for six minutes already! According to Iggy, they only have around nine minutes left before they dehydrate in this heat!
"Hurry up your guys! We only have nine minutes left!" Peach screamed across the bridge, but her words are barely audible at the other side.
"Okay. Toad, Larry and Alex, you three cross first. Then Morton, Lemmy and Iggy. After them, I want Wendy, Roy and Ludwig to cross. Finally, Nature and I will cross. Get on it everyone!" Bowser commanded.
The four assigned groups did what they are supposed to. Toad's group get off the bridge scotch-free, as well as Morton's group and Wendy's group. However, as Bowser steps on the bridge, right after Wendy's group got off, the bridge starts shaking side to side.
"Ugh, we must hold on to the railings for support!" Bowser yelled out to the green human.
"Yes! Hold on tight there! We move foot by foot!" Nature cried out.
As the bridge keeps rattling back and forth, Nature and Bowser desperately hold onto the rope railings as if their lives depended on it; their lives probably did. After several close calls, they reach the end of the bridge. When Bowser steps off the bridge, the bridge swings completely up-side-down, leaving Nature to hold onto the railing for her life, with the smoldering magma sizzling below her. For possibly the first time in her Sage lifetime, Nature is expressing fear, as her sage-like abilities cannot save her in this area.
"OH NO! THE BRIDGE FLIPPED!" Peach cried out, "WE NEED TO SAVE HER!"
Bowser tries to flip the bridge around, but the bridge is stuck, as if some dark magic is preventing it from being flipped back up. He attempts to do it again, but the same outcome happens.
"What the heck?" Bowser fumed.
Thinking of no other way to get to Nature after his two failed attempts, Bowser walks back on the last part of the bridge and punches a hole through the top of the bridge. The bridge, because of its decaying materials, easily breaks when the exerted force comes in contact with it, leaving a huge, gaping hole. Inserting his arms into the hole, Bowser grabs Nature and pulls her towards the top of the bridge. However, as they both start walking towards the rest of the group, with Bowser getting off, the bridge breaks in half! Quickly reacting to this threat, Bowser grabs for Nature again.
"Oh my gosh, that was the scariest situation I have been in quite awhile. Thank you sir Bowser!" Nature rejoiced.
"No problem. Let's just go to the next area, everyone."
As the rest of the group walks towards the next area, barely reaching their fifteen minute deadline set by Iggy, Nature looks back at the fallen bridge. The old, corrupted walkway is still attached at its two endpoints, which can create some makeshift ladder if only the magma somehow cools down…
~7~7~7~7~7
Five strange figures are seen on a sort of planet full of several dark objects, such as dead trees, crows and wolves. A dark castle is on a hill nearby, with dark creatures inhabiting the citadel.
"NOW IS THE TIME MY MINIONS! Two thousand years since I've last been expelled from Plit! We have troops in Atroba, Madoso and Earth, the three closest inhabited planets to Plit!" ? exclaimed.
Four of ?'s minions are standing in front of her, "So, what is the plan, my mistress?"
"Since we have troops on those three planets already, we will focus on Plit more. We left a little bit of our presence on Plit, but only in the sacred areas of Desert Land, Ice Land and Serenity Isle, where the entrance portals are. However, we are still not strong enough to conquer the power of all seven of the Sages; we must weaken them before we can advance."
"So, how are we going to weaken them?" the minions asked.
"Sages gain their power from their own elements throughout the universe. Well, one Sage is already weakened, and has been from the start. Because of her weakness, we can easily travel through space. But, to weaken the other six, the one thing we can do to weaken them is to do the opposite element of everything in the world. Melt Ice. Cause darkness in areas that usually get light. You know, those kind of things. When there is equality in everything, then they are the weakest," ? responded.
"Should we start now?" The minions asked.
"Yes! Minion #1! Get your crew to wreck havoc across Atroba! Minion #2, destroy Madoso! Minion #3, control Earth! And Minion #4…"
"Yes, madame?"
"Minion #4… Do everything in your power to cause the three sacred areas of Plit to have their elements upset. We must start by making openings in Desert Land, Ice Land and Serenity Isle!"
"Yes ma'am!" The four minions shouted, saluting their leader. They then run out of the door.
~7~7~7~7~7
The heroic group steps into the third area; in here contains lush, fruit-bearing trees typically found only in the tropics. Coconuts, Guavas, and a weird fruit, naturally found on Yoshi's Island—a strange fruit the Yoshis call 'Yoshi Yoshi'—are among the trees.
"This area is nice! Look at all these tropical fruits! I can live here forever!" Larry shouted out.
"Unfortunately, we cannot. We must hurry to the Library doors before some stuff happens. We are now in the Lush Gardens. The area after this one is the Raging Rapids, followed by the Tunnel of Light," Nature recalled.
"… Are ya sure ya do not remember any information about dis supernatural threat?" Roy asked. Nature nods her head at the question.
"Yes I am," Nature replied, "I don't remember any of the information's details."
"Anyway, this place is relatively uneventful compared to the last two rooms. What's the catch?" Mario wondered.
About five seconds after, a sudden rush of chilly air goes through the area, immediately causing all the plants to shrivel up. Nature is now complaining about how she feels even weaker than she already was when she first entered the cave. However, she says she is still strong enough to journey with them.
Bitter cold air now fills the room, causing Iggy to once again pull out his thermometer. The brilliant Koopaling is shocked to see its temperature.
"It is now 20 degrees Celsius below zero in here! We must get moving before we freeze to death!" Iggy cried out.
The group begin running towards the exit, completing the third area with ease. However, as they get to the Raging Rapids…
"The Raging Rapids completely froze!" Peach cried out, "Isn't it supposed to be Raging Rapids, not Frosty Frappe?"
Nature nods her head, a confused look also implanted on her face, "This is odd; this is completely unnatural. Something must be going on! Anyway, let's cross this area quick before we have any slip-ups—no pun intended," Nature replied.
Once again, they once again cross this area easily, much to the disappointment of Bowser, "… These areas are so boring! Where the heck is all the action?" the King complained.
"Be glad we have nothing biting at our necks now! Our glass is half full, not half empty!" Wendy replied in a cheery voice.
The group enters the door to the fifth area and are surrounded by complete darkness. It is so dark that nothing, not even the outlines of any objects, is seen.
"All right, guys, something is going on. This is NOT supposed to be happening. This is the Tunnel of Light! Not the Alley of Darkness!" Nature cried.
"Maybe the force already conquered this part of Plit?!" Ludwig said, frightened.
"It is possible…" Nature replied in a sad tone.
"Let's just light some torches and get past here," Bowser called out.
However…
"We left our torches with the magic carpet in the Magma room…" Daisy recalled.
"Oh great. Well, let me blow out a fireball," Bowser announced, attempting to blow out some flames. However, none will came out, "What the heck?! It's not working!" Bowser exclaimed.
"THAT'S IT! This is some sort of dark mist. Nothing, not even fire, can survive in this. We need to use our other senses to get past this area," Nature expressed. After hearing this from the Sage, the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom suggests an idea.
"… All right group. Let's do this. Everyone leave the room for a second," Peach took charge. Everyone agrees with the command and exits the area, back to the frigid Raging Rapids, or rather the Frosty Frappe. They stand there, waiting for Peach to give them her instructions.
"Now, everyone get in a single file line, put your hands on the shoulders of the person in front of you and hang on. This is how we will stick together," Peach commanded.
Everyone makes a single-file line behind Peach, while Nature steps in front of Peach. Peach then puts her hands on Nature's shoulders.
"All right, let's go through the door!" Peach said.
As Nature walks into the dark room with the rest of the line following her, she tries to use every possible sense she can to navigate this room. To protect herself from any sudden walls, she sticks her hands out in front of her.
Thankfully, no stumbling blocks nor obstacles came in their direction. Nature leads the group straight to a door; a glowing door that has a whitish aura. The aura somehow displays its white light despite the unstoppable mist of darkness.
"HERE IT IS EVERYONE! THE DOOR TO THE LIBRARY OF THE UNDERGROUND DUNGEONS!" Nature cried out in excitement.
"What? That was it for the darkness? I was expecting some dark maze!" Lemmy thought.
"Same here. But I am glad the door is here. Well, this is where our real journey starts, eh?" Violent questioned.
"It sure is. All the prior events were just a prelude to this marvelous adventure we will soon go on…" Nature responded.
"Well, let's get it started!" Violent says as she opens up the door, its bright lights radiating into the darkness.