The platforms on the wall now turned into sand staircases. But that didn't change the situation on the ground.
The gold snake-like creature glanced at the group, growling and glaring. Its rattle was beating faster than they could detect.
"We have to fight." Umucha told them, glaring at the creature, who had hissed at them.
Toadsten glared and began attacking with his mushroom riffle, but the gold was sturdy and impenetrable. It would take a lot of power to get it to crack.
"Ssssssssssssomeone's got a lot of nerve to think that they can defeat me... Sssssssss..." Jogierd hissed at them, the gold as reflective as a mirror. It directed Mario to a bronze hammer.
"Hey, I got a plan! You distract him while I go do something!" Mario told them.
"Are you sure that's going to work?" Luigi asked.
"Trust me! It'll work!" Mario called.
They all nodded and began to guide it to the other side. Mario then began to rush and get the bronze hammer, but the golden snake was too quick. It's tail bounced it up on the top of the staircases.
"Sssssssee what I mean? There'ssssssss no point in challenging me..." Jogierd laughed as he rattled his tail.
Mario growled and rolled his way to the beginning of the staircase, running as fast as he could, because now the predator was on his tail. Mario ran as fast as he could, the snake still following. He ran as fast as his little legs could carry him, but when he got to the hammer, the golden snake bit the back of his leg.
"Mario!"
"Bro!"
"Are you okay?!"
Mario stayed still for a second, then realized the task at hand. He then stood up with a limp and whacked the snake with the hammer.
The snake cried out in pain, now growling and groaning out. The gold sizzled off of it as it said its final words.
"You defeated me... I shhhhhhhould've known better than to underestimate you intrudersssssssss..." Then the snake lost its life, it was now crumpled up and no longer. The gold had turned to bronze, and then lost its color. Then it turned into dust and blew away into the wind.
"We...did it." Mario smiled, then walked down the stairs with a limp, since the snake bite on his leg.
Mario tripped on the last stair, falling face-first onto the ground. Everyone gasped at that.
"Are you okay? Do you need help?" Yasie asked, worried for Mario's sake.
"I'm fine, just help me up."
She grabbed his arm and helped him keep his balance, smiling.
"You were pretty brave up there." She smiled.
"Really? Well, thanks." He smiled back, then looked at the entrance which was opening up.
"Thank goodness." Rodrica groaned.
"I guess you have to go now." Georzo told them. "And I won't stop you. You don't need me on your adventure."
"But--"
"Go. I don't matter to you guys, I'm not even the same age as any of you, heh heh. Just go."
They all said their goodbyes to him, then realized that they had to get going.
"The next era is Hallowive, a town driven by grief and sorrow of their lost leader, Annabella." Umucha told them.
"Let's-a go!"
They then took one of Umucha's teleportation stones and used it to teleport back to Animia Town Square.
End of Chapter!
