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Hey, everybody, welcome back for ANOTHER chapter! Holy crap, I actually finished one in a relatively quick amount of time, how unexpected! I REALLY wanted to get this one out for the beginning of October, since the mood of this story's really starting to take a turn fitting for Halloween night. I hope you guys enjoy this one, I've put a lot of work into it. With that said, let us see what has become of our hero in red.
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"Mario..." Merlon began, his tone of voice serious. "I've stood by your side to guide you through this entire adventure, and now, we may be seeing the last of each other..." He bit his quivering lip, hidden from Mario's vision by the shadow of his cloak.

"Minoria will return to the Timpanic Temple, I can feel her presence, her very power flowing through the skies above. She has the Mirror of Infinity, and, now, the power of the last guardian at her side."

"It will be your responsibility, along with the help of your friends, to take her down once and for all, before she is given the chance to open the gateway to the realm of the dead." Queen Aster stepped in, a somber look glazed across her pale face.

"Big bro, I've seen you save the world hundreds of times before, I have complete confidence in you." Luigi chimed along, his lips curled into a smirk. "Go put that witch back in her cauldron."

"Of course, you must be aware of her power, as well." Alabama cut Luigi off, stating his point. "If not handled with extreme care, she may be able to blindside you. She is a very cunning witch, after all, just be sure you don't give her any chance to take the upper hand."

"Mario, man, I haven't known you for too long, but after watching how easily you took down that sea monster, I've got my faith on you, in this fight." Gruff grinned, blowing a kiss over to Scruff. "Make sure my Scruffy boy over there comes home safe."

"GAHHHHH!111!!!1!!ONE!!1!!! TEH YAOIZZZZ, OMFGBBQLOLWTHLMAOSFCP!!!!1! THEY'RE SOOOOOOooOOOoOOoOO CUTE!!!" Penny bounced about, little pink hearts emanating from her aura.

"Oh geeze, somebody please slip her a relaxation pill." Bookley slammed himself against a desk, groaning.

Mario smiled, and gave a hearty, "WAH-HOO!!!" to the group, as he turned around to gather his partners. Just then, the ground began to shake, as a loud whooshing noise flew by from over Merlon's study.

"She's here, Mario, we must go!!!" Merlon shouted, pushing the plumber out the door as he, alongside everyone else, followed closely behind.

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"WHEE-HEE-HEE-HEE!!! Who's power should you fear? That answer... Is ME!!!" Minoria waved her gloved hands in the air, bursting down the doors to the Timpanic Temple, flying up the stairs and reaching the inner sanctum, where the seven guardians stood, watching from above.

"You will not get away with this, evil witch!" Bravado shouted, as Minoria pulled a golden coin from her cloak.

"On the contrary; yes, I will! Mario won't stop me, if I threaten to kill!!!" The witch cackled, as Mario and the rest of the group busted through the sanctum doors.

"Just as I thought, you're right on time. But, here, your adventure stops on a dime!!!" Minoria waved her wand, as the invisible barrier around Princess Peach's crystal prison fell away, revealing her pounding against its walls, trying to escape.

"MARIOOOOOOOO!!!" Her voice muffled from within the shimmering rock, as Mario growled in anger.

"Ah, you see? You can't stop me. For I hold the cards that show what the future will be!" Minoria held up the Mirror of Infinity, gazing into it, as it began to glow with dark power. "Now you're going to do just what I say. Let me open the gate, and your princess will live to see another day."

"Mario, there's nothing we can do, she has a hostage." Koopus whispered to the plumber, who nodded in agreement. At once, the heroes dropped their fighting stances, hanging their heads low, as Minoria laughed louder.

"The path to my victory is becoming clearer, now, guardians, let your power absorb by the mirror!" Minoria held the mirror above her head, as the guardians reluctantly released their powers, shooting an array of colored beams of light directly into the mirror's reflective surface. Minoria grasped the last guardian coin, absorbing enough of its power to shoot into the mirror, as well, as the entire Timpanic Temple began to shake.

The windows cracked, the stars along the walls began to spin rapidly around the room, as the mirror glowed ever brighter, until, eventually, a dark, powerful wormhole began to emerge from within it. Minoria cheered, as it opened wider, until she flipped her cape around herself, saluting Mario and his friends, before floating into the center of the rift, grabbing the mirror before disappearing within it.

"MARIO!!! You must follow her into the land of the lost!!! Its our only hope, now!!!" Merlon shouted, over the powerful suction of the wormhole in the center of the sanctum. The guardians gripped onto their pedestals, as loose objects flew into the center of the rift, drawn in by its sheer power.

Mario nodded, as he braced himself, before jumping forward, throwing himself to the void, as his partners followed along. As they disappeared, the void grew smaller and smaller, until it eventually disappeared, just as suddenly as it had earlier appeared. The seven guardians remained among the room, with Merlon, Luigi, Aster, and Gruff, all left behind.

"Its all in your hands, now, Mario..." Aster closed her eyes to pray. "Please, save us all."

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The wormhole opened into a silent, grey scaled world, as Mario and his friends were tossed out, stranded among the dark. Layzee gripped into the grey grass beneath her, as she stood up, taking a look around. The party had been cast into the middle of a dull, grey canyon, where not even the wind made a sound. In front of them stretched an advance of grey grass and dead trees, stretching up to the boring, grey sky. Broken warp pipes and old structures stuck out from the sides of the cliffs, and unrecognizable planks of wood scattered across the ground.

"Where... Are we?" Scruff's voice echoed throughout the canyon, as several party members stood up, dusting themselves off.

"Ahh, this must be Hell Valley." Mario turned around to see an ecstatic Alabama Smith, standing directly behind him. Flare jumped into his arms, as Grimm floated up to his hat, opening his mouth and clamping down onto it, as if trying to chew it off.

"Professor, you followed us into the wormhole?" Bookley asked the penguin.

"That, I did, young ones." He responded, affixing his glasses. "For all of my life, I'd always wanted to see if this place truly existed... Its much more beautiful than I could have ever imagined."

Fou looked about, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Its all grey, sugah."

"I KNOW IT IS, BUT CAN'T YOU SEE HOW FANTASTIC THIS OPPORTUNITY IS?!?" Smith's eyes sparkled in determination. "I will go down as history as the first archaeologist to ever travel into the immaterial world!!!"

Koopus sighed. "So where exactly ARE we, then?"

"The simplest term for where we now stand would be... Purgatory." Alabama began. "This is the land of lost souls, or, as we researchers tend to call it, Hell Valley. They say the beings here exist outside of time itself; everyone who has ever died, and everyone who ever WILL."

"That's a tad unnerving..." Bombert added in.

"Yes, but its wonderful!!! According to research, the spirits here all take a similar form, a metaphysical being we call "Sky Trees." They usually appear as ghastly black, formless figures with bright, hollow, white eyes. They do not speak, nor can they emit sound. They simply thrive off of their memories of who they were, and are said to be doomed to wander this place for all of eternity."

"Uh... Hate ta cut ya off, Professor, but would them up there be what yer' talkin 'bout?" Fou pointed up, at the top of one of the cliffs, where a set of three shadow beings peered over, watching down on Mario and the group.

"Oh, my!!! Real, authentic Hell Valley Sky Trees!!!" Alabama waved to the ghastly beings, who showed no sign of response. "My dear, they certainly are beautiful."

"Oh god, I'm getting chills down my spine." Penny shivered. "Could we please start walking? Anywhere would be fine but here."

As the pokey finished her sentence, the beings overhead began to slowly move from their positions at the edge of the cliff. They slowly stood up straight, beckoning through motions for Mario to follow along, as they floated off into the distance.

"Do you think we should follow them?" Koopus asked.

Mario nodded, running off into the distance.

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(From here,the player makes their way through the Hell Valley canyon, as they fight strong, formless shadows along the way. Every so often, the player is met with a series of forks in the canyon, where the correct way to go is hinted at through looking up at where the Sky Trees point. Eventually, after a long maze of twists and turns, Mario and company make it out of the canyon, coming out to a small, broken down literal ghost town, where it seems the Sky Trees live, as they are greeted by crowds of them upon entering.)

"They're rushing up to greet us because they feel a presence of life." Alabama conducted through the crowd of souls. "Here, any source of life is felt as a calming sense of warmth. The Sky Trees flock to it, simply desperate to feel the glow once more. These spirits would give anything to be alive again."

"Its... A little sad, really." Bookley frowned, looking through the frantic crowd of shadows.

"We're going to need to find a way to ask where Minoria went." Alabama scratched his chin. "This may prove to be difficult."

"If they can't speak, can they understand what we're saying?" Layzee asked.

"They should be able to comprehend our motives, even if our words fall silent on them. After all, it isn't very often that these people get to meet a group of living beings." The penguin professor stopped the group, to make an announcement, surrounded by Sky Trees.

"Has anyone seen a witch fly through here?"

Just then, the spirits all turned and ran, phasing through the walls of buildings, going into hiding behind anything they could find.

"W-what happened?!?" Scruff spun about, frightened by all the sudden movement.

After a few moments, the Sky Trees slowly began to come out of hiding, as they crowded around Mario's group once more, this time, pushing them along in a certain direction, toward the center of their little village, where a massive tree sat alone, caught on fire.

Immediately, Mario jumped into action, using his partners' help to put out the flames. The Sky Trees crowded around, their eyes perked up, happily, as they silently cheered for Mario and his friends. Suddenly, the tree began to glow, as the light spoke out, shocking the group with the first unfamiliar sound they'd heard since they arrived in Hell Valley.

"Brave heroes," the light spoke out, its voice resonating, "thank you for rescuing me from what I was certain was my ultimate demise. My children and I applaud you for your efforts. I welcome the liking of you to Hell Valley, land of unresting souls. By reading your beating hearts, I can sense your reason for coming to our world. The witch who cast the curse upon me has taken something of utmost value from you. The weight of your expedition in this land determines the fate of all that exists, and I would be glad to help you find your way. The dark one you seek has taken to the Shadowlands of Hell Valley, a massive labyrinth wherein only the darkest, most evil of lost souls are kept in isolation, lost for all of eternity." The light shot out, enveloping Bookley. "I shall transcribe within your spellbook a detailed map of the maze. Use it to your best ability to find your way through the dark. The witch you seek plans to release the evil powers trapped behind the walls, she seems to be looking for something in particular, however, I can not determine what." The light beckoned for two of the spirits to step forth from the crowd. "These two shall function as your guide through the Shadowlands. Be warned, great heroes, for even the land itself will attempt to steal your lives as you travel toward your goal. Again, I thank you for saving me, if you ever find yourself to be weary, feel free to return here as often as you need. I will always be here, to heal your greatest wounds. Beware, mortal heroes, for, in this land, you face threats of which your kind hath never before encountered. Beware..."

"Beware..." The voice faded out, as the tree's light dimmed. The spirits turned around, going back about their businesses, leaving Mario and his group to the tour guides who stood before them.

"Great." Bookley detested. "Even all-powerful spirit beings in charge of the underworld get to abuse me."

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(From here, Mario and Co. make their ways through the massive expanse of land in Hell Valley, fighting more shadow beings along the way. When they finally reach the very edge of the Shadowlands, they find it to be completely surrounded by an impossibly high rock wall, encompassing the whole land. If the player has not yet unlocked Grimm at this point in the game, the front gates to the great labyrinth will already be opened for you to venture through. However, if you have unlocked Grimm as a party member, the gates will be shut upon arrival, and this scene will play out.)

Mario and his group approached the front gates to the labyrinth, composed entirely of beautifully twisted, black vines with grey thorns. Atop two pillars, one on each side of the gateway, sat two stone gargoyles, holding spears.

"Now, how do we get in?" Alabama tapped his foot, investigating the gate closely, as Grimm floated upward, starting to chew on on of the gargoyle's heads. Suddenly, it began to move, smacking the innocent Invisighoul off of itself, sending him crashing to the floor, bouncing with a high pitched squeaking noise.

"HALT, INTRUDERS." The gargoyles chanted. "WE ARE THE SENTINELS OF STONE, SET HERE TO PROTECT THESE DARK LANDS." Mario and the rest of his group raised their fists, ready to fight. "NONE SHALL PASS THROUGH THESE HARROWED GATES, LEST THEY BE SWALLOWED BY THE EVILS WITHIN." The gargoyles mumbled a few indescribable words, as the gate's vines suddenly sprung to life, shooting out toward Mario. Grimm shook himself back to his senses, and quickly darted in front of the plumber, as the vines enveloped the Invisighoul, trapping him.

"GRIMM!!!" Bombert shouted, lighting his fuse and attempting to blow up the statues, to no avail.

"Give him back, you leeches!!!" Bookley shouted.

"YOU SHALL REAP THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ACTIONS." The gargoyles chanted, as they began to turn back to lifeless stone, once more, and the vines began to fade away, slowly disappearing with Grimm still in their grasp.

"NO!!!" Bombert rushed forward again, this time, too late, as the vine gate had entirely disappeared from view, taking Grimm with them.

"Grimm..." Twigg's voice cracked, as Flare whimpered, sniffling to himself.

Mario stood, silently, staring at where the vines had just been, only a second ago. Bookley softly tapped the plumber on the shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Mario... We need to keep moving."

Bombert turned around, his fuse lit, crying hysterically. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'KEEP MOVING,' HUH?!?!? ARE YOU INSANE?!?"

"Bombert, calm down-"

"NO!!! I WON'T CALM DOWN!!! HE WAS MY FRIEND, HE WAS MY ONLY FRIEND!!!" The bob-omb cut the craw detective off, shouting once more, before breaking down into tears, unable to speak.

"Darlin..." Fou hugged the bob-omb, softly caressing him, wiping his tears away with her boa. "This is the end o' the world, doll... We can't just stop, now... Not after all we've been through."

"I can't..." Bombert clenched his eyes shut. "I just... C-can't..."

Mario slowly took a single step forward, his foot making a soft pounding noise in the grey dirt, just loud enough to grab everyone's attention. A few seconds more, and he took another step. The cycle continued on for a few moments, before the plumber had begun to walk, once more, as he and the two Sky Tree guides began their journey into the labyrinth, disappearing into the fog.

"I'm... Sorry..." Bombert whimpered, as he followed the rest of his teammates into the maze, looking back just in time to see the rock wall enclose behind them.

"No turning back, now."

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(From here, Mario and Co. adventure into the depths of the Shadowlands, once again, fighting more shadow monsters, this time, a few with elemental and physical attributes, making them tougher. Through this part in the dungeon, there are a lot of puzzles that require Bombert's abilities of blowing things up and activating heavy switches to get past. Through it all, the group eventually reach a small, open area with a beautiful, marble gazebo, raised on a stone platform in the center with a square roof overhead. when they enter the area, the rock wall behind them closes, locking them in.)

"Great, where are we supposed to go now?!?" Layzee slammed her fists on the wall, to no use. Mario walked over to the gazebo, scratching his chin in confusion, as Alabama Smith inspected what looked like a heavy, rusted plate in the center of the marble floor.

"Bombert, we may need your help." He beckoned the bob-omb over. "Could you please press this switch down? I have a feeling it may activate something." Professor Smith and Mario backed away from the gazebo as the bob-omb slowly pressed himself down on the panel. A clicking noise sounded, and the rock wall ahead of the area opened up.

"Haha, yes! That was far too easy." The penguin began to walk forward, until he heard the gazebo begin to whir. All of a sudden, the square roof of the gazebo folded downward into walls, entrapping Bombert inside.

"HELP!!! SOMEBODY GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!" He shouted, as Mario and his partners tried to break away the walls. "THE WALLS ARE STARTING TO CLOSE IN!!!!

"Its no use!!!" Koopus screamed. "Try stepping off of the plate!!!"

"ALRIGHT!!!" Bombert shouted, his voice muffled by the walls of the gazebo. Suddenly, the walls folded back up into roof-formation, no longer boxing the bulky bob-omb within, and the rock wall ahead of the group closed once more.

The group stood in silence for a few minutes, before Bombert sniffled, letting a single tear fall down his face.

"Alright. I understand." He laughed, though the tears welled up in his eyes. "Guys... Keep moving forward. A-alright?"

Fou shook her head. "Dearie, we aren't goin' ta just leave ya here like this..."

Bombert chuckled heartily, his body shaking. "N-no, trust me. There's no other way. Look at how it was designed..." He took in a deep breath, continuing. "D-don't forget about me... Alright?"

Mario's eyes glistened, but the hero wiped them dry, nodding, and gesturing for his party members to back away from the gazebo. They followed him to the base of the wall, looking back at Bombert, who was now openly crying all over himself, quivering with fear.

"W-when I step on it, you run, a-alright?!?" He shouted, to the best of his abilities, his voice shaky. "You run as fast as you can, a-and don't look back!!! PROMISE me you won't look back!!!"

"Bombert..." Bookley frowned...

Mario nodded.

Bombert stepped back onto the plate, as the wall in front of the group opened, causing the walls of the gazebo to fold down, boxing the bob-omb in, once again, slowly starting to move inward.

Mario ran forward, through the mist, not once looking back.

Not until the sound of the wall slammed shut behind him.

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(From here, Mario and Co. travel further through the maze, until they come across a large bog, full of murky, black, muddy water. Mario has to use Scruff to cross it, and they eventually reach land on the opposite side.)

"Ugh, this stuff is so disgusting." Layzee shook the muck from her shoe, shivering.

Mario helped Scruff out of the water, as he tried pulling off the slime stuck to him.

"Its fine, Mario, let's just keep going." The ruff puff insisted.

The group continued to walk, until they began to hear rustling noises behind them. They turned around, seeing a giant monster made from the goop of the lake, chasing after them.

"Oh no! Get ready to fight!!!" Bookley shouted.

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MINI-BOSS FIGHT: GLOOP

"Geeze, I don't even know what that thing is, but its DISGUSTING!!! Blech, that SMELL!!! Anyway, Max HP is 50, Attack is 5, Defense is 2. He shouldn't be too difficult, if you can get over the thought of even TOUCHING that thing, let alone ATTACKING it. Let's get this over with so we can keep chasing Minoria!"

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After the battle, the monster let out a shriek, as it degenerated back into a large puddle of goop. Mario and his friends turned around, ready to continue on, until they heard Scruff screaming from behind them.

"LET GO OF ME!!!" He wriggled for his life, as the goo began to drag him back toward the shoreline. Mario and his friends grabbed onto Scruff, trying to pull him free, but as the goo merged with the rest of the bog, its pull grew stronger, until they were forced to let go.

"Scruff, hold on!!!" Bookley bit his lip, watching the ruff puff being slowly enveloped by the slime, dragged into the water. Professor Smith tried holding out a stick for Scruff to grab onto, but it was swallowed by the muck before he even had a chance to grab it.

"PLEASE, DON'T LET ME DIE!!!! I DON'T WANNA DIE, NOW!!!" Scruff screamed at the top of his lungs, crying, as Mario and the rest of the ground stood at the shore, watching him be slowly dragged into the depths of the water. Soon, his screaming stopped, as he disappeared from sight.

"This is getting insane..." Twigg gulped, his heart beating fast.

"I don't know how much more of this I can possibly take..." Koopus sniffled.

"Gruff..." Penny cried, under her breath. "Gruff, I'm so sorry I couldn't save him..."

Mario silently went to pluck a single, grey flower from the ground, nearby, placing it at the very edge of the water. He lowered his head, as did the rest of the group, as they quietly mourned for the loss of another friend.

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(Mario and Co. continue on throughout more of the maze. More enemies to fight, even stronger this time, and more puzzles to complete, this time, using Layzee's singing ability to break through crystal surfaces, and lull enemies to sleep on top of switches. The group comes across another dead end, this time, with a simple, little hole in the rock wall.)

"What do we do, now?..." Penny asked, her voice dull, and spiritless.

"I..." Layzee inspected the hole, scared. "I think its just about my size, guys..."

"NO." Koopus protested, grabbing the dayzee girl. "I'm not losing another friend, not YOU."

"Koopus..."

"I've known you since the BEGINNING, Layzee. You were one of my only friends, back in Tremble! I CAN'T let you go!"

"Koopus." Layzee cut him off, frowning. "I can't believe how selfish you're being right now. Everything we know, everything that EXISTS, is in danger, right now. If I have to die to help you all reach Minoria, so be it." Layzee looked over to Mario, flashing him a weak smile. "I'll gladly die for this cause." She got on her hands and knees, ready to crawl into the hole.

"You all need to see the bigger picture, here. If you guys don't keep moving forward, then all of us... Grimm, Bombert, Scruff... And now, even me..." Layzee looked up at the group. "We'll have died for NOTHING. Don't let our sacrifices be in vain, go find Minoria, and SAVE this world, so that we don't ALL die. you got that?"

The group stared silently at the flower girl, shocked.

"So stop hesitating because of this. I know its sad, but..." She gave the group a thumbs up. "Keep fighting on. Don't forget about us."

With that, Layzee crawled into the space in the wall, as the wall directly across from it opened up. Mario and his group winced as they watched the small hole shut itself, and heard a short, sharp yell from the Dayzee girl from within, followed by complete silence. They shakingly continued on, completely speechless.

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(Mario and co. follow through to the end of the maze, where they reach a chasm, with a wooden platform raised out over the bottomless pit below. The Hell Valley Sky Trees silently bid the party farewell, needing to return to their village, as they dematerialize into the shadows below. Upon the platform, a single stand sits, with multiple buttons and switches adorning it.)

"Now, what's this...?" Fou inspected the platform, as Twigg walked up to it, looking across the ravine.

"Everyone, step off of the platform." Twigg instructed.

"W-wait, what? Why?" Bookley asked.

"I want you all to be safe. I'm going to try something."

Mario nodded, as he pulled the rest of his party off the platform alongside him, leaving Twigg to work the device. He clicked through a few buttons, using his technological expertise to guide him through, when, suddenly, out from the edge of the ravine, stretched a portion of a stone bridge.

"A-ha!" Twigg declared, just as one of the support beams to the wooden platform he stood on crumbled away, causing it to shake.

"TWIGG!!! Get off of there!!!" Bookley shouted.

"I can't!!! I'm gonna have to stay on if you guys are ever going to find a way across the ravine!!!" Twigg focused once more on the buttons, making the bridge extend another portion of the way, causing yet another of the support beams under his feet to fall.

"Guys, start running across the bridge in case it goes back in after a certain amount of time!!!" He clicked through more buttons, as parts of his wood platform began to crumble from beneath him. The bridge extended further across the chasm, as one of the last two support beams broke, causing Twigg to fall to his knees, gripping onto the stand for balance.

"Its almost there, I think there's just one more code, left!!!!!!" Twigg screamed, as the group ran across almost the entire length of the pit.

"We'll find a way to jump it!!! Come on, Twigg!!!" Koopus shouted back, to which the Craw shook his head, looking at the gap.

"Its too wide!" He went back to the buttons, working his fingers as frantically as he could as the last wooden support pillar began to crumble from beneath him. "HA!!!" He slammed his finger down on one last button, making the bridge complete its journey across the chasm, and allowing his friends to make it to the other side.

As Twigg tried to take a step away from the stand, the platform began shaking violently, as the final beam snapped away, causing the entire platform the crumble down. Twigg fell again, unable to stand up in time for the platform to fall down into the pit below, carrying him with it. Mario looked on in horror as he watched his friend fall down into the darkness, as his screams echoed through the entire ravine.

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(Mario and his friends keep moving, fighting more enemies, until they come across a cave at the base of a tall mountain, where darkened stormclouds circled overhead. They had almost made it to Minoria. They rushed inside the cave, instantly seeing a bridgeable gap across the ground.)

"Its alright, guys, leave this one to me." Penny sighed, as she lay herself across the gap. Mario, Bookley, Fou, Koopus, Flare, and Professor Smith walked across, as they looked around for a way up.

Koopus grabbed Penny, helping her up.

"Do you see those platforms jutting out of the walls, master Mario?" Alabama inquired. "They're set in a pattern akin to a spiral staircase, that would be our best bet."

All of a sudden, the ground started to shake, and a vine whipped out from the depths of the gap, grabbing onto Mario's ankle, and pulling him down, until Penny jumped down into the hole, grabbing onto a root sticking out of the wall of the gap with her teeth, allowing Mario to grapple onto her bottom segment.

She gripped as tightly as she could, as the vine pulled Mario harder. Flare stood over the edge of the gap, breathing fire down, onto the vine, causing it to squeal and let go of Mario's foot, leaving him cliffhanging from Penny.

"I can't... Hold on... Much longer!!!" Penny gritted through her teeth, as the root started to come undone from the wall.

"Penny, grab on!!!" Koopus extended his hand out to the pokey.

"I... CAN'T... LET GO... I'M HOLDING... WITH... MY TEETH!!!" She grunted, breathing heavily as she realized that her and Mario's weights combined were making the root come loose.

"Mario..." She muttered to the plumber. "Climb... Up... My body..." She clamped her mouth down on the root, clenching her eyes shut. "Grab... Koopus! Save... Yourself!!!"

Mario reluctantly climbed up Penny's segments, until he stood up on her head. As he jumped to grab onto Koopus's hand, his boot pushed down on Penny's head, causing the root to finally free itself from the wall, causing the pokey to fall to the depths, as her screams echoed in Mario's ears.

Koopus pulled the plumber to safety, as they stood up, dusting themselves off.

"We're so close, y'all..." Fou looked up, toward the top of the cave. "We need to make it to Minoria."

Mario slowly nodded, as he led the way up the platforms, spiraling up to the top.

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(At the top of the stairwell, a set of torches is lit in a specific pattern, with an opening nearby. Mario and the group must make their way through a series of cave "rooms" where they need to choose the right path to proceed forward, and at the end, they come across a glass box containing a series of unlit torches, in a line above a sealed door, with a small tube leading down to the floor from the side of the box.)

"It must be the same pattern as earlier, don't you think?" Koopus asked, to which Mario nodded.

"You're up, Flare." Alabama Smith hugged his little apprentice, as he started climbing up the tube, lighting the torches one by one. When he lit the final torch, the door unlocked, as the entrance to the tube shut tightly, locking Flare inside.

"Flare?!?!? Flare, what's wrong?!?!!?!?" The little fire spirit pounded on the walls, until he heard a distinct rushing noise. From the top of the box, water started to pour in, causing the flame to panic, as he slammed against the glass box with all his might, unable to stop the flow. Down below, the door had begun to slowly close again.

"Oh, no, Mario!!! We don't have any time, come on!!!" Bookley tugged on Mario, pulling him through the door, alongside Fou, Koopus, and the Professor. When they reached the other side, it slammed shut, locking them in.

"Now lil baby Flare is gone..." Fou sniffled, drying her eyes with her boa.

"I can't believe it..." Alabama stuttered.

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(In the next room over, a spiked ceiling overlooks the room, with a single button on a dial in the center.)

"Seeing how these traps have been going, I'd be willing to guess the roof will start to fall as soon as we press that button, and crush whoever's still in the room." Alabama presumed.

Mario looked up at the ceiling, feeling an uneasy feeling in his stomach.

"I'd also be willing to venture whoever presses the button is going to need to hold it down to keep the door open..." The professor continued on.

"Well..." Fou spoke up. "Ah don't think it'd be THAT bad, y'all." The parlor boo snickered, winking at the boys. "Y'all keep movin on, mkay? Ah'll be fine, ah'm gonna hold down the button till the lotta ya are safe, and then ah'll just let go and turn invisible! Easy as pie."

Mario nodded, smiling with faith in the boo girl.

"Alright..." She took a deep breath in. "Are y'all ready?"

Mario nodded, as she pressed the button. Suddenly, the door swung open, and the ceiling started to crash down with incredible speed.

"AH DIDN'T THINK IT'D COME DOWN THAT FAST!!! RUN, MARIO!!!" Fou held her hand firmly on the button as Mario grabbed Koopus and the professor, barely diving through the doorway as the ceiling came crashing down into the ground, stirring up a huge dust cloud.

When the air became clear once more, Mario was greeted by a horrifying sight; the door still open, just now starting to close.

"She... She didn't let go..." Koopus whispered, as the door slowly swung shut.

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(In the new room, A series of gears and cogs are fixed into the wall, leading to a hole in the floor, just big enough for Koopus to fit into and spin the gears.)

"Well, isn't it lucky we've still got you?" The professor looked over at Koopus, who bit his lip, terrified.

"What's going to happen when I help turn those?" He looked about, seeing multiple levels of slots up the walls.

"It probably brings out platforms that we can use as a staircase, like before." Professor Smith stated.

"Well... Alright." Koopus sighed, walking over to Mario and shaking his hand.

"It was a pleasure working with you, sir, I'm willing to lay my life on the line to make sure you reach the top.

Bookley looked up, through the hole at the top of the room. "I guess this really IS the last room... Isn't it?"

Mario nodded, as he prepared himself for the oncoming platforms. Koopus fit himself into the hole into the floor, and started spinning, causing the gears to turn, making the platforms rotate out from their hiding places within the walls.

Mario jumped up the platforms, with the Professor and Bookley following just behind him. As they climbed higher and higher, Koopus's slot in the ground began to lower.

As they finally reached the top, they looked down, to see the floor shut above Koopus, leaving his fate unknown to the last standing members of the group. Now, at the top of the mountain, Bookley looked out across the far expanse of land that stretched out below them.

"You can see all of Hell Valley from up here..." Alabama Smith teared up, a soft wind starting to blow.

"Its just us, now..." Bookley whispered, looking away from the edge of the mountain, to see a small, dirt path, leading up to the peak, where rings of dark energy emitted.

"Let's-a-go." The spellbook softly said, crushed by the utter feeling of loneliness and despair.

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Up at the summit, Minoria stood among a stone altar, where she had placed the Mirror of Infinity upon. She laughed and cackled, as the dark energy grew in intensity. Behind her, Princess Peach lay within her crystal, crying to herself helplessly.

"We've found you, now, you witch! Give it up!!!" Bookley shouted, shocking Minoria into stopping her ritual.

"Your lot is pesky, like a flea, but what is this? Only one, two, three?" She laughed, raising her wand toward Mario and Bookley.

"Don't you DARE mock our companions!!!" Bookley growled at the witch, as Mario readied his fists for a fight.

"Good luck, you two!!!" The penguin professor shouted over the roar of the mirror's power.

"MARIO! BE CAREFUL!!!!" Peach shouted from within her prison, her voice muffled. "SHE CAN BRING SPIRITS BACK FROM THE DEAD!!!"

Minoria took the golden coin from her coat, clutching it tightly. "Darkness sleeps within this place, an evil spirit, you shall face!!!" She cackled loudly, shooting a bolt of magic from her fingertips into the mirror. The portal on the ground opened wide, and the ground shook violently, knocking Mario to the floor.

As he looked up, a familiar figure began to climb out of the wormhole. A striped, jester's hat, adorned with yellow bells at each end, and an all-too-familiar black-and-white harlequin's mask. As the portal closed behind the spirit, the faint sound of a childish music box began to play.

"Ahhh, so we meet again, like a set of separated twins, I am FINALLY free from my prison!!!" The spirit chuckled heartily, as the music box played louder. "I've been waiting for a VERY long time for this rematch, Mario, now you're going to pay for sending me here!!!"

Minoria tossed the coin to Dimentio, who clutched it in the palm of one of his velvet-lined, black gloves, feeling the power surge from within himself.

"Ohhh... OOOOHHHH!!! I F E E L L O V E L Y!!!!!!!" Dimentio cackled, as his body became engulfed in a bright light.

"ARE YOU READY FOR THE GREATEST MAGIC SHOW YOU'LL EVER SEE?!?!?!?" His voice resonated, as the light transformed him into a sight too horrible to behold.

"Its time to end this, once and for all! You ready, Mario?!?!?!?!?" Bookley shouted.

"LETS-A-GO!!!"

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BOSS FIGHT: DIMENTIO SOUL

"That's the soul of a spirit who was locked away in the Shadowlands! I believe you've fought him before? Based on his looks alone, I'd say his Max HP is 100, Attack is 8, and Defense is 1. Watch out for that ectoplasmic ooze dripping from his mask, yuck, that stuff looks like it could poison you! Each of his hands have a Max HP of 25, and an Attack of 5, but their Defense is 0. They're definitely where he draws his stronger attacks from, so I'd suggest taking THOSE out of the picture, first!!!"

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After the battle, Dimentio's new form begins to overload on power, until he eventually explodes, leaving behind no trace of his existence. Princess Peach's crystal breaks in the explosion, causing her to fall to the ground, and the golden coin drops to the floor. Mario picks it up, clutching it in his hand, breaking the seal of the eighth and final guardian.

"Where did Minoria go?" Bookley asks, looking about.

"She must have escaped through the mirror, look, its gone." Alabama Smith pointed out the now barren altar, devoid of the mirror.

"Mario, you have released me, the final Guardian of Unity. Please, trust in my powers. I know where Minoria has gone, I can take you there. You will be heading into a place we call World -1, where the forgotten souls, unable to fit into neither Underwhere nor Overthere, as well as not existing in Hell Valley, seize to exist. This will be your final battle, Mario, only now, you will have all eight of us with you, guiding you through the darkness. We must stop Minoria, once and for all."

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Mario can now use Minuette, the eighth guardian of unity, along with her powers, in battle!!!

Grande Finale

SP: 6

Wind up both control pads in opposite directions to unleash a ridiculously powerful blast of musical waves, effecting all enemies on-screen!!!

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END OF CHAPTER!!!

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Alright, so I'm uploading this at the mark of the first of October, everyone, I can't wait to see what this amazing month has in store, and with this, I suppose we're setting off the creepy mood quite well. Hahaha, alright, I've gotta go work on the post-chapter-7 illustrations, now, will Mario be able to stop Minoria and save this world? And what became of our heroic plumber's partners? You'll find out soon, but until then, PEACE.

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Paper Mario, as well as the Mario franchise in general, VERY obviously don't belong to me, they belong to Nintendo. I'm not trying to claim their work whatsoever, and you're absolutely insane if you think I am. Go google what a fangame is.

Description
Hey, everybody, welcome back for ANOTHER chapter! Holy crap, I actually finished one in a relatively quick amount of time, how unexpected! I REALLY wanted to get this one out for the beginning of October, since the mood of this story's really starting to take a turn fitting for Halloween night. I hope you guys enjoy this one, I've put a lot of work into it. With that said, let us see what has become of our hero in red.
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"Mario..." Merlon began, his tone of voice serious. "I've stood by your side to guide you through this entire adventure, and now, we may be seeing the last of each other..." He bit his quivering lip, hidden from Mario's vision by the shadow of his cloak.

"Minoria will return to the Timpanic Temple, I can feel her presence, her very power flowing through the skies above. She has the Mirror of Infinity, and, now, the power of the last guardian at her side."

"It will be your responsibility, along with the help of your friends, to take her down once and for all, before she is given the chance to open the gateway to the realm of the dead." Queen Aster stepped in, a somber look glazed across her pale face.

"Big bro, I've seen you save the world hundreds of times before, I have complete confidence in you." Luigi chimed along, his lips curled into a smirk. "Go put that witch back in her cauldron."

"Of course, you must be aware of her power, as well." Alabama cut Luigi off, stating his point. "If not handled with extreme care, she may be able to blindside you. She is a very cunning witch, after all, just be sure you don't give her any chance to take the upper hand."

"Mario, man, I haven't known you for too long, but after watching how easily you took down that sea monster, I've got my faith on you, in this fight." Gruff grinned, blowing a kiss over to Scruff. "Make sure my Scruffy boy over there comes home safe."

"GAHHHHH!111!!!1!!ONE!!1!!! TEH YAOIZZZZ, OMFGBBQLOLWTHLMAOSFCP!!!!1! THEY'RE SOOOOOOooOOOoOOoOO CUTE!!!" Penny bounced about, little pink hearts emanating from her aura.

"Oh geeze, somebody please slip her a relaxation pill." Bookley slammed himself against a desk, groaning.

Mario smiled, and gave a hearty, "WAH-HOO!!!" to the group, as he turned around to gather his partners. Just then, the ground began to shake, as a loud whooshing noise flew by from over Merlon's study.

"She's here, Mario, we must go!!!" Merlon shouted, pushing the plumber out the door as he, alongside everyone else, followed closely behind.

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"WHEE-HEE-HEE-HEE!!! Who's power should you fear? That answer... Is ME!!!" Minoria waved her gloved hands in the air, bursting down the doors to the Timpanic Temple, flying up the stairs and reaching the inner sanctum, where the seven guardians stood, watching from above.

"You will not get away with this, evil witch!" Bravado shouted, as Minoria pulled a golden coin from her cloak.

"On the contrary; yes, I will! Mario won't stop me, if I threaten to kill!!!" The witch cackled, as Mario and the rest of the group busted through the sanctum doors.

"Just as I thought, you're right on time. But, here, your adventure stops on a dime!!!" Minoria waved her wand, as the invisible barrier around Princess Peach's crystal prison fell away, revealing her pounding against its walls, trying to escape.

"MARIOOOOOOOO!!!" Her voice muffled from within the shimmering rock, as Mario growled in anger.

"Ah, you see? You can't stop me. For I hold the cards that show what the future will be!" Minoria held up the Mirror of Infinity, gazing into it, as it began to glow with dark power. "Now you're going to do just what I say. Let me open the gate, and your princess will live to see another day."

"Mario, there's nothing we can do, she has a hostage." Koopus whispered to the plumber, who nodded in agreement. At once, the heroes dropped their fighting stances, hanging their heads low, as Minoria laughed louder.

"The path to my victory is becoming clearer, now, guardians, let your power absorb by the mirror!" Minoria held the mirror above her head, as the guardians reluctantly released their powers, shooting an array of colored beams of light directly into the mirror's reflective surface. Minoria grasped the last guardian coin, absorbing enough of its power to shoot into the mirror, as well, as the entire Timpanic Temple began to shake.

The windows cracked, the stars along the walls began to spin rapidly around the room, as the mirror glowed ever brighter, until, eventually, a dark, powerful wormhole began to emerge from within it. Minoria cheered, as it opened wider, until she flipped her cape around herself, saluting Mario and his friends, before floating into the center of the rift, grabbing the mirror before disappearing within it.

"MARIO!!! You must follow her into the land of the lost!!! Its our only hope, now!!!" Merlon shouted, over the powerful suction of the wormhole in the center of the sanctum. The guardians gripped onto their pedestals, as loose objects flew into the center of the rift, drawn in by its sheer power.

Mario nodded, as he braced himself, before jumping forward, throwing himself to the void, as his partners followed along. As they disappeared, the void grew smaller and smaller, until it eventually disappeared, just as suddenly as it had earlier appeared. The seven guardians remained among the room, with Merlon, Luigi, Aster, and Gruff, all left behind.

"Its all in your hands, now, Mario..." Aster closed her eyes to pray. "Please, save us all."

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The wormhole opened into a silent, grey scaled world, as Mario and his friends were tossed out, stranded among the dark. Layzee gripped into the grey grass beneath her, as she stood up, taking a look around. The party had been cast into the middle of a dull, grey canyon, where not even the wind made a sound. In front of them stretched an advance of grey grass and dead trees, stretching up to the boring, grey sky. Broken warp pipes and old structures stuck out from the sides of the cliffs, and unrecognizable planks of wood scattered across the ground.

"Where... Are we?" Scruff's voice echoed throughout the canyon, as several party members stood up, dusting themselves off.

"Ahh, this must be Hell Valley." Mario turned around to see an ecstatic Alabama Smith, standing directly behind him. Flare jumped into his arms, as Grimm floated up to his hat, opening his mouth and clamping down onto it, as if trying to chew it off.

"Professor, you followed us into the wormhole?" Bookley asked the penguin.

"That, I did, young ones." He responded, affixing his glasses. "For all of my life, I'd always wanted to see if this place truly existed... Its much more beautiful than I could have ever imagined."

Fou looked about, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Its all grey, sugah."

"I KNOW IT IS, BUT CAN'T YOU SEE HOW FANTASTIC THIS OPPORTUNITY IS?!?" Smith's eyes sparkled in determination. "I will go down as history as the first archaeologist to ever travel into the immaterial world!!!"

Koopus sighed. "So where exactly ARE we, then?"

"The simplest term for where we now stand would be... Purgatory." Alabama began. "This is the land of lost souls, or, as we researchers tend to call it, Hell Valley. They say the beings here exist outside of time itself; everyone who has ever died, and everyone who ever WILL."

"That's a tad unnerving..." Bombert added in.

"Yes, but its wonderful!!! According to research, the spirits here all take a similar form, a metaphysical being we call "Sky Trees." They usually appear as ghastly black, formless figures with bright, hollow, white eyes. They do not speak, nor can they emit sound. They simply thrive off of their memories of who they were, and are said to be doomed to wander this place for all of eternity."

"Uh... Hate ta cut ya off, Professor, but would them up there be what yer' talkin 'bout?" Fou pointed up, at the top of one of the cliffs, where a set of three shadow beings peered over, watching down on Mario and the group.

"Oh, my!!! Real, authentic Hell Valley Sky Trees!!!" Alabama waved to the ghastly beings, who showed no sign of response. "My dear, they certainly are beautiful."

"Oh god, I'm getting chills down my spine." Penny shivered. "Could we please start walking? Anywhere would be fine but here."

As the pokey finished her sentence, the beings overhead began to slowly move from their positions at the edge of the cliff. They slowly stood up straight, beckoning through motions for Mario to follow along, as they floated off into the distance.

"Do you think we should follow them?" Koopus asked.

Mario nodded, running off into the distance.

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(From here,the player makes their way through the Hell Valley canyon, as they fight strong, formless shadows along the way. Every so often, the player is met with a series of forks in the canyon, where the correct way to go is hinted at through looking up at where the Sky Trees point. Eventually, after a long maze of twists and turns, Mario and company make it out of the canyon, coming out to a small, broken down literal ghost town, where it seems the Sky Trees live, as they are greeted by crowds of them upon entering.)

"They're rushing up to greet us because they feel a presence of life." Alabama conducted through the crowd of souls. "Here, any source of life is felt as a calming sense of warmth. The Sky Trees flock to it, simply desperate to feel the glow once more. These spirits would give anything to be alive again."

"Its... A little sad, really." Bookley frowned, looking through the frantic crowd of shadows.

"We're going to need to find a way to ask where Minoria went." Alabama scratched his chin. "This may prove to be difficult."

"If they can't speak, can they understand what we're saying?" Layzee asked.

"They should be able to comprehend our motives, even if our words fall silent on them. After all, it isn't very often that these people get to meet a group of living beings." The penguin professor stopped the group, to make an announcement, surrounded by Sky Trees.

"Has anyone seen a witch fly through here?"

Just then, the spirits all turned and ran, phasing through the walls of buildings, going into hiding behind anything they could find.

"W-what happened?!?" Scruff spun about, frightened by all the sudden movement.

After a few moments, the Sky Trees slowly began to come out of hiding, as they crowded around Mario's group once more, this time, pushing them along in a certain direction, toward the center of their little village, where a massive tree sat alone, caught on fire.

Immediately, Mario jumped into action, using his partners' help to put out the flames. The Sky Trees crowded around, their eyes perked up, happily, as they silently cheered for Mario and his friends. Suddenly, the tree began to glow, as the light spoke out, shocking the group with the first unfamiliar sound they'd heard since they arrived in Hell Valley.

"Brave heroes," the light spoke out, its voice resonating, "thank you for rescuing me from what I was certain was my ultimate demise. My children and I applaud you for your efforts. I welcome the liking of you to Hell Valley, land of unresting souls. By reading your beating hearts, I can sense your reason for coming to our world. The witch who cast the curse upon me has taken something of utmost value from you. The weight of your expedition in this land determines the fate of all that exists, and I would be glad to help you find your way. The dark one you seek has taken to the Shadowlands of Hell Valley, a massive labyrinth wherein only the darkest, most evil of lost souls are kept in isolation, lost for all of eternity." The light shot out, enveloping Bookley. "I shall transcribe within your spellbook a detailed map of the maze. Use it to your best ability to find your way through the dark. The witch you seek plans to release the evil powers trapped behind the walls, she seems to be looking for something in particular, however, I can not determine what." The light beckoned for two of the spirits to step forth from the crowd. "These two shall function as your guide through the Shadowlands. Be warned, great heroes, for even the land itself will attempt to steal your lives as you travel toward your goal. Again, I thank you for saving me, if you ever find yourself to be weary, feel free to return here as often as you need. I will always be here, to heal your greatest wounds. Beware, mortal heroes, for, in this land, you face threats of which your kind hath never before encountered. Beware..."

"Beware..." The voice faded out, as the tree's light dimmed. The spirits turned around, going back about their businesses, leaving Mario and his group to the tour guides who stood before them.

"Great." Bookley detested. "Even all-powerful spirit beings in charge of the underworld get to abuse me."

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(From here, Mario and Co. make their ways through the massive expanse of land in Hell Valley, fighting more shadow beings along the way. When they finally reach the very edge of the Shadowlands, they find it to be completely surrounded by an impossibly high rock wall, encompassing the whole land. If the player has not yet unlocked Grimm at this point in the game, the front gates to the great labyrinth will already be opened for you to venture through. However, if you have unlocked Grimm as a party member, the gates will be shut upon arrival, and this scene will play out.)

Mario and his group approached the front gates to the labyrinth, composed entirely of beautifully twisted, black vines with grey thorns. Atop two pillars, one on each side of the gateway, sat two stone gargoyles, holding spears.

"Now, how do we get in?" Alabama tapped his foot, investigating the gate closely, as Grimm floated upward, starting to chew on on of the gargoyle's heads. Suddenly, it began to move, smacking the innocent Invisighoul off of itself, sending him crashing to the floor, bouncing with a high pitched squeaking noise.

"HALT, INTRUDERS." The gargoyles chanted. "WE ARE THE SENTINELS OF STONE, SET HERE TO PROTECT THESE DARK LANDS." Mario and the rest of his group raised their fists, ready to fight. "NONE SHALL PASS THROUGH THESE HARROWED GATES, LEST THEY BE SWALLOWED BY THE EVILS WITHIN." The gargoyles mumbled a few indescribable words, as the gate's vines suddenly sprung to life, shooting out toward Mario. Grimm shook himself back to his senses, and quickly darted in front of the plumber, as the vines enveloped the Invisighoul, trapping him.

"GRIMM!!!" Bombert shouted, lighting his fuse and attempting to blow up the statues, to no avail.

"Give him back, you leeches!!!" Bookley shouted.

"YOU SHALL REAP THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ACTIONS." The gargoyles chanted, as they began to turn back to lifeless stone, once more, and the vines began to fade away, slowly disappearing with Grimm still in their grasp.

"NO!!!" Bombert rushed forward again, this time, too late, as the vine gate had entirely disappeared from view, taking Grimm with them.

"Grimm..." Twigg's voice cracked, as Flare whimpered, sniffling to himself.

Mario stood, silently, staring at where the vines had just been, only a second ago. Bookley softly tapped the plumber on the shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Mario... We need to keep moving."

Bombert turned around, his fuse lit, crying hysterically. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'KEEP MOVING,' HUH?!?!? ARE YOU INSANE?!?"

"Bombert, calm down-"

"NO!!! I WON'T CALM DOWN!!! HE WAS MY FRIEND, HE WAS MY ONLY FRIEND!!!" The bob-omb cut the craw detective off, shouting once more, before breaking down into tears, unable to speak.

"Darlin..." Fou hugged the bob-omb, softly caressing him, wiping his tears away with her boa. "This is the end o' the world, doll... We can't just stop, now... Not after all we've been through."

"I can't..." Bombert clenched his eyes shut. "I just... C-can't..."

Mario slowly took a single step forward, his foot making a soft pounding noise in the grey dirt, just loud enough to grab everyone's attention. A few seconds more, and he took another step. The cycle continued on for a few moments, before the plumber had begun to walk, once more, as he and the two Sky Tree guides began their journey into the labyrinth, disappearing into the fog.

"I'm... Sorry..." Bombert whimpered, as he followed the rest of his teammates into the maze, looking back just in time to see the rock wall enclose behind them.

"No turning back, now."

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(From here, Mario and Co. adventure into the depths of the Shadowlands, once again, fighting more shadow monsters, this time, a few with elemental and physical attributes, making them tougher. Through this part in the dungeon, there are a lot of puzzles that require Bombert's abilities of blowing things up and activating heavy switches to get past. Through it all, the group eventually reach a small, open area with a beautiful, marble gazebo, raised on a stone platform in the center with a square roof overhead. when they enter the area, the rock wall behind them closes, locking them in.)

"Great, where are we supposed to go now?!?" Layzee slammed her fists on the wall, to no use. Mario walked over to the gazebo, scratching his chin in confusion, as Alabama Smith inspected what looked like a heavy, rusted plate in the center of the marble floor.

"Bombert, we may need your help." He beckoned the bob-omb over. "Could you please press this switch down? I have a feeling it may activate something." Professor Smith and Mario backed away from the gazebo as the bob-omb slowly pressed himself down on the panel. A clicking noise sounded, and the rock wall ahead of the area opened up.

"Haha, yes! That was far too easy." The penguin began to walk forward, until he heard the gazebo begin to whir. All of a sudden, the square roof of the gazebo folded downward into walls, entrapping Bombert inside.

"HELP!!! SOMEBODY GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!" He shouted, as Mario and his partners tried to break away the walls. "THE WALLS ARE STARTING TO CLOSE IN!!!!

"Its no use!!!" Koopus screamed. "Try stepping off of the plate!!!"

"ALRIGHT!!!" Bombert shouted, his voice muffled by the walls of the gazebo. Suddenly, the walls folded back up into roof-formation, no longer boxing the bulky bob-omb within, and the rock wall ahead of the group closed once more.

The group stood in silence for a few minutes, before Bombert sniffled, letting a single tear fall down his face.

"Alright. I understand." He laughed, though the tears welled up in his eyes. "Guys... Keep moving forward. A-alright?"

Fou shook her head. "Dearie, we aren't goin' ta just leave ya here like this..."

Bombert chuckled heartily, his body shaking. "N-no, trust me. There's no other way. Look at how it was designed..." He took in a deep breath, continuing. "D-don't forget about me... Alright?"

Mario's eyes glistened, but the hero wiped them dry, nodding, and gesturing for his party members to back away from the gazebo. They followed him to the base of the wall, looking back at Bombert, who was now openly crying all over himself, quivering with fear.

"W-when I step on it, you run, a-alright?!?" He shouted, to the best of his abilities, his voice shaky. "You run as fast as you can, a-and don't look back!!! PROMISE me you won't look back!!!"

"Bombert..." Bookley frowned...

Mario nodded.

Bombert stepped back onto the plate, as the wall in front of the group opened, causing the walls of the gazebo to fold down, boxing the bob-omb in, once again, slowly starting to move inward.

Mario ran forward, through the mist, not once looking back.

Not until the sound of the wall slammed shut behind him.

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(From here, Mario and Co. travel further through the maze, until they come across a large bog, full of murky, black, muddy water. Mario has to use Scruff to cross it, and they eventually reach land on the opposite side.)

"Ugh, this stuff is so disgusting." Layzee shook the muck from her shoe, shivering.

Mario helped Scruff out of the water, as he tried pulling off the slime stuck to him.

"Its fine, Mario, let's just keep going." The ruff puff insisted.

The group continued to walk, until they began to hear rustling noises behind them. They turned around, seeing a giant monster made from the goop of the lake, chasing after them.

"Oh no! Get ready to fight!!!" Bookley shouted.

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MINI-BOSS FIGHT: GLOOP

"Geeze, I don't even know what that thing is, but its DISGUSTING!!! Blech, that SMELL!!! Anyway, Max HP is 50, Attack is 5, Defense is 2. He shouldn't be too difficult, if you can get over the thought of even TOUCHING that thing, let alone ATTACKING it. Let's get this over with so we can keep chasing Minoria!"

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After the battle, the monster let out a shriek, as it degenerated back into a large puddle of goop. Mario and his friends turned around, ready to continue on, until they heard Scruff screaming from behind them.

"LET GO OF ME!!!" He wriggled for his life, as the goo began to drag him back toward the shoreline. Mario and his friends grabbed onto Scruff, trying to pull him free, but as the goo merged with the rest of the bog, its pull grew stronger, until they were forced to let go.

"Scruff, hold on!!!" Bookley bit his lip, watching the ruff puff being slowly enveloped by the slime, dragged into the water. Professor Smith tried holding out a stick for Scruff to grab onto, but it was swallowed by the muck before he even had a chance to grab it.

"PLEASE, DON'T LET ME DIE!!!! I DON'T WANNA DIE, NOW!!!" Scruff screamed at the top of his lungs, crying, as Mario and the rest of the ground stood at the shore, watching him be slowly dragged into the depths of the water. Soon, his screaming stopped, as he disappeared from sight.

"This is getting insane..." Twigg gulped, his heart beating fast.

"I don't know how much more of this I can possibly take..." Koopus sniffled.

"Gruff..." Penny cried, under her breath. "Gruff, I'm so sorry I couldn't save him..."

Mario silently went to pluck a single, grey flower from the ground, nearby, placing it at the very edge of the water. He lowered his head, as did the rest of the group, as they quietly mourned for the loss of another friend.

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(Mario and Co. continue on throughout more of the maze. More enemies to fight, even stronger this time, and more puzzles to complete, this time, using Layzee's singing ability to break through crystal surfaces, and lull enemies to sleep on top of switches. The group comes across another dead end, this time, with a simple, little hole in the rock wall.)

"What do we do, now?..." Penny asked, her voice dull, and spiritless.

"I..." Layzee inspected the hole, scared. "I think its just about my size, guys..."

"NO." Koopus protested, grabbing the dayzee girl. "I'm not losing another friend, not YOU."

"Koopus..."

"I've known you since the BEGINNING, Layzee. You were one of my only friends, back in Tremble! I CAN'T let you go!"

"Koopus." Layzee cut him off, frowning. "I can't believe how selfish you're being right now. Everything we know, everything that EXISTS, is in danger, right now. If I have to die to help you all reach Minoria, so be it." Layzee looked over to Mario, flashing him a weak smile. "I'll gladly die for this cause." She got on her hands and knees, ready to crawl into the hole.

"You all need to see the bigger picture, here. If you guys don't keep moving forward, then all of us... Grimm, Bombert, Scruff... And now, even me..." Layzee looked up at the group. "We'll have died for NOTHING. Don't let our sacrifices be in vain, go find Minoria, and SAVE this world, so that we don't ALL die. you got that?"

The group stared silently at the flower girl, shocked.

"So stop hesitating because of this. I know its sad, but..." She gave the group a thumbs up. "Keep fighting on. Don't forget about us."

With that, Layzee crawled into the space in the wall, as the wall directly across from it opened up. Mario and his group winced as they watched the small hole shut itself, and heard a short, sharp yell from the Dayzee girl from within, followed by complete silence. They shakingly continued on, completely speechless.

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(Mario and co. follow through to the end of the maze, where they reach a chasm, with a wooden platform raised out over the bottomless pit below. The Hell Valley Sky Trees silently bid the party farewell, needing to return to their village, as they dematerialize into the shadows below. Upon the platform, a single stand sits, with multiple buttons and switches adorning it.)

"Now, what's this...?" Fou inspected the platform, as Twigg walked up to it, looking across the ravine.

"Everyone, step off of the platform." Twigg instructed.

"W-wait, what? Why?" Bookley asked.

"I want you all to be safe. I'm going to try something."

Mario nodded, as he pulled the rest of his party off the platform alongside him, leaving Twigg to work the device. He clicked through a few buttons, using his technological expertise to guide him through, when, suddenly, out from the edge of the ravine, stretched a portion of a stone bridge.

"A-ha!" Twigg declared, just as one of the support beams to the wooden platform he stood on crumbled away, causing it to shake.

"TWIGG!!! Get off of there!!!" Bookley shouted.

"I can't!!! I'm gonna have to stay on if you guys are ever going to find a way across the ravine!!!" Twigg focused once more on the buttons, making the bridge extend another portion of the way, causing yet another of the support beams under his feet to fall.

"Guys, start running across the bridge in case it goes back in after a certain amount of time!!!" He clicked through more buttons, as parts of his wood platform began to crumble from beneath him. The bridge extended further across the chasm, as one of the last two support beams broke, causing Twigg to fall to his knees, gripping onto the stand for balance.

"Its almost there, I think there's just one more code, left!!!!!!" Twigg screamed, as the group ran across almost the entire length of the pit.

"We'll find a way to jump it!!! Come on, Twigg!!!" Koopus shouted back, to which the Craw shook his head, looking at the gap.

"Its too wide!" He went back to the buttons, working his fingers as frantically as he could as the last wooden support pillar began to crumble from beneath him. "HA!!!" He slammed his finger down on one last button, making the bridge complete its journey across the chasm, and allowing his friends to make it to the other side.

As Twigg tried to take a step away from the stand, the platform began shaking violently, as the final beam snapped away, causing the entire platform the crumble down. Twigg fell again, unable to stand up in time for the platform to fall down into the pit below, carrying him with it. Mario looked on in horror as he watched his friend fall down into the darkness, as his screams echoed through the entire ravine.

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(Mario and his friends keep moving, fighting more enemies, until they come across a cave at the base of a tall mountain, where darkened stormclouds circled overhead. They had almost made it to Minoria. They rushed inside the cave, instantly seeing a bridgeable gap across the ground.)

"Its alright, guys, leave this one to me." Penny sighed, as she lay herself across the gap. Mario, Bookley, Fou, Koopus, Flare, and Professor Smith walked across, as they looked around for a way up.

Koopus grabbed Penny, helping her up.

"Do you see those platforms jutting out of the walls, master Mario?" Alabama inquired. "They're set in a pattern akin to a spiral staircase, that would be our best bet."

All of a sudden, the ground started to shake, and a vine whipped out from the depths of the gap, grabbing onto Mario's ankle, and pulling him down, until Penny jumped down into the hole, grabbing onto a root sticking out of the wall of the gap with her teeth, allowing Mario to grapple onto her bottom segment.

She gripped as tightly as she could, as the vine pulled Mario harder. Flare stood over the edge of the gap, breathing fire down, onto the vine, causing it to squeal and let go of Mario's foot, leaving him cliffhanging from Penny.

"I can't... Hold on... Much longer!!!" Penny gritted through her teeth, as the root started to come undone from the wall.

"Penny, grab on!!!" Koopus extended his hand out to the pokey.

"I... CAN'T... LET GO... I'M HOLDING... WITH... MY TEETH!!!" She grunted, breathing heavily as she realized that her and Mario's weights combined were making the root come loose.

"Mario..." She muttered to the plumber. "Climb... Up... My body..." She clamped her mouth down on the root, clenching her eyes shut. "Grab... Koopus! Save... Yourself!!!"

Mario reluctantly climbed up Penny's segments, until he stood up on her head. As he jumped to grab onto Koopus's hand, his boot pushed down on Penny's head, causing the root to finally free itself from the wall, causing the pokey to fall to the depths, as her screams echoed in Mario's ears.

Koopus pulled the plumber to safety, as they stood up, dusting themselves off.

"We're so close, y'all..." Fou looked up, toward the top of the cave. "We need to make it to Minoria."

Mario slowly nodded, as he led the way up the platforms, spiraling up to the top.

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(At the top of the stairwell, a set of torches is lit in a specific pattern, with an opening nearby. Mario and the group must make their way through a series of cave "rooms" where they need to choose the right path to proceed forward, and at the end, they come across a glass box containing a series of unlit torches, in a line above a sealed door, with a small tube leading down to the floor from the side of the box.)

"It must be the same pattern as earlier, don't you think?" Koopus asked, to which Mario nodded.

"You're up, Flare." Alabama Smith hugged his little apprentice, as he started climbing up the tube, lighting the torches one by one. When he lit the final torch, the door unlocked, as the entrance to the tube shut tightly, locking Flare inside.

"Flare?!?!? Flare, what's wrong?!?!!?!?" The little fire spirit pounded on the walls, until he heard a distinct rushing noise. From the top of the box, water started to pour in, causing the flame to panic, as he slammed against the glass box with all his might, unable to stop the flow. Down below, the door had begun to slowly close again.

"Oh, no, Mario!!! We don't have any time, come on!!!" Bookley tugged on Mario, pulling him through the door, alongside Fou, Koopus, and the Professor. When they reached the other side, it slammed shut, locking them in.

"Now lil baby Flare is gone..." Fou sniffled, drying her eyes with her boa.

"I can't believe it..." Alabama stuttered.

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(In the next room over, a spiked ceiling overlooks the room, with a single button on a dial in the center.)

"Seeing how these traps have been going, I'd be willing to guess the roof will start to fall as soon as we press that button, and crush whoever's still in the room." Alabama presumed.

Mario looked up at the ceiling, feeling an uneasy feeling in his stomach.

"I'd also be willing to venture whoever presses the button is going to need to hold it down to keep the door open..." The professor continued on.

"Well..." Fou spoke up. "Ah don't think it'd be THAT bad, y'all." The parlor boo snickered, winking at the boys. "Y'all keep movin on, mkay? Ah'll be fine, ah'm gonna hold down the button till the lotta ya are safe, and then ah'll just let go and turn invisible! Easy as pie."

Mario nodded, smiling with faith in the boo girl.

"Alright..." She took a deep breath in. "Are y'all ready?"

Mario nodded, as she pressed the button. Suddenly, the door swung open, and the ceiling started to crash down with incredible speed.

"AH DIDN'T THINK IT'D COME DOWN THAT FAST!!! RUN, MARIO!!!" Fou held her hand firmly on the button as Mario grabbed Koopus and the professor, barely diving through the doorway as the ceiling came crashing down into the ground, stirring up a huge dust cloud.

When the air became clear once more, Mario was greeted by a horrifying sight; the door still open, just now starting to close.

"She... She didn't let go..." Koopus whispered, as the door slowly swung shut.

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(In the new room, A series of gears and cogs are fixed into the wall, leading to a hole in the floor, just big enough for Koopus to fit into and spin the gears.)

"Well, isn't it lucky we've still got you?" The professor looked over at Koopus, who bit his lip, terrified.

"What's going to happen when I help turn those?" He looked about, seeing multiple levels of slots up the walls.

"It probably brings out platforms that we can use as a staircase, like before." Professor Smith stated.

"Well... Alright." Koopus sighed, walking over to Mario and shaking his hand.

"It was a pleasure working with you, sir, I'm willing to lay my life on the line to make sure you reach the top.

Bookley looked up, through the hole at the top of the room. "I guess this really IS the last room... Isn't it?"

Mario nodded, as he prepared himself for the oncoming platforms. Koopus fit himself into the hole into the floor, and started spinning, causing the gears to turn, making the platforms rotate out from their hiding places within the walls.

Mario jumped up the platforms, with the Professor and Bookley following just behind him. As they climbed higher and higher, Koopus's slot in the ground began to lower.

As they finally reached the top, they looked down, to see the floor shut above Koopus, leaving his fate unknown to the last standing members of the group. Now, at the top of the mountain, Bookley looked out across the far expanse of land that stretched out below them.

"You can see all of Hell Valley from up here..." Alabama Smith teared up, a soft wind starting to blow.

"Its just us, now..." Bookley whispered, looking away from the edge of the mountain, to see a small, dirt path, leading up to the peak, where rings of dark energy emitted.

"Let's-a-go." The spellbook softly said, crushed by the utter feeling of loneliness and despair.

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Up at the summit, Minoria stood among a stone altar, where she had placed the Mirror of Infinity upon. She laughed and cackled, as the dark energy grew in intensity. Behind her, Princess Peach lay within her crystal, crying to herself helplessly.

"We've found you, now, you witch! Give it up!!!" Bookley shouted, shocking Minoria into stopping her ritual.

"Your lot is pesky, like a flea, but what is this? Only one, two, three?" She laughed, raising her wand toward Mario and Bookley.

"Don't you DARE mock our companions!!!" Bookley growled at the witch, as Mario readied his fists for a fight.

"Good luck, you two!!!" The penguin professor shouted over the roar of the mirror's power.

"MARIO! BE CAREFUL!!!!" Peach shouted from within her prison, her voice muffled. "SHE CAN BRING SPIRITS BACK FROM THE DEAD!!!"

Minoria took the golden coin from her coat, clutching it tightly. "Darkness sleeps within this place, an evil spirit, you shall face!!!" She cackled loudly, shooting a bolt of magic from her fingertips into the mirror. The portal on the ground opened wide, and the ground shook violently, knocking Mario to the floor.

As he looked up, a familiar figure began to climb out of the wormhole. A striped, jester's hat, adorned with yellow bells at each end, and an all-too-familiar black-and-white harlequin's mask. As the portal closed behind the spirit, the faint sound of a childish music box began to play.

"Ahhh, so we meet again, like a set of separated twins, I am FINALLY free from my prison!!!" The spirit chuckled heartily, as the music box played louder. "I've been waiting for a VERY long time for this rematch, Mario, now you're going to pay for sending me here!!!"

Minoria tossed the coin to Dimentio, who clutched it in the palm of one of his velvet-lined, black gloves, feeling the power surge from within himself.

"Ohhh... OOOOHHHH!!! I F E E L L O V E L Y!!!!!!!" Dimentio cackled, as his body became engulfed in a bright light.

"ARE YOU READY FOR THE GREATEST MAGIC SHOW YOU'LL EVER SEE?!?!?!?" His voice resonated, as the light transformed him into a sight too horrible to behold.

"Its time to end this, once and for all! You ready, Mario?!?!?!?!?" Bookley shouted.

"LETS-A-GO!!!"

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BOSS FIGHT: DIMENTIO SOUL

"That's the soul of a spirit who was locked away in the Shadowlands! I believe you've fought him before? Based on his looks alone, I'd say his Max HP is 100, Attack is 8, and Defense is 1. Watch out for that ectoplasmic ooze dripping from his mask, yuck, that stuff looks like it could poison you! Each of his hands have a Max HP of 25, and an Attack of 5, but their Defense is 0. They're definitely where he draws his stronger attacks from, so I'd suggest taking THOSE out of the picture, first!!!"

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After the battle, Dimentio's new form begins to overload on power, until he eventually explodes, leaving behind no trace of his existence. Princess Peach's crystal breaks in the explosion, causing her to fall to the ground, and the golden coin drops to the floor. Mario picks it up, clutching it in his hand, breaking the seal of the eighth and final guardian.

"Where did Minoria go?" Bookley asks, looking about.

"She must have escaped through the mirror, look, its gone." Alabama Smith pointed out the now barren altar, devoid of the mirror.

"Mario, you have released me, the final Guardian of Unity. Please, trust in my powers. I know where Minoria has gone, I can take you there. You will be heading into a place we call World -1, where the forgotten souls, unable to fit into neither Underwhere nor Overthere, as well as not existing in Hell Valley, seize to exist. This will be your final battle, Mario, only now, you will have all eight of us with you, guiding you through the darkness. We must stop Minoria, once and for all."

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Mario can now use Minuette, the eighth guardian of unity, along with her powers, in battle!!!

Grande Finale

SP: 6

Wind up both control pads in opposite directions to unleash a ridiculously powerful blast of musical waves, effecting all enemies on-screen!!!

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END OF CHAPTER!!!

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Alright, so I'm uploading this at the mark of the first of October, everyone, I can't wait to see what this amazing month has in store, and with this, I suppose we're setting off the creepy mood quite well. Hahaha, alright, I've gotta go work on the post-chapter-7 illustrations, now, will Mario be able to stop Minoria and save this world? And what became of our heroic plumber's partners? You'll find out soon, but until then, PEACE.

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Paper Mario, as well as the Mario franchise in general, VERY obviously don't belong to me, they belong to Nintendo. I'm not trying to claim their work whatsoever, and you're absolutely insane if you think I am. Go google what a fangame is.