The Quest for Dimentio

Chapter 17

"It hurts. Oh, god it hurts." Mr. L said, as he writhed in pain. "No, don't worry, you're going to be okay. Mr. L, listen, you're going to be okay." Luigi took off Mr. L's gloves, and could see his hands were badly burnt. Probably the worst burns he had ever seem, and Mr. L likely had them all over his body. "It hurts. I don't want to go yet. I haven't been alive long enough. There's so much I haven't done." Luigi looked down at him, tears in his eyes. "You're not going to die, Mr. L. I-I promise." Mr. L had tears in his eyes. "It hurts." His speech was slowing. "Mr. L, just stay with me." Luigi didn't even notice Daisy arrive, until he heard her gasp. Without taking his eyes off of Mr. L, Luigi told her, "Daisy, you need to go find some medics. They may be far because all the townsfolk left, but we need medics as soon as possible." Daisy nodded, and immediately ran off.

As Daisy left, Mr. L looked up at Luigi. He lifted his burnt hand to Luigi's face, and made a small smile. Then his expression changed. "Is Dim okay?" He asked. Luigi looked around. He couldn't see Dimentio anywhere. "I'm sure Dimentio's fine." Luigi replied. Mr. L smiled and closed his eyes. "Good, good." Suddenly, Mr. L's hand drifted away from Luigi's face and onto the ground. Luigi gasped. "No.... no, Mr. L? Please wake up."

Dimentio suddenly appeared behind them. "I got the book and trapped Bowser! We did it! We-" He suddenly looked down at Luigi and Mr. L. "L? Luigi, what happened?" Luigi turned his head, wiping tears away. "We did it. He did it. He saved the day." Dimentio floated down towards Mr. L. "No no no, L, L! You gotta wake up! Come on!" Dimentio pleaded. Luigi got up, his quiet sobbing turning into ugly cries. He stepped back, allowing Dimentio to have some space. 

Dimentio floated down even closer to Mr. L. He placed his ear to Mr. L's chest. No heartbeat. "No, L. Please." Tears dripped down his mask. He started yelling out. He didn't care who heard. His sobs filled with so much pain and emotion.

Luigi looked over at him, tears flooding his face. "Can't you do something?? You have that book! Bring him back!" Dimentio was both angry and sad. "I've read over this book countless times. There is no way to bring back the dead without killing someone else in exchange in this situation!" "So That's it?? No! He's only been his own person for a year! He deserves to live. He deserves life!" Luigi cried. Dimentio turned around and snapped. "DO YOU THINK I DON'T WANT TO BRING HIM BACK?? I WAN'T THAT MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, BUT THE DARK PROGNOSTICUS DOESN'T OFFER US A SOLUTION!" Dimentio continued to sob. "What about the Light Prognosticus?" Luigi quietly asked. "What?" Dimentio squeaked. "Is there a way to bring in back in the Light Prognosticus?" Luigi asked more clearly. 

Dimentio turned to him Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and grabbed the Light Prognosticus. He flipped through. "Here! Here! It says one with a soul which glows red with Determination will hold on after death momentarily. They may return to the realm of the living with the blood of the being closest in appearance and a courageous act of love to spark their soul." Luigi looked at his arm. "Take my blood, you can take my blood! But I'm not sure how to do the 'courageous act of love' thing. Is that like a true love's kiss?" Dimentio sighed. "No no, this has to be something specific. It can't be as generic as a kiss. Something that is particularly difficult for the lover to do, therefore the lost soul will know how far their partner is willing to go." Luigi looked away, "So, what do we do??"

Dimentio looked Down at Mr. L, and sighed. "I need something to hold your blood in." Luigi quickly scrambled around, looking for a cup or something. He found what looked like a salad bowl. "Dimentio, will this work??" He asked. Dimentio looked at it. "Yes. That should work. Now, find something sharp and cut your hand."  Luigi looked around, he saw some broken glass, he quickly ran over and got a piece. "Ugh, this glass isn't clean at all. I'm going to get an infection..." Luigi suddenly saw Dimentio was glaring at him. "Right, sorry." 

Luigi looked down at it. He closed his eyes and cut down the center of his palm. He cringed in pain. Dimentio watched as the blood dripped into the salad bowl. Luigi held his hand over it for a few minutes. "Alright, I think that is enough." Dimentio said. Luigi quickly took his hand back and held it close to himself. "Okay, now what?" Dimentio looked down. "I need you to go." He said. "What?" Luigi asked. "You need me to leave?" Dimentio shot him a glare. "If you want me to save L, then leave." He said coldly. Luigi turned and started leaving, still holding his mildly burned side. "If you need me, just call. I won't be far."

Once Luigi was gone,  Dimentio looked down at Mr. L. He poured Luigi's blood onto Mr. L's burned skin, watching it seep in. He looked at Mr. L's hands, then took off his own gloves. Dimentio looked at the burn scars on his own hand from when he fought Luigi and Mr. L a year ago. Then he looked over at Mr. L's burned hand.

"Look L, we match!" He said through tears.

He sat on his knees next to the body. Slowly he placed his arm under Mr. L's head, holding him up. He looked down at Mr. L. Nothing. He started sobbing. He learned over Mr. L's face. Tears were falling down onto Mr. L's forehead.

"L, please come back, I don't know what to do. I- I can't do this without you. I'm miserable. It hurts so bad. Please. Everything hurts."

He leaned down to Mr. L, and gently kissed his forehead. It didn't look like it was working. Dimentio felt....empty.

"L,"

Dimentio took in a deep breath, then whispered quietly, "I love you.".....he waited a minute, and sighed.

Then, he lifted his other hand to his face. Slowly, he took the mask off.