Super Mario Bros. 7: The Demonic Trials (Epilogue Posted!)

[Magnum]

Writers block Shadowmario? I'm ready for the next chapter :(
But don't rush. Make it good.

[jnfs2014]

Oh, and Ace oddly reminded me of the new Megaman games.

[shadowmarioguy]

Writers block Shadowmario? I'm ready for the next chapter :(
But don't rush. Make it good.

Yup, serious writer's block.  But I finally finished the new chapter today!

Oh, and Ace oddly reminded me of the new Megaman games.

You too?  Mega Man Star Force 3, right?

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 7: Mario's Escape

Flashback

"Where have you been all this time, Mario?" Peach inquired, her cheeks still damp with tears.  "We've been waiting for so long..."

Jolene approached Mario with an inquisitive expression.  "Yes, I think we'd all like to know.  This tournament is being broadcasted across the kingdom.  Let your fans know where you've been."

Mario's face grew serious.  "Alright.  It's a long story, so I'm only going to explain it once.  I can't believe it's already been two years..."  He closed his eyes, trying to recall the events that occurred after his battle with Lord Shade.  The stadium became silent as everyone anticipated the moment when Mario would reveal the thrilling conclusion of his encounter with Lord Shade.  "Here it goes.  After I gained control of my Tri-Elemental Form, Shade found himself completely outclassed.  I unleashed a blast that was meant to destroy the Dark Castle's core and Shade all in one explosion, but something went wrong:

Peering through the thick black smog that pervaded the room, Mario spotted something.  Though near death and covered in blood, Lord Shade was lying on the ground nearby.  Only his upper torso, right arm, and head remained intact.  Mario guessed that the rest of his body had been fried by the blast.  "He'll die if I leave him here.  It looks like I managed to win after all.  Now I need to get out of here!"

"No...  p... lease... don't... go...  Help... me..." Shade begged, hardly able to speak.  "For... give... me..."

Mario stopped dead in his tracks and faced Shade.  He still had a decision to make.  Could he really help someone who had already betrayed him once before?  On the other hand, could he leave behind someone as injured as Shade?  Could someone so close to death still be lying?  Mario was frozen.  What should he do?

Mario and Shade's eyes locked.  Tension filled the air as Mario debated over the dilemma that could take away both of their lives.  Could he justify leaving a helpless person behind by saying that he was corrupted?  Mario gritted his teeth as he looked deeper into Shade's eyes.  "You've killed so many people, yet you have the nerve to beg for your own life!"

"P... p... p... lease...  I... am... sorry...  I... wi...sh... you... no f...urther... harm..."

Mario extended his palm and shot an Ultra Fireball at the vulnerable tyrant.  In a burst of violent flames, Shade slowly burned away.  "You would have turned on me!  I could see it in your eyes!  You've been corrupted from the inside out.  I was wrong about you.  You're not a man with a broken heart.  You've changed from a man into a monster.  There's no one left inside of you to save."

As Lord Shade's entire body melted away, he uttered his final words.  "You were wise to have killed me, but it's too late for you now!  You and your people are the ones that truly plague this universe!  You were too busy fighting amongst each other to be prepared to face me.  If it wasn't for you, your people would have met a cruel fate!  However, someday, I know that someone who shares my beliefs will bring your world to an end!  Too bad you'll never see it, because you'll be too busy in the Vortex!  Enjoy your stay, because I'll be busy laughing at you safely from the Underwhere the entire time!"

Before Shade could say another word, his body was reduced to nothing but ashes.  Mario turned away and made a dash for the exit.  He ripped the door open and sprinted madly down the stairs.  Unable to see more than five feet from his face, Mario waited for the moment that he would slam face first into the mammoth door that led out of the castle.  He waited for the moment in which he could embrace the cold and crispy air of the outside world.  That moment never came.

"In retrospect, Shade's plan to stall me worked perfectly.  By begging for his life, he kept me inside the castle long enough for it to sink into the Vortex.  As I shoved open the door leading outside of the castle, I felt the floor give way under my feet.  Instead of seeing the bright blue sky I had endured so much agony to see...  I saw an aurora of purple, black, and red swirling around me.  The Dark Castle fell to pieces and scattered in all directions.  I was helpless to do anything but drift along the endless stream of nothingness that was now my new home.  I was trapped inside of the Vortex.

"In one sense, it was Shade's way of having the last laugh.  But on the other hand, being sucked into the Vortex probably saved my life.  After fighting with Lord Shade for hours on end, I had many broken bones and severe gashes.  I had planned to jump from the castle as soon as I made it outside, and I shouldn't have to remind you that it floated several miles above the ground.  In my condition, I would have never survived a fall from the Dark Castle.  I would have died.

"Instead, I wound up in the Vortex.  According to Shade, you can never die there.  Your body will be provided with all necessary nutrients, and any wounds you have will be instantly treated to avoid suicide.  Instead of dying from my injuries from Lord Shade, I was kept alive.  Unfortunately, I still had no idea how to escape.  I was aware that there were occasional dimensional rips that I could use, but I could have ended up anywhere in all three worlds.  It was just too risky.

"I can't recall much else about the Vortex.  All I remember is passing out and occasionally waking up to the sound of bloodcurdling screams.  It was like being thrown into the middle of the ocean.  I was constantly tossed around by waves of darkness, and it seemed to go on for an eternity.  After a short time, I'd pass out again.  I lost all sense of time as I was nearly driven insane.  How long was I trapped inside?  Weeks? Months?  I could have even been there for an entire year!  But there was one thing that kept me going.  No matter how badly I wanted to give up, I constantly heard the voices of everyone that cared about me.  They wanted me to return.  If they couldn't see me again, then freedom from Lord Shade just wasn't worth having.  I pressed on, struggling to hold on to my sanity.

"There were so many times when I wanted to let go of everything.  I had truly started to believe Shade's words.  'Life can be worse than death,' he once told me.  I've always believed that life was a precious gift, and it shouldn't be wasted no matter how bad it may be.  It's the same as receiving a poor birthday present from a friend: It's the thought that counts.  I refused to give in, but my resistance was slowly wearing away.  I began to think it would be less painful to let go, and live as a lifeless zombie who had lost all judgment and reason.  However, my patience and determination soon paid off.

"Just as I was about to give up all hope, I saw something glistening in the darkness.  Well, I was still groggy at the time, so it took me a few minutes to realize there was something there.  I shook my head in disbelief and quickly slapped myself to try to regain my senses.  I was faintly able to make out the outline of a star and a line.  Judging by its purple color, I was able to determine that it was the Shadow Rod!  At that very moment, I remembered something that Grambi once told me:

"The four Oracles of Power- the Star Rod, Power Star, Shadow Rod, and Z Star- are all bound to their corresponding resting places.  Even if they are brought somewhere miles away from their home, they will instinctively return eventually if left unused for a certain period of time.  That being said, don't worry about recovering them when leaving the Dark Castle.  They'll find their own way back."

"Without hesitating, I wildly flapped my arms and legs in an attempt to catch up to the distant Shadow Rod.  I knew it was my only way out.  I was being provided with minimal nutrients, and only had enough to barely stay alive.  I didn't have energy to waste on physical activity.  Regardless, I put everything I had into reaching the Shadow Rod, and I eventually did.  Grasping on for dear life, I hitched a ride on the Shadow Rod.  However, I had no idea how long it would be before the Shadow Rod found its way back.

"The last thing I remember about the Vortex is seeing an enormous white light come from out of nowhere.   It seemed... familiar.  My dull senses soon identified it as a dimensional rip.  I had seen some of them earlier, but I didn't have the courage to enter one.  Without warning, I felt a powerful suction pull me and the Shadow Rod in.  After that, I blacked out once again.  In my sleep, I could feel that I was somehow closer to my goal.

"When I woke up, I was in a much different environment.  I was...  I was sitting on solid ground.  In the background, I saw a valley of green illuminated by a deep purple sky.  The ground was rugged and stained with blood.  I had no idea where I was, and yet... everything seemed familiar.  Eager to learn where I had ended up, I trekked into the unknown.  Later on, I bumped into an old friend.  His name was Mace.  He was one of Shade's men, but he had only joined Shade's army so he could avenge his people, the Sol.  Shade had enslaved his planet and turned them into his own warriors.  Mace revealed to me the true evil behind Lord Shade's army, but was killed by Shade shortly after.  Now living in the Underwhere, Mace had found inner peace."

"Hey Mace, what are you doing here?" Mario asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead.  "I thought you were... well... dead."

"I am," Mace replied, equally confused.  "This is the Underwhere."

Mario gasped.  "So, the Shadow Rod's resting place is in the Underwhere?!  Everything makes sense, then.  Because I held on to the Shadow Rod, it pulled me along as it journeyed to its resting place.  I must have lost my grip on the Shadow Rod when I blacked out, which is how I ended up in the middle of the nowhere!  Now I just need to find Queen Jaydes, and she'll bring me back to the world of the living.  This is great!"

"You're fight with Lord Shade...  It was fantastic," Mace commended him.  "We were all watching it on T.V.  Everyone wanted to see the result of the fight since it was going to decide the fate of all three worlds.  You've avenged my people, along with everyone else that was enslaved by that cruel man.  Thank you."

"Aw, it was nothing," Mario chuckled.  "But all that time I spent in the Vortex really wore me out."

Mace pulled out a Mushroom.  "It won't bring you back to full health, but take it."

"Mace helped me gain some of my strength back, and then he gave me directions to Queen Jaydes.  Once I got back to the area of the Underwhere that I was familiar with, finding her was a piece of cake.  I explained my situation, and she was more than willing to let me return.  Unfortunately, Grambi had told her to bring me to him as soon as I turned up.  Being Grambi's wife, Queen Jaydes was obligated to send me to him instead.  When I met him, he said that there was urgent business we needed to discuss.  He said that the Mushroom Kingdom would soon face a new threat, and it was my duty to protect it.  After being in the Vortex for a while, I needed to spend a lot of time sharpening my skills.  I also tried to master the Tri-Elemental Form, but I still can't use it to the same degree that I did during the fight with Shade.

"And that's pretty much where I've been up until now.  Grambi told me about a week ago that someone dangerous was entering this tournament in order to obtain the Star Rod.  He said that this person was most likely the one who would bring about this kingdom's next threat.  So I geared up and got ready to go, but Grambi stopped me.  He told me to wear a disguise during the tournament for my safety.  Apparently, the guy that's after the Star Rod hates my guts.  If he saw me in the earlier rounds, he might've attacked me before the finals came.  Grambi didn't want to start any unnecessary commotion, so he told me to wait as long as possible before revealing my identity."

[End Music]

"So escaping the Vortex turned out to be pure luck, huh?" Luigi inquired in awe.

Mario shook his head.  "No, it wasn't luck at all.  It was the strength that you gave me- the strength to move forward, even though I was ready to give up."

"I still can't believe it was you the whole time," Glaive sighed in disbelief.  "But it does all make sense now.  You were familiar with my moves, as well as Lee's techniques, because you've seen both of us fight before.  It was perfect.  You blended in perfectly with Steel and Ace.  Even your voice was flawlessly disguised."

"That was just because of the mask I was wearing.  It distorts a person's voice to the point where it can't even be recognized," Mario explained.  "I owe it all Dad- I mean Anthony- err... Grambi."

Peach's eyes widened.  "It is you, isn't it?"  Everyone grew silent.  Peach smiled from ear to ear.  "As usual, you're a terrible liar.  We all know that Grambi is your father, Anthony.  He told Luigi shortly after your battle with Shade, and Luigi told us."

Evil Theme

"So you've been spending your time suffering in the Vortex.  I'm glad to hear that.  It's a shame you had to leave it," a voice echoed from the silent audience.  Steel leapt down from the stands and approached Mario.  "But then, why force you into a living hell when I can send you to a dead one?  Killing you with my own hands will bring much more satisfaction to me than having you rot away in the Vortex."

Peach, Mark, and Luke cowered behind Mario.  "Mario, do you know him?" Peach whispered, trembling with fear.

"He knows me quite well," Steel sneered as he gave Peach a chilling stare.  "He just isn't aware of my true identity yet."

Mario stepped forward, his fists clenched.  "Look, I don't want any trouble before the final round."  He grinned as Luigi emerged from behind him.  "After all, you still have to fight my brother."

"It's been a while since I've seen that stupid grin on your face," Steel hissed through clenched teeth.  "You sure have put a lot of faith in him.  I'm going to enjoy watching your confidence in him slowly fall to pieces."  With that, he turned and stood beside Jolene.  "Get these fools off the arena so we can start the match."

"Darn, and we were having such an intriguing conversation," Mario chuckled sarcastically.  "You can take him, right Bro?"

Luigi nodded slowly.  "Y- Yeah."  Luigi turned to see Steel staring directly into his eyes.  Though Steel's mouth wasn't moving, his menacing voice filled the plumber's head.

Stop pretending to be tough and face the facts.  You know that you'll be doomed as soon as you step into the arena.

Mario turned to Peach, Glaive, and his two children.  "Alright, let's let Luigi take over for now.  I'll be fighting the winner of the bout.  Good luck, Bro!"  The five of them took a seat in the front row of the stands.

Luigi gulped.  "Thanks..."

Smash Pit

"Well, after a heartwarming reunion that brought thousands of fans to tears, the last match of the semifinals is about to begin!" Jolene announced with excitement.  "Throughout the joyful moment that Mario revealed that he had returned to us, Steel's face showed us no signs of happiness.  Instead, he seems even more eager to make it to the final round!  Does he have a score to settle with Mario?  If so, will Luigi be able to protect his brother by stopping Steel in his tracks?"

"Not a chance," Steel butted in as he grabbed Jolene's microphone.  "Take one last look at Mario and his idiot brother before I crush them with my bare hands."  He handed the microphone back to Jolene.

"Steel has already proclaimed victory!  He has promised to take out both of the Mario Brothers in two consecutive matches!  Is such a feat even possible?  Let's start the match to find out!" Jolene boomed in anticipation.  "Where will these warriors face off?  You'll have to ask my remote, folks!"  With a dramatic flourish, Jolene pulled out her remote control and eagerly pressed a bright red button.  The stadium began to rumble, and the crowd gasped in awe.

"C'mon Luigi... You can do this," Luigi told himself.

The sand-covered floor of the arena was instantly flooded with crystal-clear salt water, while the background changed to resemble a beach setting.  A stone platform that held a dome-shaped house with a hook on its roof floated above the water's surface, with two smaller platforms on either side of it.  Though it was clearly daytime, a colossal moon with an angry face loomed ominously above them.

"It seems as though the fight has been taken to the Great Bay, located in western Termina!" Jolene observed.  "This is a land parallel to Hyrule that is cursed with the destiny to be destroyed by the moon that hangs above your heads at this very moment.  However, there's no need for concern because the fight will be over long before the moon crashes."

Steel grinned.  "Let's begin."

"Whenever you're ready," Luigi retorted, sweat trickling down his neck.

"Ready... and... BEGIN!!"

Steel vs. Luigi

"Pay close attention.  This is what happens to those who oppose me!" Steel howled as he rushed at his opponent with a bloodthirsty grin.  He threw a bone-crushing right hook at Luigi, who stepped backward just enough to avoid the attack.  Luigi winced as he felt a gust of wind rush past his face.  That punch could have taken off his head.  Attempting to put some distance between Steel and himself, Luigi performed a back-flip that landed him at the edge of the center platform.

I have nowhere else to run, Luigi thought to himself.  Steel doesn't care about the rules or the tournament.  He has every intention of killing me.  He noticed that he was breathing heavily, even though the match had just begun.  Am I really that afraid of him?  No...  It's... something else...

"You can't run away forever!" Steel hissed, sprinting at his cornered foe.

Luigi crouched down as low as possible, gathering as much energy into his legs as he could.  Just as Steel was about to strike him, Luigi sprang up into the air several yards above his adversary.  As he ascended up into the sky, Luigi glared at his target- the moon that hung above the land of Termina.

"What is he doing?" Steel pondered.  "He has to come down sometime, and he'll be completely vulnerable when he does."  Suddenly, he shielded his eyes from a blinding light above him.  Luigi had vanished among the brightness of the sun.  Not even Steel could bear to look at the sun long enough to spot Luigi.

"Nice one, Bro," Mario whispered.  "By aligning yourself with the sun, Steel can't see where you are."

"Perfect; he can't see me at all," Luigi chuckled as he landed on the 'moon'.  He lightly tapped its surface with his fist.  "There's no way this is a real moon; it's hollow and has a weird face on it.  But it'll work just fine for a surprise aerial attack."  He glared at his clueless opponent that waited for him several yards below and propelled himself off of the 'moon' with another powerful jump.  He clenched his right fist as it began to glow with a green flame.

Steel squinted at an object that seemed to be moving toward him.  "Gah... it's too bright..."  His eyes widened with shock as Luigi emerged from behind the sun's blinding rays and landed a Flaming Punch across his right cheek.  Steel was sent tumbling through the stone floor and into the bay below.

Breathing heavily, Luigi looked through the hole that Steel made to see if his opponent was truly beaten.  There was no sign of him.  "I did it," Luigi sighed.  "He wasn't so bad.  I got myself all worried for nothing.  But for some reason... fighting him seems to wear me out...  I feel... exhausted..."

"It looks like Steel has vanished into the bay below the arena!" Jolene announced.  "Luigi is the win-"

Streams of water shot up into the air as Steel leaped out from the watery depths and landed beside Luigi.  He seemed practically unharmed, and his eyes gleamed red with hatred.  "How dare you...  It's time I showed you and your pathetic brother the true meaning of suffering!  Mario will watch in horror as I slowly drain the life from you!"

Before Luigi could attack, Steel delivered a crushing blow to his gut.  He followed up with a jaw-breaking uppercut that sent Luigi's lifeless body into the bay.  As he began to sink below into the depths of the Great Bay, Steel grabbed his leg and pulled him out of the water.  "I'm not done with you yet," he sneered.

"Why did you save him?!" Jolene asked in horror.  "It could have been a ring-out!  You could have won!"

Steel shook his head.  "No.  This man hasn't suffered enough yet."  He raised Luigi by the leg and began to mercilessly punch him in the stomach and face.  The audience cringed at the sound of Luigi's lifeless body taking a beating from Steel.

CRACK!

"Oops...  Was that a rib I just broke?" Steel inquired with a wicked grin.  He slammed Luigi face-first into the cold stone floor.  His smile grew even wider as he placed his right foot on Luigi's lifeless body.

"Luigi is unconscious!" Jolene screeched.  "That means the match is over!  You've won!  Now stop this!"

"Shut up!" Steel demanded as he crushed Luigi's body with his foot.  "That is, unless you want to end up just like him!  This man will die a slow and painful death, and then Mario will suffer the same fate!"

"Why did you have to pull him out of the water?!" Jolene inquired, terrified by Steel's wickedness.  "You could have just ended this quickly by letting him fall out of the arena!"

"Very well," Steel replied with an evil glint in his eye.  "If you really want me to put him in the water that badly, I guess I don't have a choice."  He picked Luigi up by the leg once again and slowly lowered him into the water.  He allowed Luigi to sink in enough for his entire head and body to be submerged, but held on to his leg.

"NO!" Jolene squealed.  "If you do that, he'll drown!  Let go!"  The audience erupted with angry shouts and violent gestures.  Chants such as "Let go!" and "End the match!" filled the stadium.

Steel raised Luigi from the water once again.  "Who am I to disappoint the fans?"  He tossed Luigi up into the air.  As the plumber plummeted downward, Steel extended his palm toward his opponent.  "I'll just set him ablaze with one last attack.  He'll be dead before he hits the water."

Mushroom Hero

"No!  Luigi!" Peach called out from the stands, tears streaming down her cheeks.  "Mario!  Do someth-  Mario?  Where'd he go?"

Steel fired a blazing ball of flames at the helpless Luigi.  "The first step of my revenge is complete!" he cackled in anticipation.  Suddenly, a red blur rushed past him, and Luigi vanished.  Steel whirled around to see Mario standing defiantly with Luigi on the ground beside him.

"I'm not going to stand by and watch this anymore," Mario told Steel in disgust.  "Jolene, the match is over.  Steel beat my brother.  Now the finals begin."

He's faster... than before, Steel thought.  "Interesting...  I wasn't finished torturing him yet, but I can see you're eager to fight me.  Besides, I've wanted to kill you most of all.  I've been waiting years for this."

"I'm not sure who you are, but if it's me you're after, leave my friends alone," Mario said firmly, his fists clenched.  "From now on, it's just you and me."

[jnfs2014]

*claps*. Good story bro.

*plays Legend of Zelda: SSBB Theme at the end*

Oh, and I wasn't thinking of a particular Megaman game, I was thinking about them altogether (and the show).

[shadowmarioguy]

*claps*. Good story bro.

*plays Legend of Zelda: SSBB Theme at the end*

Oh, and I wasn't thinking of a particular Megaman game, I was thinking about them altogether (and the show).

Oh, well there was a main character named Ace in Mega Man Star Force 3.  :P

[jnfs2014]

How ironic. :P

[Retronintendodude7]

Good chapter, Shadow. ;) But why did Mario wait so long to save Luigi? :P

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 8: The Final Round

Smash Pit

"Intense!" Jolene boomed in excitement as the arena returned to normal.  "After watching his brother's beating, Mario has had enough!  Steel has proved himself to be a formidable warrior at various points during this tournament, but does he have what it takes to tangle with the Mushroom Kingdom's champion?  A fierce rivalry seems to be boiling between these two, and it's certainly going to show in this next bout!  Sixteen fighters stepped into this stadium today, but only two remain.  Who will the Smash Champion be?  Who will claim a wish from the mighty Star Rod?"  The thunderous cheers from the audience grew even louder as Jolene pulled out her not-so-trusty remote.   She began to fiddle around with the device's colorful array of buttons and knobs.  "Let's see...  Maybe I can get this thing to work..."

"There's no need for that," Steel informed her.  "We don't care where this fight is held."  He reached for the remote nestled in Jolene's firm grip.

Jolene slapped Steel's hand away.  "This is the championship round!  It has to be the most spectacular bout of the tournament!  If I don't give you two a dazzling arena to battle in, I'll be letting down many diehard fans!"

Mario put a hand on Jolene's shoulder.  She smiled and handed Mario the remote.  Expecting to see him attempt to operate the device, Jolene was shocked when he threw it to the ground and crushed it under his foot.  Mechanical fragments scattered across the sandy floor of the arena.  "He's right, Jolene.  We don't need a fancy arena to brawl in.  We'll give the fans a good show no matter where we fight.  That's a promise."

Hesitantly, Jolene nodded and raised the microphone to her mouth.  "Outstanding!  Mario and Steel have agreed to battle in the default arena of the Smash Pit.  With the floor consisting entirely of sand and pebbles, and the only boundaries being the walls of this very stadium, our contestants will duel in an arena where no one has the advantage!  It will be a test of pure stamina, as you can only become the champion if your opponent gives up or is knocked out cold!  This legendary battle will begin in 3... 2... 1....................... GO!"

Evil Theme

"It's been so long, Mario.  Killing you and obtaining the Star Rod on the same day...  It's fantastic!"  Steel exclaimed with an evil glint in his eye.  "Shall we begin?"

"Why don't you get rid of that disguise first, Metal Mario?" Mario inquired, his fists clenched.  "I can't believe you had the nerve to come crawling back to this peaceful kingdom."

Steel grinned wickedly.  "So, you've figured it out.  It took you long enough.  Steel is such an obvious alias, isn't it?  I'll show you the form that you're more familiar with."  The crowd gasped in horror as Steel's body slowly began to deform and morph into its original shape.  His fair skin melted away, revealing his shining silver armor.  When the transformation was over, Mario was staring at a metal duplicate of himself.  Metal Mario had returned.

"Eeek!  He's back!" Peach shrieked.  "Mario destroyed him!  He can't be alive!"

"Is it really that surprising?  You've cheated death plenty of times," Metal Mario hissed bitterly.  "This time, I'm going to make sure you stay dead."

"We'll see," Mario retorted with a grin.  "But first, I'd like to know how you survived.  After all, I did explain how I made it out of the Vortex.  It's only fair."

"Very well," Metal Mario agreed.   "I need to make a slight correction, though.  I didn't survive at all.  The last time we fought, you completely annihilated me.  However, Lord Shade's battle machine's have a very interesting way of dying.  We don't go to the Underwhere.  Instead, our data is split into fragments that are too small to be seen with the naked eye.  We were designed this way because Shade was working on a top-secret device that could merge these fragments into one whole being again.  This way, Shade could continue to revive all of his fallen warriors without building new ones.  Lord Shade died long before he could finish this contraption, but my master has obtained all of his technology and has progressed farther than Shade would have ever dreamed.  Thanks to Shade's device, my new leader has reunited my data fragments.  Now I'm back, and I'm stronger than ever."

"Great," Mario sighed.  "But you've missed one important point.  I'm stronger than anything Shade has ever built.  You can't begin to understand how much stronger my friends and I have gotten since we last fought."

Mario vs. Metal Mario

"We'll see about that!" Metal Mario screamed as he threw his strongest punch at his opponent.  Mario effortlessly ducked under the punch and landed a painful right hook to his rival's gut.  Metal Mario staggered backward, coughing up silver blood.  Mario rushed at his stunned foe and dished out a few more punches to the robot's face, following up with a roundhouse kick that sent Metal Mario tumbling into the arena's wall.

"Go Mario!" Peach cheered.  "You can do it!"

"Gah!  Lucky shots!" Metal Mario cursed as he dusted himself off.  He pulled his right arm back, and it began to emit a silver aura.  With a swift flick of his arm, a barrage of silver Fireballs launched themselves at Mario.

"Luck had nothing to do with it," Mario mumbled, cupping his hands together.  In a flash of red, a sword of flames materialized in his hands.  "Time for some baseball."  As the Fireballs got close to him, Mario batted them away with his Flaming Sword.  The deflected Fireballs were targeted directly at Metal Mario, who rolled to the side to take cover.  Sand and pebbles shot up into the air as the blazing spheres hit the ground.  The airborne gravel blocking his sight, Metal Mario was unable to see Mario sprint up to him from behind and slash him across the back.

"How dare you!" Metal Mario screamed in pain as he whirled around and attempted to retaliate.  Before he could land a single punch, Mario sent his knee flying into the robot's chin.  Metal Mario staggered backward in pain, and Mario continued his assault with an onslaught of bone breaking punches and kicks.  He ended the combo with a devastating Smash Attack that knocked his opponent into the wall at the opposite end of the stadium.

"Wow!  Mario's all over this fight!" Luigi exclaimed with confidence.  "He'll win for sure!  Right, Glaive?"

"I'm... not sure," Glaive muttered in uncertainty.  Something isn't right here...

Metal Mario pulled himself to his feet, cracked his knuckles, and was ready for more.  Heh...  He's just as foolish as Wario and Luigi were.

"You're acting pretty happy for someone who's busy eating dirt," Mario chuckled.  "You can take a punch, but that won't help for long."  He was beside Metal Mario again in a matter of seconds, busy giving him the beating of his life.  Metal Mario couldn't even get a single attack in as Mario pummeled him into the ground.

"Metal Mario doesn't stand a chance," Luigi whispered to Glaive.  "And to think I was worried.  Soon, that freak will finally be gone for good.  His days of terrorizing this kingdom are over."

"No, you're wrong," Glaive disagreed.  "Take a closer look.  It may seem like Mario's winning, but I'm starting to think that his attacks aren't hurting Metal Mario in the least bit.  But how could that be?"

Mario landed yet another solid blow across his metal copy's face, sending him into the wall once again.  Not giving him a chance to recover, Mario sprinted toward him and continued to beat on him.  Mario's attacks were so brutal that they were actually driving Metal Mario through the wall of the arena and under the seats in the audience.

THWACK!

Smoke and debris shot out from the hole that Mario had made as Metal Mario's lifeless body flew out and onto the center of the arena.  A few seconds later, Mario walked out of the hole with his fists clenched.  "Let's see him get up after that."  I hope that keeps him down.  For some reason, I'm starting to feel a little tired.

Metal Mario grinned as he wept the blood from his mouth.  "That's all?  I remember your punches being much harder."

Glaive pointed at the unharmed Metal Mario.  "See?  Look at Mario, and then look at Metal Mario.  Though it seems like Metal Mario has been taking a beating, it doesn't even look like he's hurt.  At the same time, Mario looks like he's exhausted.  He's tiring himself out.  At this point, he's getting desperate."

Ace appeared next to them.  "Mario is definitely stronger than his metal duplicate.  That much is clear."

"Where'd you come from?" Luigi asked, surprised by Ace's sudden appearance.

"However," Ace continued, ignoring Luigi, "there is something interfering with Mario's ability to fight.  It's almost time for me to explain everything.  Just wait a little bit longer.  Soon, everything will fall into place."

Tri-Elemental Form

Mario stepped forward, breathing heavily.  "Alright...  So my normal attacks... aren't enough for you?  That's just fine...  I'll show you a little trick I learned two years ago.  It's one of the reasons why you don't stand a chance against me."  He closed his eyes, concentrating on the thoughts that went through his head as he transformed during his fight with Shade.

"What's this?  My scanners are detecting an abnormal energy signature," Metal Mario whispered in fear.  "What's he doing?"

"Tri-Elemental Form!" Mario bellowed as his body was lit with a splendiferous rainbow of colors.  Vivid lights flashed from his body, and the audience shielded their eyes from his aura's brilliance.  This was the transformation that gave him the strength to defeat Shade.  This was the true power of the Mushroom Hero.

"How could he have this much power?" Metal Mario asked himself in pure terror.  "Impossible...  In this form, he's generating enough strength to defeat someone as powerful as Lord Shade!"

"Yeah, I took care of him two years ago," Mario replied with a grin.  "Back then, I had much more control over this form.  Now I can only use it for a limited amount of time.  But then again, that's all I'll need."

Metal Mario's eyes widened.  "Then...  You're the one... the one my master has been searching for!"

"As I suspected," Ace muttered.

Without another word, Mario zoomed up to his astonished foe, leaving a rainbow trail behind him.  Lights of every color flared as Mario unleashed a devastating chain of attacks.  He grabbed Metal Mario's head and pulled it towards him as he sent his knee upward into the robot's chest.  Howling in agony, Metal Mario soared up above the stadium floor.  With one graceful leap, Mario hopped up above his ascending rival.  He locked his hands together and slammed them right into Metal Mario's head, sending him plummeting toward the ground.  With an enormous CRASH, Metal Mario smashed into the sandy floor of the arena.  The crowd went wild with applause.

"Is that all?" Metal Mario taunted him as he rolled to his feet.  Mario landed beside his foe and raised his fists to continue pummeling him.  However, just as his fists were about to meet Metal Mario's face, Mario fell to his knees.

The Nightmare Haze

The colorful aura surrounding his body vanished.  The Tri-Elemental Form had faded away.  "Why... am I... so tired?" Mario inquired, breathing heavily.

"What's going on?" Luigi cried.  "Why did Bro stop?"

"Take a deep breath," Ace demanded.

Hesitantly, Luigi complied.  He inhaled as much air as he could, then began to cough as he nearly toppled over.  "Ack!  What's that stuff in the air?!  It seems... familiar..."

"You've been inhaling it for the past few days," Ace answered firmly.  "When you fought against Metal Mario, your body had a greater demand for oxygen. So it inhaled more of that poison in the air, causing both you and Wario to feel exhausted during your fights with him."

"Feeling a little weak?" Metal Mario sneered, kicking the fallen plumber.  "Ace is correct.  The authorities in the Nightmare Vault have kept you well-informed.  It's called Nightmare Haze, a nifty invisible fog from the depths of the Nightmare Vault.  Once you breathe it in, it slowly begins to drain your body of its energy.  After you've inhaled too much, you'll die.  I released the Nightmare Haze into this kingdom not too long ago, and so you've all been steadily inhaling it.  Those of you who overexert yourself will succumb to its side-effects sooner, but you'll all give in to it eventually.  A little demon buddy of mine taught me how to control the concentration of Nightmare Haze in the air, so that's why the only people who have really suffered from it are the ones who have fought me.  Soon, you'll all be on the ground just like this fool is."

Mario vs. Metal Mario

"Don't count me out just yet," Mario chuckled, though he was clearly in pain. 

Metal Mario's eyes widened as Mario slowly got back on his feet.  "How are you still able to stand?  The Nightmare Haze should have drained all of your energy by now!"

"Not quite...  I've still got some strength left... and I'll use every last drop of it to take you down!" Mario screamed in determination.  He rushed at his metal counterpart and used all of his might to raise his arm and throw a punch.  Metal Mario effortlessly sidestepped the blow, and retaliated with an elbow to Mario's gut.  The plumber tumbled onto his back, clutching his stomach in agony.

"Look at him..." Glaive gasped in amazement.  "He's completely exhausted, and yet he's giving it everything he's got."

"We need to help him!  There's no telling what will happen if Bro keeps this up!" Luigi wept as he watched his brother fight for his life.

Glaive turned to Luigi.  "If Mario keeps this up, his death is assured.  He is well aware of that.  If he sits and does nothing, he just might live.  However, if that happened, Metal Mario would claim the Star Rod and cause all sorts of havoc.  Mario isn't the type of person to put others in danger just to save himself.  Right now, Mario is battling to protect all of us.  This is what he lives for.  As the Mushroom Hero, it is his duty to fight for everyone's safety.  It isn't our place to interfere with that."

"Who cares?!" Luigi screeched in disagreement.  "Even if he is fighting to protect us, there's no way he can win!  Whether he fights Metal Mario or not, he still won't be able to stop him from getting the Star Rod!  We have to step in!"

Ace shook his head.  "Think about it.  As long as the Nightmare Haze is present in this kingdom, Metal Mario will be impossible to defeat.  If we all attacked him at once, we'd just be killing ourselves.  There is a strategy behind all of this.  Stay back for now.  When Metal Mario goes after the Star Rod, we can catch him by surprise and incapacitate him before he can use his Nightmare Haze."

After yet another crushing blow, Mario stood up.  His body was covered in bruises, and he was gasping for air.  Trembling in agony, Mario aimed his right palm at his opponent.  He used his other hand to support his arm and improve his aim.  Charging up what little Elemental Energy he had left, Mario launched a Fireball at his grinning foe.

This is all he has left.  After I eradicate this Fireball, Mario won't have any other method of attack, Metal Mario thought.  With a simple flick of his wrist, the Fireball Mario had put all of his faith in was sent soaring out of the stadium.

Evil Desire

"I'll... get you... for this..." Mario groaned as he fell flat on the ground.

"Don't feel bad," Metal Mario chuckled, stomping on the unconscious Mario.  "You lasted fairly long, considering how much Nightmare Haze entered your body."  He turned to Jolene.  "See?  I won.  I want my wish. Now."

"I- I won't," Jolene snapped defiantly.  "I'd never let a monster like you use the Star Rod."

Metal Mario grinned wickedly.  "That's fine.  Maybe you'd be willing to hand it over if I piled up a few dead bodies on your conscience- a few hundred, that is."

Jolene gasped.  "You wouldn't..."

Metal Mario's smile grew even wider.  "Let me make my wish, or I'll start killing every spectator in this stadium," he warned in a menacing tone.  "You just saw me defeat the Mario Brothers with ease.  Do I need to remind you that there is no one in this stadium capable of stopping me?  The Nightmare Haze makes me invincible!  I don't suffer from the mist one bit, since I'm a robot!"

Hesitantly, Jolene handed Metal Mario the Star Rod.  "I'm only doing this to protect the people in this stadium," she reminded him through gritted teeth.  "I know what it's like to lose someone important to you, and I don't want to see it happen to anyone else."

"Fair enough," Metal Mario snickered as he held the Star Rod above his head.  "With this, I'll make my first big step toward accomplishing my master's goals!  Listen up, 'great and powerful' Star Rod!  I have a wish that you'd better grant!  There's a very nifty little dimension in the center every world in existence, and it's called the Nexus.  I wish to gain entrance to this realm, so get to it!"

A voice began to echo from the sky.  It is I, the Star Rod's Spirit. If that is your desire, it will be granted.  Although it could cause great pain to the people around you, I shall fulfill my duty and grant your request.  No matter what a person may wish for, he will still have to pay for his sins eventually.  Bring the Star Rod to the Nexus Access Point of this kingdom.  Once you do, I will have the Nexus Gate open in ten days.  However, opening the gate will use every last drop of the Star Rod's power.  It will never be able to grant a wish again.

"That's just fine," Metal Mario sneered as he turned to leave the stadium.  In the blink of an eye, he was surrounded by dozens of muscular security guards dressed in black.  "Do you fools really think you can stand in my way?"

"Stop right where you are.  Hand over the Star Rod," one of them demanded.  "If you do, your sentence may be less severe.  Otherwise, you'll be facing the death penalty."

"Oops," Metal Mario cackled as the Star Rod began to glow.  In a flash of light, all of the guards were lying on the ground, unconscious.  "For the next ten days, the Star Rod belongs to me.  You can have it back once I'm done with it."

Evil Theme

"Wait just a second," Ace shouted as he rushed to Jolene's side.  "You're not going anywhere."

Before Metal Mario could respond, Luigi and Glaive were standing beside Ace.  The three of them rushed at the robotic fiend simultaneously.  The Star Rod began to glow, and several beams of light shot out at the heroes.  Glaive, Luigi, and Ace tumbled onto their backs in pain.

"Don't try to interfere," Metal Mario admonished.  "Besides, it was obvious that you'd try something like this.  As I fought with Mario, I fed a considerable amount of Nightmare Haze to you three.  Of course, you didn't notice until you actually attacked me."

"There's a high concentration of Nightmare Haze surrounding us," Ace confirmed, not even trying to get up.  "If we fight him now, we'll end up like Mario."

"Yes," Metal Mario agreed in mock sympathy.  "You'll live a little longer if you just stay still.  The Nightmare Haze will still kill you eventually, but at least you'll have time to say your goodbyes."  He laughed obnoxiously as he exited the stadium with the Star Rod in his hand.  The audience cringed as they heard the screams of the guards who stood in Metal Mario's path.

Glaive angrily gripped his sword and prepared to unsheathe it.  "Stop it," Ace demanded.  "We have to let him go for now."

"We have to stop him!" Luigi argued.  "He got away with the Star Rod!"

"I wasn't expecting him to give us a dose of Nightmare Haze before we fought him," Ace admitted.  "Even so, we can't pursue him just yet."  He sighed.  "It's time for me to explain everything."

Ace's Theme

Ace pulled out an ID card and showed it to them with a dramatic flourish.  "My name is Ace Spades.  I'm the commander of Poker Face, which is a top secret team of undercover agents that work for the Demon Resistance- the name of demons who seek to maintain a peaceful relationship with people in the world of the living.  Sadly, a majority have sunk under the rule of the Phoenix- the organization of demons planning to escape the Nightmare Vault and cause havoc here.  It's my job to investigate the weakening of the barrier between this world and the Nightmare Vault.

"Though I'm not sure what his master's goal is, I can give a rough translation of what Metal Mario asked the Star Rod to do.  The Nexus is a dimension in the center of all creation.  You could say that it is a bind that holds all worlds together, and yet it also serves as a wall to prevent people from traveling between worlds unless special conditions are met.  For example, when you die, your soul is instantly sent through the Nexus to the Underwhere.  It is done so quickly that it'd be impossible to know that the Nexus existed unless someone who already knew about it told you.

"Metal Mario is going to take the Star Rod to this kingdom's Nexus Access Point.  It's a place deep underground where a portal to the Nexus can be reached.  However, as I said earlier, this portal will not open unless special conditions are met- such as death.  Metal Mario is going to use the Star Rod's power to force the portal open and gain access to the Nexus.  With the Nexus under his control, he'll no longer need the Star Rod.  Once inside, he'll be able to open or close any Nexus Access Point in existence for as long as he chooses.  If my information is correct, he'll permanently open the portals in both this kingdom and the Nightmare Vault, allowing demons under the Phoenix rule to flood in and destroy everything as we know it.  It's my job to prevent that from happening."

"So that's how I know you!" Glaive exclaimed.  "I remember hearing about you when I lived in the Nightmare Vault.  So you're the big hero, huh?  You still haven't told us why we couldn't go after Metal Mario."

"We have something much more urgent to attend to," Ace answered.  "If we don't find the source of the Nightmare Haze and destroy it, everyone in this kingdom will die.  Plus, with this haze around, we won't be able to do much to stop Metal Mario.  He isn't that strong on his own; any one of us could take him out by ourselves.  It's the haze that makes him seem strong.  The demon he spoke of is the true villain we need to pursue.  He calls himself Nightmare, and he's hiding on an island somewhere in the Sea of Flames.  We need to find his exact location, which leads me to the final thing I need to explain.

"The reason I let Mario fight for so long is that I needed him to absorb a great deal of Nightmare Haze into his body.  Based on the data I've collected so far, Mario has the potential to resist the haze's effects for much longer than any of us can.  With such a high concentration of Nightmare Haze available, I'll be able to pinpoint Nightmare's exact location.  And by analyzing the clusters of haze in Mario's body, I can create an antidote that should be able to cure people in a condition similar to his.  It'll also give people temporary immunity to the Nightmare Haze, which should give us enough time to take Nightmare down."

"Basically, you used Mario like a sponge to absorb the haze so you could study it," Glaive observed.  "And Mario had to be the one to do it because his body could withstand the haze better than ours could."

"That's right," Ace affirmed with a nod.

"I don't know..." Luigi mumbled, starting to shiver in fear.  "Going after Nightmare sounds kind of... dangerous..."

"While you're at it," Glaive began, ignoring Luigi's cowardice, "where is this 'Nexus Access Point'?"

"Let's just say that you should probably evacuate everyone from Mushroom Castle..." Ace replied.  "Right now, everyone in this entire kingdom should follow me to the hospital.  We can start analyzing Mario and get that antidote ready.  Our first move will be to get Mario on the road to recovery and to give everyone temporary immunity from the Nightmare Haze.  Then, we'll go after Nightmare and meet up with Mario before we take out Metal Mario.  Is there any way for us to contact the entire kingdom quickly?  I need to inform everyone of the situation."

Jolene handed Ace her microphone.  "This is still being broadcasted.  Just tell the fans what you want them to hear."

[Magnum]

Finally got to reading this chapter.

Nice job. Sucks how MM won though :(

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 9: The Demonic Trials

Ace's Theme

Doctors were scurrying up and down the hospital's main corridor, making preparations for the massive number of guests that would soon arrive. "That should do it," Ace sighed as he and Glaive lowered the unconscious Mario onto a plush hospital bed.  "He should be fine if he rests here for a while.  I just need to analyze the clusters of Nightmare Haze in his body.  Luigi, give me a status report on the Mushroom Kingdom residents." 

Luigi peered out of a window at the side of their room.  On the horizon, he spotted several clusters of frenzied civilians approaching them.  "It looks like people are starting to make their way here.  The broadcast we made worked!"

Seeing their hero lying unconscious must've really convinced them, Ace thought.  They must put a lot of faith in him.  Mario...  He pulled out a circular device with a trigger on one side.  "This is one of Poker Face's top secret devices.  It's the NCA, or Nightmare Command Apparatus."  Ace pointed it at Mario and pulled the trigger, sending a green ray of light rushing toward the plumber.  The light rushed up and down Mario's body for a few moments, then returned to Ace's NCA.  The screen lit up with various codes that only Ace seemed to understand.

"So, is that the data you were looking for?" Glaive inquired, peeking at the device's screen.

"It is," Ace answered concisely, not taking his eyes off of the screen.  "I need some kind of container.  Does anyone know where I could find one?"

One of the nurses in the hall overheard them and stepped into the room.  "I... might be able to find one," she volunteered shyly.  She was a short, blonde Toad with pink dots on her mushroom-shaped hat.  "I'm Kay T.  This is my first day on the job, so I can't really help the others with anything important.  I'd be happy to at least be able to lend a hand here."

"That would be a huge help," Ace thanked her.  "Make sure it's the biggest one you can find."

"I'll do my best," Kay T. said timidly as she disappeared into the stampede of doctors crowding the hallway.

"I have to say, the people in this kingdom are much friendlier than what I'm used to," Ace observed.  "It's definitely a breath of fresh air from the Nightmare Vault."

"That's pretty much the only redeeming quality this kingdom has," Glaive muttered.  "They're nothing but a bunch of weaklings who know little about warfare and combat.  But for some reason, I feel responsible for them.  Maybe I've grown too soft..."

"Will... this... do?" Kay T. asked them as she appeared in the doorway with a clear plastic container the size of a car.  She angled the container so that it would fit through the door and slowly dragged it in.  "Believe it or not, the storage room actually has things like this in it."

"It's perfect!" Ace exclaimed, satisfied with its size.  He pressed a button on his circular device, and an antenna popped out of its side.  Ace punched a few more buttons, aimed at the opening at the top of the container, and pulled the trigger.  In a flash of light, dozens of red pills the size of a dime flooded into the open container.  In just a few moments, it was completely filled.

Luigi was stunned.  "Are those-"

Ace nodded.  "Swallow one of these, and your body will become immune to the Nightmare Haze for 48 hours.  Also, the pill should be able to expel any Nightmare Haze that has previously entered your body.  And that's it!  No prescriptions necessary.  A single pill is enough to cure all of your symptoms as long as you give your body the chance to rest."

"Are they cherry-flavored?" Luigi inquired, causing Glaive to smack him with the hilt of his sword.

"In that case, we should all take one- especially Mario," Glaive stated.  He grabbed a tablet from the container and swallowed it.  Ace did the same, and also fed one to Mario.  All eyes were on Luigi.

"Uh...  What do they taste like?" Luigi questioned hesitantly.  "Will it dissolve in my mouth?  Do I have to chew it?  What if it gets stuck in my throat?!  You see, there was this one time I got a Candy Shroom stuck in my throat, and ever since- ACK!"  Without warning, Glaive crammed a pill into Luigi's mouth.  "Ugh, that tasted awful!"

"It's a human thing," Glaive told the confused Ace.  "They've become so accustomed to this era of peace that they tend to worry about trivial things such as taste."

Ace shrugged.  "Anyway, it's time we went after Nightmare.  The data I gathered from Mario's body has allowed me to trace the Nightmare Haze in his body back to its source."

"Maybe we should get Wario and Waluigi," Luigi suggested.

"No.  Ace and I are the only essentials to this team," Glaive told Luigi.  "You can come along if you want."

"What he really means is that Wario is injured from his fight with Metal Mario, and Waluigi wants to be at his side while he recovers," Ace explained.  "I've worked alongside people with attitudes just like his before.  Don't let Glaive's gruff demeanor bother you.  For now, let's just try to find a way to reach Nightmare."



"Hmm... Where did everybody go?" Metal Mario wondered aloud as he entered the front gates of Mushroom Castle.  It's only been a couple of hours since I left the stadium.  Could they have evacuated everyone before my arrival?  Maybe they aren't as foolish as I thought.  No one is dumb enough to challenge me as long as this kingdom's air is thick with Nightmare Haze."

RING! RING!

"I've got a call."  He pressed a glowing green button on his right arm, causing a screen with Crimson's face to pop up.

Crimson's Theme

"Metal Mario, I want a status report," Crimson demanded.  "Have you retrieved the Star Rod yet?"

Metal Mario nodded.  "I have, although I'm beginning to wonder if we need to use it.  Your plan was to cause a crisis and see who arrived to stop it.  In this manner, you could learn who killed Lord Shade.  However, I've already identified the one you seek. "

Crimson grinned from underneath his veil.  "Excellent.  Tell me who he is."

"His name is Mario.  He is the Mushroom Hero," Metal Mario answered.  "It turns out that my sworn enemy is actually the one you've been searching for.  During our battle in the Smash Pit, he revealed to me that he was the one who defeated Lord Shade two years ago.  I've got plenty of data on him in my memory banks.  I'm transmitting the info to your computer as we speak."

"Mario...  You mean the son of Anthony?" Crimson asked in a surprised tone.  He began to read the data as it popped up on his computer.  "This keeps getting more and more interesting...  I'm already trembling in anticipation of the Armageddon.  Unfortunately..." He paused, continuing to read about Mario.  "It would seem that Mario is not ready just yet.  As I suspected, Anthony did not pass on all of his power to Mario.  In fact, only 75% of the Hero bloodline's power belongs to him."

"That's a problem," Metal Mario sighed.  "From what I understand, Mario's worthless to you unless he has 100% of the Hero bloodline's strength."

"Yes," Crimson affirmed.  "He wouldn't last long at all.  But there is no need for concern.  This has all been foretold.  We must now begin the event that precedes the Armageddon, the Demonic Trials!  The point of these trials is to create a substitute for the extra 25% of power that Mario is missing.  By putting him through agony, pain, and suffering, we will push his body past its limits!  He'll be put to the brink of death, and experience anguish far more severe than anything he could have ever imagined!  It's just like training, only far more brutal!"

"In other words, you want me to keep him alive?  You want me to go easy on him to make sure that he survives?" Metal Mario inquired, disappointed.

Crimson shook his head.  "No.  It's actually the opposite.  I want you to do everything in your power to kill him.  If Mario can't overcome the obstacles I've set for him, then he isn't the one I've been searching for.  It's as simple as that.  If Mario truly is destined to take part in the Armageddon, he'll find a way to beat you."

"Fair enough," Metal Mario chuckled.  "Everything finally makes sense.  The point of me stealing the Star Rod wasn't just to find the guy who killed Shade.  You also wanted to test him."

"Yes.  Carry on with the plan.  The Nexus Access Point is somewhere beneath Mushroom Castle," Crimson informed him.  "I'll send Lorne and Hunter to help you out.  If Mario's friends take out the source of Nightmare Haze, you won't be much of a challenge to them.  Also, I've been experimenting with the Resurrection Cannon- you know, the device that brought you back to life?  Let's just say that you can expect some additional backup soon."  The screen faded to n_gger.

"Mario...  You're in for a rude awakening," Metal Mario sneered as he entered Mushroom Castle.



Sea of Flames

"Whoa, look at all the haze!" Luigi gasped as they reached the border between Forever Forest and the Sea of Flames.  All that could be seen for miles was a scorching sea of lava, with a few occasional islands protruding from the inferno.  A vast quantity of red mist filled the cloudy n_gger sky.  "I thought the Nightmare Haze was invisible..."

"It is, for the most part.  Nightmare Haze is created in clumps that take on a reddish color.  In order to cover more ground, the clusters spread as far as they can to cover more ground.  As the Nightmare Haze becomes less compact, it loses its color," Ace explained.  "The fact that we can see red Nightmare Haze only proves that we're near the source."

Glaive peered at the horizon, trying to spot the island they were looking for.  "Which island is it?"

Ace glanced at the NCA.  He scanned the scarce number of islands before pointing to one nearby.  It was by far the largest of the islands, and had a massive amount of mist surrounding it.  "That's where we'll find Nightmare."

Luigi scratched his head, confused.  "Umm...  How are we supposed to get there?  Crossing the Sea of Flames isn't exactly a cakewalk."

"Just leave it to my trusty NCA!" Ace exclaimed with pride.  "Judging by the quantity of lava, I'd say the NCA could solidify it for about 6,238,593 zenkrigs."

"Yay, that's plenty of time!" Luigi exclaimed.  "Wait... What's a zenkrig?"

Glaive thought for a moment.  "Hmm... I'd say that's the Mushroom Kingdom equivalent of about 62 seconds."

"Oh..." Luigi sighed, suddenly feeling depressed.

"Don't worry; that'll be plenty of time if we hurry," Ace reassured him.  An antenna extended out from the side of the NCA and fired a blue beam at the inferno below them.  Luigi watched in awe as the sea of lava grew several shades darker before hardening.

Luigi took a few steps back.  "Err...  Your plan seems kind of... risky..."

"C'mon!" Ace urged them as he leapt onto the solid magma.  "We don't have much time!  It'll melt if you don't hurry!"

Glaive pushed Luigi face-first onto the hardened lava before sprinting to catch up with Ace.  Luigi got back on his feet only to see that Glaive and Ace were already halfway to the island.  "Wait up!" he screamed, darting across the frozen sea in pursuit of his companions.

"That was close," Ace breathed as he reached his destination.  "The lava will melt back into a liquid state any second now."  He turned around and saw that Luigi was still making his way toward the island.  "Hurry up!  You've got less than 1,093,013 zenkrigs left!"

"Thanks for the tip!!" Luigi called back sarcastically, running for his life.  Steam began to emit from his shoes as the magma's temperature began to rise.

Ace gasped.  "He's not going to make it..."

Luigi's feet began to sink into the rapidly heating lava.  He looked left and right as he frantically searched for a way to survive.  Breathing heavily, Luigi desperately tried to think of a way to reach the island faster.  There's no way I'll make it in time...  What would Bro do?  ...Oh, I know!  But can I pull it off?  He began to charge a Super Fireball in his right palm.  Luigi jumped into the air just as the magma had completely liquefied.  Aiming carefully, he shot the Super Fireball at the lava, propelling him toward the island.

"Not bad," Glaive mumbled as Luigi crashed into the ground beside him.  "You actually made it."

Ace helped Luigi up.  "That was pretty impressive, Luigi.  You're definitely Mario's brother.  Of course, if you hadn't been such a coward in the first place, that wouldn't have happened."

"I guess," Luigi admitted, embarrassed.  "I'll try to be a little braver."  For the first time, he took a look at his surroundings.  The island was made entirely out of rugged, brown rock.  Several rock formations protruded from the jagged ground, and the red haze they saw earlier seemed even thicker than before.

Glaive pointed to a nearby cave.  "It looks like the haze might be coming out of there."

Ace nodded.  "Let's check it out."



Hospital Theme

A shiver of fear rushed across Mario's body as light flooded into his eyes.  He sat up and clenched his fists, expecting to see Metal Mario.  "Huh...  Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital," Kay T. answered.  "You should lie down.  You might open up your wounds."  She helped him lay back down.  "You're safe for now.  I'm Kay T."

"I was fighting... in the Smash Pit...  W- What happened?" Mario stammered, confused.  "Did I lose?"

"From what I understand, your metal doppelganger beat you and took the Star Rod.  Your friends went to the Sea of Flames to take out the source of Nightmare Haze.  Once they do that, they'll go after the Star Rod," Kay T. explained.

Abruptly, Mario threw the sheets off of his bed and stood up.  "I have to go help them!"  Before he could say another word, he fell to his knees from exhaustion.

Kay T. helped him back onto the bed.  "The antidote Ace created hasn't gotten rid of all of the Nightmare Haze in your body yet.  It's best for you to get some sleep until you've fully recovered."

"How do you know so much about what's going on?" Mario inquired, puzzled.

"Ace briefly explained the situation to the entire kingdom.  We all have a general idea of what's going on, but I know a little more because I overheard Ace talking with your other friends," Kay T. informed him.  "Everyone is taking refuge in this hospital.  Ace created an antidote that will keep everyone alive long enough for him to destroy the source of the Nightmare Haze.  Giving a pill to every single person in this kingdom will take some time, but we won't give up."

"Tell me...  Is Princess Peach safe?" Mario requested wearily.  "Is she in this hospital too?"

Kay T. nodded.  "It seems like this new villain's goal isn't to kidnap Her Highness.  Right now, she's helping us give medicine to all of the kingdom's inhabitants.  I'll tell her to stop by later, but I'm sure she's already planning to." BEEP!  BEEP!  "Oh, that's my pager.  It looks like they need my help.  I'll talk to Princess Peach for you.  Make sure you stay in bed."  She turned and left.

Mario sat up.  "Sea of Flames, huh?  Sorry, Kay..."  He struggled to his feet, opened the window at the side of the room, and climbed out.  He landed nimbly on his feet outside, but soon fell onto his hands and knees.  "I know I'm... going to regret this..."  With a tremendous amount of effort, he pushed himself to his feet and staggered north toward his destination.  "I've... got to... help... them..."  He collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.

[End Music]



Glaive, Ace, and Luigi wandered through the murky cavern in search of the Nightmare Haze's source.  They were surrounded by nothing but solid brown rock and a few occasional streams of lava that had trickled up through cracks beneath the island. "We'd be cooked if we didn't take that antidote before," Luigi coughed after inhaling a mouthful of haze.

"We're getting closer to the source," Ace observed.  "The concentration of Nightmare Haze is increasing."

Glaive pointed to a light coming from an opening at the end of the tunnel.  "Do you think that could be where it is?"

Ace glanced at his NCA.  "It looks like it.  Keep your guard up, everyone."  As they drew closer to the passage, Ace gulped.  "Luigi, I want you to be especially careful.  I've never met him personally, but I've heard that Nightmare absolutely despises humans."

"Gee, thanks," Luigi whined, sweat trickling down the back of his neck.  They entered the opening and emerged in a spacious area with a pool of lava at its center.  Compared to the cramped tunnels of the cavern that they were used to, the room could almost be described as comfortable.

"Luigi, look out!" Ace cried as he shoved Luigi to the side.

Nightmare's Theme

Shaking feverishly, Luigi opened his eyes to see a massive crater where he had just been standing.  "T-Thanks... A- Ace..."

"Yet another reason demons are superior to humans," a voice echoed from above.  In a flash of red, Luigi's assailant landed in front of the three heroes.  He wore a tattered red cloak, n_gger pants, and a silver vest.  Gold plates of armor encased his arms and legs, and a blood-red sword was sheathed at his waist.  He had spiky brown hair, the bangs of which partially hid his piercing blue eyes.  Apart from that, he looked vaguely humanoid.  He stared into Luigi's eyes.  "I'm Nightmare.  Just so you know, you would have died if it weren't for that demon."

"Don't ever put me in the same class as you," Ace snapped.  "By order of the Demon Resistance, I'm going to put a stop to your Nightmare Haze production."

Nightmare's eyes narrowed.  "So you're with the rebellious scum who oppose the Phoenix?  That explains why you'd save a human's life.  Now I'll have no regrets if I kill you."

Glaive drew his sword.  "Who do you think you are?  There's three of us and only one of you.  I don't care how powerful you are; there's no way you can beat all of us."  He gripped his blade and charged at Nightmare.

"Glaive, no!" Ace gasped.

"How... DARE you speak to me of teamwork!" Nightmare screamed, his eyes gleaming with hatred.  With one swift strike, Glaive's sword connected with Nightmare's shoulder.  CLANG!  As if he was surrounded with an invisible barrier, the blade stopped as soon as it touched Nightmare.  "I'd like to introduce my Barrier of Hatred.  Among controlling the Nightmare Haze, it is one of my favorite techniques.  You see, I can materialize my hatred for humans into weapons and techniques.  The stronger my hatred, the more powerful I become.  I'll also let you in on a little secret.  The thing about humans I loathe most of all is the idea of friendships and teamwork.  Why would someone depend on others when he is strong enough on his own?"

Glaive put all of his strength into piercing Nightmare's flesh with his blade, but it didn't budge.  "That's... ridiculous...  How can... someone hate... humans... that badly?"

"I don't need a reason," Nightmare replied icily, clearly trying to hide his true motives.  "Don't you dare question me!"  He delivered a bone-shattering uppercut to Glaive's chest, sending him tumbling backward beside Luigi.

"Guys, I think we have a problem," Luigi whispered in fear.  "How are we supposed to beat him if he's shielded by a barrier?"

"We'll just have to break through it," Ace answered firmly, clutching a deck of cards strapped to his waist.  "We'll attack him as a group.  Glaive, can you still fight?"

Glaive struggled to his feet.  "Are you... kidding?  I've been through much worse..."



[End Music]

Mario's eyes fluttered open.  He was back in the hospital.  "Great, I'm back here.  Then again, it's probably for the best."

"You should thank this man," Kay T. scolded in an attempt to sound angry.  It was no use.  What could she expect from the Mushroom Hero?

E. Gadd's Theme

"Heya, Mario," E. Gadd greeted him.  "It's been a while since I've seen you fellers off on an adventure.  I was watching your fight with Metal Mario from my lab all the way in Forever Forest.  My old heart almost stopped when I saw you take a beating like that!  Then this other guy told everyone about the Nightmare Haze and to come to this hospital immediately.  I thought it'd be an interesting place to do research, so I packed up and moved here.  When I got here, I noticed your unconscious body lying outside and called for help."

Mario tried to get up, but found he didn't have the strength to do so.  "Thanks..."

"Please get some rest, Mario," Kay T. requested as she left the room.

"Phew," E. Gadd sighed.  "She's gone.  I'm not supposed to do this, but here."  He took out a Max Mushroom and handed it to Mario.  "Using a Mushroom to heal fatal wounds as a substitute for proper treatment can damage your body's ability to recover naturally, but I don't think it would be unreasonable for me to make an exception.  Besides, the Nightmare Haze should have been fully expelled from your body by now.  The only thing we're waiting for is for your wounds to heal."

Mario swallowed the Max Mushroom in one bite.  He leapt out of bed as his bumps and bruises vanished without a trace.  "Wow!  It's been a long time since I've had one of those!  I owe you one, professor.  Tell Peach that I went to help Luigi, and that I'll visit her later."  Mario glanced at the thickening crowd in the hallway.  "I think I'll stick with my alternative route."  He opened the window and hopped out, landing safely on the ground.

"I set up a new lab in Mushroom Village, so stop by if you ever need help!" E. Gadd called after him.  "Now I'd better leave before I get in trouble..."

Mario rushed at full speed toward the Sea of Flames.  Don't worry, Bro.  I'll be there soon!

[jnfs2014]

Awesome tale, friend. ;)

[Retronintendodude7]

Good chapter, Shadow. But I think you missed something:
?The face that we can see red Nightmare Haze only proves that we?re near the source.?

Shouldn't it have been fact? It's not that big of a deal, I just notice stuff like that. :P

Otherwise, good job. ;)

[shadowmarioguy]

Good chapter, Shadow. But I think you missed something:
?The face that we can see red Nightmare Haze only proves that we?re near the source.?

Shouldn't it have been fact? It's not that big of a deal, I just notice stuff like that. :P

Otherwise, good job. ;)

Thanks for pointing that out.  :)

EDIT:(Oh and I've been trying to respond to your PM but it won't work for some reason.  I'll try again tomorrow)

EDIT 2: Sorry about the delay.  I've been on vacation and have some nasty school work to finish.  I start school exactly one week from today (Thursday), so I'll definitely have the new chapter done before then.

[Magnum]

No problem. Take your time. I don't think anyone minds