The Fall: Death

Two: Death

Together, the four of them entered Count Bleck's chamber. Tippi clung to Mario's shoulder, too weak to fly. Above them, on his usual pedestal, was Count Bleck. He looked worn and eaten by worry, bags hanging under his glowing eyes. When they entered, he straightened and cleared his throat.

"Bleh heh heh heh heh…I see you've come at last…" He paused when he saw Dimentio. "Hmm? Dimentio? Whatever are you doing?"

"What must be done, my Count," Dimentio responded, wearing his infuriating smile again. He gave a small bow in mockery of his loyalty.

"I see…" Count Bleck narrowed his eyes. "If you must." His gaze moved to Tippi.

"B-Blumiere…" she whimpered.

"Ah, my Timpani…I'm sorry, but you are far too late to stop the Dark Prognosticus and me…Count Bleck!" He switched to a nastier and more rehearsed voice than before. "All worlds will soon end. Come to grips with that now, for you cannot stop it. I suggest you make yourself comfortable and enjoy this one, final spectacle."

"I most certainly will not. I can't stand being lied to," Dimentio responded with a venomous tone.

Tippi shakily floated into the air. "But…why? Do you really want to destroy everything? Why would you do this? How…COULD you do this?!" She took another breath and screamed at him. "If the worlds have no meaning, was our meeting meaningless as well? Answer me, Blumiere!"

Count Bleck lowered the brim of his hat, tension written into the set of his shoulders. "…I am sorry…to you both. Timpani, my love, the hour has grown too late… You should know that by now…"

Dimentio, Mario, and Luigi nodded, while Tippi looked defeated. "….My love, Blumiere…Or rather, Count Bleck…The only way we can stop this is to defeat you…And that is exactly what we must do…There's no choice…"

Count Bleck nodded and cackled. "BLEH HEH HEH HEH! BLECK! I expected no less! But I will also do what I must, for Count Bleck is the deleter of worlds. My fate was written in the Dark Prognosticus and it cannot be changed. Do not think for moment that I will hesitate to strike you down, even you, my love, and you, my former minion. ALL NOW ENDS!"

Count Bleck sprang off his pedestal and flew at them, his body glowing with a red aura. Dimentio immediately got out of the way, but Mario hesitated too long in getting Tippi to safety. Count Bleck tackled him and sent him flying with enough force to make a crater in the floor. Luigi yelped before jumping at the Count, bouncing off of him ineffectively. The Chaos Heart made itself known, sitting in the center of Count Bleck's shield. As Mario got up, one of Dimentio's magical starbursts hit the Count in the back, but it was just as useless.

"This isn't going to go well unless we get rid of his shield!" Dimentio called to Mario.

"Mario, the Pure Hearts…" Tippi supplied.

Mario nodded and the Pure Hearts appeared around Luigi, Tippi, and himself, then flew over to Count Bleck and surrounded him. It wasn't as strong as it could have been with all four heroes there, but it was enough to at least weaken the Chaos Heart. Count Bleck flinched. "Bleh heh heh heh huh? What have you done to Count Bleck?!"

"'Four heroes unite, their hope burns forth to shatter the walls of blight…'" Tippi recited. "This isn't right…"

"Perhaps you need a math lesson, my dear. There are indeed four of us," Dimentio retorted gleefully.

Count Bleck blinked in shock. "So be it…But don't celebrate just yet. Now the true battle begins. Your precious worlds aren't safe until my last breath! " he declared, trying to goad them on.

"Oh, I agree," Dimentio said, making the first move this time. He vanished, then reappeared behind the Count, delivering a strong kick to his back. Mario took up the slack and stomped on him. Count Bleck flipped away only to appear again above them, conjuring up small blobs of dark magic and sending them at the three combatants. Dimentio blocked the ones sent his way with his own magic, while Mario and Luigi leaped out of the line of fire.

Luigi charged up a Super Jump and sprang up to where Count Bleck was floating, grabbing onto the man's white cape and dragging him down to the ground. Dimentio used the opportunity to split into three and shoot magic at him from all sides, almost hitting Luigi as well.

"Hey, watch it!" the man in green said.

"My apologies," Dimentio said breathlessly in return.

Mario tried to jump on the top-hatted man, but Count Bleck used the distraction to grab Mario's leg and slam him into the ground, stabbing at him with his cane. Mario rolled out of the way just before the sharp point of the sapphire could impale him. Luigi and Dimentio punched the Count from behind, causing him to flip away again.

Count Bleck came back into view above their heads, panting a bit. A green aura suddenly filled the room, slowing everything down. Count Bleck teleported rapidly around the arena, striking each of them several times in turn. Once the spell wore off, they were all flung back from the built up force of the attacks. Opening his cape wide, Count Bleck summoned a moderately sized void, which began sucking them all in.

Tippi didn't stand a chance. She was quickly pulled from her hiding place and went zooming towards the black hole, screaming. Without hesitating, Mario leaped forward and grabbed her. Luigi clutched onto Mario's free hand while also grasping firmly to Dimentio's leg. The jester wasn't pleased, but continued holding on to a nearby platform nonetheless. When the suction started to decrease, he teleported all three of them above Count Bleck's head, allowing Mario and Luigi to stomp on him while he himself struck with his magic blasts. Tippi fluttered back to a safer place.

Count Bleck separated himself from his attackers, looking a little unsteady. Dimentio didn't let up, and flew towards him, aiming a blow at his head. Count Bleck ducked under it and punched the jester squarely in the gut, sending him falling down into a pile on the floor. Mario and Luigi hopped up a series of platforms and performed a combo attack, Luigi giving Mario a leg up and propelling the red plumber forward. Mario succeeded where Dimentio had failed, delivering a powerful strike to the Count.

Count Bleck flew back and struck the ground with a mighty thump. He slowly sat up, breathing heavily. His eyes and mouth had turned blue, and his clothes were ragged. He had reached the end of his strength. "Ex…Excellent…"

The four heroes regrouped, but before they could do anything, Nastasia suddenly appeared beside the Count. She gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "Oh no…I'm too late…"

"Why, Nastasia my dear. So nice of you to join the party," Dimentio greeted.

"D-Dimentio, what have you done?" she asked, shooting him a panicked glare.

He merely smiled. "I have done what I must," he said, folding his hands behind his back casually. "You know as well as I that this was inevitable. Is it not what the Count wants?"

Nastasia shook her head with denial. "It can't end like this…"

"You…You must…" Count Bleck said painfully.

"NO!" Tippi shrieked. She darted forward and floated protectively in front of him. "I can't let this happen…"

Nastasia fisted her hand over her heart and joined the rainbow Pixl.

"Timpani…Nastasia…" Count Bleck said, touched but despairing. "Count Bleck must be killed…Dispatch me and the Chaos Heart will disappear. The prophecy will be undone…"

"Why does it have to end like this…" Nastasia whimpered sorrowfully.

"No…Blumiere…" Tippi whispered.

"Timpani…" Count Bleck said breathlessly. "When you vanished, I searched long and hard for you. I never gave up looking…I searched and searched…" He shook his head, crying freely now. "But I never found you… Without you, the world no longer held meaning or joy…Despair became the only thing I had left, so I used the prophecy of the Tribe of Ancients to end all worlds…I wanted to destroy everything that had taken you away from me…"

"But I am here now…" Tippi said. "No one can keep us apart anymore…Don't you see?"

The Count met her gaze. "It is too late. I have done so much evil…It must end. Just knowing that you are still alive…And that the world you live in will continue…It gives me peace…Please, you must end my game before The Void destroys all…"

Tippi cried out desperately, falling into his lap. "But…we're finally together again…How can I possibly go on without you…"

Out of the corner of her eye, Nastasia saw that Dimentio was charging up a crackling magic blast behind his back. Just as he flung it forward, she jumped in the way, shouting, "Count! Look out!" The blast hit her, and she fell to the ground. Count Bleck choked and tried to go to her, but fell.

"N-Nastasia!" Dimentio gasped, astonishment written onto his face. "How foolish of you…" Mario jolted and glared at the jester. Dimentio ignored him and went to Nastasia, checking her pulse. He straightened, regret flashing in his eyes briefly. Then he turned to Mario. "It must be done, you know that. You don't need such a crime staining your soul."

He began to charge up another starburst. Tippi moved into his way as he was preparing to fire. "Move, Tippi," Dimentio commanded coldly.

"Tippi…" Luigi said softly. Mario looked concerned and pleaded with his eyes for her to move out of the way.

"No! I will not! I can't-!" she broke off into a sob.

Dimentio nodded and let the magic go, killing her just as he had Nastasia. Count Bleck howled and struggled to launch an attack at the mad jester. Mario tried to attack as well, but Dimentio smoothly dodged and brushed the plumber off. "It's better this way, Mario…Do not worry, my Count. You will be with her again soon enough."

Mario froze up with understanding. Luigi put a hand on his shoulder and looked on with him.

For the third time, Dimentio gathered his magical energies into a starburst. This time, there was no one to shield the Count. He met Count Bleck's eyes, the blue glowing orbs filled with pain and acceptance. Count Bleck closed his eyes. "Ciao, my Count…" Dimentio breathed.