After finding every Pure Heart, the band of heroes set off for Castle Bleck. The stakes were high as the ominous void grew larger and the end drew near. Could Mario and friends stave off the inevitable and overturn the prophecy? What strange twist of fate awaited Tippi and Count Bleck? These thoughts plagued the minds of our heroes as the curtain rose on the final act...

Chapter 8-1: The Impending Darkness

They came out the other side at the entrance of a dark castle. "So... we're finally here... Castle Bleck..." Tippi said. Lianna stared up at the giant castle. "I remember this place..." Peach said. "I really wish I wasn't here again, but we have to come here... " Lianna said in her mind. Luigi looked nervous. "W-we won't be falling in the same traps though... right?" He asked. "I don't think that lady with the pink hair and those glasses would be after us..." Lianna said. They ventured into the castle, taking on many strong enemies together as a team.

After many harsh enemies they faced, they met up with the first of the three elite minions of Count Bleck, O'Chunks.

"HARBLE DEH!" O'Chunks was up ahead. "Never thought yeh'd make it this far. But now you'll 'ave to see the full force chunks!" He shouted. Lianna looked at O'Chunks. She remembered him, she decided to keep her mouth shut about him. "Pfffft! Big talk from a guy who loses again... and AGAIN!" Bowser mocked him. "'ow dare yeh!" O'Chunks stomped his foot. Bowser walked up to him. "You heard me! You're going down chunky boy!" Bowser shouted

"Oh! 'Ow 'bout ye prove it? Ye and me! Wrasslin' match o' the century!" O'Chunks challenged. "You're on!" Bowser replied. "I think we should back out of this..." Lianna replied. Luigi nodded.

Lianna, Mario, Peach and Luigi left the room to let Bowser handle this himself. "I'm gonna 'urt ya wit the force o' a hairy comet! CHUNK UP!" He shouted, and O'Chunks grew in size. "Weren't expectin' THAT eh? Where's yer flappin' mouth now? Time to... RUMBLE!" He shouted. The fight began. "Come on Bowser..." Lianna said determined. She felt rumbling happening.

They heard O'Chunks defeat, then they heard rumbling from the inside. "HUUUURGH!" Lianna headed inside. "Way to go, Bowser!" Lianna called out happily. Bowser and O'Chunks were holding the ceiling up. "Hnngh! No time for celebrations!" Bowser groaned. "What? What happened?" Lianna cried out. "Don't know! Chunky here just stopped the ceiling from falling!" Bowser explained.

"Hey, stupid Mario bros! Take the princess and head to the next room!" He demanded. Mario nodded, he grabbed onto Peach's hand and ran out of the room with her. Lianna followed after them. "Bowser! Come on!" Lianna cried out.

"No! I gotta hold this up!" He explained. "O-okay..." Lianna said, meeting into the next room with the other guys. "Where's Bowser?" Luigi asked. Lianna jumped as she heard a thud. "N-no... H-he didn't make it..." Lianna said sadly. Luigi tried to open the door.

"It won't budge!" He cried out. "Oh no...." Lianna said sadly. "I still think he made it... I have seen Bowser survive a lot of stuff in life, I don't think being crushed by a ceiling will kill him..." Peach said. Luigi nodded. "Yeah. He's been in way worse. It's hard to get rid of him." He said.

"We should press on..." Lianna said. They headed deeper into the castle.

An endless labyrinth of mind-boggling turns and deadly enemies... This final journey was more dangerous and trying than our heroes had seen before. Mario and his friends kept on without Bowser, who was lost in a duel. There was no time to stop and search for Bowser, or even grieve... Our heroes knew they had to rush toward the final encounter with Count Bleck.

Chapter 8-2: The Crash

The heroes ventured onward throughout Castle Bleck, when suddenly, they encountered a familiar face. "Oh ho ho! You've finally arrived!" Merlon called out. "Merlon? What are you doing here?" Tippi asked. "I found a fascinating passage in the Light Prognosticus, so I rushed here to tell you! To get to Count Bleck, it seems you must hit this totally unsuspicious block! So why don't you give it a jolly old whack?" He suggested. "Umm, are you sure?" Luigi asked.

Mario jumped and bashed the block. Lianna gasped as they all fell down. "Tee hee! What a bunch of... SUCKERS!" Merlon giggled as he turned back into Mimi. "Wah!" Luigi cried out and flapped his arms as they fell. Lianna and the others had to bust their way through the trap. They soon came out to find... Merlee? "How magnificent, you have arrived! I saw in the stars you would survive." Merlee said happily. "Merlee? How did you get here?" Peach asked. "Heroes, do not flee! For I am the lovely and mysterious Merlee! My beauty and the stars led you here. Rest now, for you have nothing to fear!" Merlee said happily.

"Umm... Are you really Merlee?" Tippi asked. "Whatever is it that you imply? How could anyone wonder if it is I? Look at this lovely aura glow, does it not tell you all you need to know?" She asked. "Ahhhh... I will now ask you questions three; the answers will hold your future's key. And you must answer each and every question honestly and fairly! Here we go! Time to start the show! Which one of these beasts is hardest for you to make deceased? Goombas, Clubbas or Ultra Shrooms?" She asked. "Uuuhh... Ultra shrooms." Luigi said, having a suspicious feeling.

"Hee hee... So that one there gives you the biggest scare?" Merlee asked. "Next, which one of these fearsome three most rattles your knees? Fuzzies, Hammer Bros. or Thunder Rage?" She asked. "Thunder Rage..." Lianna replied, catching on. "You are most scared of those? Hee hee! That's very good to know.Now which of these do you despise like fleas? Amazy Dayzee, Francis or Cooking Mistake?" She asked. "Oh I just despise Cooking Mistakes!" Peach cried out. "That is what makes you so very furious? Indeed, how very curious... Well, it's been marvelous fun, but I'm afraid our time together is quite done... But do not fear or fret! No! We shall meet again yet! Hee hee hee hee hee!" She said happily.

They entered the next room. Lianna spotted an Ultra Shroom. "Hah!" Lianna said happily. "I knew it!" Luigi said triumphantly. "It was a trap!" He explained. Lianna went into the next room and grabbed a Thunder Rage. She smiled happily. "At least we figured this out. We knew this was going to be suspicious." Lianna replied. "So she was asking for our deepest fears to use against us... Good call you two." Tippi said.

They grabbed a Cooking Mistake and Peach tossed it into a nearby trash can. "EEEEEEK! What are you trying to pull?! IMPOSSIBLE!" Merlee snapped, she turned back into Mimi. "I put everything you hate in there! How'd you get through all that icky stuff?! Unless...you bad people were LYING!" Mimi snapped. "How dare you lecture us?! You were just pretending to be Merlon and Merlee. Talk about a dirty trick! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Peach snapped. "Ashamed...of myself? I like getting what I want, so I do whatever I need to get it. You're the one that's always having to get rescued by boys and a bunny. THAT'S embarrassing! Golly, you sure are a lot of talk when you have your little boyfriends and bunnyfriend to protect you!" Mimi taunted. "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Y-You... Very well. If you insist, I'll give you what you so richly deserve." Peach snapped.

"P-princess Peach! You're not really going to-" Luigi started to say. "Stay out of this! I am a PRINCESS, and she has thrown mud at my dignity! You two leave me be! UNDERSTOOD?!" Peach snapped. Lianna nodded and stepped back with Mario and Luigi. "Awww... The pretty widdle princess wants to face me all alone? Boy, it sure would be sad if your friends had to cry over spilled peaches!" Mimi taunted. "MIMIMIMIMIMIMIMIMI!" She called out loud, snapping her neck and turning into a spider. "MIIIIMIIII! Try not to cry, or all your pretty makeup will run. Time to go bye-bye, Princess!" She called out. The battle began, with Peach winning in the end. " I don't...get it... I got beat by a...princess? WAHHHHHH!" She wailed, turning back to normal. Lianna, Luigi and Mario arrived back into the room. "Oh, what's the matter, little girl? Did I spank Mimi a little too hard?" Peach taunted.

"You did it princess!" Luigi called out. The room rumbles. "Oh no!" Lianna cried out. "The destruction is spreading... If we dawdle longer, we're doomed!" Tippi cried out. "You're right... Let's go." Peach replied. Lianna and the Mario Bros exited the room. Peach noticed Mimi not moving, she tried to get her to move until a large rumble caused a crack in the floor, Peach and Mimi held on for dear life until they fell. Lianna tried to unlock the door. "Peach?! Peach!" Lianna cried out in worry. Luigi tried opening the door. "M-mario... It won't budge! Y-you don't think she..." Luigi said. Mario frowned. "N-no! She was my girlfriend! I never got to tell her how much I loved her!" Mario cried out. Lianna gasped.

"Oh no... first Bowser, then Peach... I don't know who will be axed off next! " Lianna cried out in fear. "I-I'm so sorry bro..." Luigi frowned. "But I don't think a simple fall would be enough to kill Peach. Besides, she has a parasol. I guess we should press on... " Mario said. "I -I guess so too..." Lianna replied. "We must press on. Peach would want us to do that." Tippi said. "Well, yeah... I guess that is a Princess Peach thing to say." Luigi replied.

Lianna and the others ventured on. She had a very, very nervous feeling in her stomach. She felt like if O'Chunks and Mimi were after them just a bit ago, Dimentio would soon show up for them, specifically her...

First Bowser and then the fair Princess Peach were lost to the halls of Castle Bleck. Would they ever be seen again? Without his allies, could our hero Mario hope to stand against the evil Count Bleck? The very air in the castle grew heavier and even more ominous with every step. All they could do was plod forward in silence...

Chapter 8-3: Countdown to Destruction

Luigi looked at Lianna. "Are you ok?" He asked her. "O-oh! Y-yeah. Yeah. I'm alright." Lianna lied, remaining calm. "Ok." Luigi said and smiled. Lianna smiled as they pressed on. They walked through a hall of mirrors. Multiple Dimentios appeared in the mirrors and attacked. Lianna and Mario were fighting against the clones. "How are there more than one Dimentio?!" Lianna cried out. "He can clone himself, remember?" Mario asked her. "Oh yeah!" Lianna called out. She was freaking out on the inside but kept her cool on the outside, using Cudge to hammer the clones.

"Hey guys, look!" Luigi went through one of the mirrors. "This one has no glass!" He called out. Lianna looked at Luigi and followed him inside. Mario and Lianna were in a huge sea of Dimentio. Lianna was panicking, hoping the real one wasn't in this huge crowd. Luigi used Cudge to whack them away. "Take that! And this! And that!" He shouted. Lianna found a key and soon quickly escaped with Mario and Luigi. Lianna panted. "Thank gosh we're okay..." Lianna said. She unlocked the door and headed into the next room.

"Aha ha ha ha ha ha. So... You've made it here at last." A voice called out. Dimentio was waiting for them. "Oh, but...what's this? You seem to be missing the ravishing princess and the arm flailer." He said. Lianna, as much as she didn't want to talk to Dimentio, thought that line was funny. "OH! HE REFERENCED BOWSER'S ARMS!" Lianna laughed. Mario got angry with Dimentio. "Where's Lianna -" He was about to say. Lianna glared at Mario. "Oh wait! She's actually with us!" Mario called out. Dimentio facepalmed. "Good Grambi..." He groaned.

Lianna got back to being serious. "What do you want with us now, Dimentio?!" Lianna snapped at him. "I want you, to give me a real fight. If you can find me, that is." Dimentio disappeared. "Oh dear... Here we go! I'm hunting down Dimentios! It's Dimentio Season!" Lianna said, jumping onto a blue switch. They have arrived at Lineland Road. "Where are we?" Tippi spotted Dimentio. "Look! There!" She shouted, seeing him float off.

Lianna chased after Dimentio. They used Fleep to reveal a crack and teleported to Merlee's Mansion. "Is this Merlee's Mansion?" Tippi saw Dimentio. "I guess we chase him..." Tippi said. Lianna followed after him and they soon chased him down through the Tile Pool, Planet Blobule, through the land of Cragons, the world of nothing and the Underwhere road until they arrived back at Castle Bleck. Lianna panted heavily. "Enjoying my game of tag?" He asked them. "N-no... Just get out of our way Dimentio... We don't need you trying to stop us from saving the universe..." Lianna groaned.

"Stop you? My dear, I am merely wanting to help you." Dimentio said. "H-helping us? How have you been helping us? You pretty much had to deal with stuff like murder, kidnapping, brainwashing and a whole bunch of other crimes you have committed... " Lianna listed off. "But you see, we have a common enemy. I have made many things that I regret. And an alliance with the count is one of them." He said. "Wait... You don't mean you want to backstab the Count?" Lianna asked in shock.

"Backstab him? Ah ha ha ha. On the contrary, he backstabbed ME! He said he would destroy all worlds and create a new, perfect world in their place. But he was lying! He plans to obliterate every world, and then leave them all in ruin." Dimentio explained. "What?! But I thought he wanted to play God and create new worlds in their place!" Lianna cried out loud.

"Indeed, that is what he told us, my dear, but I have known his plan for very long now. But I could never hope to stop him on my own. I needed someone to defeat him with me! That is why I saved the princess and the green man from brainwashing. It's also why I sent you to the Underwhere to fix the broken Pure Heart. And why I freed the woman to be reunited with her beloved friends... Now do you see?" He asked them.

"Y -you... You were helping us the whole time...." Lianna said in surprise. "And it was all for you, my dear. So, how about returning the favor?" Dimentio held out his hand. "You and I, together once again. I'll give you the power you need to fight him."Dimentio said to Lianna. Luigi ran in. "Don't listen to him Lianna! He's trying to trick you! He's a filthy snake!" He cried out.

"Don't worry, Luigi. I know what he is trying to do." She said to Luigi. She turned to Dimentio. "I can see through those lies. I am refusing your offer." Lianna said, she spat in Dimentio's face. "You refuse me? I suppose returning you to them was a mistake... Now your game ends here. I think I'll start with the green one, he looks like a pushover." He said.

But before Luigi would've potentially battled Dimentio, Lianna stepped in. "No! I won't let you hurt the love of my life! Mario, Luigi, get out of here! I'll handle this guy... " Lianna ordered them. Luigi blushed. "Wah?! B-but, I don't want to leave you with him!" He cried out. "You guys are the Mario Bros. you have a universe to save. I'll buy you guys time. Get out of here! Now!" Lianna ordered. "I may be a player three, but I am going to show Dimentio how skilled I can be!" Lianna proclaimed.

"B-but... I... Lianna... I... I..." He stuttered. Lianna just went behind them and scooted them out of the room. She shut the door behind them. "It's just you and me, Dimentio." Lianna said to him.

"Hmm... I hoped it wouldn't come to this... But you leave me no choice... I will be reunited with Ms.L!" Dimentio shouted and attacked. Lianna engaged in combat, battling against Dimentio. She used her agile speed and high jumps to battle against him. Dimentio fired magic attacks at her, and used clones to assist him.

"I won't let Ms.L come back!" Lianna shouted as she continued to rage in an epic battle. "I will bring her back, if it's the last thing I do!" Dimentio shouted. Was he turning insane? Lianna felt like Dimentio was going insane. She soon finished one final blow onto him. "NOOOOOO!" Dimentio cried out as he fell to the floor. "H-have mercy! I say uncle!" He cried out. "Had enough Dimentio? I didn't need anyone to help beat you up. You are one psycho jester." Lianna said to him. She panted.

Dimentio got to his knees. "A-all I wanted was to be with her again... We could have ruled a perfect world together..." He said weakly. "Well Ms.L says no. The inner demon inside of me will be locked up hopefully forever." Lianna said. "Now if you excuse me, I best be on my way." Lianna said, heading towards the door. "No!" Dimentio shouted and snapped his fingers, trapping them within a glass box. "If I can't have Ms.L, then Luigi can't have Lianna!" He shouted. "What are you doing, Dimentio?! Don't do this!" Lianna cried out in horror.

"I will make him suffer what I have to suffer! We will both taste the agony of game-overing... by magic! Ah ha ha ha!" He cackled. "NO! LUIGI! HELP!" Lianna screamed. "Ciao!" Dimentio snapped his fingers, and explosions consumed them, Lianna's screams echoed throughout the halls as she was axed off with Dimentio. Meanwhile, Mario and Luigi heard an explosion and heard more rumbling.

"Lianna!" Tippi screamed. "N-no!" Mario cried out. He tried to unlock the door. But it was stuck. "No... No no no no no!!!" Luigi banged on the door, trying desperately to get in. "LIANNA!!!" Luigi screamed. "Luigi... I am sorry... I don't think she made it..." Mario said, putting a hand onto his shoulder. Mario was crying softly. They lost their allies that they bonded with so dearly. Luigi fell to his knees. He covered his face and sobbed uncontrollably.

Mario cried too, he couldn't bare to see his brother cry. Mario cried beside his brother. Luigi hugged Mario tightly. "Why... Why is everything falling apart...?" He asked in tears. "I-I don't know... I feel like the sooner we defeat Count Bleck, the better..." Mario replied. "I... I never got to tell her..." He said. "T-tell her what?" Mario asked him. "How much I love her..." He replied. Mario sniffled. "Oh..." Mario said sadly. "Maybe she might be in the Overthere... What if we go there to see her, after we defeat Count Bleck?" He suggested to him. "I... I'd like that bro... Maybe we'll see Peach too." Luigi smiled at his brother.

Mario nodded. "Let's press on." He said. Mario and Luigi headed deeper into the castle. Preparing for the final battle against Count Bleck..