Mario and Luigi
The Shaman of Shadows
Area 2: Mt. Chimney
2-2: Fire Flower Fright!
*Village of Ghosts*
The brothers were greeted warmly by Merlon and Merlessa, "Oh, you did such a great job freeing the pyromancers from that nightmare!" Merlon said joyfully.
Merlessa stretched out her arms cheerfully, "Interesting fact if the pyromancers don't keep everything tidy, Smorgs will infest the place and feed on magical energy!" she said energetically.
"Is that why they liked that Music Box so much?" Luigi asked curiously.
"Oh, yes! Smorgs are affected by music! Magical or not!" Merlessa added. "A magical Music Box is like dry wood to a flame for them!"
"Some folks like to call them 'dust bunnies'," Merlon added further. "However, this is incorrect! Smorgs are soot and are stickier than they look! That's why they are so hard to get rid of!"
"So, getting back on track, what did the pyromancers tell you about the curse?" Merlessa pried.
Luigi thought for a moment, "Hmm, a little girl mentioned someone they called, 'The Wheezing Wizard'," he recalled.
Merlessa seemed confused, "Hmm, I've never heard of a wizard with that knick name before," she mused.
Merlon began flipping through an old book, "I think I've heard that before but I'll have to find it. A pyromancer with a breathing issue would have certainly stood out back then! Pyromancers deal with smoke every day, so one that has a breathing problem would have to be quite creative to get around that! Especially back then!"
"Be that as it may, if the Wheezing Wizard is anywhere, then he's probably holed up in the Foundry at the base of Mt. Chimney," Merlon claimed.
"So this Foundry is the place where most products are made?" Luigi asked curiously.
"Yes, it also doubles as the main school, where pyromancers learn and practice," Merlessa explained.
"Oh, and let me guess, it's haunted too?" Mario asked sarcastically.
"Indeed...," Merlon replied.
"Well, Weeg, it's time to get going!" Mario hurried along.
"Okie dokie then, let's go!" Luigi said as they excused themselves. He used the Warp Whistle and transported himself to the next destination.
*Fire Flower Fields*
Luigi went north out of the village and after a few small trees, a glowing reddish field could be seen before him. It was a field of Fire Flowers that were overrun with fire-breathing Piranha Plants. A female middle-aged pyromancer stood nearby. She was pacing worriedly.
Luigi approached her, "Hello, you seem pretty freaked out. Are you alright?"
"Oh, you're the man from before! I'm so glad I caught you! These Fire Flowers need to be harvested and when they weren't I became worried about old man Merlash! He's the caretaker of these fields. Could you go to his house and check on him, please?" she asked nervously.
"Sure thing!" Luigi agreed. He excused himself and traveled the winding roads fending off fire-breathing piranha plants until he came to a rather small house. It was the only house that could be seen in the entire area so this had to be the place he was told about. The house was made of clay that was fired into porcelain. Like most wizard's huts, it was circular with a spinning roof. An elderly pyromancer with a crotchety attitude was shouting out into the fields. Luigi approached the elder cautiously. "Hello...?' he said softly.
"Huh, who's there?" said the elder. "Ah, why if it isn't the young fella that helped out the village! Hey son, would help an old wizard get these nasty pests off my property! I got problems out here with all these rampaging Smorgs, Fire Ghosts, and some nasty Piranha Plants! They're trying to destroy my house for some reason! Oh, by the way, my name is Merlash..., sorry for the late introduction, sonny!" he finished.
"Sure, I'd be happy to help, but what should I do?" Luigi asked curiously.
"Come on inside before more cretins show up!" Merlash insisted. Luigi did just that and the wizard's home was chock full of gardening tools, a nice clean bed, a Hint Block, and three '?' Blocks. "It ain't much, but it's home. Well anyway, you see those three blocks there? They got Ice Flowers in'em. The last three I was able to find since the Wheezing Wizard moved in! What I need you to do, is get rid of some of those baddies outside. Make'em calm down by disposin' of a few of'em! While you're doin' that, I'm gonna set up a magic barrier that'll protect my home. Once it's up that should be it! Just be sure to manage those Ice Flowers well if you need'em!"
"Okie dokie, Luigi got it!" Luigi said bravely as he raised his fist.
Then, more fireballs hit the house and made it shake, "Oh no, here come more of'em! Get ready!"
Luigi hit the Hint Block and recorded its ghastly static, then hit a '?' Block and out came an Ice Flower. He consumed it and he transformed. His overalls were now green and his shirt and cap were a light blue. Frost could be seen emitting from his body. Luigi left the house and outside, he was confronted with three very large piranha plants. He chucked Ice Balls at them and they were destroyed with ease. Behind him, fire-enchanted Gold Ghosts appeared with a boo. He quickly doused them with Ice Balls, removing their fiery shields and the Poltergust scooped them up. Evil Wizard Spirits emerged, as black as could be, with glowing red eyes. Before Luigi could respond, more piranha plants emerged from the ground, blocking his path to the wizard ghosts. He dodged the fireballs and did away with the piranha plants. He then was able to dispose of the wizard ghosts. All things seemed quiet for the time being, so Luigi returned to Merlash. He was chanting a spell behind Luigi and he finished it creating a torch of flames that emerged from the ground.
"Great job, sonny, we do that two more times and we'll be set!" Merlash stated. He then went to another corner of his house and when he did, more monsters and ghosts showed up. Their numbers increased this time. Luigi quickly dispatched more piranha plants, but the ghosts changed their attention to Merlash. He continued his chant as Luigi provided protection for him. Like before, Luigi managed to fight back the horde while Merlash completed the second phase of his spell. "Great work, you are a great help to an old man!" he praised.
Luigi wiped his brow as the pyromancer went to the third corner of the magical circle. A loud rumble could be heard and Luigi shot his gaze to the source. It was the horde of Smorgs from the village. They communed into a formless mass. Mario emerged, "It looks like they're ready for round two, Weeg!"
"SmOrG!" they uttered as they formed tendrils to reach out to Luigi. Luigi fired his Ice Balls at the tendrils and the Smorgs retracted, not liking the cold. Meanwhile, more baddies showed up. The Smorgs, however, seemed to ignore their presence. They reached out with their tendrils and would crush or bat away anything that got between them and Luigi. Luigi discovered that when the Smorgs got cold, they would huddle close together making them more vulnerable. Luigi continued to shower them with Ice Balls in this state and they erupted, flying everywhere. They were dazed as Luigi began searching for the magenta ones. As expected there were some left behind. Luigi scooped them up and the Smorgs scattered, vanishing into the field of flowers.
Merlash completed the ritual and a red transparent shield now covered his home like a dome. "Great job, Sonny, that seems to have calmed things down a bit! Come on inside, I need to reward you for giving me such great help!"
"Great, I'll be right there!" Luigi said as he finished.
Once inside, Merlash chanted a spell and a treasure chest appeared at the center of the room. "Inside this box should be a key. I think it's the reason I was bein' attacked! I found it in the fields a little while ago. Since it's a magic key, I can only assume it will take you to someplace the Wheezing Wizard tried to keep secret!"
Luigi opened the box and inside was a pool of money. Luigi scooped it all up with the Poltergust and then turned to face the old wizard. "Thank you very much, but there's no key!" Luigi said gratefully.
"What?! Awe, did those sneaky critters steal that key while I was running about?" Merlash asked rhetorically.
"Don't worry, I'll find it! It can't be far!" Luigi replied. "What do you know about the Wheezing Wizard?"
"Hmm, the Wheezing Wizard. By description, he sounds like this well-respected art teacher we had a long, long time ago. I can't remember his name but I know he smoked a special pipe. The children have been telling tall tales about how they can hear wheezin' at night! Either way, blessings be upon you, my boy. If you truly are the Green Thunder, then you are destined to beat him!" Merlash stated with a hearty laugh. "Also, if you're heading to the Foundry, you'll find it passed the Wildfire Woods that lies beyond these fields. Those woods surround the base of Chimney Mountain. Be careful though, you'll find a few more obstacles before you hit the ol' Foundry."
"Thank you!" Luigi said as he excused himself.
Back outside and back on track, Luigi began searching the fields for the magic key that Merlash spoke of. However, no matter how hard he searched he could not find a key of any kind. Eventually, he found the woman from before and she seemed relieved, "Oh, thank goodness, thank you so much for checking on him! I'd give you something valuable as a reward myself, but I... wait, I found this key!" she started as she pulled a large key from her robes. "It isn't a treasure, but it may lead to one! I found it here in the fields, but I don't know what lock it opens. Maybe you can find out?"
"That must be it!" Luigi said cheerfully. He took the key and thanked the woman.
Greaper appeared over his shoulder, "Good, that didn't take long!" he laughed heartily.
Mario appeared, "Yep, now let's bash blocks and search around for a secret area! It's got to be close by!"
"Good idea, maybe I'll find something!" Luigi said as he began searching for every floating block he could find in the fields. Eventually, he hit a block with an ash-colored beanstalk in it. It climbed into the dark clouds.
"Hey, is this a clue?" Dry Bones asked.
"Maybe, let's see where it goes!" Mario said eagerly.
Luigi jumped up to the vine and began to ascend. Once he came to the end, he noticed he was able to place his feet on the clouds without falling through. A nasty storm raged in the sky and ghosts could be seen floating above him. Luigi found the place to be littered with treasure and began to collect as much as he could until coming to a jump at the end. The strong cloud moved enough to where Luigi could see a smaller cloud with a strange black keyhole sticking out of thin air. Quickly remembering the key he had, he leaped over to it as the other cloud shifted away from him. The magic key reacted as Luigi came within range and he stuck the key into the hole. A bright flash of light enveloped him and he vanished.
*?*
Luigi reappeared in a small room that was chock full of treasures. It was dark and he was unable to see much of anything. "Where am I?" Luigi said aloud.
"I'm not sure Luigi! Use the Thunderhand!" Mario suggested.
Luigi shined some light on the room and in the pool of gold coins, a massive blue '! Switch' could be seen. Luigi smiled as he noticed it, "Mario, it's just like the Fire Flowers in the forest of the Druids! Let's release the Ice Flowers!" said Luigi as he began to approach it.
Suddenly, the switch levitated as Luigi began to approach it. He could hear the giggling of ghosts as the switch floated upward, teasingly. Then a loud rumbling could be heard. Torchlight lit the cylindrical room and the walls started moving downward through the floor. The room started to become alarmingly hot. "We got to get that switch, bro!" Mario said as he pointed to a platform that was sticking out the side of the wall. Luigi jumped to it and he began scaling the tower in pursuit of the switch. As Luigi rose above the heat he noticed that the pool of gold coins was now a literal pool. They had all melted into a bath of liquid gold. "Mama Mia!" Luigi shouted as the tower walls continued to sink.
Luigi continued to climb after the switch until there were no platforms or anything to grab onto, just a '?' Block that shared the space with him. He hit it and found another Ice Flower within, but since he already had one, he placed this one in reserve. "I got an idea, Weeg! Make platforms with Ice Balls!" Mario instructed.
"Oh yeah, good idea, bro!" Luigi said inspired as he began making platforms of ice. Thanks to this new technique, Luigi got within range and took out his Boney Beetle Shell. He aimed carefully at the switch and kicked with all his might. The disembodied spirits made a gasp as the shell collided with the switch, pressing it down. A bright blue flash enveloped the room as it freeze-flashed everything. Luigi was then transported out.
*Fire Flower Fields*
Luigi was transported just outside a small tower that was hidden from view by shadow. It was nowhere near Merlash's lonely house and it was quite old. It vanished into the darkness ceasing to exist, "Way to go, Weeg, we found the Ice Flowers!" Mario praised.
"That's a relief, now I guess it's off to the Wildfire Woods," Luigi said as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Oh, are we not taking a break this time?" Greaper asked.
"Nope, we're going to just keep the ice balls rolling!" Luigi said confidently.
"That's the spirit, Weeg!" Mario said with encouragement.
*End of Chapter*
