Chapter Six
After a day’s travels, my friend and I came to a quaint little village, surrounded by hills. We descended into the valley, passing by several Mushroomers pulling goats hitched to carts loaded with crops and other goods that were foreign. The sun was halfway between mid-sky and setting, but the quickening of our pace ensured our arrival’s convenience.
The village was winding down, and now only a few male Mushroomers stood on the streets, apparently discussing the simple life they led. It was a picture-perfect setting; the absence of the ocean’s view let thoughts of my one trip to the Mushroom Kingdom pour into my present mind. I could almost smell the air.
“Ryan-oshi! Look!” I followed my friend’s desperate finger to a shrouded Magikoopa confronting a Mushroomer. We ran up close, hiding behind some nearby bushes. They seemed to be the only ones on the street, besides us.
“Tell me, have two Yoshis passed through here? I know they should’ve reached here by now, and I also know someone in this town is hiding them. He will be very displeased if they are not found.” The Magikoopa snorted in disgust and threw the Mushroomer to the ground, looking about. With a narrowing of his eyes, he threw down something, something that made smoke rise from the ground. He was gone.
Ki-oshi and I ran up to the fallen Mushroomer, helping him up. “Friends, you are very kind. I was starting to think that all outsiders were dangerous.”
I was puzzled. “Outsiders? You mean these people have never been here before?”
He nodded. “Our village is small; no one except the people that live here ever are here.” He seemed to remember something. “Although…”
“Although what?” Ki-oshi stammered.
“Our local psychic, a Shaman, has predicted that our town will see a great doom. We didn’t consider his omen, though, for he’s never right. Rikal’s just a crazy old fool looking for company, and I guess he finally got poor enough where he had to spin a yarn crazy enough to get some money.”
I wasn’t interested in Rikal’s financial problems, but I was interested in how it might have connected. It seemed very unlikely, since Shamen never worked with anyone, let alone Magikoopas, their main rivals. Still, a twinge at the back of my neck was trying to tell me something. “Sir, where does this Rikal reside?”
The Mushroomer seemed frustrated that I had interrupted his gossip. “Oh, he doesn’t live anywhere. He just hangs out at his shop, and that’s on Guilder’s Row, some two blocks from here. I can show it to you, if you’d like. It’s the least I could do for you guys helping me up.”
***
The night sky was full upon us by the time we reached the shop. The Mushroomer left us with a gesture of good wishes. Inside the shop there was a flickering light indicating that someone was still up. Ki-oshi stood beside me, nervous (he was a bit superstitious), I pounded on the door three times, and then once more. I stepped back, and Ki-oshi jumped back, as the door creaked open and a blue-cloaked figure poked his head out. We could not see his face, only two yellow eyes shrouded by darkness. “Please, come in. I’ve been expecting you.”
***
“Well, well, you two have had quite some troubles on your journey. I’ll bet you are wondering who these black-cloaked Magikoopas are.” He offered us a drink for the tenth time, and we refused for the tenth time.
“Yes, we’ve been pondering that for quite some time now. In fact, we saw one outside today, bothering a Mushroomer, apparently-”
“Looking for you, yes I know,” he finished. “In my dreams of late, I’ve been restless. Dark, thundrous clouds have covered this land, and gaseous smoke has choked its people. Two bright lights broke it up, though, and until now, I haven’t thought about them actually coming, or my dream being true.” He took a sip of the drink he had offered us. “You see, unlike most Shamen, my visions have not always been clear or even right. Now, finally, when I actually see the future correctly, the townspeople don’t believe me.”
“I believe you,” said Ki-oshi, right before I elbowed him.
I started in, “Yes, your story does seem highly correct for you to be lying to us. You still haven’t elaborated on who exactly these black Magikoopas are, though. They’ve been shrouded in mystery, rather than darkness, ever since we first encountered them.”
He took another sip, seeming to get more and more tipsy as he went. It was probably a good thing Ki-oshi and I hadn’t taken the drink. “Well, they are more powerful, that’s for sure. Regular blue Magkikoopas, even though I’ve seen them very little, have always been open like a book to me. These black Magikoopas, well, they’ve always been hard to read.”
He started to take another sip, but I grabbed the cup from him. “When did this decrease in your ability start; I thought it was always with you.”
“Well, I said that, but I was overacting. I’m sorry. The truth is, it just started shortly after I moved here, just after the Magikoopas… arrived.”
I nodded. “So that’s it. The black Magikoopas knew that you might be able to give away their mystery, so they put some kind of curse on you. Now, your visions are severely distorted.”
Rikal rose up from the table, after finishing off his cup, which he had taken back. He was furious. “Are you suggesting that a Magikoopa could trick me?! Why you…” Ki-oshi hid under the table. “I should… give you a fruit basket.”
With that, he collapsed to the floor, out like a light. I dragged Ki-oshi out of the table. “Did he say fruit basket?”
I sighed and headed for the door, Ki-oshi in tow. “Come on; we’ve got to get to the bottom of this.”
***
So, with much disagreeing from Ki-oshi, he and I spent the night behind some bushes located on the opposite side of the street from where Rikal’s shop was. I’d also put out his candle.
It was nearly 3 o’ clock in the morning when what I was looking for finally came. Ki-oshi was asleep, but a soft nudge woke him up. Across the street, a black-cloaked Magikoopa was peering into Rikal’s window. After five minutes, a very long time in our position, he snorted and waved his wand near the door. In another minute, he was inside the shop, and the door was closed. “Ki-oshi, we have to help him!”
Ki-oshi whimpered in short breaths, but he nodded. “Yeah, gotta help.”
As soon as we could agree on helping, though, a short, piercing scream came from the shop. We ran in, finding Rikal dead on the floor; the Magikoopa was nowhere in sight. A pool of blood formed near his slit throat. Ki-oshi was terrified, but I knew something was wrong. “Why would he kill him now? He had plenty of chances to before,” I said mostly to myself. “You know what that means, don’t you?” Now, I was talking to Ki-oshi.
He nodded, keeping his eyes on the body. “Y…yeah. They knew we were here asking around. They don’t want us to know anything.”
I slammed my fists on the table. “That drunken… I know he’s dead, but if he hadn’t of been so careless… Ya see, he had to know something that he wasn’t letting on, otherwise, they would not have felt the need to kill him. In his regular mind-state, he might have ended all this. It’s too late now. Come on.”
***
Outside, the black Magikoopa waited in the street, a tremendously frightening site. His head was bent over low, and a wand rocked back and forth in one of his hands, dangling like a clock’s pendulam. I stepped forward, but a screeching sound, like a banshee, emanated from the shrouded figure. I collapsed to the floor, faintly hearing Ki-oshi’s screaming.
The world turned dizzy, and everything was wavy. I couldn’t hear anything, and what I did hear came as faint, echoing blasts. I screamed, hearing myself plainly, but I only received the eerie voices in return. From behind, a flame licked my back, an impetus for my jumping forward.
I whirled around, seeing a demonic, beastly figure, wreathed in fire. It’s long, muscular arms reached out, fire spurting from its mouth, attached to a horned head. I tell you, Reader, it was the most horrid thing I have ever seen. Its voice boomed forth. “You cannot hide, Ryan-oshi! I see you!”
“AGGH!” I screamed as I came back to reality. I found a knife in my hand, one that I had drowzily pulled from my pack... I had escaped the nightmare. Around I spun, seeing Ki-oshi struggling with the Magikoopa. I picked up the blade, running over.
With a forceful cry, I plunged the knife into the Magikoopa’s back. His body contorted in pain, and he let out a scream. He fell to the ground, wriggling, and then he died. Ki-oshi stepped back, breathing heavily. “Ryan-oshi! That was awesome!”
I was shaken considerably and understandably. “W…what?”
“A big blue portal sucked you in. How’d you escape?”
Right then, as visions of fiery demons filled my overloaded head, I fell into darkness once more.
Chapter Seven: Possession
I sat there, floating over a never-ending chasm, hanging on to a crumbling precipace for dear life. My tail and feet gyrated below me, dangling for an equilibrium that could not and would not be established. I squinched my eyes together, not wanting to see my abysmal grave, but suddenly, my right hand’s home came crumbling loose, the force jerking my head around.
Now, much to my distress, the same fire that the demonic shadow of before possessed poured forth from the deep hole, reaching up to lick my trembling body. I reached for another place to dock my right hand, but the wall of rock was too jagged, the corners too sharp. The flame was growing nearer.
My left hand broke loose, the crumbling rocks bombarding my face. Instinctually, I pushed my right hand up, jamming it on a long rock-like outcrop that served as a spear. It punctured my hand, and I screamed in pain. I was now hanging, the spear ripping slowly upwards through my hand.
The pain was simply unbearable, and my head began to spin, dizziness blinding me. Or perhaps it was the blood from my torn hand dripping down, filling my eyes. I could only see red.
The spear-rock broke off, still attached to my left hand, and I fell downwards, only seeing crimson and feeling the syrupy, thick substance of my own death as I spiraled into the shadows, the flame overcoming me.
The next thing I knew, I was lying in a hammock, quilts covering me, screaming. My vision’s blur dissipated and I saw Ki-oshi shaking me. “Wake up, Ryan-oshi! It’s only a nightmare, sir!”
He stretched his hand out, and I grasped it, pulling up. Intense gravity, from whose source I do not know, slid off of my body, and I was back. Ki-oshi was not the only one that stood in the room, watching over me. She was a Mushroomer, dressed in medical garbs. I smelled a strong stench, and reeled back. The body of Rikal, now rotting, was still lying on the floor. Apparently, I had needed much attending to. “Ki-oshi, drag the body out back and bury it. It’s causing him pain. Land sakes alive, this is more excitement than has ever touched this village.”
She offered me some fruit juice in a cup, and I greedily drank it. The contents not only flowed down my parched mouth, but streamed down my front, out of my mouth. I managed a dry “thank you,” but, apparently, she didn’t hear it. Ki-oshi was just coming in. Yoshis were very good diggers, especially yellow ones with their pounding ability. “Ki-oshi, look after him for a few minutes and supply any drinks he needs. I’ve gotta go and get my medical book. This one’s a strange case, it is!”
Once she had left, Ki-oshi gave me another drink, which I took. “Ryan-oshi, what happened? You were sweating fruit juice and trembling so much, we thought you were having a heart attack! What was the dream about?”
With the help of another drink, my voice box could vibrate again. “A horrible demon, wreathed in this ominous fire, said he saw me. That was last night with the Magikoopa. When I fell again into unconsciousness, I was hanging over a chasm filled with the same flame. I fell, but then I woke up.” I looked over at him. “Something’s invaded my dreams.”
As I saw the blood-stained floor, my whitened skin, and the primal fear in Ki-oshi’s eyes, I knew I had taken on more than I had ever bargained for. We were in mortal danger.
Later that day, around noon, we started out again, the sun above our heads. I was still worried about the dreams, but now, with the new day ahead of us and Ki-oshi’s newfound spirit, I was feeling much more confident. I had not seen the last of them, however.
An hour later, we had left the village behind us, and we were one step closer to reaching the opposite side of Muat, where we could find a port. There, we could find a ship to take us to Juat. It was originally planned for our first ship to take us there, but I didn’t have the heart to ask Ned anymore of us, considering what he had lost.
At this time, dear Reader, still retaining my basic scholarly function, I feel it necessary to impart upon you some of the cultural details that existed on Muat itself, though some of the more general ethnicity affairs of the Juat Trinity’s whole may be left unaddressed as of now, but do expect a thorough detailing of them later on.
The island of Muat’s main economic industry was that of fishing and shipbuilding, the latter being done mainly on the coast of course. Fishing could be done anywhere, compliments of Muat’s two gigantic lakes, simply named the East and West Lakes of Muat.
In-between the two lakes were large plains, scattered with small hills and valleys, one of which we had seen. Even now, as we walked through the Midlands, or the Great Plains of Muat, we saw many Mushroomers carrying bags of fish from the East Lake and several more harvesting crops from the plains, crops that consisted of theraputic bongo beans, carrots, watermelon, grapes, and oranges.
Compared with the closely-packed coasts, the Midlands were rural, with no major cities. Dotting the land between the loosely planted villages were several farms and cottages, whose residents generously supplied us with shelter and meals. The same country charm of Moleville rested within these people. Occasionaly, small Mushroomer children would accompany us to the borders of their land and sing merrily with us. It lifted our spirits greatly.
I was surprised, still, that Ulians seemed to not make many appearances. I had seen the odd one here and there, but the population of Mushroomers greatly overshadowed that of the aforementioned.
Now, with the boring digression of my story complete, I will continue with our journey’s grand tale. It all started when we reached the West Lake of Muat. Sparkling as its sister had, but slightly larger, it tempted us to splash around in it. I resolved to study over my maps instead, but hearing Ki-oshi’s plead for a break, I encouraged him to enjoy himself.
I found myself not considering, though, but watching the pure lake glisten in the setting sun’s presense. My eyelids were growing heavy, and finally, I succumbed to drowziness.
I was breathing heavily, poised on a circular platform no more than twenty meters in diameter. I could not see, but in my hands, I felt a sword’s hilt being grasped. I let go with one hand, seeing that it was heavy, and used my other hand to touch the blade. I felt a sharp twing, and felt blood running down the tip of one of my fingers.
With a rush of bright, white light, my eyes flew open and I saw the demon of my dreams before me, in all its ominous horror, wreathed in blue and red flame. In one hand, it carried a sword of fire, and in the other, a shield also on fire. It bellowed, causing me to fall back as the rock chamber we were in trembled. Above me, a small opening rested, and below me, molten lava. I was in a volcano, one erupting.
The monster charged, lava forcing its way up to us. I rolled out of the way, sword in hand. On coming up, I charged, striking the demon on his left flank. He roared in pain, and kicked me aside. I landed with my feet dangling off of the precarious plaform, so I hoisted myself up, seeing the monster bat at its wounded flank.
Calming itself, it said something, but I could not understand it. Then it said, “Kom ti la die! DIE!”
It charged again, and our swords met
with a clang of metal and a spray of sparks. My arms melted inside, but
I ground my fears and staid still. I reached for my pack but it wasn’t
there, so I ducked and then jabbed the sword upwards. It caught him across
the throat.
Glowing blood, like the lava below
us, spurted out and sprayed me. My skin was steaming, so I staggered back.
One of my eyes had lost its power to see, what with the acidic blood of
the monster.
The demon fell to the ground, wallowing
in a pool of its own blood, grasping at the air. It reached out, grabbing
me; I squirmed, but to no avail. Tightly, it squeezed me, and I yelped
in pain. I was doomed.
The lava shot up around us, forming a wall of the boiling stuff around our arena. I saw it tilting at the top, coming back down to cover me. It hit the demon first, and he bellowed again as it sloshed around him, doing no harm. When it came to me, though, it ate through me. Skin, muscle, bones… existence…
“Ryan-oshi!” Once again, Ki-oshi woke me from my nightmare. This time, it wasn’t over. Black steam was rising off my body, sizzling. Ten sores in various places were all over my skin, blood leaking out. Ki-oshi was running with me on his shoulders, a Mushroomer running behind us with our packs. I could see a village ahead of us.
I knew these were no dreams. I was possessed.
Chapter Eight
I woke up again after what seemed like many hours after my possession. Now I lay, again, in medical garbs on a white, stiff bed. My skin was back to normal, and my feverish temperature was gone. I was convinced whatever had happened had to be possession, because Yoshis are invulnerable to diseases, a rather handy trait.
After counting tiny indentions in the ceiling for the fortieth time, Ki-oshi and a Mushroomer nurse walked in. “Looks like you’re awake. One lucky sort, you are, that’s for sure!”
“What happened? Who possessed me?”
“Possession? Hah!” she cried. I didn’t see what was so funny. “No one possessed you, sir. You were… experiencing… the after effects of prolonged exposure to an unknown type of dark magic, definitely of Magikoopa origin. Fortunately, it went away quite quickly, but unfortunately, the specific type of magic it was is unknown to me or any or my colleagues.”
I was glad to hear this, for I had an idea of where it came from, and I was sure Ki-oshi did too. Still… “Where are we right now?”
She turned around, slipping off some gloves. “You’re in the western port city of Muat, Tilab.”
“Port city? I thought we were in a village near the other side of the Western Lake of Muat.”
She nodded. “You were, but you were flown from there to here. They didn’t know exactly how serious your problem was, so they flew you here. You’re ok now, though. Just don’t go stumbling into any more dark magic.” She laughed and left.
Ki-oshi walked over and smiled. “Ryan-oshi, I’ve bought a vessel for us. I figured it would be safer for us to take our own boat. I don’t want to endanger anyone else’s life.”
I knew he was right, but I didn’t like the way he was still feeling guilty about that captain’s death. “Where did you get the money to buy one?”
He grinned. “Apparently, the islanders have never seen a Magic Feather before. I sold it to an old Mushroomer that was handicapped. I don’t think they’ll ever touch the ground again.”
The port city was very much the same as its sister, and I was ready to leave. After getting a quick bite to eat, we came aboard, making the pre-voyage checks. Luckily, both of us were trained sailors. I was a little bit more experienced, having sailed back and forth between Yoshi’s Island and Yoster Isle many times. Ki-oshi wasn’t entirely naïve himself. “So, where to now?”
I looked over at him. The wind seemed strong enough to carry us, and the weather was bright and cheery. “We’re going to Juat. We’ve got to clear this thing up once and for all.”
“And after that?” He was grinning under pleading eyes.
I smiled back. It wasn’t like I missed home yet. “We’ll see, friend, we’ll see.”
It was about that time, if my memory serves me correctly after these 200-odd years, that a Ulianian came running up the ship’s edge, screaming his head off. “Wait, friends, wait! This one wishes to come with you!”
I noticed his weird way of referring to himself right off. I would learn it was just a Ulianian thing. “Who are you?” I yelled back, not sure of him.
He stopped, resting his long hands on both his knees. “I’ve… journeyed far to catch up with you. I’ve heard of your exploits in the small village of Tikel, and then your past from other sources. I’m young, but I seek adventure desperately. This one will be a valuable friend. Please take me with you!”
Ki-oshi, still unwary of this new species, whispered in my ear. “Let’s not, Ryan-oshi. He could very well be a spy of whoever is after us, you know. We can’t trust anyone.”
I considered that. “Ki-oshi, we can’t live our lives in fear. Besides, we could easily outnumber him if he revolted.”
“You’re forgetting that we don’t know anything about the Ulianians. They look so… alien. They scare me. We don’t know their skills… or even worse… their weaknesses, if any…”
“… Rveryone has weaknesses…”
“… Nevertheless, we can’t risk it. Please, Ryan-oshi, reconsider!”
I sighed. “Ki-oshi, I’m sorry.” I turned to the Ulianian. “Come aboard, and tell us your name. We’ll be shoving off shortly.”
He looked excited and ran aboard. Ki-oshi walked into the cabin. I could tell this wasn’t going to be easy.
Less than fifteen minutes later, I met the Ulianian in my cabin. I had to know him through and through if I was expected to have any chance of convincing Ki-oshi. “You have to understand that we’re taking a great risk taking you aboard…” He nodded. “So I was hoping you would go ahead and tell me your name-”
“Tenulua,” he said, quickly.
The name, when I heard it then, was actually pronounced, “Ta(short)nu-e(long).” The last part didn’t fit our own pronunciation rules at all. It was strange, but at least I could pronounce it. “So… Tunelua, from where do you hail?”
I was guessing… “Uliania,” he said.
I was right. “What brought you to Muat?”
He interlaced his long, spindly fingers in a very slow, defined motion. “Actually, this one came to Herult, after running from my family and-”
“Running? From your family? Yoshis don’t actually have families like anyone else, being clones, but Mario talked of his now-deceased mother and father very kindly. I can’t imagine…”
He interrupted, “You say that Yoster families aren’t like regular families, right? Well that’s how it is with Ulianian families. This one’s country has always been an absolute monarchy until a short while ago, when the Juat Trinity’s successful economy pulled us in. Now, monarchs are simply figure heads. As such, their entire purpose is to sit around all day, get married, and produce offspring to keep up the charade of power. It’s disgraceful.”
I studied his face. It was estactic. “And you believe a monarchy would be better? I, for one, think a democracy is the most stable government available today. Princess Toadstool’s excellent leadership abilities are the only thing holding the Mushroom Kingdom together.”
He shook his head. “No, I also think a democracy is the best choice. It’s just that…” He looked down at his hands and sighed. “I shouldn’t really be telling you this, but I can’t imagine you’re a spy from Uliania. This one is the heir to the throne of Uliania. My real name is Prince Tenulua, and I’m supposed to become the “king” next year. I don’t want to be that, though. This one wants to live a free life, not one that coops me up in a dreary castle, letting the politicians run the country.”
I was astonished. Even though I was unfamiliar with Uliania, this was their prince, and a prince is a prince. Normally, I would’ve bowed, but this prince didn’t seem to be the type that would appreciate that sort of thing. “Tenulua, even though you don’t wish to be the king, you are certainly welcome aboard our ship. I have to warn you, though. Our journey is taking us into unknown dangers. Already, one person that has been around us has died, and many attempts on our lives have been made.”
He stood up, suddenly stilling his face. He pulled back his long, flowing clothes and revealed a saber. “The Ulianian people are nothing if not proud warriors. I will try my best to protect you and your friend on your journey.”
I smiled and shook his hand firmly. “I’m glad to hear it… Ki-oshi?” Ki-oshi fell down the steps into the cabin. I could hear him hiding there the entire time.
“Hehe… yeah, glad to hear it, Te… Te… Tenulua.” He grinned, rubbing his head.
After Tenulua got settled in on the ship, we cast off. The first day was smooth sailing, and we spent most of it learning about our friend’s past. Basically, he was miserable being, bred for pomp and circumstance. Despite Ki-oshi’s reservations, he became the most attached to Tenulua. Their free spirits connected with each other more than mine ever could. “So, Tenulua,” I finally asked on the second day, “tell me more about the differences between Herult and the Juat Trinity. I know the obvious political differences.”
He nodded tiredly. “I believe I know what you mean. Sadly, beyond the, as you said, obvious political barriers, there’s also the species barrier. Unlike the, species unity there is in the Mushroom Kingdom, here, the Mushroomers and the Koopas don’t get along. The Ulianians, I am proud to say, accept everyone. Unfortunately, ending the Mushroomer’s bigotry would not solve everything. The Koopas don’t like the Mushroomers, us, or even the gentle Yoshis. As you see, each side has no reason to try and strike a peace treaty.”
“And they shouldn’t have any need to. I can’t think of anything that they might need to be united on… except for…” my mind was racing.
“What?”
I tried to pinpoint the worry far into the depths of my mind, but it was out of reach. “It was nothing. Is there anytime you can remember that they needed or depended on each other for?”
He shook his head solemnly. “All the islands down here are pretty much the same. There’s no need for trade. And even if they were, any brand made by one party would be inferior to the other. It would take something awfully strong to pull them together.”
I reasoned that if neither side was attacking or disabling the other, then there wasn’t really any need for unification. Still…
“Ryan-oshi!” Tenulua and I both ran to the top deck to the sound of Ki-oshi’s voice.
On deck, we could see the island of Juat in the distance, a port city’s magnificent buildings shining through. It stood tall, fog clearing out of the way, seeming to bow to the island’s will. “Juat,” Tenulua announced, “jewel of the Tropacine Isles.”
Chapter Nine
Soon after we came ashore, we were greeted by several Mushroomers. They handed us beaded shells, some sort of tropical drink, which was very tasty, and a warm welcome. Tenulua seemed anxious though, obviously afraid one of them would recognize him. I nudged Ki-oshi, who was eating up the attention, and we slipped past the crowd.
This port city, a town by the name of Fethella, was even larger than the port city in Muat. The town received its name from a beautiful, powerful Ulianian Queen that once ruled the entire Tropacine Island Chain. The city’s beauty was said to resemble hers, grand and majestic, yet as calm as the ocean’s gentle waves. This told me that the Juat people had not completely forsaken their monarchy past. They still cherished their history, which was always good for a culture’s pride in itself.
We didn’t have to search far to find a suitable hotel. The Grand Floridian made up something resembling a doll house. Fountains surrounded it, and lavishly dressed doormen beckoned us in. Fortunately, Tenulua, being a prince, was very wealthy, and had more than enough to cover all of our expenses. We set our packs in a locked chest of drawers in the room. “It’s probably best to leave our stuff here. After all, the location on the map is only a few miles east of here. I wonder what kind of terrible tragedy can be devastating an area so close to this thriving port. I’m not exactly wanting any trouble, but if our trip was in vain-”
Ki-oshi cut me short, “It won’t be, Ryan-oshi. The sights and adventures alone have been well worth the trip. Besides, those Magikoopas mean business. Their magic power is strong; this was proved when you had all those exposure effects. Imagine what direct attacks could do. We have to stay on our guard.”
Tenulua suddenly spoke, “Black Magikoopas? Do you mean the Rajae?”
“Rajae?!” both Ki-oshi and I said in unison. “You know who they are?” I asked.
He nodded gravely. “I do… sort of. Actually, I didn’t think they existed anymore.” He stopped, in as much disbelief as we were. “Anyway, the Rajae were… I mean… are a group of Magikoopas that battled the Ulianians that first came here long ago. After the Ulianians, loving the tropical climate here, came to settle and lived here for many generations, a dark cloud settled over the land.” Ki-oshi and I sat down. We could tell this was going to be long. “The dark cloud, known to the islanders as Ithonus, or Bringer Of Strife, blocked out the sun that we Ulianians cherished and needed so much. Depression spread like a wildfire, and our tropical fruit crops failed to grow…”
“Gosh, I would hate that.” I hushed Ki-oshi.
“Continue, Tenulua.”
“Many died… it was a time of great horror. Finally, after a year without the sun, the Ulianians knew it was something truly evil… something not natural. The three bravest warriors were sent out to investigate. After sailing for four days, they came upon a large island, one that had never been there before. It seemed to pop up over night.”
“They went ashore, finding nothing at first. Soon, though, they came across indecipherable carvings in limestone and marble, always one or the other. As they followed this trail of signs, the signs soon turned into blood. Crimson-stained skeletons, skeletons of hunting game, were strewn about the beach in greater and greater numbers until they reached a clearing into the inner jungle of the island.”
I noticed Ki-oshi was biting his nails. “Finally, they came to a camp, one filled with ten Magikoopas, clad in black cloaks. They caught the intruders and tied them to a stake, chanting in gibberish. The three Ulianians knew that they were going to be killed, so they devised a crafty plan. Hoping that a dead body would spoil what they figured to be a sacrifice, one of them acted dead and used ancient breathing techniques, a skill of our people, to slow their breathing down to an unnoticeable level. The Kagikoopas took this as a sign that these Ulianians were not meant to be killed, so they let them go. Once they were free, the Ulianians pounced upon the only Magikoopa that remained behind. They left only one, for they did not guess that the freed prisoners would return. After a long, intense magic battle with that one Magikoopa, two of the best warriors fell and the last one was mortally wounded, only having a few days to live. With his last remaining strength, he sent a message, via telepathy-”
“Telepathy!”
“I’ll get to that in a minute. Anyway, after sending his love, he burned down the jungle, entrapping anything that might have been in it. In the next day, the cloud dissipated completely, and was as it should be. It seems, though, that our thoughts of the Rajae being gone were false. Some of them must’ve escaped.”
I asked, “But weren’t there only nine left? That means there can’t be too many.”
“Even if there are nine left, their powers far surpass anything of blue-cloak level. This enemy is far beyond any of us. Besides, if they could find any Koopa recruits, they could train them over the years, extending their life and turning them into a Raja. One thing is obvious: if the Rajae are not stopped, Plit is doomed.”
“Ominous,” I whispered. “What are we going to do?”
He shrugged, at a loss for words too. I scratched the end of my nose and took a bite out of a mango Ki-oshi had offered me. “If the side-effects of simple exposure to their power caused nightmares of the magnitude of which I experience, imagine what their REAL power must be like. These, as Tenulua said, are enemies we cannot match in brute strength, at least the three of us.” I waited for any input. They said nothing, so I continued. “Our next step is to go vist this Gi-oshi fellow. Surely, he’ll hold that last piece to the puzzle.”
After being stopped time and time again, Ki-oshi finally spoke uninterrupted, “Telepathy? What’s that about?”
Tenulua turned red. “Well, I forgot to mention it, but, Ulianians have the power to read minds of the people around them. It’s a secret, as most Mushroomers wouldn’t want us around them if they knew.”
Ki-oshi was amazed. “Wow… have you looked into my thoughts? Er… anything bad?”
Tenulua laughed. “If there’s anything that both of you think about, it’s fruit. Just as humans’ thoughts are filled with power, lust, and greed, most of them anyway, your thoughts only live to revolve around fruit. It’s amazing. Ryan-oshi, your thoughts revolve around fruit, mostly, but also seeking the truth. You are the most thoughtful Yoshi I’ve ever come across. Perhaps destiny did choose you for this journey.”
I smiled, but Ki-oshi said, “What about me? Aren’t I good for something?”
I rubbed Ki-oshi on the head. “Without you, pal, I would’ve failed a long time ago. Destiny chose you too, right Tenulua?”
He covered a grin. “Yes, Destiny has laid its mystical touch on Ki-oshi too, and most certainly me. Together, we are meant for something big, I just don’t know what. The future will reveal itself to us very soon, though.”
We all preceeded to enjoy some moments of solemn thought, but Ki-oshi broke it soon enough. “When are we going to eat?”
After Ki-oshi’s bottomonless stomach and mine were filled, we immediately started out to the place Gi-oshi had mentioned. Now it was a matter of time before our journey’s purpose was finally clear. What truly scared me, however, was the consequences that our choice to continue might hold. The Rajae were obviously far more deadly and dangerous than anything the Koopa Empire had ever pulled off. I hated to bring my friends into this, but Tenulua’s talk of destiny convinced me that they were meant to come. “What’s wrong, Ryan-oshi?”
Ki-oshi, as always, was concerned. I smiled, trying to reassure him. “Oh, nothing. I was just thinking of how jealous Jua-oshi would be about right now. We’re going off to face an evil horde of the most powerful beings this planet has ever seen, and he has to stay back on Yoshi’s Island, picking fruit and lazing about.”
Ki-oshi knew I was lying, but he laughed anyway. It was an encouraging thought. I was not so sure of Jua-oshi’s fate either, however. He was a traitor to his people and to the greater good, and traitors don’t get away with their crimes that easily.
It was even more disheartening that Yoshi the Warrior, Mario, Luigi, Mallow, and countless other truly powerful warriors of Plit were on the other side of the planet. Now, it seemed, there was a threat that would have to be handled without them. This was greater though, and how could we have had expected to conquer it? To this day, I don’t know what pushed us on, into the face of death, stepping up to touch its cold, hard brow. Once again, it all flowed back to Destiny. They say we shape our destiny, but I believe only partly in that. Something out there knew we were the right people for this task, and that in of itself is a very encouraging thought.
Chapter Ten
Darkness came quickly. Though one could tell that it was no longer morning, clear brightness of the early afternoon lingered on. In a matter of fifteen minutes, shadows completely covered the land and stars appeared throughout the sky, stitched by Nature’s hand. Ahead of us, the road still stretched on for an interminable distance, no sign that the Yoster village was near. “I suppose I was mistaken about the relative distance between the Yoster village and the city.”
Ki-oshi hmmphed. “That’s an overstatement. Ryan-oshi, if only you hadn’t have let your raw emotions get away with you, then maybe we could be back at the hotel sleeping. Now, thanks to you, we’re going to have to sleep on the cold ground.”
The haughtiness in Ki-oshi’s voice was very strange. It didn’t suit him at all. Tenulua spoke too. “Ki-oshi’s right. I don’t even know why I joined this little mission. Your ignorance has caused our coming here.”
This was getting far out of hand. Ever since the rushed darkness had fallen, my companions had gotten more and more grumpy. It was as if…
“Tenulua, do you have a chrono? May I see it?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Why? So you can plot how to waste much more of our time?” He snorted and crossed his arms.
His eyes were glowing with a fiery hatred. It was much different than the gentle youth of a rebellious prince the day before. “Please, give me your chrono.”
Reluctantly, he handed it over. It took me awhile to get used to the differences in Yoster chronos and those of the Ulanians, but soon enough… “Aha! Just as I suspected!”
Ki-oshi held his ears. “What are you going on about? Can’t you see this darkness and the tiredness you’ve caused has given me a headache?”
My discovery was that it was not even time for darkness yet. We’d only traveled for an hour, yet it seemed as though we had been walking for several. “We’ve only been walking for an hour. Something’s deceiving us…”
“What’re you talking about?” groaned Tenulua.
I whirled around on my heels and rushed backwards. After ten or so steps, I fell through a gelatinous wall, rippling like water when I went through it. On the other side, the afternoon sun was still fairly high in the sky. I turned around to see a large, dark cube, bubbling and rippling. Above, a stream of energy was lifting off of it, feeding into a broom. On top of that broom, of course, was a Raja.
I hid behind a tree, knowing I couldn’t confront him on my own. I was sure that my friends’ sudden bad will was an effect of the dark cube slowly placed around us, obviously made less conspicuous with dark magic. It was possible that upon attacking the Raja, the cube would dissipate and my friends would return to normal, able to help me, but it was not worth it to risk everything on that small of a hope. Instead, I waited until the cube was far enough away where I could slowly skulk from tree to tree, rock to rock, spying on the Raja. Hopefully, I could discover where they were going.
Even more important, I now knew that the Rajae were keeping a close eye on us. Unless they had remarkable teleporting abilities, it was also clear that one or more of them was on each island. Juat was the most prosperous island, so it made sense that more would be stationed there. I wondered if there was possibly a base, a hidden place where all of them met. It was a horrifying thought, but I had to discover it if it existed, and I still had my companions’ safety to worry about.
True darkness came slowly, but it did come. It was slightly after nine o’clock, Juat time, when I found myself still following the dark cube and its maker, wondering when he would ever stop and how my friends were faring.
The road beared the weight of no more travelers, making me think that the Yoshi village gained no visitors. Even more depressing, it came to me that we had come across many forks in the road. It was entirely possible that we had missed the Yoshi village completely. The changes in our direction were many, but they were also subtle each time. Our total velocity change was impossible to tell. For all I knew, we could’ve turned completely around. No matter what, though, I couldn’t leave my friends.
Suddenly, the Raja stopped in midair. He shifted to one side of his broom and pulled out a prodigious book. After flipping through some pages, he placed his finger on one and began to read: “Dal ki mana la si bo chi donere kep o’ mit te…”
“… ye som palat ke mo chibi te lona si la!” After two hours, approximately, the Raja finally stopped his incoherent speech. He closed the book. A low rumbling started from the ground, and a few small pebbles below me began to bounce on the ground.
A large crack formed ahead of where the dark cube stood, branching off. A crack slid right past me, and the source grew larger still. The shaking was like an earthquake now, and I was knocked off my feet. I held fast to my pack to keep from losing it, and I held onto a stationed rock with the other hand.
The hole that had opened had jagged edges, but stretched for several meters on all sides. I couldn’t see into it, for I was too far away. Above the Raja put his book away and made a gesture with his hand. The dark cube slid over the hold and then fell into it. With a light cackle, the Raja flew down into the tunnel he had created.
After the dust settled, I crept over to the hole, which turned out to be a seemingly never-ending abysmal hole instead of just a large dot on Plit. To test out its depth, I pulled out a rock and threw it in. I listened for several moments, but no echo of rock against rock resounded. It was truly grave.
I went back to my pack, rummaging through it. Finally, I grabbed a golden rope, given to me by the moles of Moleville in the Mushroom Kingdom. They guaranteed it would not break. Hopefully, they were right. It was also able to stretch infinitely. Even though, of course, that had never been proven, the Magikoopa that made it so vouched for its attributes. I knew it would come in handy someday even though, at the time, I couldn’t imagine ever needing to go rock climbing… or descending.
I attached both ends of the rope firmly into a side on the tunnel, hammering them deep into the crust. Securing the middle section around my waist, with my pack also strapped there, I slowly made my way down, encouraged to feel the rope magically extending as I kicked my way down.
After an hour of continuous descending, my leg muscles were beginning to get sore. True, we Yoshis did run often, but an hour of continual labor will wear even the most athletic Yoshis down, and I was definitely not the most athletic.
So, I swung over to an edge with a large enough ledge, making sure I was still securely attached to the rope. I plopped myself down and simply thought; I thought about everything, the journey, my home, the Juat Trinity, the… Rajae.
I hated to fight them here, on unknown grounds. The islands still seemed very foreign to me, even though Koopas and Mushroomers were common back home and even more so at the Mushroom Kingdom. What confused me was their overwhelming weakness when it came to species issues. The Mushroom Kingdom consisted of the most diverse variety of citizens in any place on Plit. Something had to be the root of it all, and even though the cultural differences might not have seemed important at the time, I knew that had a part to play, one that might even be considerably large. The threat of the Rajae might tear them apart even further. The damage would be irreparable.
“Time flows ever forward, Ryan-oshi, here on Plit, taking friends, making changes. You cannot control it, but you must flow with it.”
I jumped up, being careful not to fall off the cliff. Across from me, a shadowy essence came into a slightly transparent vision. It was Geno, still in his disguise as a doll, probably to not “freak” me out. “G... Geno?”
He chuckled, bouncing his head up and down, his arms crossed. “Yes, Ryan-oshi, it is I. I know we never knew each other personally, but I know you’ve heard of me. Ever since that time we had to defeat Smithy, I’ve become sort of a go-between with Plit, the mortal world and the Star Haven. I’ve been silently watching out for you, Ryan-oshi. You’re in good hands.”
The warmth his presence radiated was unbelievable. It pervaded my soul, calming and comforting me. “Geno, are you here to help us in mortal form as before?”
He sighed. “I’m afraid not. My job, this time, lies not on the Earth but in the sky and all around you.” He waved up towards the sky, which was only a tiny dot above me now. “You must be brave. Your friends are fine, but, yes, you must rescue them. It will not be easy, but you can do it.”
“I have so many questions, though. Why did I get chosen for this job? How can I possibly hope to…?”
His gentle eyes stopped my questions short. I knew now was not the time. With a nod, he vanished, leaving me enveloped in darkness once more. I picked myself up and continued on. My friends lay waiting at the bottom, and Geno’s words indicated I didn’t have time to lose.”