Chapter 3 - Birth of Darkness

It didn't take long for Mario to reach Bowser's castle. It's location wasn't exactly a secret, and it was a wonder to Mario why he hadn't done this long ago. Maybe if he'd had, then...
But he couldn't think about regrets now. He needed to be focused. There was a job that needed to be done, and he was going to see it through to the end, no matter what.
He pushed his thoughts aside for the time being and got back to surveying the castle. To be honest, he was a little surprised. Bowser had taken new measures to protect his castle: new guard turrets, catapults, search lights; far more threatning than the usual spikes and statues of himself. Mario had never thought that Bowser would've been capable of being this prepared. No doubt, further evidence of his growing evil.
Mario was now sure more than ever that he needed to be stopped. And he was going to stop him...no matter what.

"Daddy?"
The tiny voice caught Bowser off guard. He turned in time to see his son's smiling face.
"Junior!" he said with more joy than he felt, "What're you doing here? You're supposed to be in the safe room."
"I just wanted to say good luck to you," Junior said, "I just know you're gonna get that Mario this time, right?"
"You bet," Bowser replied, feeling comforted by his son's confidence.
"And after you beat him," Junior continued, "the Koopa Clan will be better off, and you, me, and Mama Peach can be a family, right?"
Though he didn't show it, those last words cut Bowser like a knife.
"Of course, son," he said, patting his innocent son on the head, "Now off you go."
With that, Junior bolted off down the hall, calling back as he left, "I love you, Dad!"
"I love you, son," Bowser called back, and then his son was gone. It wasn't often that Bowser felt guilty about anything. This, by far, was one of those most rarest occasions. One would suppose it's the kind of guilt that comes with fatherhood.
He knew he had to tell him sooner or later about Peach. It would probably be as hard as the time he needed to tell him that Peach wasn't his real mother, if not harder. Bowser thought he'd gotten over calling her 'Mama Peach', but he supposed that he never really gave up hope for a real family.
Bowser quickly pushed those thoughts from his head. This wasn't the time to worry about family. He needed to focus. Mario was coming, and he was going to be ready for him. After tonight, everything was going to change. The Koopa Clan would be rebuilt, he would be granted his power, and, maybe, he'd be able to give Junior the family he deserved. After all he'd learned from the past few days, anything was possible at this point.
All he needed to do, was to get stronger. Then, nothing would be impossible...
All of a sudden, a horn started to blare throughout the castle, which meant only one thing: Mario had arrived.
So it begins...

He didn't have a strategy. He didn't need one. Mario was just that kind of guy: so long as he could fight, there wasn't any need for planning.
Flying headfirst into the teeth of the castle's defenses, he deftly met the opposition with not confidence, but determined resolve to win. The catapults hurled countless bob-ombs and the turrets fired numerous bullet bills at him, but he met them head on, not avoiding them. Throwing his punches left and right, he plowed through all the projectiles with little effort.
It wasn't long before he finally punched through the castle wall and charged right into the heart of Bowser's army. This was another surprise: this army of his was larger than most other armies he'd created; only further evidence of his growing evil. Mario had shown mercy before, but he would not do so this time. As soon as the koopas charged, he charged as well, and let no one stop him.

Bowser watched Mario from the window in the main tower. It was almost disallusioning seeing Mario this way. His loyal koopas showed great bravery against him, but did little to deter him. Koopas were flying left and right, flying through the air and slamming against walls; Mario was completely obliterating his enemies.
But it wasn't his strength that surprised him; it was his ruthlessness. Mario was changed now; he no longer held back, and he didn't show mercy. He'd come to express something Bowser never thought was possible: hate
There was only one thing left to do...

There were so many of them, and they threw themselves at Mario with single minded devotion to their master. But it didn't matter; Mario simply saw them as extensions of Bowser's evil and needed to destroy them. He never really thought about what he was doing. All that mattered was destroying them. It became almost second nature to him.
The koopas themselves never stood a chance. Their numbers were meaningless against such terrifying rage. It's not known how long it took, hours or seconds, but the entire army of koopas was desimated. All lay on the grounds of the castle, shells cracked, bones broken; they simply laid in piles, either wounded, dying, or dead.
Only Mario stood among them, covered in blood. Not his blood; their blood. He didn't notice, or care. All he was aware of was what he'd felt during all that fighting. He never became aware of it until just then, when he had finished everything. He realized that he did feel something during his fight:
It was pleasure.
He pushed the thought aside, and got back to his mission. He blasted past the doors to the main hall and flew right in. And there, waiting in the shadows...was Bowser.
"Well," Bowser said, "you certainly know how to make an entrance."
Mario simply glowered at him, fire burning in his eyes.
"Let's see here," Bowser continued, "hate, anger, ruthlessness...you're becoming more like me than you even realize."
Mario still didn't answer, though it looked like he twitched when he heard what Bowser said.
"So, this is where it all ends, yes?" Bowser said, his tone sounding more relaxed.
"Tonight," Mario finally said, "you will die."
"Killing," said Bowser, raising an eye-brow, "Now I've truly seen everything."
Mario said nothing, but simply pulled his hammer off his belt and gripped it tightly.
"Like I said, you die tonight," Mario finally said coldly.
"Somehow," Bowser said as he cracked his knuckles, "I doubt it."
With that, their fight began. Mario flew at Bowser and swung his hammer with all his might, bringing a storm of pummels upon his opponent. Bowser held his ground, throwing punches of his own to counter Mario's pummels. Both attacks were coming so quick, they almost seemed to blend into each other. It wasn't until Bowser landed a hit that the exchanges was halted. Bowser's punch connected with Mario's jaw and slammed him into a stone pillar.
Bowser then followed up his punch with a stream of flames from his mouth. The force his fire breath obliterated the pillar, but Mario was fast enough to dodge the attack and come at Bowser again. Mario tried again to land a blow with his hammer, but Bowser responded by pulling into his shell and spinning at incredible speeds, creating a small tornado attack that blew Mario back a small ways.
Mario began to feel more rage flow through his veins. This rage fueled the fire burning within him, giving him strength he never felt before. This power was comforting; it, surprising as it sounded, helped ease his aching heart, and made him feel...warm.
His new strength flowing throughout his body, he charged forward again, this time with more speed than before. It caught Bowser off guard, and he was blasted hard against the wall behind him.
Mario didn't stop there. It was like the fire inside was edging him on; urging him to beat this hated turtle until he broke the shell. Without missing a beat, he lunged forward, grabbed Bowser by the upper jaw, and threw him into the ceiling. Bowser flew right through it, clear to the second floor.
But Mario kept after him. Thrusting the head of the hammer into Bowser's gut, he forced Bowser into the third floor, then the fouth floor, and then even higher unti they broke through the roof top of the main keep.
Bowser was in the air for a matter of seconds before Mario brought on another assault. Flying at blinding speed, he flew all about Bowser, pounding him with the hammer with every pass. Bowser felt his shell begin to crack under the pressure, and he began to fear the worse.
Mario then slammed Bowser back into the roof, blowing him threw the many floors until he was back in the main hall. Mario flew right into the hole and stopped right above Bowser. He wasn't sure why, but seeing Bowser lying there, bloody and bruised almost beyond recognition was...satisfying.
By some miracle, Bowser managed to survive the severe beating he'd just recieved, and squinted up at Mario through a bruised eye.
"What are you waiting for?" he managed to whisper through his broken teeth, "Finish me."
Mario simply stared at him, not saying a word.
"Go ahead and kill me," Bowser continued, "that's what you said you'd do, isn't it?"
Mario still didn't answer.
"Or maybe it's that you recognize the evil within you," Bowser continued still, "and are unwilling to surrender to it?"
At this, Mario raised his hand, pointed his palm right at Bowser's face and said, "You're the evil one."
And then, he fired a blast of powerful fire energy right into Bowser's face. It was over in an instant. Mario looked down at the corpse of his defeated foe. The rush and exhiliration of fighting stayed with him. He didn't fully understand why this was so, only that he began to cherish this feeling.
Mario then felt the presence of another person in the room. He looked up and there, emerging from another doorway was the strangest sight Mario had yet to behold.

Pious had only just finished completing his work, and had gone to the main hall to watch the fight between Bowser and this Mario person he seemed so adamant about destroying. He'd arrived in time to see Bowser crash through the ceiling, and Mario rush in. Truly, Mario had earned his reputation, but still, Pious never expected such intensity of such a warrior; at least not from this world.
It wasn't until Mario actually carried out the execution of Bowser that Pious recognized something else in his persona. It seemed to him like the pure hearted hero had been tainted with darkness. Still, he felt confident this person would not pose a threat. Not with the new power he possesed.
When Mario looked up, his eyes met with Pious' and the stand off began. Pious could tell Mario was taken back by his appearence. It wasn't surprising; he'd recieved that sort of reaction multiple times.
"Well," Pious spoke, "this is the great Mario? You're reputation precedes you."
"Who are you?" Mario demanded, his voice like an icy wind.
Pious was somewhat amused by this; he wondered how much he'd be surprised if he realized what had happened to him.
"You truly have given into darkness, haven't you?" Pious asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Mario replied, rather defensively.
"You can't hide it," Pious stated matter-of-frankly, "I see it a clear as day. You've been touched by darkness."
"That's not-!" Mario started, but Pious interrupted him by asking,
"Did it hurt when you lost your princess?"
The question cut into Mario like a cold blade. So much so that his voice had left him.
"Yes, I see it. The pain runs deep, doesn't it?" Pious continued, relishing in the moment, "It's the kind of pain that can give birth to such darkness."
Mario remained silent.
Pious continued on, "Pain gives birth to depression. If one gives into that depression, it can manifest itself into fear, and then anger, and then hate, until all those emotions mix into each other, causing more suffering than most men can stand to bear.
Mario looked down, letting Pious' words sink in.
Pious was far from finished, "To releave this pain, men find that destroying the source of that pain is the only solution. And so they go forth to destroy it, throwing caution to the wind, giving in to their darker tendencies."
"And when the destruction they wrought on their enemies ends, they realize the pain does subside, but only while causing pain and destruction. I'm sure you're aware of this fact all ready?"
Mario looked at his hands, only now noticing the blood soaked into his glove.
Pious went on, "Upon realizing this fact, they decide it is better to cause pain than to live with it for the rest of their lives; thus, they give themselves completely to darkness. Just as you will."
The words echoed throughout Mario's psyche, and he felt cold, dull, pain begin to rise in his heart.
"The pain returns, doesn't it?" Pious asked with utmost certainty.
Mario nodded, only slightly aware of the situation.
"You see this?"
Mario looked up, and saw for the first time the small statuette that Pious had created.
"This is the power of a god, from my world," Pious exclaimed, "The power of the Master of the Planes: Ulyaoth!"
It glowed with an eerie light, one that seemed comforting to Mario somehow.
"With it's power," Pious continued, "I can bring all of this world, and many other worlds under my control!"
Mario wasn't sure he heard right, "Other...worlds?"
"Yes," Pious explained, "other dimensions, other realities, other worlds. You didn't really think me and that Grey Fox fellow were always from this world, did you?"
The name sparked a small flame in his mind, "He was...from another world as well?"
"Yes," Pious replied, "and there are countless other worlds out there, with villians and demons far more vicious than he could ever have been."
Mario only barely heard him; his mind was racing as he considered what he'd just heard.
Pious didn't seem to notice, and kept on talking, "With such dangerous foes out there, establishing my rule could prove difficult. You see, Ulyaoth's power allows me to create portals to other dimensions, and thus, giving me the power to travel to wherever I please. But one god's power alone can only do so much."
Mario looked only vaguely interested at this point, so Pious brought his thoughts to their point, "What I mean to say is: if someone as powerful as yourself were to join me, then control of the universe would be all that easier."
It was this point that got Mario's attention.
"Join me," Pious continued, "and I can give you the freedom from that cold pain that you suffer from. You will never have to be in pain ever again."
Mario was silent for a short moment, then said, "I could do that...but I have a better idea," and lunged forward, with speed beyond Pious' ability to react, and pinned Pious against a pillar by the throat, immediately grabbing the essence from his grip.
Pious at first was silent in disbelief, but then began to laugh insanely as the moment sank in.
"I was right!" he exclaimed, "I was right!"
Mario simply stared coldly at him and said, "You find this funny?"
Pious simply said through his laughter, "Surely you must see the irony in it? You who have spent your life fighting the darkness, now resolved to bring darkness into the world? It is simply hilarious!!"
Pious continued to laugh hysterically, and managed to sputter out, "You proved me right!!"
It was at this point that Mario had had just about enough, and threw the laughing fool to the ground and destroyed him with a blast of fire from his hand, obliterating Pious' body completely.
Mario then looked down at the essence in his hand, and relished in the comfort the warm glow provided. It was like a warm blanket that wrapped around him and drove away the cold pain that had plagued him these past few days.
Next, he thrust into his chest, for reasons not known even to him, and the essence began to sink into his body, until he completely absorbed it whole. Mario had never before felt such warmth flow throughout his body in all his life.
All of a sudden, his mind began to crackle like fire crackers. His eyes began to grow fuzzy and the warm feeling began to turn into a burning sensation. All of a sudden, his eyes glowed as new knowledge began to seep in from the essence he'd absorbed. The sensation had only lasted a few moments when finally, it stopped.
Mario had fallen to his hands and knees, and breathed heavily as he took in the sensation he now felt: power. His mind was now sharp; he now had understanding beyond understanding, and it made him feel stronger, more in control.
Everything made sense now, and Mario was astonished at how little he knew before. Now realizing what he needed to do, rose to his feet, and strode out of Bowser's castle, with a new resolve; a new ambition that would ease the pain he felt, and would define his new life:
I will rule the universe.

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment