Chapter 1 - A Divine Intervention
The skies above Palutena's Temple were clear and tranquil, casting a serene glow across the vast marble columns and luxuriant trees. Palutena stood at the temple's edge, gazing thoughtfully into the distance.
Her emerald hair swayed gently in the breeze, but her expression was serious, her mind far from the peace surrounding her. She could feel it—a shift in the multiverse, a disturbance that seemed to ripple through every layer of existence.
Down in the Training Range below, Pit was honing his skills, his bow glowing as he fired light arrows at moving targets. His movements were quick and focused, though his thoughts still stayed on his recent battle. He was replaying the fierce showdown with Mario over and over in his mind, analyzing every move and mistake.
When he noticed Palutena watching him from above, he waved. "Lady Palutena! You wouldn't believe how tough Mario was in that last match. I don't think I've ever fought anyone quite like him! I've always aspired to be as great as Mario…"
Palutena's gaze lingered distantly, as though she hadn't heard him. Pit noticed her expression and furrowed his brow, approaching her with a concerned look. "Uh, Lady Palutena? You okay? You look worried. More worried than usual…"
She finally turned to him, giving a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "It's nothing you need to concern yourself with, Pit."
Pit tilted his head, unconvinced. "Come on, you're the Goddess of Light—there's no hiding anything from me!" He gave her a lopsided grin, hoping for reassurance.
Palutena sighed, glancing away again. "I'm not sure I should involve you just yet, but… let's just say the multiverse's balance is in serious jeopardy."
Pit blinked, baffled. "The whole multiverse? And how do you know all that?"
She chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "Oh, just a little thing called the all-seeing 'Eye of Palutena'. Comes with the whole goddess deal."
Pit gave her a skeptical look. "Lady Palutena, I'm serious! If something big like that is going down, I need to know!"
Palutena's smile faded, and her tone grew serious. "Very well, Pit. Listen closely. There are two divine entities, Galeem and Dharkon. They're not like anything we've encountered before—they're both beings of unimaginable power. Galeem embodies light, order, and control. Meanwhile, Dharkon represents darkness, chaos, and corruption. Alone, they're dangerous enough, but together…" She shook her head. "Together, they're attempting to reshape the multiverse to fit their twisted vision."
Pit's eyes widened. "And they want to… control our universe?"
"Yes. They've already begun their plan, pulling heroes and villains alike under their influence. I fear they're starting with the most powerful forces across the dimensions. If they're not stopped, they'll bend not only our universe but the entire multiverse to their will."
Before Pit could respond, a thunderous roar echoed across the temple. Palutena's eyes narrowed as she quickly raised her staff. "Pit, be on guard. We're not alone."
At that moment, Galeem and Dharkon's energies reached the villains they had corrupted, and from across the dimensional rift, Bowser felt the call to action.
His blood pumped with new dark power as he grinned, cracking his knuckles. "All right, here goes!" He leaped through the rift, aiming for Palutena's Temple, ready to bring chaos in Dharkon's name.
Meanwhile, in the temple, Palutena was attempting to reach Viridi through her staff. "If anyone can help us, it's Viridi. She knows when shifts in nature like that happen and could—"
Another deafening roar interrupted her as Bowser landed heavily on the temple steps, his eyes blazing with a sinister red glow that emanated off of Pit and Palutena.
His claws dripped with dark energy, pulsing with unnatural power. "So, you're the so-called 'Goddess of Light', huh? Galeem and Dharkon said that there was a wall in the way of them that needed to be broken."
Pit stepped between Bowser and Palutena, his bow at the ready. "Bowser! You'll have to get through me before you even think about laying a hand on her!"
Bowser sneered, smoke curling from his nostrils. "Oh, you're the little angel that lost to Mario. Pfft, you'll be easy enough to take down!"
Pit gritted his teeth and gripped his twin blades tightly, knowing he'd need every ounce of skill to stand a chance. With a powerful flap of his wings, he dashed forward, striking with a flurry of slashes that sparkled with divine light.
Bowser roared, shrugging off the attacks like they were nothing. He countered with a swipe of his enormous claw, narrowly missing Pit, who rolled out of the way just in time.
"Come on, is that all you've got?" Pit taunted, but his voice was laced with worry.
Bowser responded with a sinister grin, as he exhaled a stream of dark fire that crackled and twisted like living shadows. Pit leaped back, spreading his wings wide and firing a volley of arrows that pierced the smoky flames and struck Bowser's chest.
But instead of recoiling, Bowser laughed—a deep, guttural sound that sent a chill down Pit's spine. The dark power coursing through Bowser seemed to absorb the hits, making him even stronger.
"Pit, he seems pretty strong," Palutena called, her worry momentarily distracting her from her call to Viridi. "Just remember, I'm not afraid to step in and help you!"
Pit scrambled to his feet, his face set with determination. "Don't worry, Lady Palutena. I'm not letting him near you!"
With a sudden surge, Bowser lunged forward, catching Pit off guard. He swatted Pit with a backhanded blow, sending the angel spiraling across the temple grounds and crashing into the ground. Dazed and struggling to get up, Pit looked up to see Bowser towering over him, his shadow stretching ominously.
Pit's wings drooped, his breaths coming in quick, ragged gasps. He tried to summon the strength to stand, but Bowser raised his claw, dark energy swirling around it, preparing to strike.
Pit's vision blurred as he watched the powerful attack descend toward him, a sense of dread gripping him. He knew he was out of options, but he wasn't about to give up. With the last of his strength, he lifted his blades, bracing himself for the oncoming blow, hoping for a miracle.
Suddenly, Bowser was sent flying across the temple grounds from a kick, as Pit saw dark angel wings in front of him.
"Need a hand?" Dark Pit emerged from the shadows, his Silver Bow at the ready, smirking at his doppelgänger. "Looks like you could use the backup, Pit."
Pit flashed a relieved grin. "Pittoo! Just in time. Let's take this guy down together."
"What did I tell you about calling me that?!" Dark Pit yelled. Dark Pit let out all his anger before he shrugged. "Whatever. As long as you don't slow me down, I'll let you help me."
The two Pits flanked Bowser, who looked between them with an annoyed growl. "Oh, great, there's two of you. This just got a little more interesting."
As the two Pits engaged Bowser in combat, Palutena resumed her connection with Viridi. Suddenly, Viridi floated down next to Palutena, her hands on her hips, looking mildly amused. "You sure took your time, Palutena. Honestly, you can't handle one giant turtle without me?"
Palutena managed a strained smile. "Nice of you to join us. We're dealing with something far bigger than Bowser, though. Galeem and Dharkon have started making moves."
Meanwhile, the fight below intensified. Pit was moving quickly, using his agility to dart around Bowser's heavy strikes, while Dark Pit shot at him from the side. Bowser, however, was relentless, shrugging off hits and returning with powerful swipes and devastating fire breaths. For a moment, it seemed like the two angels had him on the defensive.
But Bowser wasn't done yet. With a roar, he lunged forward, grabbing both Pit and Dark Pit in one sweeping motion and slamming them down. Pit winced, struggling to get up, while Dark Pit grits his teeth.
"Got any tips, Lady Palutena?" Pit called, barely dodging another swipe from Bowser's claw. "Because I won't lie. I'm a little scared."
Palutena's voice echoed throughout the temple, just so that Pit and Dark Pit could hear it. "Don't be. Bowser may be powerful, but he also leaves big openings. Fight smart and look for chances to counterattack."
Pit nodded and shared a glance with Dark Pit, who gave a short nod. With that, they charged forward, each splitting off in opposite directions to flank Bowser, hoping to overwhelm him with their combined assault.
Pit launched a volley of arrows from his Palutena Bow, each one charged with divine energy, while Dark Pit struck from the other side, slashing with his Silver Bow in a flurry of swift, precise strikes.
Their attacks landed, but Bowser barely flinched, swatting at them like gnats. With a furious roar, he retaliated, his massive fist crashing down like a meteor, nearly crushing Pit as he dodged out of the way at the last moment.
"You call that teamwork?" Dark Pit scoffed, though his voice betrayed his own strain.
"Got any better ideas?" Pit shot back, breathless from dodging Bowser's relentless attacks.
Just then, Dark Pit's gaze shifted, and without warning, he backed away, his expression hardening as he turned and disappeared into the shadows. Pit felt a pang of betrayal, watching Dark Pit leave him alone with the monstrous Bowser.
"What—are you kidding me?" Pit shouted, barely ducking in time as Bowser swiped at him with an earth-shaking blow.
Viridi's voice echoed throughout the temple. "Pit, focus! Forget him; you have to stop Bowser!"
Pit tightened his grip on his bow, determination flooding his mind as he charged again. However, Bowser shrugged off every strike, his claws slicing through the air in brutal arcs that Pit could barely avoid.
Just as it seemed he would be crushed under Bowser's relentless assault, a sudden flash streaked across the arena, slicing through the darkness.
Dark Pit's Dark Pit Staff had fired from the shadows, a single, powerful beam that pierced through Bowser's chest. Bowser staggered, and for a brief moment, the dark aura around him flickered. Pit stumbled back, gasping for breath. "Pittoo—you came back!"
Dark Pit smirked from the edge of the arena. "I was just waiting for the right moment."
Viridi's voice rang out. "Ha! You did it! Bowser's done for!"
"Huh," Palutena remarked, "I guess I didn't need your help after all Viridi."
They thought they had won. As Dark Pit lowered his Staff, a shadow fell over him. Bowser's hulking form loomed behind him, untouched and angrier than ever. Dark Pit's smirk faded as he felt the hot breath of Bowser on his back. Before he could react, Bowser's massive claws closed around him, hoisting him into the air.
"Let go!" Dark Pit struggled, his wings flapping rapidly, but Bowser grinned wickedly, launching them both into the sky. Bowser performed a flying body slam, spiraling downward with Dark Pit in his grip.
With a bone-crunching impact, they slammed into the ground, and Dark Pit lay motionless, incapacitated by the devastating blow.
Pit watched in horror, his heart pounding as he reached out. "Pittoo!"
But Bowser was already upon him. He stomped forward, towering over Pit with a menacing glint in his eyes. Pit tried to fight back, but his energy was spent.
Bowser's claw connected with his chest, launching him backward, and as Pit struggled to get up, another strike knocked him to the ground. Pit tried to get up, but a strange rift opened beneath him, pulling him away.
"Pit!" Palutena and Viridi called out in unison as he vanished from sight.
Bowser chuckled darkly, lifting the unconscious Dark Pit. "I'll be back for you, goddess," he growled before disappearing into a rift of his own, leaving the temple eerily silent.
Viridi clenched her fists, her eyes blazing with determination. "Great. Now some giant turtle monster took away both of our best warriors!"
Palutena sighed. "We have to see if we can contact Pit. He may still be alive, wherever he'll end up…"