Chapter Eight: Specter of the Past

 

Soon after the separation of the Koopas from the Mushroomers, a select few of the former became entrenched with the lingering teachings of the Great Enemy and founded a cult of sorcerers.  Calling themselves Magikoopas, they fortified guilds and inhabited hidden bases of operation to sustain their numbers throughout the coming ages.

 

Rakian Pelorot, Fifth Epoch Historian

 

Castle Koopa, Vista Hill

 

Guildmaster Vermik was walking idly down one of the Castle Koopa’s many winding passages, each one cutting throughout the heart of Vista Hill.  At the moment, however, all of his plans spawned by the onset of the flood had been crushed utterly by King Bowser’s latest command.  Even an ambitious Magikoopa as himself, with all the powers of shape shifting under his dark cloak, could not escape the responsibilities of leading the largest offensive strike the Koopa Kingdom had seen since the days of Morton.  Most bitterly, though, he envied Kammy and Kamek, each given the right to accompany the Royal Fleet on its way to Kooparian.

 

My only consolation, he thought, is my psychic link with Guildmistress Kammy.  She’ll be able to inform me from anywhere on this earth of the upcoming proceedings, but I shall not be there to physically aid her or further my own designs.  Still, there might be a way to escape this meddlesome dilemma—one that I simply have not foreseen.

 

The cautious Magikoopa stopped suddenly when the flickering torches on either side of the hall dimmed briefly before regaining their brightness.  Stretching out his perception, Vermik felt a great power approaching and braced himself heavily against one of the walls.  At first a slight tremor shook the thin layer of loose dirt and grime stuck to the stone casings, but then a booming quake rocked the foundations of the floor and nearly knocked the sorcerer to his feet.

 

Blast! he thought, weathering the aftershock.  That was an explosion in the castle, itself.  A bob-omb, I think, maybe several… it seems our honored guest could not even hold out an hour before raising the stakes.

 

Vermik! came a shrill voice from inside his head.

 

Mistress? he called back.  I felt the detonation.  On the main floor, correct?

 

Yes, I am certain, she said through his mind, her voice as clear as if she were standing beside him.  I have shaken Kamek out of some sort of daze; he had a run-in with Zarith and was rambling until recently.  We are heading towards the epicenter of the blast, if I judge it correctly.  I’m sending you the vague location; meet us there as soon as possible.

 

Do you think it is Zarith, then?

 

Are you jesting? she snapped acidly.  Of course it is him.  Hasten, you fool!

 

Vermik began running, backtracking his way to the ascending stairs at the other end of the passage.  He was not exactly certain what Kammy had in store for the renegade Magikoopa, and several dire possibilities flashed through his mind at once.  Best case scenario, she would lead them to do a bit of reconnaissance, confirming Zarith’s hand in the matter, and then report back to Bowser, possibly freeing him of his engagement in the western Mushroom Kingdom.  Worst case scenario, the hag would want the three of them to challenge Zarith directly, risking their very lives on the eve of the Koopa Kingdom’s rise to power.

 

Should I join them, then, or should I risk disobeying orders and strike out on my own?  It would be the ultimate prize to secure a high rank in King Bowser’s imminent empire, but allowing myself to be slaughtered would be the greatest of blunders.

 

He breathed a sigh of relief as he turned one last corner and reached the ground level.  Narrow but rather long and ornate, the access hallway was paved down the middle with a velvet rug, and its walls were adorned with blue and white tapestries bedecked by copper-colored patterns.  At the exit and entrance arches stood a pair of silent Jawfuls, all four standing completely still with their menacing forks rising twice the height of their bodies.  As it was one of only three passages connecting the castle to the mountain caverns, the Magikoopa understood the need for tightened security, but it was fortune that suited the deadly monsters to his own plans.

 

“You and you,” he gestured to the two figures at the other end of the hall, “come with me.  There is an intruder on one of the upper levels, and we shall need help restraining him.”

 

Hard experience had taught the less intelligent soldiers of Bowser’s army to look straight ahead when a Magikoopa talked to them and do whatever was necessary to follow orders.  Predictably, the Jawfuls saluted by lifting their massive forks and plunging the ends against the stone floor.  After showing their simple gesture of respect, they quietly fell in line behind Vermik and waited for his next move.

 

“Brilliant,” said the Magikoopa, rubbing the coldness out of his hands.  “I could get used to this.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

“Stop babbling, Kamek, I beg of you!” shouted Kammy irritably, grabbing roughly onto her superior’s arm and dragging him around another stone corner.  “Quiet!  Someone may be coming.”

 

The Supreme Guildmaster abruptly shut his mouth and looked around, the faintest glimmer of anxiety shining through his glasses.  Footsteps were approaching from the other end of the off-branching corridor, and the dim light of a torch seemed to follow it upwards around a descending spiral staircase.  At the exhaling of another breath, two gossiping Terrapin came into view and left just as quickly through another of the castle’s many adjoining hallways.

 

“As good as Goombas, those lackeys,” Kammy muttered angrily.  “An explosion rips through the very foundation of their race, and what do they do but idly chat, as if nothing else could be done!”

 

Whether by the sudden jolt of the Koopas’ appearance or the shrill voice of the sorceress, Kamek snapped out of his reverie and settled his hat.  Kammy turned around, clearly surprised, but before she could let out another word he began speaking sensibly again.

 

“Incorrigible female!” he grunted, straightening out his rumpled blue sleeves.  “I was in a full trance, searching the deepest crevices of my memory.  Leaving me be would have been much more helpful.”

 

“And you expected me to know?” she shot back, snarling.  “You never told me you had mastered the art of unlocking every synapse.”

 

“I have withheld much from you.  Surely it isn’t that great of a shock.”

 

The old hag spat venomously and placed a claw to her wrinkled temple.  “Vermik is on his way with two Jawfuls.  Apparently, he underestimates the power of our opponent.  Then again, he may only mistrust your judgment.”

 

“That would not be the first time,” said Kamek bitterly.  “You have that brat too firmly under your heel.  He has more loyalty for you than the guild itself, I fear.”

 

“Now you are the one showing unusual surprise.  Far be it from me, Supreme Guildmaster, to take the interests of a dying sect over my own.  Besides,” she added wryly, “I believe it is more your own purposes than some greater allegiance that you look after so closely.  Tell me, am I close to the mark?”

 

“Any closer and you’d be dead.”

 

A fourth explosion sounded somewhere farther off, and the pair hurried towards it, matching their longs strides to each other’s.  Stone blocks worn by dampness and flashing flames blurred past them, creating a tunnel of swift images torn apart and mangled together again.  Despite the graveness of the situation, though, the two elder rivals still considered it somewhat of a race.

 

Kamek turned his head slightly and shouted over the rustling of their cloaks.  “There is a fork in the way ahead, but both paths lead to an exposed balcony on the nearest side of the castle.  We’ll separate and converge, in case he has set a trap.”

 

The Magikoopa only nodded imperceptibly and veered sharply down the right corridor when they came to the split.  Kamek looked back vaguely and continued on, summoning every spare ounce of concentration he had into assembling his vast strength.  Even with all his years of experience coursing through his blood, however, the wizard still felt a pang of anxiety.  Their previous confrontation had ended badly for him, despite his weakened condition.  If anything, at least he had time to heal completely while under the self-imposed trance.

 

Yes, I forgot, he thought.  You had me in a poor condition, Zarith.  Even allowing for that, I still managed to piece out your secret.  I know who you are now, however horrifying it may be.  Somehow, you’ve managed to discover eternal life… or, perhaps more frightening, the art of revival.  A body yet breathing that breaks the earth and walks alive once more!

 

Kamek came to a grinding halt and barely avoided toppling over a familiar Ninja just dashing out into the passageway.  The darkly clothed figure looked up at him calmly and stopped without moving another inch forward.

 

The control that abomination possesses! the Magikoopa thought.  Smithy’s factories churned them out with wires and flesh intermingled.  What other brash affronts to nature, I wonder, does this soldier hide from us?

 

“Supreme Guildmaster,” said Kanaye, and bowed.  “I am searching for Guildmaster Vermik and Zarith.  Lord Bowser had departed with the fleet before I heard the explosions.”

 

“Departed!” shrieked Kamek, slamming one fist into the other.  “He left without us, that madman, and so conveniently before the catastrophe.  Zarith has defected, already, and his origin is beyond even my own perception.”

 

“Neither Vermik nor I trusted him,” said the Ninja in his low, measured voice.  “I believe he was waiting at the Inn where we intercepted Luigi for the sole purpose of attracting our interests.  Abandoning us so early was not in his plans, I think.”

 

“I’m not familiar with some of that, but I’m guessing you’re correct.  He also did not count on meeting Kammy or me, though, and Bowser’s rash orders must have caught him off-guard, too.  Something confuses me, though …”

 

You blundering idiot! came Kammy’s shrill voice, pounding painfully into his head.  He is not out here; where are you?  Vermik is closer now, but we cannot act alone!

 

Get out of my mind, witch!  I am attending to important matters, and I shall be there shortly.  Do not contact me again!

 

“Are you healthy, sir?” asked the Ninja, stepping forward.

 

“Fine, it’s nothing,” said Kamek, finishing off a mental shield to block any reception.  “Anyway, Zarith is using the explosions to lure us to him.  Either he wants a direct conflict or is leading us into a trap with the same intentions.  Whatever has happened since he arrived, it has foiled his plans, and he is becoming desperate in his aims.  We must find out what those are at any cost!”

 

“At the risk of allowing him to gain the upper hand?” asked Kanaye incredulously.  “These are not sound tactics, pardon my saying.  Whatever he has planned, it does not affect us in the wake of the flood.  Should not Vermik and I continue as ordered while you and the sorceress convene with the fleet?”

 

Kamek gripped his claws around the Ninja’s shoulders impatiently.  “You do not understand!  The ramifications of Zarith’s even existing demand far more attention than Bowser’s whims.  Now, back to the army with you!  Gather them aboard the sailing ships and land near Moleville.  That is the first key trading post between here and Seaside Town, and it will make an excellent staging point.  Leave immediately, and slay all in your path!”

 

Kamek! came the high scream again as Kanaye bolted off.

 

I told you to leave me alone.  What is it?

 

It’s Zarith, Kamek!  He has arrived!  Hurry!

 

~*~*~*~

 

“You are not the one I was expecting,” said the Magikoopa, while glowing stars and comets seemed to move across the black fabric of his cloak.  He was standing tall on a dampened battlement at the end of the stone terrace.  “Still, you harbor great power, sorceress.  What is your name?”

 

“I am Kammy, Guildmistress of the Royal Koopa Kingdom, now the strongest regime on the planet Plit.  My talents may reach further than you know, so leave and tend to your business!”

 

She could smell the acrid smoke from where Zarith had exploded large sections of the castle’s roof.  It had been bait, definitely, and she had taken the trap on another’s hunch.  So what did he have planned?

 

“Too bad,” said Zarith, placing a hand mockingly to his chest, “my business, as you put it, lies here.  The one called Kamek perceives my origin, and I cannot risk him surviving.”

 

“A threat against a guildmember incurs the wrath of all loyal Magikoopas.  You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into.  One more chance: flee!”

 

Zarith only cackled strangely and withdrew a wooden staff from his billowing robes.  At the top, several gnarled limbs stretched out and twisted crookedly together around a growing orb of light.  Flashing beams shot from it in all directions, blotting out the radiance of the moon and the stars, and when it receded the grim Magikoopa was surrounded by a dark and ominous flame.

 

“I had hoped to wait for awhile, leading your superior to me alone and without drawing so much attention.  Too many have died at my hands, you see, and I attempt to avoid unnecessary killing.  You, however, have worn out all the spare time I have.  Come at me, if you will.  Make the first strike and seal your death!”

 

Kammy threw back her clawed hands and let loose an abominable shriek that came out in almost visible waves of energy and sound.  Crumbling all around them and exploding from the pressure of the noise, great rock emplacements and age-frozen mortar cracked and fell abysmally into the sea far below.  A gathering of stormy clouds seemed to broil above, as if building up anger to unleash in a swirling furor.

 

“Impressive,” said Zarith coolly, betraying his calmness with a hesitant look at the sky.  “I have never met a stronger female in all my travels through space.  I’ve underestimated this, my home planet, but do not mistake my surprise for fear.  Your childish fireworks have proven nothing!”

 

Zarith snarled viciously, his glasses set alight with a smoldering hatred, and with one movement of his hand brought forth rain and lightning from the clouds clashing around them.  Building up into a horrendous crescendo, his flesh-crawling cackle conflicted openly with the broad sound of thunder and even overcame it at several terrifying moments.  Finally, and with a crushing sneer of finality in Kammy’s direction, he sent more stone blocks tumbling over and down past the steep cliffs of the Vista Hill.

 

“That is what I think of your power, Guildmistress,” he shouted, eyes now fully encompassed by some inextinguishable blaze.  “Now, it is my turn to raise some torment!”

 

He lifted his staff high, its terminus buzzing with the energy it contained, and charged towards her.  Kammy held her own wand out bravely and extended a crackling beam of concentrated light from its sparkling gem.  Vibrating and blinding at its core, the laser-like blade singed the air as it moved around and let out the pungent scent of burnt ozone.

 

When the two weapons met with a resounding blast, the fiery wand met Zarith’s staff without a scratch, but the force of the blow knocked them both back a few feet.  Kammy found herself breathing heavily and knew she could not last forever.  Stalling for time was her best bet, at least until Vermik arrived.

 

“One of Kamek’s more usable innovations,” she said with a half-grin.  “It renders the burden of carrying a sword obsolete for the truly skilled Magikoopa.  I see you’ve chosen a less fashionable alternative, though.”

 

Zarith allowed a smirk and stepped quickly forward, bringing the blunt mid-section of his staff hard against Kammy’s abdomen.  The struck Koopa screamed painfully and skated over the wet stone, barely grabbing onto the edge of a pit as she fell through it.  When she struggled to climb up, heavy drops of rain pounded her face and blurred her vision.

 

She waited until Zarith appeared close over her before pouring all of her strength into leaping upwards and bringing the sizzling weapon around and then crashing it back down towards her opponent’s head.  The other Magikoopa caught her strike while she hovered briefly in mid-air, though, and pushed her violently back to the ground with surprising force.  After that, the two sorcerers collided fiercely and exchanged a flurry of stabs, counters, and carefully measured swings, each one not abandoning more than a few steps at a time.

 

Although they were fairly evenly matched, it seemed to Kammy that controlling a weapon as cumbersome as Zarith’s staff required far more skill than wielding her lightweight wand.  What was more, the clever Magikoopa was sure he had not yet revealed his entire range of powers.  His demeanor was far too calm and collected, almost as if he were deep in thought with some other, more important matter than the battle at hand.

 

If that’s true, though, she countered her own argument, then why has he not already killed me?  For someone in so great of a hurry, I’d think he’d be more expedient… unless…  That fool!  He’s sparing me for his own sense of purpose, waiting to slay Kamek and leave without any other casualties.  I shall just have to show him how troublesome I am, then!

 

Kammy purposely broke of their prolonged struggle by jumping back several feet and raising her hand submissively.  “Time out!  I have something to say…”

 

“Well out with it!  I am waiting.”

 

“You say Kamek is the only one you must dispatch, but did you know he already told me of your little secret?” she asked, smiling when she received the desired effect.  His mouth twisted horribly.  “That’s right, I know you once lived here long ago and were thought by all to have died.  You must be wanting to prevent us from discerning how you survived this long or, Darkness forbid, how you returned.  Heh, what happened to that smug look you sported earlier?  It has all but vanished from your face!”

 

“Your tongue has proven fortunate, for me at least,” he said angrily.  “In your own case, however, I am afraid I have no choice but to finish you right away.  May you receive death quickly, where I have not!”

 

Kammy grimaced and cast the most potent defensive spells she could think of around her body, but a swirling ball of fire-like energy was already barreling towards her, growing as it progressed.  Its front smashed mercilessly into her shield, shattering it instantly; the great remainder of the projectile tossed her back and through one of the jutting emplacements strung along the balcony ramparts.  Without another word, she fainted, her body scorched and smoking.

 

Last chance, she thought, hovering on the edge of mental unconsciousness.  Her body had gone irretrievably limp. Speed to you, Kamek! she managed before descending into a trance.

 

“Amazing!” said Zarith, his voice only slightly rasping after the effort.  The tiredness soon wore off, though, and he recomposed himself.  “A mere mortal against the power of the unknown, and yet she lives.”

 

“You’ll find we ‘mortals’ hold many more surprises,” said Vermik from the door to the castle, standing between too massive Jawfuls.  “Kill him!”

 

One of the monsters ambled forward with its fork lowered and stabbed at Zarith, but the Magikoopa leapt away and bashed the left side of its skull in with a crushing kick.  As the beast stumbled around in a half-daze, he brought a hand up, and his glasses flared an awful brilliance.  The Jawful gurgled hideously, its eyes bulging out, and the thick skin around its neck caved in before it dropped lifelessly to the cracked stone.

 

Vermik looked on in disbelief as a crimson stream of blood trailed out of its head and bloated mouth.  “And I thought Kammy was only playing dead.  You really might have beaten her… in fact, you did… odd…”

 

With a strange scream the younger Magikoopa charged, shooting out wave after wave of blazing spells.  Zarith deflected them easily with a broad, opaque shield sprouted from his staff and plunged the sharp tip through his attacker’s ribs.  Sneering, he twisted the weapon and brought it up viciously through Vermik’s throat and out the top of his head.  The corpse collapsed pitifully to the ground, spraying out blood that misted in the intensifying rain.

 

The victorious Magikoopa looked up to see Kamek standing ready in the open doorway ahead of him.  The blue-cloaked figure was staring indifferently at the mangled body, but his gaze soon trained back on Zarith, gleaming violently.  When he had arrived was not entirely certain, but whatever he felt at the fall of his two comrades was not apparent.

 

“I apologize for the death of your apprentice, if that was what he was, although I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it,” said Zarith without a trace of emotion.  “You see, I simply could not take the risk that he also knew of my past.”

 

“He was not my protégé,” said Kamek simply, gesturing forward with his head, “but Kammy’s.  I don’t think she’ll care too much, though, at this point.”

 

“I’ll have to kill her as well, after I’m done with you.  Only then can I continue on with my business.  It’s too bad we had to part this way, you and I being descended from the same bloodline on down the passages of history.”

 

Kamek shrugged.  “I would do the same if I were in your position.  Tell me, though, Zarith…  I really must know how our meeting is even possible.  You were the first Guildmaster of the Magikoopas, the one with the Cloak of Stars.  It was you who made the first contact with the Enemy and set up the basis of our power.  What has happened, though?  We all still serve the same Master, even though he has not spoken with us since the fall of King Morton.  How could you betray your own offspring that way?”

 

“Do not chide me with your secular knowledge,” said Zarith, his teeth and fists clinched tightly.  Each word was seared with infinite hatred, and the fire in his eyes grew to a thriving inferno.  “My past is my own, to keep and to suffer.  Suffice it to say, I have no need for your gods, any longer.  They are but the crafters of a plane already made, and you have no real knowledge of the true Enemy any more.  He is but an idol that you idly worship!  Soon you and all others who rest in false security will know the name of his Executioner and the horror he brings in his purpose.  Our path of destruction ends here, but oh! What a termination it will be!”

 

“So you’ve gone mad,” said Kamek, sighing and letting his shoulders drop in disappointment.  “Somehow, you found power to sustain you and have now let it consume you in the endless ages of your isolation.  This makes me sad, Zarith, for I fear you are beyond saving.  There is, however…”

 

“The flood,” said Zarith, smiling.  “You forgot the miraculous tide.”

 

“It can’t be, though, for if you are connected with it, then what you are saying,” Kamek said, lifting his head up, “might be true.  But that is impossible… isn’t it?  That I, so long a patron of this earth, should be deceived by a fallacy?  What of the power that we do possess?  From where does it come if not as compensation from the Malevolent One?”

 

“That is simple to answer.  It has become an innate feature of your blood, something that is ingrained through generations without the aid of divine intervention.  Face it, Kamek.  You’ve abandoned him whom you thought to serve.  Independent and now helpless, you persist until this moment, when you will die and face the great emptiness with nothing but yourself to cling to.  I tell you now, Kamek, that coldness when you first realize you are floating without anchor in the void does not ever leave you.”

 

Kamek was looking down to his wand, grasped firmly now in his right hand.  A crooked grin crept across his face, and his eyes lit up for a brief moment.  “This only confirms my most secret ambitions.  Neither Kammy nor I follow the rituals of the others, and I do not think Vermik has either.  Ever since the Enemy left, he has been dead to me.  Now, at least, I know why.”

 

“Don’t you understand what that means, though?” Zarith shouted, his fangs bared and his staff rattling in his claws.  “You are beyond victory!  I have on my side limitless power!”

 

“Every action has a counter action of equal strength,” said Kamek, stepping slowly forward.  “If you are here with your Executioner on the Enemy’s business, then he has something to fear.  The flood may be only a signal of this, an omen of the conflict to come.  True, the Star Spirits may only be confined to this world, but there is yet something that fights against you.  It burns your purpose to ash, and it makes progress despite your struggle!”

 

“No!  No!” Zarith hissed, waving his arms and pressing his hands to his ears.  “You speak poison!  I won’t hear it!  I shall not!”

 

“Am I getting closer, old man?” said Kamek, now cornering the other Magikoopa towards the brink of the broken parapet.  “Who are you after?  Tell me!  Tell me now, Zarith!”

 

“Die, fool!” screamed the ancient wizard, his stars and comets filling his robes in a furious explosion of the cosmos.  He rushed forward with his staff and met Kamek’s own extended beam with a harshness that shook his opponent’s body to the bones.  “Perish, and tell no tales!”

 

Twisted lightning struck the stone all around them, electrifying the water at their feet and blinding the eyes.  Even the flash of their weapons clanging and clattering in the hellish din could not be seen over the terrible elements ripping the air apart.  With every second passed, Kamek felt his strength wane under the surreal onslaught of Zarith, and he was sure his rival was at full force now, holding nothing back.

 

I have to try something else, he thought desperately.  Need more time!

 

Kamek retracted the beam back into the gem of his wand and hooked Zarith’s jaw with it, quickly sending out several spells glittering and crackling with power.  They singed the Magikoopa’s cloak and blackened it, blotting out some of the stars moving in its fabric, but Zarith only grunted and came forward again.  His staff hit the stonework below them, and several more slabs fell down into the crashing waves of the sea.

 

The Guildmaster looked down shortly when he felt his feet give way and leapt aside, having to jump to a new place again and again as the very floor beneath him plummeted.  Zarith, however, was calm and using his arms to direct chunks of rock and mortar at the weakening foundations of the balcony, each one coming close and sometimes scratching Kamek’s arms or legs.

 

Finally the blue-cloaked Magikoopa threw himself against the wall near the castle’s entrance, breathing heavily and sending out weaker blasts of dark energy.  Zarith ended his meditation and hopped effortlessly across the remaining blocks of stone, raising his staff to deal the final blow to Kamek.

 

“Hah!” his victim said, standing up proudly and wiping a trail of blood from his face.  “Your time has run out!”

 

Zarith looked back, puzzled, but his face then constricted into absolute agony.  His claws outstretched and body trembling, the black sorcerer doubled over and fell to his knees.  Kammy was behind him with one leg raised where it had slammed into the Magikoopa’s neck.  Panting, she lowered her foot and jumped over to join Kamek.

 

“Impossible!” said the injured Koopa, clutching his throat.  “You were fallen!”

 

“She is the most adept healer in our ranks,” said Kamek smugly, surprising even himself by not cringing at the compliment.

 

“No matter,” continued Zarith, bending up and taking his staff back into a defensive position.  “I shall crush the two of you without blinking!”

 

“You mean the three of us!” called another voice, and Zarith turned around only to be struck again by a rolling ball of flames.

 

“A changeling,” Kamek explained needlessly.  “Able to transform others and even control the weak-minded, at minor injury to himself which, as you have seen, can be overcome after a few moments’ rest.”

 

“You mock me!” shouted Zarith back angrily, reaching up a claw and calling for his broom.  The black device lifted him into the air and above the three of them.  “Through deceit you have won this battle, but alone, you three will not be so fortunate.  I have things to attend to.  Rot with your knowledge.  It is too late to stop us!”

 

Kamek watched as the storm clouds above dispersed and Zarith disappeared over the land and out towards the northern horizon.  He was only an indistinguishable black speck over the gray face of the sky when he finally vanished.

 

“Not so tough, even for a dead Koopa,” said Vermik.  “I’m surprised at your fear, Supreme Guildmaster.”

 

Kammy let loose a stifling backhanded slap across Vermik’s face, silencing him.  Kamek nodded appreciatively and crossed his arms.  “He defeated me soundly, even though I was mostly recovered from my earlier trance.  The two of you he dispatched, in one fashion or another, with little difficulty.  Only, as he put it, our deceit and extremely fortunate timing saved us from the oblivion.  Zarith can kill any of us on a whim, and he will try again when he has regained his dignity.  Something tells me he left for another reason, though, perhaps by the will of the Executioner, whoever that may be.  Yes, he might not even have been truly beaten.”

 

“What did he mean by that?” asked Vermik, rubbing his sore jaw.  “I liked the part about us being correct in our ‘sacrilege’, but what is this equal and opposite power you spoke of?”

 

“Or the catastrophic event signaled by the flooding?” put in Kammy.

 

“I’m not certain yet,” said Kamek, pressing strong emphasis on the last word.  “I have ideas, though, faint connections that might lead to something revelatory.  Just give me time!”

 

“Can we help?” asked Vermik, snorting.

 

“Yes… perhaps.  Follow me to the library.  We have some research to do.”

 

Don’t misbehave, my pet, called Kammy to her apprentice as they followed Kamek past the castle ruins and back into the adjoining hallway.  These new developments call for the most careful of plans.  Just go along with whatever I do.  I promise you we shall come out on top.

 

Fine, fine, he sent back reluctantly.  I’ll be good… for now!

 

~*~*~*~

 

King Bowser was sitting in the command chair of the newly launched Leviathan, the largest and most powerful doomship ever assembled.  Multicolored lights and control panels blinked and flashed all around, prodded by the hundreds of technicians hunched over workstations and running around, tending to the many intricate needs of the ship.  Admiral Jade and General Jagger were looking directly at him from two glistening monitors lowered in front of his throne.

 

“Wonderful,” he sighed, settling into his chair and rubbing the malleable leather of the arms.  “Now then, General,” he nodded, turned, “Admiral.  Status report!”

 

“Right,” saluted Admiral Jade, snapping her wings.  “The Cerberus is fully operational, and all weapons have been tested to my satisfaction.  I’ve plotted a course for Prince Ludwig’s castle, as you demanded.  We shall be within the borders of the Pipe Maze by dawn.  Excuse me, sir, I have to go and inspect the crew.”

 

Bowser returned the Parakoopa’s salute as the screen blanked into darkness.  “General Jagger, tell me what I want to hear.  Things are going great?”

 

“Splendidly, sir!” said Jagger, stepping back to reveal the bridge of the Eviscerator churning with mechanical life.  “As you know, this ship was designed to carry the bulk of the fleet’s firepower.  It will be perfect for that certain job you have in mind.  May I ask…?”

 

“Later, Jagger,” said Bowser, and with a snarl cut of the communications link.  Only one last voice remained, but it issued from a minute device fitted around his head and buzzing faintly into his ears.  “Are you sure about this, Supreme Guildmaster?”

 

~*~*~*~

 

“Beyond a doubt, sir,” came back Kamek.  “We have to find one of these Breaking Altars.  The Mushroom Kingdom may yet be of use to us!”

 

Vermik and Kammy were flying to either side of him.  It had taken most of the remaining day to discover the flooding prophecy in a scroll vaguely mentioning the Breaking of the World.  True, it was not an actual Breaking Scroll, but it did culminate the ample research done on the subject in the past, even citing one at places.  Ironically, Kamek had went over it once before, but much like Ryanoshi, the mere thought of it being true seemed so ridiculous that connecting it with the very flood it predicted seemed preposterous.  It had only taken the confrontation with Zarith to make him search for something beyond the ordinary.

 

“But how did you find out?” asked Bowser worriedly.  “And you said Zarith defected?  What about my legions!”

 

“The armies are still being led by Kanaye and your other generals; they’ll have the Mushroom Kingdom decimated in a matter of weeks.  Zarith, on the other hand, is not of this world, sir.  It sounds unbelievable, but he is in the service of the Star Spirits’ antithesis, whom I shall not name.  This Breaking of the World is the conflict calling him, the Enemy and our former god, to find something here on Plit, something instrumental for him to take advantage of the situation.  What it will all boil down to, who he is looking for, and what force assails him is beyond me, but I know we must find one of those four altars if we are to maintain some control!”

 

“It’s just as credible as anything else that’s happened in the past week,” the king said wearily.  “Ever since I had that dream, I’ve felt like everything that’s happened has been destiny, in some way or another.  Perhaps this is merely the next step towards our glorious victory.”

 

“As you say it, sir,” said Kamek, somewhat uneasily.  “We shall come aboard the Leviathan in less than an hour and go back to the Mushroom Kingdom.  I know the Mushroomers are hiding something.  We cannot afford to lose anymore time!”

 

The connection ceased.

 

“Kamek, I worry,” said Kammy, looking over at him with her conniving face.  “It could be that we are too excited, you know, taking this far too seriously.  I mean, Armageddon?  A scroll in our library predicting a flood?  It’s far-fetched and could be anything.  Zarith, like you originally guessed, is most likely a lunatic!  Why should we waste the Kingdom’s forces so rashly when we need all the aid we can muster in summoning the Koopalings back under our banner?”

 

“I have always prided myself in having a fair understanding of what is to come, even if only vaguely.  You see, I propose that those four altars must be intended for something more than only existing.  They will require people to be there for their very establishment to be justified.  It is, furthermore, my proposition that this destiny, as Bowser so crudely puts it, has chosen those beings already, for good or for bad.  Maybe the Koopas are one race who is meant to find one.  Maybe they aren’t.  Either way, we shall take the Dino Rhinos by the horns, if you will, and assume our place in these happenings whether we are meant to or not.”

 

Now he’s gone mad, Vermik sent to his instructor wryly.  What shall we do with our leader made a clown?

 

Quiet, Vermik! she thought back, clearly irritated at the suddenness of recent events.  What if he is right?  I know, it is almost impossible, but what if he is not mistaken?  This is a risk we cannot take, I think!

 

“Stop your mumbling,” Kamek chided the pair, even more certain that two saboteurs would not help matters.  “I have an idea of what you are thinking.  Fine, then, if you believe I have become a mad hatter, so to speak, then we shall first proceed to Bowser and discuss the matter more fully.  I’ll call off the full tilt retreat for now.  I think a nice roundtable discussion, however cliché, might deliver just the reassurance we require.  Will that make you happy, then?”

 

“For the time being,” said Kammy indifferently.  “Lead on!”

 

~*~*~*~

 

King Bowser, no longer feeling so relaxed, was agitatedly pacing the already worn carpet of his cabin.  “He called it off!  Not five minutes after telling me, and Kamek says we should discuss it first!  What is that supposed to mean?  Discuss!  I hate it when things are unclear…”

 

“Please, sire,” said Defensive Advisor Inire, who more personally served as the voice of reason for the Koopa King in Kamek’s absence.  “Kamek and his mystics were nearly slaughtered by that madman Zarith.  They might be shaken, confused, and certainly unable to make rational decisions!  Waiting for a more inclusive consideration is the best option, believe me.  You should be glad Kamek realized this himself.  He has seen the folly of his over-eagerness.”

 

“Yeah,” said Bowser, scratching his muzzle and sitting down.  “You’re right, there.  I should be glad.  Ok, so I’m ecstatic!  Now what, Inire?”

 

The Chester opened his lid wide and hopped over beside the desk, his reflective eyes moving in sheer darkness.  “We should focus more on what to do once we reach the Pipe Maze.  There is much to convince Ludwig of and little time in which to do it.  He will still be plagued by the tensions that existed between you two after the Dinosaur Land takeover and subsequent defeat.”

 

“I’m listening,” said Bowser hesitantly.  “I suppose we had to come to it sooner or later.  I only wish it could’ve been… hold on…”

 

“Is it Kamek, sire?”

 

“No, it’s…” said Bowser, tapping his earpiece.

 

“Hello, father,” the voice sneered.  “Guess who!”

 

“Iggy!  Scoundrel, what do you want?”

 

Inire almost closed his lid.  “Iggy!?”

 

 “Quiet!” shouted Bowser.  “Iggy?  Are you there?”

 

“I found out about the flooding and your leave-taking before I departed earlier today.  It is night already in the Pipe Maze, and I have taken my dear brother Ludwig prisoner.  All negotiations will now go through me.  Also, I have a bargaining chip.”

 

“Stop your games, son!” said Bowser, shocked at his use of the last word, almost regretting it.  “Out with your trickery!”

 

“No tricks, father.  Does the Breaking Shrine mean anything to you?”

 

“Perhaps,” said Bowser, suddenly out of his seat and letting Inire close to the transceiver.  “Kamek mentioned something of it.”

 

“Well, Ludwig’s advisor, Gremorth, had a scroll which leads to one of the four altars.  Our mutual cooperation, if you know what I mean, might ensure your being privy to its contents.”

 

“I’ll say nothing else,” said Bowser dryly.  “I’m patching you to the lieutenant onboard with the command code: Reign Fall.  With a “g,” remember!  You can set up coordinates for the dealings.  Do not deceive me, or I will make you pay!

 

Bowser looked down at Inire, who was notably grim.  “What is it?  You should be bouncing up and down with delight!”

 

“Delight, sire?” asked Inire strangely.  “Don’t you realize what this means?  Kamek was right.  The Breaking of the World is a reality, something crashing into us headfirst.  I hope he gets here soon…”

 

“Me, too,” said Bowser, mostly for effect, as he was still not sure what to make of the whole affair.

 

On the other hand, it could have simply been that Ludwig’s being out of the negotiations made him that much more cheerful.  He never had much use for noble hearts, anyway.