Luigi's Arc

Chapter 2 of 4

Luigi picked up Mario's red cap and pushed it into his pocket. The green doorway glowed at the far side of the room. But when he reached it, the door would not budge. He shoved with his shoulder. He pulled the rusted handle. Nothing moved. The wood felt solid as stone. Somewhere behind it, deeper in the house, he heard a soft, wet laugh. A white shape drifted through the door as if it were open. It was a round little ghost with black eyes and small teeth. It giggled and covered its face with tiny arms. Then it peeked out at Luigi, taunting him. "That's the one that took Mario," Luigi said. Yoshi growled at the ghost. The little ghost laughed again and floated back through the sealed door. It wanted Luigi to follow. It knew he could not. Luigi banged both fists on the wood. "Open! Give me my brother!" His voice cracked. Yoshi nosed the bottom of the door and whined. There was no crack, no gap, no way through. The ghost was dragging Mario farther away with every second. Luigi's chest went tight. He was so close, and a single door had stopped him cold. Then a cold light spread across the wall. Two green flames opened in the dark, low to the floor, like eyes. A small hooded figure stepped forward. Glowing marks crawled across its ragged robe. Its face was a gray skull with green fire for eyes. Luigi grabbed the board again and put himself between the thing and Yoshi. "Don't," the little figure said. Its voice was dry and thin. "The door does not open by force. It opens by name." It raised a bony hand toward the wood. "The ghost sealed it. I keep the ways in this house. I have watched many chase the ghosts and lose themselves in the dark." Luigi's arms shook. "My brother is in there. Help me or move." The green-eyed figure studied him for a long moment. Yoshi stopped growling. He sniffed the small robed thing and sat down, quiet. That surprised Luigi. Yoshi did not trust easily. "Loyalty," the figure said, watching Yoshi. "That, the ghost cannot fake." It pressed its palm to the door. The glowing marks on its robe flared. The green light in the seams answered. With a low groan, the door swung inward. Beyond it stretched a long stairway going down into deeper dark. Wet footprints shone on the steps. Far below, the little ghost giggled, and a heavier sound answered it, something big moving in the black. The robed figure lowered its hand. "The seal is broken. But you opened the wrong door for the ghost's plan, not yours. It led you here on purpose." Luigi looked at the stairs. Cold air rose from below, carrying Mario's scent. Yoshi pressed close to his leg. The door was open now. There was no closing it again.