It was time. A new day had come. 

I looked around the now-empty hotel room one last time and silently thanked it for being home for so long. After everything that happened, it meant the world to have a bed to fall into each night. It will always hold a special place in my heart. Always. 

I gave my key back to the innkeepers and showed them one last smile. Their gazes felt heavy, yet understanding. I'm sure they were well aware of where I would be heading next.

It was a man and a woman who ran the hotel. Or, maybe they didn't run it, but they were the only people I ever saw working behind the counters, so I assumed the place belonged to them. They held hands often, so maybe they were together. I wondered if they met during life or fell in love after death.

Maybe now with the sun returning, they wouldn't have to fear fading away. Not until the time comes for the sun to be replaced again.

Dimentio and Bobby were waiting outside for me. I glanced at both of them before picking up the little Bob-Omb and taking the lead. On the way to the tower, we passed the bar. Through the window, I could see Llyr inside, having a drink with his friends. I wondered if he did this every day. 

His eyes lit up and he waved when I walked by. I waved back as he excused himself and ran out to greet me.

"You're leaving?" he asked once he caught up.

Dimentio crossed his arms and looked away as I nodded.

"I'm afraid so," I said. "But, it's for the best. I think it's time to end this. I miss my brother."

"Your brother..." Llyr repeated. His voice became slightly softer. "He... he was going to be the other museau, correct?"

"Yep," I said.

His shoulders dropped slightly and he looked at Dimentio. Dimentio refused to return his gaze, though. He seemed tense and guarded, but I wasn't surprised. He never seemed to like Llyr, for some reason. 

"Do you really think you can do it?" Llyr asked as he turned his focus back to me. "Fix the world by putting the sun up there, I mean."

I blew a breath and tapped my foot slightly, biting the inside of my cheek as I thought it over. Truthfully, I didn't know. I couldn't promise something that big. 

"I don't think that putting the sun back will fix the world," I said. "I think it'll give the world another chance. It's not up to me to fix this place, it's my job to put the sun back so people like you can fix it."

Llyr released a breath as he placed his hands on his hips and looked to the side. A small smile swept across his face.

"Yeah, I figured you'd say something like that," he sighed. "Of course, the sun would choose someone like you."

"Thanks...?" I awkwardly chuckled, unsure how to reply.

His shoulders dropped and he cleared his throat. Then, he held a steady hand out to me.

"Well... happy trails, Luigi," he said. His smile was still there, but smaller. Unlike in the bar, this smile felt slightly forced. His eyes were a little glassy, too.

I stilled for a moment, then adjusted so Bobby was sitting on my shoulder. I reached forward and grasped his hand. His grip was strong, lively. 

"Thank you, Llyr."

His eyes became slightly shinier. 

After a moment, he took his hand back and shoved it into his pockets. He kicked the dust beneath him and looked away. 

"Um, I'm not saying you will, but if you do change your mind," he murmured. "Well... I'd understand. Maybe we could get drinks or something."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. 

"I won't, but thank you," I assured him. "Maybe I'll see you around someday. I have a good feeling about all of this. You'll see!"

He didn't respond. He simply stood there, watching as I waved and took Dimentio's hand. The Bob-Omb leaned against my head slightly as I turned to walk. 

The area around the bottom of the tower was clear. There was no fading heroine of the past sitting there, no green-cloaked figure waiting for us. I had no idea what became of that person. It didn't matter, they were free now. Hopefully, everyone was. The cycle of forced silence was broken. 

Of course, I would have liked the cycle to have been broken in a less violent way--Mario used to tell me that sometimes violence was the only way to get through to people who wouldn't listen, but I wasn't sure if I believed that. People with that mentality started wars and battles in which thousands of people would be killed. Wars that weren't won by being right, but won through displaying a greater amount of aggression and sacrifice. It always felt wrong to me. Maybe I was just a pacifist at heart, but I truly believed deep down that there were ways of resolving problems peacefully. Sometimes people were just too impatient or stubborn to allow that, I guess. 

Maybe someday we can all grow together to create a better world with better methods of resolving conflict.

I unlocked the door to the tower and stepped inside. The walls and the floor shifted to a color as bright as the piece of sunlight in my lantern as I slowly walked inside. I unhooked the light from my belt and held it up in front of myself. With the sun in my right hand, Dimentio's hand in my left, and Bobby on my right shoulder, I felt complete. I felt strong. 

Golden light surrounded us as we continued forward. It was like we were walking atop the sun's rays. 

"L... do you think Dimentio and I should stay out?" Bobby whispered tiredly. "I mean... I want to be here with you more than anything, but this job... it's meant for two museaus, not us."

"We're doing this together," I said. "Like I promised."

Bobby slowly nodded and quietly coughed. 

The bright hallway led to large, elevator doors. Unlike the elevator in the hotel, the entire thing glowed brightly. It was massive, which was odd because it was only ever meant to hold two people at once.

There was no button to press. The doors opened on their own as I stepped in front of them.

I looked at Dimentio, but he kept his focus forward at the open doors. 

I remained still for a moment, then led everyone inside. Once we stepped through, the doors closed, and we were carried up. 

The ride was quiet. I know most elevators don't have music, but I could usually hear the sound of movement. Not this one, though. I suppose the silence made sense. This was thousands of years old, so it couldn't have been powered the way elevators in my home were powered. This had to be moved by magic of some kind. 

Dimentio and Bobby remained silent, not that I expected them to speak. Bobby was sick, and Dimentio couldn't. I didn't mind the silence so much, though. Beforehand, when the world fell this quiet, I'd think of the lambs. I wasn't thinking of the lambs, though. Instead, I was thinking of home. 

I was going to miss this world, this adventure, everything about this journey, but I was ready to go home. It was time, now. Time to return to Mario and hug him tightly. Time to reschedule a hangout with Peach and Daisy. Maybe we could all go golfing again, or we could play a doubles tennis match. Peach and Daisy would always beat Mario and me, but whenever I was partnered with Daisy I'd have a chance of winning. 

Winning felt nice. So did losing, though. Just being out there, living life and having a good time, it felt like magic. 

There was a life to be found down here in the Underwhere too, though. I loved getting to know Llyr, dancing at the bar, talking to strangers, discovering Dimentio, finding the closure I needed with him, I loved it all. This world was alive. 

But, it wasn't mine. Not yet, anyway. I wasn't ready for it to be mine. I had things to do back home and people to love. I had winters to spend baking cookies and sneaking a few bites of unbaked cookie dough with my brother, springs to spend racing go-carts through Peach's flower gardens. There were more adventures to be had, more lessons to be learned, more stories to uncover. I loved this place, but I missed my brother. I missed my dog. 

For weeks now, I've been putting off allowing this adventure to come to an end because I didn't feel ready, I didn't feel complete. 

Now, I was ready. 

Maybe not complete, but is anyone ever really complete? 

The doors opened. In front of us was the roof of the tower. We were on top of the entire world.

I let go of Dimentio's hand and slowly stepped out, my eyes wide with awe. Before us was a large black altar. It looked ancient, yet strong and beautiful. In the center was a seat, like a throne. 

"That must be where the sun goes," Bobby muttered.

There was a short wall that circled the altar. Two feet tall at the most. There was an opening in the center that would easily allow me in. 

I walked forward as Dimentio circled the perimeter of the altar, glancing down at the wall. I set Bobby down on the ground and took the sun up a few steps. Seven, there were exactly seven steps that led up to the chair. 

"L, there's instructions engraved on the outside of these walls," Bobby said.

"Oh, good," I smiled as I glanced down at the stone throne. I ran my ungloved hands over the armrests. They were incredibly smooth for their age. 

I let out a breath and started to lower the lantern to the seat when Dimentio suddenly grasped my arm, stopping me.

I glanced back at him, a little confused.

He shook his head no.

"Huh?" I started when he suddenly pulled me back outside the altar. He forced me down by the wall and pointed. 

"Ow," I muttered, even though I wasn't in pain. He rolled his eyes and pointed again. 

I let out a quiet chuckle and glanced at the engravings. 

The museaus tie the sun to our world, it read. They must be chosen by the sun.

"Oh, the prophecy," I smiled. "This must be what Nolrem was talking about. I bet this is what his book says. I wonder how the author learned about this."

Dimentio shook his head and harshly pointed at the words again. 

"Alright, alright, I'm reading," I breathed as Bobby slowly walked to my other side and stood up on his tiptoes, reading as well. 

Congratulations, brave museaus. You have fulfilled your duties as the bearers of the sun. You now have but one task left. 

I smiled proudly to myself.

"W... what?" Bobby whispered. His voice dropped slightly, likely because of his illness. 

Warmth continued to feel me as my eyes fell to the next paragraph.

The second museau will be free to return home, you have delivered our new sun. However, the sun will not shine without its chosen wielder. It is up to the two museaus to make the choice and determine who stays to become the sun, and who goes home. 

I felt my heart suddenly stop.

As long as the sun is intact, the museau holding it must remain.

Chills ran up my arms and my breath caught in my throat.

My pulse started to race. I could feel it in my arms, my neck. 

My breathing became heavy. 

A burning sensation started to form in the center of my chest. 

The engravings were telling me that I needed to make a choice. But... I was the only museau. 

There was no choice to be made. 

For a moment, I felt fear.

Then, a flash of relief.

 Thank Grambi Mario wasn't with me. I knew exactly who'd be staying if he was, and I'd never be able to live with the guilt. 

Still, a part of me wished he was with me, wished he could wrap his arms around me and tell me to be brave. 

I swallowed and clenched my fists to stop them from shaking as I kept reading. 

The elevator will open once the chosen museau takes a seat in their chair, where they will become the new sun. The spare will then be granted safe passage home. If neither museau wishes to say, they have the option to shatter the sun by crushing the lantern. This will allow the museaus to both return home free, however, this will also terminate the cycle of museaus delivering the sun. By shattering the sun, the museau will destroy the Underwhere itself, and all deceased souls who ever have or will reside within. 

I grasped the lantern tightly and took a few shaky steps back.

Dimentio's breath hitched. He turned and ran to the elevator. It wouldn't open, though. There were no buttons, it was impossible to summon it. We were stuck. We were all stuck. 

He knocked twelve times, each one more frantic and hurried than the last.

I swallowed, then looked back at the chair situated in the center of the altar.

If I were to take the lantern and sit in that... what would become of me? 

I had a choice to make... shatter the sun, or sit in that seat.

I took a shaky breath and glanced at my friends. Dimentio turned and watched me with wide eyes as Bobby continued to frantically reread what was inscribed on the wall.

"What.... what do I do?" I whispered. "What should I do?"

I glanced over the side of the tower, down at the dying city. All the lights were off, everything was dark. A world filled with souls, most of whom had given up on ever seeing the light again. 

Some didn't, though. 

"Don't!" Bobby cried, his voice shaking with desperation. "L, don't! Let's just smash the sun and send you home. You're not part of this world. You're the only one worth saving."

I bit the inside of my cheek. My eyes started to sting. 

He didn't believe that. He still had things he needed to do, he still had to find and reunite with his friends. 

He was worth saving. Dimentio was worth saving. Everyone was worth saving.

I looked to Dimentio, who didn't speak a word. He remained still and silent. Somehow, it felt harder to read him, even with the mask gone. 

I took a deep breath and glanced at my own reflection in the lantern.

"If... if I don't do this... then you'll never get your voice back," I said.

Dimentio shook his head, then ran up to me. He pushed the lantern away and forced me to look at him.

He was begging me to shatter the lantern. I could see through the fear and desperation in his eyes. 

How could I shatter the light and let him fade to darkness after he looked at me like that? He cared. How could I let someone who cares about me fade into darkness? 

I gently pushed him aside and walked toward the altar. 

He shook his head and ran up in front of me again, only this time he grasped both my shoulders. Tears started forming in his eyes, falling down the sides of his fragile face. 

"L! Please," Bobby begged between sobs. "Listen to me, please!"

My heart clenched with guilt. I didn't want him to cry for me. I didn't want anyone to cry for me. 

I shook my head and brushed Dimentio's hands off. He didn't fight as I stepped around him.

I kept moving forward until I found myself in front of the chair. I couldn't stop shaking. The longer I waited, the more unsure I felt. 

I didn't want to do this. I wanted to go home. But if I did that, guilt would eat me alive. There was no winning this.

I turned to look back at my two friends.

A pained expression washed over Dimentio's face. His shoulders slumped, defeated. 

"Is this really a system you want to continue?!" Bobby cried. "Do you want to support a world that runs only on sacrifice?! A system that relies on picking one innocent soul from the living world and forcing them to throw their lives away just so the cycle can continue again?!"

I didn't. Not at all. I wanted to find a way to change the system, to make it so no one would have the task I had. It wasn't fair to me or any other future museaus chosen by the sun. It wasn't right. 

But Bobby was dying. I didn't have time. 

I thought of what the fading heroine told me about sacrifice. She said that true heroes were the kinds of people who made these decisions. They chose their sacrifices. One life for millions seemed like an easy decision. Any hero in my place would take the light and sit in the chair. 

But this wasn't just one life. This was dozens of future museaus for all eternity, innocent people in the future throwing their lives away without even knowing it. It was messed up. Everything was messed up, and there was nothing I could do to change it. 

Maybe a true hero would fight the system, find a way to peacefully change it. But I was out of time. If I did that, I'd have to sacrifice Bobby and countless other fading souls. 

If I shattered the light... I could see my brother again. I could hug him, cry in his arms, let him comfort me and convince me that I made the right decision. It's not the decision he would make, though. Or, maybe it was. He didn't see much when he looked at the Underwhere. 

Neither did the people inhabiting it. They all seemed ready to be consumed by the darkness. 

I just wasn't ready to be the one causing it. 

I stood up in front of the throne. All I'd have to do was sit in the chair. 

"What should I do?" I asked, looking up at Dimentio.

He remained still, his eyes glassy. 

The world seemed to fade away around him. It was just us, no sun. 

I wished he could talk, wished he could tell me what to do.

Do I dare disturb the universe?