Chapter 6: Dragons and Evil Lumas
Lumaria screams. Before her stands a seven-foot-tall roaring beast. She is instantly paralyzed and soon after becomes inarticulate. It has pitch black scales and red glowing eyes. Its teeth are huge, and sharper than a knife. It has a long tail, and three legs. Its other leg is missing, and has been replaced by a steel one complete with claws. The beast lunges its jaws forward at Lumaria, and she just stares at her impending doom.
Luma Pete, however, acts fast and is able to snatch Lumaria right from the jaws of the black lizard. It lunges forward, with incredible anger. The old Magikoopa beckons to the others, screaming "FOLLOW ME!" as she runs straight forward and into the forest. Rosalina and Redar take off at a brisk run, followed by Lumaria and the very panicked Luma Pete. The dragon brings up the rear, darting forward like some sort of nightmarish bullet train.
The group continue to run through the forest, jumping over logs and trying their best not to hit trees. The dragon is halted as the forest gets too thick for him to follow, but he improvises by smashing the trees out of his way. It is effective, but manages to slow him down.
Meanwhile, the others reach a clearing with a frozen stream and snow-covered ground. "This way!" the Magikoopa exclaims, heading towards the stream. Eventually the old Koopa steps down onto the ice and tries to skate her way across. The Lumas float across and Rosalina follows them, picking up the Magikoopa.
"Don't worry," Rosalina assures, flying across the frozen stream, "I have you."
The dragon makes his way into the clearing and stampedes towards the stream. He begins to run across, when the ice starts to crack. The dragon roars as he begins to slip and fall on the ice. Rosalina flies ever faster as the dragon gains on her. Eventually the ice breaks open and the dragon begins to slip. His rear steel leg slips and he falls back into the ice, roaring. By this time, the other Lumas have reached the far side of the bank. The dragon's shadow is seen under the ice as he nimbly swims forwards and catches up to Rosalina and the Magikoopa. There is a moment of silence as Rosalina realizes what has happened.
The ice under Rosalina and the old Koopa shatter instantly as the dragon bursts upwards and attacks Rosalina and the Magikoopa. Both fall down into the icy water. The Lumas land safely on the bank and turn around to see Rosalina and the Magikoopa land in the water.
Meanwhile the ice continues to crack and break open. Soon the stream is running once more and the Magikoopa starts to flow downstream. Rosalina tries to fight the current and fly out of the water, but she too is captured in the current. The dragon meanwhile falls down into the water and tries to pursue Rosalina and the Magikoopa, and ends up out-swimming them.
The Lumas dart forward to pick up Rosalina and bring her to shore. "THE MAGIKOOPA!" she exclaims, but when everyone looks up the Magikoopa is gone, along with the dragon. A roar is heard as another dragon enters the clearing. Right away he sees the Lumas and Rosalina and flies towards them.
"RUN!" Lumaria shouts.
***
Up on the top of Mt. Dukomu, in the Ice Temple, the last breathing Penguin General stands before the Dark Lord's last forces. Behind him is the great Ice Penguin, from Iceria's folklore that has been passed down for many generations. He is surrounded by terrifying monsters, great and small, who stare at him with threatening eyes. He is the leading general of the Penguin forces, and has been cornered after the climax of the battle. It is clear that he will die, and they will win. He prays to his idol that by some miracle he will be saved, but he knows that he will most likely die.
An impish creature stands before him with a menacing look on his face. "Tell us where the Ice Stone is!" he hisses.
"Over my dead body!" the Penguin shouts, looking dignified and courageous on the outside, though he feels like a coward on the inside.
"Well, that can be arranged," a figure says, entering the temple. It is an evil-looking Luma with a flowing cape. She is dark purple in color, and seems to glow in darkness. "Step aside!" she commands the soldiers. However, they all stare at her, wondering who in the world she is.
"Why would we take an order from you?" the Imp asks, sneering.
"Because I am your new master," she proclaims. "Hold your laughter, or I'll kill you before you even know you’re dead. I have taken the place of your "Dark Lord" when he made a stupid mistake and tried to control me. I stripped him of his power and sucked the energy from him. He now resides within me, locked up but still there nonetheless."
The Imp guffaws at this idea and sarcastically replies, "As if! You’re a weak little Luma! What have you to offer? I highly doubt that you could defeat such a one as my master. It is unthinkable."
"Oh really?"
"Yes, really. Now begone, you stupid fool!"
Klúmes responds with the flash of her eyes. The Imp is electrocuted by some sort of dark energy. He screams in the most torturous, high pitched, bloodcurling voice imaginable. One second he is there, the next he is gone. The ground beneath him is blackened like charcoal, and there is a steaming pile of ash where he once was.
"This is what happens to resistance to my rule. You are either with me, or with him," she smirks, pointing to the melted ash that remains of the rebellious Imp. Immediately the rest of the soldiers step aside to reveal the small Penguin, shaking in his boots. She floats over to him, and he shakes even more.
"W-w-w-what d-d-d-d-do y-y-y-y-y-you w-w-w-w-want?" he stammers.
Klúmes gets close to him and lifts up his chin towards her. "All I want, is one thing. If you give me this one thing, I'll let you go free. If you don't, I can have all of your kin join that foolish creature over there on the floor and you can watch. It's your choice," she whispers.
"W-w-w-w-w-what is it?"
"Give me the Ice Stone."
"N-n-n-never."
"Are you sure? Need I repeat the consequences? Your family, your friends, your neighbors; all gone, while you watch them suffer as they slowly melt into the ground."
"I uh... I... the stone is... it's uh..."
"It's where? Don't waste my time here, you fool."
"The stone is in the Ice God's statue!" the Penguin blurts out.
She floats over to the statue and looks around. "Where on the statue?"
"I don't know exactly. Only one with a pure heart can touch the statue and find it."
"Well then. I know where I can find one of those..." Klúmes turns towards her troops. "When your Dark Lord captured the old me, there was another Luma that was taken along with me. Deploy the Squid duo to hunt her down and bring her to me."
"Yes, Lady Klúmes," they respond in harmony before scurrying out into the cold winter. Klúmes walks over to the Penguin, and stares at him. He floats in midair, suspended by her eyes. There is a flash, and dark energy holds him in place.
She looks at him, smiling. "Well, I know where to find you since you clearly won't be leaving this location. I'll be back."
"No!” he shouts. "Please don't leave me here! Please!"
She laughs and walks over to the double doors and steps out into the cold. She flashes him one last evil grin as she slams the door shut, cutting off all light flow in the room, for there are no windows. The Penguin screams out in the dark, crying out for someone to find him. There is a scurrying sound along the floor as all sorts of creatures come out in the dark.
"Someone," he yelps, "save me."
There is silence in the room as he hangs his head and begins to weep slowly.