Chapter 66: Divide and Conquer

The group proceeded into a new chamber.

"Whoa… what's this place?" Eddy asked with an impressed face.

This new chamber was unlike all of the previous others. It felt like a courtyard. A little grass was growing on the sides, with very small, but live flowers. There was a river running through the area.

Streetlights stood on either side of the rivers. The rivers connected at a lake, and beyond that, in the lake, was a strange building that looked like a coliseum from afar. Another building stood at the end of a pathway.

"…it's beautiful." Goombella said in awe.

"Remember, this palace wasn't originally built for evil places." Double D said. "In fact, it was once the palace for a very benevolent ruler. But now… oh, it sickens me. Think of the true horrors that may have occurred right here, 1000 years ago…"

"Well yeah, if you put it that way, then I guess it's very creepy." Eddy said. "Do you think maybe we could collect some stuff down here?"

"For analysis?" Double D inquired.

"Uh sure. I was going for money thought." Eddy said. "Even if we don't find treasure, we are gonna be rich after we sell this palace to those high-ranking archeological saps!"

Goombella gave him a slightly annoyed look.

"Yeah, provided that the shadows in here don't destroy us all." Double D said back.

Eddy whimpered. "But still-"

Double D sighed, shaking his head. "Old habits die hard."

Eddy chuckled, with a blush.

"Now that we are done…" Bobbery said, trying to stay focused.

"Yes. What do you propose we do?" Flurrie asked.

"Hm…" Double D held his chin and thought…

Suddenly, he felt a strange pulsation on his head. In that instant, he saw flashes that didn't last for a second all together.

Double D gasped. For one reason or another, Ed did as well. His face became serious again.

"Guys? Something wrong?" Sarah asked.

"There's… eight chambers in that coliseum." Double D stated. "And the other door leading into that building has another pathway."

"How did you know?" Eddy asked.

'The Eye of Wisdom.' Ed, Vivian, and Rolf all thought at the same time.

"It's hard to explain…" Double D said quietly.

"Whatever. Okay, so there's 9 separate pathways and 18 of us. What do you want to do?" Eddy asked.

"We need to split up." Double D said.

"WHAT!" Jimmy asked.

"Yeah, man! Are you nuts? We can't just separate in a place like this!" Kevin shouted.

"We have no time." Double D calmly. "Okay, I feel we can divide into groups of 2, and one goes it alone."

"It won't be me!" Jimmy shouted instantly.

"Don't worry. I feel we can do this according to division of power." Double D said. "I'll try to be as fair as I can?"

"How come you decide?" Kevin asked.

"He's the smart one. He can tactically set things up." Nazz said.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Good." Double D said. "I shall go with Eduardo Jr."

"Score!" The little Yoshi said, making a pose.

"Rolf shall work alone." Rolf said.

"No. Ed, go with him." Double D asked.

Rolf's face turned red, but he nodded slowly. He looked right at Double D with a very determined look in his eyes.

"Hm…" Double D said. He thought it out carefully. "Goombella and Vivian."

"No argument here." Goombella said, though she looked a little disappointed.

"Jonny and Mario… Flurrie and Bobbery… Jimmy and Sarah… Nazz and Koops… perhaps… Ms. Mowz and Lee."

"And where does that leave us?" Eddy and Kevin asked simultaneously before they both looked at each other. "No way." They both said at the same time.

"Please, Eddy. You must." Double D said.

"If you do it, you'll be doing a great thing." Nazz said to Kevin.

"Uh… fine!" Kevin spun around, showing his back to Eddy and folding his arms. "But I won't like it."

"Ditto." Eddy said, doing the same thing.

"Then let's do this." Double D said. "Good luck."

They all stood in a circle and said good luck to each other. Then, they all separated.

Unlike the others, who had gone towards the coliseum building, Eddy and Kevin proceeded into the second building.

After going across the river, they all found their way inside the coliseum building.

"It's astounding." Double D said.

The large inside was spacious indeed. The room was simple, four doors leading in four separate directions, and a spiral staircase leading upwards. The walls were decorated with stars.

"Nice." Goombella's voice echoed in the chamber because of the acoustics.

"This place…" Jimmy observed, looking around the reflective walls. They were so polished, it where almost as if they were mirrors. "It's… so beautiful, and so daunting at the same time. It's such a mysterious place."

Double D also got the same chills. "I'll bet this place hasn't changed since the moment it sank to the depths of this world… It's like nothing I've ever felt before. Like being in a place where should have never been seen again…"

"Well, we have consumed just about enough time." Rolf said. "Now, shall we get down to business, once and for all?"

The others realized he was right. The clock was ticking, and nothing would stop it…

"Then let's hurry." Double D tried to think about his vision he saw earlier… "There are four doors on this floor, and four doors on the second. We divide into our pairs here and examine each room… meet back here once you have done what you could."

They silently separated. Their footsteps echoed in the otherwise eerily silent room… until they had all walked out of the room… then, silence…

"Uh… boy, this is weird…" Eduardo Jr. said.

Double D nodded. Being in this place was like being in a house that belonged to a deceased person… chilling to the bone.

"So… what does this room do? It's totally empty." Eduardo Jr. said.

"Not necessarily." Double D said, pointing over to the wall. "Over there…"

On the side of a wall was a plaque.

'Words not read in 1000 years…' Double D thought as he placed his hand on the stone-cold plaque.

Then, he read the words engraved on it… "There is a lie in this room. Only those with the eye may see through this trickery."

"The eye?" Eduardo Jr. asked.

'The Eye of Wisdom.' Double D thought. "There must be an illusion here."

"Hm… I wonder where?" Eduardo Jr. turned the other way and started to touch the walls nearby…

Double D waited for his little Yoshi to shift his attention before starting. He closed his eyes, then held his head with his right hand. With the left, he began to make swift movements. His eyes focused on his hand as he searched. As his finger pointed to a specific wall, his head began to pulsate.

"There." Double D pointed at the spot.

"Hm?" Eduardo Jr. asked, looking at the wall Double D was pointing too. "That's the fake wall?"

"It would appear logical." Double D had both arms fall back onto his sides, as he began to walk towards the wall.

He stopped in front of it and held out a hand to touch it. But no contact. His hand fazed through it. Double D gasped and took his hand back.

"Wow, you really are smart about those things!" Eduardo Jr. laughed and ran right to the wall.

In a second, he quickly fazed through. Double D followed in…

Now they had found a new room. A key rested on the floor.

"This is vital." Double D said.

Eduardo Jr. picked it up. "Oh… Cool."

"…this still feels wrong. With everything I touch, I feel like I'm disrupting history…"

Rolf and Ed entered their own chamber.

"Hm…" Ed said.

The strange incident was occurring again when his intelligence would peak an abnormal high. He stepped towards a plaque on the side of a wall. He Didn't even have time to read it before there was the sound of a crash.

CRASH!

Ed looked over to Rolf, who had just blown a hole in the wall. On the other side was a treasure chest. Rolf opened it and held out a key.

"What a pathetic hiding spot. This was too simple." Rolf stated, holding the key.

"…I see you are troubled, Rolf." Ed said.

"…what should stick-for-brains-ed-boy care for?" Rolf said. "The sooner, the better. Now move."

Ed stood in front of the doorway. "You must tell me. Why are you so mad?"

"This doesn't concern ed-boy." Rolf stated. "Now move, this is the last time Rolf shall say this."

"Tell me." Ed said.

Rolf said nothing.

"Allow me to help put us on the same page: For example, I know all about the relics, and that the Eye of Wisdom resides on Double D's forehead." Ed said.

Rolf's eyes opened wide. "How did Ed-boy know? Only Rolf, sock-head-ed-boy, and the witch are to know of this."

"How would I know?" Ed asked. "I know quite a large number of things now."

"Of course, you do." Rolf said with a realized look. "Your intelligence originates from the Eye of Wisdom."

"Indeed." Ed said. "I have figured out that Double D is responsible for my intelligence increase. Every time his relic is activated, his brain waves are magnified for every spell he casts. When they are sent into the air, my brain intercepts these waves. And being unbalanced, they help balance my brain, and make me intelligent."

"Rolf thought Ed-boy was smart. Though if he where, then why did he explain, when I already knew?" Rolf asked.

"You must tell me. Why are you angry. Perhaps I may be able to assist you." Ed offered.

"Rolf shall explain to you his grief and troubles over his dead body. Now MOVE!"

Ed, surprised by the hatred in his voice, jumped back and allowed Rolf to walk through.

"That one has issues." Ed stated, before following.

Meanwhile, Eddy and Kevin were walking through the new building. It was a long corridor, just as dark as the rest of a palace.

They both shot angry glares at each other as they walked.

"I don't know what Double D was thinking, dividing us up like this." Eddy said.

"Ditto. I don't like this any better than you." Kevin said.

Eddy gave his rival an annoyed grunt and folded his arms.

"You really are so egocentric." Kevin said.

"And you're not?" Eddy asked.

"Take that back, shrimp." Kevin said.

They both had stopped in the corridor.

"I'll take it back when you take it back." Eddy said. "And we both know that will never happen."

Kevin's face turned red. "If we weren't trying to save the world, I'd-"

"Oh, I'm scared." Eddy said sarcastically. "Now quit fooling around and let's get this over-with."

They began to walk down the long corridor again. Their own footsteps echoed in the very silent, though very magnificent hallway. Eddy looked rather content, being surrounded by riches.

"Man, what I'd give to live in a place like this." Eddy said.

"You want to live in a danger-infested deathtrap filled with skeletons, monsters, and the queen of shadows hidden somewhere?" Kevin asked.

Eddy looked like he was ready to explode. "…you know what I mean, you jerk!"

"Shut up!" Kevin shouted suddenly and they both came to a stop.

"Why you-"

Eddy tried to finish, but Kevin shut him off by covering his mouth. "Shut up, you idiot. Didn't you just hear that?"

Eddy looked around the hallway and shook his head.

"There's something nearby." Kevin said.

"Forget it." Eddy said. "C'mon, dude, let's get moving."

"Eddy, can't you ever think? You'll lead us both into a trap!" Kevin shouted.

Eddy was too angry to look back.

Kevin growled. "A long time in a new world, and he still hasn't become any less stubborn."

Eddy reached a large door at the end of the corridor. "This looks promising."

"Hold it!" Kevin protested. "Don't just-"

Kevin's words were ignored. Eddy opened the door and walked right in. Kevin sighed and ran after him. As they did, the door shut behind them.

This new room was pitch black. Silent, too, as they were able to hear themselves breathing.

"Move it, I can't see!" Kevin shouted.

"…move it yourself! And quit complaining, you'll have time to do that after we finish this!" Eddy shouted.

"Eddy?" Kevin asked.

"What is it, you jerk?" Eddy responded angrily.

"Quit breathing on me, I'm trying to think." Kevin said.

"What are you talking about?" Eddy asked. "I'm over here!"

Kevin couldn't tell where Eddy was, but his voice was too far away.

"Uh… Kevin? What's going on?" Eddy asked. "…Kevin! Don't you leave me here alone in this place, you selfish jerk!"

Kevin was shaking all over. His hand trembled as it reached into his pocket. He revealed a flashlight, which he flipped the switch on.

"OH MY GOSH! KEVIN!" Eddy shouted suddenly, pointing behind him.

"Oh, like I'm gonna fall for that one." Kevin said, his arms folded.

However, his self-assurance screeched to a halt when he felt a puff of air behind him. Kevin's face contorted to a fearful one. Expecting the worst, he turned around very slowly…

And found himself staring back into an angry red eye, and a colossal one at that.

"ARGGG!" Kevin screeched.

He was mere inches away from a large dragon. Its body was a dark gray, eyes glowing bright red. It's large body towering menacingly over them, the tail perhaps as long as thirty meters, or even longer. On the end of its tail was a small, but large hook.

Eddy and Kevin began to scream, walking backwards, holding onto each other.

"…Cowards." The dragon actually spoke, grinning down at the two. "And whom still feel brave enough to enter my lair."

"I thought this was the lair of the Shadow Queen." Eddy said squeamishly. "Oh well, I guess we got the wrong evil palace, so we'll be leaving-"

"Indeed, the great Shadow Queen rests here." The dragon said. "I am Gloomtail, obedient servant of the queen."

"Gloomtail… didn't Double and the other guys beat that dragon before?" Eddy asked, shivering.

"Nazz told me about it." Kevin said, holding both arms on his sides, which had a hard and angry fist on each arm. "A long time ago, when they were after the very first star. It was just Double D, Nazz, Mario, Goombella and Koops back then."

"…oh yeah. But wasn't that dragon red?" Eddy asked.

"They fought a different dragon, Hooktail." Kevin said.

"WHAT?" The dragon roared loudly.

Kevin and Eddy snapped out of their conversation and screamed.

"You fools have destroyed my sister!?" Gloomtail shouted.

"…Koops did it." Kevin said.

"ARG! I will have your heads!" Gloomtail shouted.

"What do we do?" Eddy asked Kevin.

"We can outrun a dragon. We got to fight it." Kevin responded.

"Fight a dragon! You're more insane than Ed is!" Eddy shouted.

"Got any better ideas?" Kevin asked. "We'll have to defeat this thing by ourselves."

Eddy suddenly realized the situation. He'd have to work together with his biggest rival.

"…I have limits!" Eddy said. "I refuse to work with you!"

Kevin looked both worried and angry. "You stubborn-"

The dragon roared again, once again snapping them out of their fight. They gave each other glances, then looked at the monster. Kevin drew out his wrench, as Eddy held up both fists.

"Prepare to die." Gloomtail said as fire flared from his nostrils.