RECAP:
Eris launched an attack against Junior and company in the heart of the forest. The commotion even lured Peach, Roy, and Toad into the fray as well. Together, the princess and Koopas fought against a familiar foe – Petey Piranha. By combining their strength, the team managed to defeat Petey before they were all turned into mud statues. Junior was perplexed by the strange red liquid Petey left behind in the aftermath of the battle. There was something oddly familiar about it…
After deliberation, Peach resolved to join forces with the Koopas, much to Junior's dismay. Together, the team continued their journey to find Merlon.
Weary from a long day of travel, Junior and the gang decided to take a short rest once they reached the edge of the forest at dusk. Meadows stretched onward for miles in all directions. It wasn't exactly the civilization they'd been hoping for, but it was at least progress for them to finally be out of the forest.
"So, you sounded pretty confident about your plans going forward," said Peach. "Where exactly are we going next?" Junior glared at her.
"Why can't you just shut your trap and trust us to do our job?" he retorted bitterly. Peach, however, refused to back down.
"If I'm going to be of any help to this team, I'm entitled to at least some information about our objectives." Junior groaned.
"Fine, if it'll get you off my shell for a while," he agreed. "We need to find a guy named Merlon. I won't bore you with the details of how I met him. But long story short, he thinks he can help us stop Contemno. So we're going to where he lives."
"And where would that be?"
"I…can't really remember. He was really vague about it. Something to do with stars." Peach placed a hand to her chin.
"Hmmm…," she pondered.
"You wouldn't know anything about this guy, would you?" Iggy asked.
"His name sounds familiar, although it has been quite a long time," said Peach. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Oh, I remember now! Merlon helped Mario on a few of his adventures back in the day. He probably still lives at the foot of Shooting Star Summit." A memory flashed through Junior's mind.
Follow the stars and you will reach my home. I dwell at the point where the Mushroom Kingdom and Star Haven converge. Reluctant as Junior was to admit Peach's useful deduction, the pieces did line up.
"Do you know where Shooting Star Summit is?" Larry inquired.
"Certainly. It's not far from my castle. We should head back to the Mushroom Kingdom," Peach proposed. "Since it's on the way, I'd also like to stop by my castle if that's alright. I'm worried about the people who were still trapped inside when Contemno attacked…"
"No! No way! No detours! If you're gonna stick with my group, you're gonna follow my rules!" Junior exclaimed. Suddenly, Roy violently jerked Junior aside by his tail. "Ow, hey! Roy! What gives!? You know I hate when people do that!"
"Will you excuse us for a sec, Peach?" Roy asked politely. Peach nodded with a slightly puzzled expression.
"What are you doing!?" Junior exclaimed when the two were alone. Roy motioned for him to be silent with his claw.
"Look, I dunno why you've got it out for Peach all of a sudden, but whatever it is, drop it," said Roy.
"But I'm supposed to be in charge here and she's just-"
"I know you wanna prove yourself, squirt. Trust me, I get it. You'll get your chance. But right now, I need ya to quit being such a doofus. You wanna get to Merlon, and Peach can help us do it. So you need to quit butting heads, and just listen to her, 'kay?"
"You think my dad ever took advice from people? Heck no! So why should I-"
"You're dad's not here, and even though you got his name, you're not your dad." That shut Junior up for a moment. "Sometimes bein' a good leader means bein' a good listener too. Work on that," Roy ordered as he marched back over to the group. The Koopa Prince sighed and followed his sibling's lead.
"As long as it's on the way, we can make a quick stop at your castle…," said Junior. "But don't keep us waiting too long. We gotta see Merlon."
"I understand. Thank you, Junior," said Peach with a humble smile. She may not have fully understood why Junior was so reluctant to let her be part of his team, but she gathered that pressing him further on this right now after he agreed to her terms wouldn't help much.
As nightfall was about to set in, the team managed to reach the Mushroom Kingdom. Although, it was a far cry from the quaint, humble utopia that any of them remembered. Quite the contrary in fact.
They were appalled to find that Toad Town had been utterly ravaged.
Homes, shops, and other buildings had been raided and abandoned to fall into disarray. The roads were cracked and split into pieces all throughout the city. The fountains and ponds had been polluted, and the fields of grass had been left to die. A chilling air of dread and despair wafted through the wasteland; accompanied by the fowl stench of brimstone and ash from fires that had long since trickled out into nothingness.
The group wandered slowly through the ghost town in mortified shock. None could believe how quickly the city had fallen into such a state of ruin in such a short amount of time. They each silently gathered that this was all Contemno's doing in some way, but that did little to lessen the blow.
"This is…horrible…," Larry spoke up at last.
"C'mon, we need to hurry and find that summit place," said Junior.
"Junior…," Roy started. Junior turned back to look at him. He knew exactly what his sibling was thinking, given their recent conversation. But, he was ready to challenge him this time.
"Roy, just take a look around. There's nothing we can do for this place now," the Koopa Prince defended coldly. "All we can do is stop it from happening again somewhere else." Slowly, the entourage agreed and picked up the pace as they proceeded towards the castle.
Peach instructed that the path to Shooting Star Summit was just over the next hill. They were closing in on their destination. But, they each got a long, painful look at the princess's castle along the way.
The grassy gardens had been scorched away and populated with the husks of dead trees; the moat and neighboring lake had been drained, as was to be expected at this point. The bricks of the castle itself had been painted an ominous dark purple color. Prickled vines slithered across the castle's exterior from all angles like a net and bound the front doors tightly shut; decisively denying entrance into the castle from the outside.
Peach silently abandoned her former desire to enter her castle and voiced no objections to Junior's resolve to just move on instead. Like it or not, it was going to take serious manpower and clever coordination to infiltrate such an ominous-looking fortress now. After their battle with Petey Piranha, no one was up to such a task at the moment.
Shooting Star Summit had changed very little over the years. Surprisingly, there was no real sign that Contemno's invasion had reached this place either. It seemed to have remained untouched for some reason. This raised the group's spirits slightly in hope that Merlon was still around and available to help.
At the base of the violet and blue mountain resided a rather humble-looking cottage. Junior and company were puzzled by the house's entrance. Although the porch light was on, the door itself was barred shut by a series of wooden boards. Were they not welcome here after all?
"Aww, ya gotta be kidding me!" Toad whined. "Don't tell me this old hermit doesn't live here anymore!"
"You sure this is the place, princess?" Roy asked.
"I'm positive. Merlon is the only one who lives on Shooting Star Summit, and this is the only spot on the mountain where a house could feasibly be constructed," Peach explained. "This has to be it."
"But this doesn't make any sense…," said Junior as he approached the door. He place his hand firmly on one of the wooden boards.
"You think Contemno might've chased Merlon away too?" Larry suggested. Peach crossed her arms.
"If he did, then there's no way this house would still be standing. Besides, there's no visible sign of any kind of struggle around here," said Peach.
"The boards had to have been put up as an extra precaution then, I guess…," said Iggy.
Junior shut his eyes. Merlon…where are you?
"I'm closer than you think," a voice called out. Everyone froze in their tracks.
"D-did…did anyone else hear that?" Larry stammered. Suddenly, the wooden boards vanished into thin air, and the door to the cottage opened by itself.
"What the…?" said Roy.
"I've been expecting you," the mystery voice spoke again. "Please, come in."
"N-no way am I entering that spook house!" Toad protested. Junior shrugged.
"Suit yourself. Anyone else?" he asked as he approached the doorway. Larry silently nodded as he joined Junior. Roy, Iggy, and Peach followed as well.
"Oh c-come on! Don't leave me out here alone! Wait up!" Toad exclaimed as he scurried inside.
There wasn't much to the house's interior. The open circular room was blanketed in darkness, albeit with a tint of violet light mixed in. A ray of light emanating from the ceiling gradually expanded and revealed a small desk sitting on the other side of the room. The wooden floorboards beneath were tastefully blanketed with an expansive Persian blue rug. Abstract gold star patterns were etched all across the otherwise plain-looking cream white walls.
Junior approached the desk and spotted a figure in a royal blue cloak hunched over in a chair behind it. The figure glanced up, revealing a rather unsettling, bushy, white mustache protruding out from within the hood's interior shadow, and an emerald green pendant housing a small star and clasping the entire cloak together.
"Are you…Merlon?" Junior asked. A pair of yellow eyes materialized inside the hood's shadow.
"I am," an elderly voice croaked. The rest of the man's face remained shrouded in darkness. "Welcome, Prince Bowser Jr. I foresaw your arrival."
"Merlon…," Peach started.
"It has been quite a long time, Princess Peach," said Merlon. The wizard surveyed the rest of the room. "Come in, come in. You must all be weary from travel. Make yourselves at home." Merlon waved his hand and a series of chairs materialized around the room.
"Uhh…thanks," said Roy as he took a seat. Junior placed his hand firmly on the desk.
"Alright, let's not beat around the bush. You said you can help me defeat Contemno, right?" he asked.
"Indeed," Merlon replied. "However, if you are to have any chance of accomplishing such a goal, there is much you need to understand first."
"Oh boy, an exposition dump…," said Toad as he rolled his eyes.
"I urge you to listen to all that I have to say. In return, you will find that I have much to offer you." Junior looked back at the group, who provided little more than blank, indifferent stares. Junior sighed and took a seat.
"Sure, alright…," he agreed.
"Now, where to begin…," said Merlon as he stood up and began to slowly pace around the room. "I sense that it is great hardship that has brought you all here today; a suffering that each of you share." Peach rubbed her arm as she looked away solemnly. "Allow me to first extend my sincerest condolences to you for the ones you have lost."
"Wait, you know about what happened to Kammy?" Iggy asked.
"I do, and of Toadsworth as well," said Merlon.
"But...how's that possible?" asked Roy.
"Kammy and Toadsworth were dear old friends of mine. We have known each other for many years. You could say we were spiritually 'connected,' so to speak. It was not long after they each met their ends that I learned of such troubling developments."
"I had no idea…," said Peach.
"That was by Toadsworth's design, princess. You see, Kammy, Toadsworth and I were all part of a secret organization of magic users known as the Forbearance Society," Merlon explained.
"The what?" Junior replied.
"The Forbearance Society first discovered magic at the dawn of civilization. In fact, its members were the earliest known users of it. In the oldest of days, being born with the ability to perform magic was believed to have been a gift from the gods themselves. Anything seemed possible with magic. Before long however, the Forbearance Society began to fear that the raw, untamed power of magic could be used to bring ruin to the world. Therefore, the Forbearance Society perfected and passed down the instruction of magic across numerous generations in tight secrecy and outside of the public eye. Only a select handful of individuals in an entire population were allowed the exclusive privilege to practice magic at a time."
"Secrecy, huh? Is that why none of us have heard of this supposed organization until now?" Iggy inquired. Merlon nodded.
"Only those deemed worthy of performing magic by the Forbearance Society were allowed to partake in the teachings, and they were expected to uphold the organization's principles and traditions in return. Members were forbidden from sharing magic with those deemed unworthy in order to limit the spread of magic use to only the truly deserving, and in turn, minimize the chances of the supposed ruining of the world from happening."
"If they were so afraid of magic ruinin' the world, why'd they keep using it in the first place?" asked Roy.
"There were some within the organization who strongly believed magic could be used to help people; to heal the hurt, to protect the defenseless, and to inspire the curious. However, the members as a whole of the organization were still discouraged from teaching magic to the untrustworthy out of fear that the art might be used for malicious purposes."
"But, how could it really be secret though? Using magic is pretty common nowadays. I mean, Kammy never tried to hide it from us," said Larry.
"The idea of keeping magic largely a secret became an outdated ideology at the turn of the century. As the decades passed, the Forbearance Society gradually abandoned its rigid philosophies and loosened its stranglehold over magic in the mortal world. As the founders of the organization died from old age and passed down the reigns to younger, more open-minded individuals of purer blood, members began to showcase and teach magic much more openly. Kammy and I were some of the last examples in this evolution."
"But…Toadsworth never told me he could do magic," said Peach. "He kept it a secret right up until his death."
"Although the Forbearance Society has been dormant for quite some time and lingering on the edge of extinction, some of the remaining few members still cling to the ancient ways. Some still believe in what was preached by the organization's founders; that magic was meant to be kept a secret and that practicing it openly poses too much of a risk. Toadsworth however, was a different case entirely. Had he not sought to protect you, princess, his magical abilities might have gone neglected and unnoticed for his entire life. He chose not to use his talents. This was not so much because he was ashamed of his ability to perform magic, per se. Rather, Toadsworth believed that using it would attract enemies and dangerous people. As your designated caretaker, he could not stand the idea of putting you in harm's way by inviting such characters into his life."
"I see…," said Peach.
"Look, I'm sure this is all really important info," Junior inserted. "But what does any of this magic society stuff have to do with us?"
"Contemno is a man for whom you need know introduction," said Merlon. "I have studied him from afar since the rumblings of a great evil first began to surface."
"Yes, the Star Spirits warned us a terrible force was coming not too long ago," said Peach. "It's probably safe to assume at this point that Contemno is that great evil that was prophesied."
"Indeed," Merlon replied. "In addition, I have my suspicions that Contemno somehow has ties to the Forbearance Society, given his extensive supernatural powers."
"You thinkin' he might be a member?" Roy inquired.
"In a manner of speaking, yes," said Merlon. "The Forbearance Society has been inactive for so long that many believe it has been disbanded entirely. However, a small handful of magic users in the world remain as members, including myself, Kammy, and Toadsworth, up until their recent passing."
"Merlon, if you know who the other members of the Forbearance Society are, then isn't it possible you also know who Contemno is?" Iggy proposed.
"Unfortunately, there is no way for me to be certain. I believe the name 'Contemno' itself is an alias. Someone is disguising their true identity while they use magic to commit atrocities. Whoever hides behind the mask, I believe this person has deep connections to the Forbearance Society; either by being a member directly, or at least having strong association with a member such as an apprentice or assistant. But the reason why Contemno is bringing suffering to so many people, I have yet to determine." Junior folded his arms.
"Hmph, it sure doesn't sound like you know much to help us stop him after all…," said Junior.
"It would be unwise to make such an assumption, Prince Junior," said Merlon. "It is true that I am not as young as I used to be. I am not capable of traveling far distances and if I were to fight Contemno myself at this very moment, my victory - much less my survival - could not be assured. However, the lot of you are not yet cursed to carry such burdens. This brings me at last as to why I have summoned you here today."
"Finally…," said Toad as he rolled his eyes.
"While I may not be able to determine Contemno's identity or his intentions through mental magic, I have resources to aid you in finding the answers," Merlon began.
"Resources, huh?" Junior replied as his eyebrows perked up. "Like what?"
"I am certain you witnessed the state of ruin that Contemno left Toad Town in during his raid on Princess Peach's castle." Peach winced at this statement. "It should be apparent to you that a sanctuary is necessary; a place to rest during your travels. Therefore, I invite all of you to take refuge here at my estate."
"I guess having some kind of base of operations is in order," said Iggy.
"Yeah, but…here? In this tiny shack? Is there even enough room for all of us?" asked Roy. Merlon waved his hand. Suddenly, the entire building shook, and two sets of stairs materialized on opposite sides of the room; one leading to a second floor, and another descending into the ground.
"I chose to live out my days at Shooting Star Summit for a reason," said Merlon. "Being so close to Star Haven, this is most spiritual place in the Mushroom Kingdom. Here, the natural magic energy in the air is at its strongest. Despite my old age, I am able to manipulate the size and shape of my home at will without exerting myself. Rest assured, there will always be as much space as you desire for as long as you are here."
"Well, that's great and all, but Contemno seems like some kind of psychic. Isn't it possible he'll find us here sooner or later?" Larry asked.
"I have taken precautions for that as well," said Merlon. "I previously cast a lingering distortion spell over my home. This location is completely invisible to the uninvited eyes."
"So the reason Contemno didn't attack you during his invasion is because…he couldn't see you here?" Peach gathered.
"Precisely," Merlon confirmed with a nod. "Therefore, I grant you full access to my home, my magic resources, and my services. You may rest and strategize here for as long as you like without fear of being detected."
"That's awfully generous of you…," said Iggy. "How do you know you can even trust us? I mean, Peach is the only one in this group whom you've already met before now."
"We are in the midst of an international crisis, my boy," Merlon replied. "Contemno's power and influence over the world grows stronger with every passing day; and with every threat he eliminates as well. We cannot afford to be too selective of our allies in these dire circumstances. Princess Peach has already earned my trust. Although the rest of you might not yet be acquainted with me, I cannot close my door to you if you are accompanying the princess. She trusts you, so I shall do the same."
"Plus, you probably can't forgive that bastard for what he did to your friends too, huh?" Junior surmised.
"Yes…"
"Well, I'd say that's one problem solved then," said Larry. "We've got a headquarters!"
"Only question now is, what's our next move?" Roy asked.
"There will be plenty of time to strategize and prepare yourselves for the task at hand. But for now, I invite you to rest," said Merlon. The group collectively turned to him. "You have been through quite the arduous journey to come here. Please, make yourselves at home for the evening while you recuperate and regain your strength."
"Sounds good to me," Larry agreed with a yawn. With no objections, the team ascended the staircase to find a sprawling bedroom on the second floor; complete with a bed for each of them. They couldn't believe Merlon was capable of creating an elaborate place with seemingly little effort.
Despite all of the thoughts and worries swirling around like a whirlpool in his mind, Junior drifted off to sleep without much effort. He couldn't deny his curiosity towards what tomorrow would hold.
It was time for a new start.