Chapter 47: "A Heart Lost"
From his vantage point high above the battlefield, Robotnik watched with sinister satisfaction, his twisted grin growing as he observed the heroes barely managing to hold their lines, pushing back his forces only by the thinnest of margins. To him, this was just a game, a temporary amusement before the real heart of his plan unfolded. He took his time, savoring every desperate moment.
Below, the heroes fought seamlessly despite the odds stacked against them. They had created a rhythm, each movement and strike coordinated, each hero relying on the others to defend the castle. Peach, standing side by side with Donkey Kong, felt a spark of hope as she saw her friends holding their ground. Their unity had brought them this far, and she believed it might be enough to withstand Robotnik's assault.
She turned to Donkey Kong, a tired but proud smile crossing her face. "Look at them, DK. They're really doing it. I've never seen them fight like this."
Donkey Kong grunted, flashing her a toothy grin as he swung his fists into another approaching robot. "Told ya, didn't I? They got the heart of fighters." He punched through another wave, then gave Peach a sidelong glance. "Guess you weren't the only one giving speeches, huh?"
Peach laughed, a rare, light sound amid the chaos. "Maybe you're rubbing off on me," she said with a wink. "But we couldn't have done it without you. Without everyone." Her gaze softened for a moment as she looked over her friends, her expression wavering with worry. "I just… I hope it's enough."
"Enough? Heck, I've never seen a team stronger than this," Donkey Kong said, punching his fists together. "And we got you leading the charge."
Peach's smile faded slightly as a chill settled over her. She barely had a moment to process the sensation before dark, decaying hands erupted from the ground, wrapping around her ankles in a grip as cold as death. She gasped, staggering as they began to pull her downward.
"Donkey Kong!" Her scream cut through the chaos, sharp with fear.
Donkey Kong's heart jolted, and he spun around just in time to see the shadows tightening their hold on her. Every instinct fired at once, and he lunged forward, feeling his pulse pound as the world seemed to slow. All other sounds faded; it was just him, his breath heaving, and Peach's terrified gaze fixed on him.
He stretched out his hand, his muscles straining as he fought to reach her. Their fingers brushed for a brief heartbeat—a whisper of warmth in the chaos. But just as he began to close his grip, the shadows yanked her further away, slipping through his grasp.
"Peach!" he gasped, voice breaking with desperation as her form sank into the darkness. But it was too late—the shadows consumed her completely, leaving only emptiness in their wake.
Donkey Kong froze, his hand still outstretched, the terrible finality settling over him as he realized she was gone. For a moment, all the noise of the battlefield faded, replaced by a cold, hollow ache spreading through his chest. Then, as the weight of her loss crashed over him, a primal, anguished roar tore from his throat, echoing across the battlefield.
The other heroes paused mid-battle, their heads snapping toward him. Even the enemy forces seemed momentarily stunned by the sheer depth of his grief and fury. Donkey Kong dropped to one knee, fists clenched against the ground as he struggled with the shock and despair that gripped him. His shoulders trembled, his breaths ragged, each one filled with a helpless, consuming rage.
Robotnik's laughter echoed from above, chilling and mocking. "Oh, how touching!" he sneered, relishing the chaos his actions had sown. "I'll admit, I've enjoyed watching you all scramble. But now it seems your little princess has been… relocated."
Sonic's voice cut through the noise, filled with fury and desperation. "Bring her back, Robotnik! Now!"
Robotnik only smirked, feigning sympathy. "Oh, Sonic. You're in no position to make demands. But don't worry—I do have a little something for you." With a flourish, he held up a limp, battered figure. It was Tails, unconscious and pale, his small frame visibly weakened and near death.
Sonic froze, his gaze locked on his closest friend, the sight breaking through every defense he'd built up. "T-Tails?" he whispered, barely able to process the horror before him. But as he looked closer, his shock turned to horror. Tails' twin tails had been severed, leaving only faint stumps where they had once been.
Sonic's breath caught in his chest, his hands trembling as he touched his friend's shoulder. "Tails… I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible. His chest tightened, his fists clenching as he struggled to hold back the torrent of rage and grief surging within him.
Robotnik's voice dripped with cruel amusement. "What's wrong, Sonic? Isn't the great hero supposed to protect his friends?" His words twisted deeper into Sonic, mocking him with every syllable. "He put up quite the fight, I'll give him that. But I suppose even a resilient little fox has his limits." With a flick of his wrist, Robotnik released his grip on Tails, letting the fox's unconscious body plummet toward the ground.
Amy's scream cut through the air, filled with raw panic. "Someone, help him!"
Without hesitation, Shantae, still in her harpy form, streaked down from above, wings beating furiously as she angled herself beneath Tails. She caught him just before he hit the ground, cradling him gently as she lowered him to the earth and delivered him to Sonic's side.
Sonic knelt down, his hands shaking as he brushed a hand over the place where Tails' tails once were, as if trying to will them back. Amy and Knuckles rushed over, their expressions filled with horror and grief as they took in Tails' broken form.
Robotnik's voice crackled over the speakers once more, delighting in their misery. "I'll admit, I expected him to give in long before now. But it seems he just couldn't let go of his dear friends. How touching." His laughter resonated across the battlefield, heightening the heroes' anger and helplessness.
Around them, the once-unified line of defenders was scattering, the blow of Peach's capture and Tails' condition leaving them shaken. Robotnik took the opportunity to activate a device connected to the Master Emerald, a twisted gleam of satisfaction in his eyes as he pressed a series of buttons.
A beam of concentrated energy shot from the Master Emerald, aimed directly at Peach's castle. The ground trembled as the beam collided with the foundation, sending cracks spidering through the walls. The heroes watched in horror as the Power Star was wrenched from its resting place below the castle, its radiant light dimming as it was torn free.
The castle groaned under the strain, stones crumbling as the very heart of the Mushroom Kingdom began to collapse. With a shattering rumble, the once-proud structure began to fall, reduced to rubble as the Power Star was ripped away.
Amid the devastation, Daisy stood frozen, staring at the ruins of Peach's castle. Her heart pounded, a mix of rage, fear, and overwhelming sorrow churning within her. She could feel it—something within her, a power she couldn't fully grasp. It was as if the cosmos itself was reacting, an ancient force awakening in response to the horror unfolding before her.
In a sudden burst of emotion, she closed her eyes, channeling the energy surging inside her. The universe seemed to bend to her will for a brief, breathtaking moment. The sounds of the battlefield faded, and in that heartbeat, time itself came to a standstill, frozen in place as Daisy's untapped power reached out, grasping the edges of reality itself.
Every hero, every enemy, even Robotnik above, was caught in that suspended moment, the battlefield held in a perfect, unnatural silence as Daisy stood at the center, her power ignited by the despair and fury in her heart. The cosmos whispered to her, their voices guiding her toward something she was just beginning to understand.