Super Princess Peach

Ch. 27, Pt. 2

The unlucky toad at the front of the line was crying his eyes out, shuddering all over and hardly able to move forward even when a Wigglite poked him in the back with a spear. "I'm sorry!" he squeaked, tears spilling down his face. "I won't do it again! I'll leave the cookie jar alone, this time!" Peach figured that he was beginning to hallucinate and hyperventilate with the seriousness of the situation, and she could hardly blame him. 

"Keep it together, man!" Toadsmith hissed, who was right behind him. The toad didn't seem to hear him. 

"I'm, sorry, I'm sorry, Mommy! No more cookies!" 

The Wigglite drug him to the edge of the cliff, where a jutting face of rock acted cruelly like a plank. The Wigglite cut the bonds connecting him to the outer rope and shoved him forward. The toad was still whimpering about cookies when he was pushed over the edge. 

The Wigglites screamed with glee as moans of anguish rose among the toads, and Peach's stomach twisted. She was sure that the toad had been caught by her magical layer of air, but there was no way to be sure. But the Joyful Stone had never failed her before. But by the way the Wigglites were still cheering and shrieking, she had her doubts. I can only hope that the air layer was positioned so low that they didn't see him NOT fall into the lava, she thought. 

Toadsmith was next. He glanced over his shoulder at Peach, fear flashing across his eyes, before he was pushed over as well. Peach could hear him screaming on the way down, and her stomach did another nasty churn. 

One at a time, all of the toads were cut loose and pushed over the edge of the cliff and into the magma below. After each screaming fall, the Wigglites screeched and shrieked and chanted, some calling out "Uwifi! Uwifi!" after each fall. Toaddette was shuddering with sickening fear when she was pushed over, and the sight made Peach want to hurl. 

Finally, it was just her and Toadonelly. Toadonelly looked sick and nervous when he was lugged towards the cliff, but before he could turn and say anything to Peach, he was shoved over the edge. The screams and cheers rang out, and quieted with tension when they saw that Peach was the only one left. 

"And now, the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom - AKA, the WITCH!" the Wiggler shouted. His calls were taken up and translated by a young Wigglite servant that stood next to him. Cheers arose among the Wigglite congregation, and Peach's ears picked up an unfamiliar chant: 

"Elli Wi! Elli Wi!" 

Peach had no idea of what that meant, but the Wiggler quickly explained with eagerness. "Ah, Princess, they seem to want some violence," he said gleefully. "They are chanting 'spill her blood'." 

Peach's heart pounded. "What?!" 

"This seems acceptable," the Wiggler continued. "Spilling blood and adding it to the sacrifice will make the impending eruption more violent, and therefore bringing forth more nutrition and such afterwards. I believe that it is a good idea." 

Peach blanched. No, she thought. No, no, no, no, no! I can't die! I have to save my toads...! 

"Slit her throat," the Wiggler said, nodding towards the Wigglite that had seized Peach. He seemed eager to do so, and drew his knife with a flourish, raising it to Peach's neck. 

No!  

"Wait!" 

The Wigglite paused at the king's command. 

Peach panted as the Wiggler said something in Wigglish. The Wigglite swung Peach around, and found the Wiggler observing her with narrowed eyes.  

"Aha," he said after a moment. "My dear Witch, what could that be glowing in your dress?" 

Peach looked down and saw the Joyful Stone glowing inside the neck of her dress. She gulped, knowing what would happen next.