''We're here!'' The driver said as he pulled over and stopped the car. 

We were in a very lush area with mountains all around us. The grass looked so green and soft, but we didn't have time to slack off right now. Shawn and I went out of the car and thanked the driver. We started walking along a narrow pathway, there were not much else than grass, flowers, and rocks around us. I stared into the horizon and saw the edges of the cliff we were on. It leads right to an ocean of clouds, yes, we were very high up.

''So uh... I don't really know much about spear guys.'' I said, trying to start up a conversation. ''What are they like?''

''They look like ordinary shy guys, but they are much more uncivilized than us. Their masks have been painted with stripes of war paint, and they wear skirts made out of thick leaves. The only weapon they use are spears, but they are extremely skilled in wielding them.'' Shawn explained. ''They hate visitors and are very hostile towards them. But if you have someone like me who can talk to them they will hopefully let us pass through the ruins and into Sarasaland.''

''Hopefully, we will not bump into any of them on the way at all,'' I said, trying to give myself some positive thoughts.

''Trust me, they will find us. I even think that they've already seen us right now.''

''What?!'' I exclaimed.

''They have spies hiding all around this place. They are observing us, to see if we're hostile or not.''

''Can't you just tell them we're not?''

''No, they always have to start the conversation. Otherwise, they will take offense... for some reason...''

I gulped, I didn't like being in this place, there were statues of Thwomps everywhere grinning at me. We continued walking until we arrived at a very narrow bridge hanging above the sea of clouds. Shawn worriedly looked down. 

''Uhh, ladies first?'' He nervously offered.

I sighed. ''If the tribe use the bridge then it would be no problem for us too.''

I picked Shawn up in my arms, holding him like a teddy bear under my left arm. He became very stiff and didn't move an inch. I put my first foot on the bridge, it was swaying a little but not enough for me to lose my balance. I carefully walked forwards, constantly thinking to not look down, or else I would fall.

When I had gotten halfway, Shawn suddenly lets out an ''uh oh...''.

I looked back and saw what he was worried about; two spear guys staring at us from the side of the bridge we were on before. They didn't do anything, just... silently staring at us.

''Rosalina, continue walking,'' Shawn said in a very serious voice. I was frozen for a second before starting to walk forwards again. ''Good, just don't- oh no!'' Shawn said, followed by a scream. ''RUN!''

I started running without questioning him. I turned my head back to quickly get a glimpse of what was happening. The spear guys were cutting the bridge's rope! We were going to fall if I didn't reach the other side in time.

Too late.

I felt how I started falling. Shawn panicked and flailed his arms around rapidly. I quickly used my magic to create a bubble that made us stop falling and hover in the air.

''Wow, thanks, Rosalina! You saved me!'' Shawn said in relief.

''Yeah, but it's going to burst soon!'' I said as I used every muscle in my body to try to get it to not disappear. ''quickly! Push us towards the fallen bridge! We can climb up on it!''

Shawn pushed the bubble from the inside, causing us to float closer to what was remaining of the fallen bridge. As I was at my limit, we were finally there and I could pop the bubble. Shawn and I clung to the bridge and we started to climb up. I let out a big sigh of relief, it felt like I had just been in a running marathon around the globe.

''If I had my wand this wouldn't be a problem for me,'' I grumbled angrily. ''In fact, if I had it, Bowser would be long gone by now and we wouldn't even be here.''

When we were on the ground again in safety, we sat down for a moment to take a breather.

''That was close,'' Shawn said. ''It looked pretty painful trying to keep the bubble up.''

''It takes a lot of magic. My wand would've let me do it easily if I had it.''

He put his hand on my shoulder. ''Don't worry. You will have your wand soon, I'm sure of it.''

''We can find the pieces, yes, but I have no idea on how to repair it...''

''There's always a way to fix things.'' He assured me and stood up. ''Now, let's continue. We can't stay here for long. The spear guys tried to kill us because they thought of us as threats.''

''So they will continue to kill us,'' I sighed. ''Great, just what I wanted.''

We continued to walk through the ruins. Soon we discovered the entrance to the thwomp temple, we only had to go through it to get to Sarassaland, but it was big, so very big. It wouldn't surprise me if the whole place was just one giant maze, filled with death traps.

''Rosalina, do you hear that?'' Shawn asked.

I listened carefully, and among the sounds coming from the distant waterfalls around the area, I could hear some kind of chant or music. It sounded like flutes being played hastily in different notes without much rhythm to go with it. My body froze, it was like something out of a horror story.

''We need to go!'' Shawn said and started running into the temple. ''Come on!''

I followed him inside, and as we ran for our lives I didn't even keep track of where we were going. I just silently hoped that we would find some kind of clue that we were going the right way.

Suddenly I heard a scream, it was Shawn who was running a few feet ahead of me. I ran faster to try and catch up to him and suddenly saw what he was screaming about. He had been stopped dead in his tracks by a whole army of spear guys, I stopped running and stood silently as they watched us with their dark abysses for eyes. They didn't do anything, but I knew that they would at any moment.

''Shawn, talk to them,'' I whispered.

He nervously cleared his throat and started making some weird sounds. It mostly sounded like he was saying ''wow'' and ''we'' continuously, mixed with some weird honking noises. The spear guys didn't respond until he was done talking. I did not understand anything, but it sounded like they were getting on good terms with each other.

Shawn then turned to me. ''They won't let us pass unless we give them a gift.''

I tried to think of something to give them. Then I reached down into one of the pockets on my outfit when I remembered that the toadette who had given me the suit had packed some emergency food in it. I felt something rectangular in plastic wrapping and pulled it out, it was an energy bar with double cherry flavor, maybe the spear guys would like it. I opened it and carefully brought it closer to the spear guy Shawn was talking to.

''Please accept this gift of a very delicious... edible battery blessed with the taste of double cherries.''

That was the stupidest thing I've ever said.

The spear guy hesitated to take it out of my hands, he inspected it thoroughly before trying to take a bite out of it. He munched on it for a while before suddenly spitting it out in disgust. He started to scream in anger at us and all of the spear guys around us started to point their spears at us.

''He didn't like it!'' Shawn said scaredly. ''Quick! We have to give him something else or else they will not let us pass and probably kill us!''

''I don't have anything else!'' I said panicked.

Shawn tried to reason with the spear guys, but when he tried they all just kept screaming angrily, then they grabbed ahold of us and started carrying us through the temple. I tried to get them to release me, but never underestimate a spear guy's strength, they were extremely strong for being so small.

''Rosalina! Help!'' Shawn yelled. I couldn't see where he was since the way the Spear Guys were carrying me prevented me from looking anywhere else than up into the ceiling.

After they had carried me for a while they put me down in front of a pole and tied a rope around me, making me completely stuck. I could see Shawn with who I supposed was the leader of the tribe. Two spear guys held Shawn's arms back and made him stand in front of the leader.

They spoke to each other, Shawn seemed terrified of him. It sounded like he was begging to be released, but to no avail, the leader didn't listen to him. Then, he said a few more words, and Shawn's eyes widened as he gasped.

''No! No, don't please!'' He pleaded. He tried to get out of the two spear guys' grip but they were too strong. The leader brought his hand closer to Shawn's mask. I realized what he would do, he would take Shawn's mask off.

Now, for anybody who hadn't met a shy guy before, they would think that it wouldn't be such a big deal. But for a shy guy, it is hell. It causes such huge mental panic to have their mask off that some even go insane from not wearing their mask during a certain amount of time. Never force a shy guy's mask off, because it is literally the worst thing they can ever experience.

Shawn swung his head from side to side to avoid the leader taking his mask off. But eventually, he reached the belt holding it attached and started unbuckling it. Shawn let out several stressed little screams as he felt the mask coming off of his face. It made me angry, I wanted to help, but I was stuck.

The mask had come off, Shawn was quiet and his head was hanging low. Between all the screaming and chanting, I could hear Shawn sobbing. The leader threw away the mask, and then lifted Shawn's head up so he could gaze into his eyes. Luckily Shawn was turned so I couldn't see it.

''Don't... stare...'' Shawn sobbed. ''Put my mask back on me... please...''

The leader didn't listen. Another spear guy went up behind him and handed him a spear. The leader took it and pointed it right towards Shawn's face. 

''Last... Words...?'' He managed to say in our language. 

Shawn was crying too much that he couldn't even speak anymore. Every sob fueled my anger, and soon... I just snapped.

The ropes that were holding me down withered down into a pile of ash. The screaming and chanting stopped as every single spear guy, including the leader, looked at me. I stood up.

''Let him go,'' I said in a threatening voice.