Oh boy…this is it…it's time for the sad ending.

Falco: Just what do you have planned? You already wrote this down; now you fixed it around a bit!

True, true. I have to thank kbxshadow for giving me a REALLY splendid (and angsty?) idea that I wanted to add. The ending hasn't changed; it just has more. n.n I'm…proud of it? x)

Pichu: Another cliffy fic ending…will A Brother's Love appear soon?

Zelda: As said in the last chapter, you guys should already know what RoyalFanatic does and doesn't own.

Yeah, totally. Besides, if I EVER do own Smash Brothers (which will probably be never, BTW. XD), I'll be sure to tell you all before going and making my ideas (especially for the Zelda Series I have planned) actual games.

And so, The Demon's Staff closes. Away final chapter!

It was a hellish feeling, Jeffrey decided, as everyone stared at Houndoom.

"Are you certain?" Sally asked. "They're there?"

"You bet!" Houndoom replied. His tail wagged once. "It's like Jeremy knows this is the last straw, and is preparing for a final battle."

"Then let's barge in!" Falco cried.

"All of us?" Jun asked, looking around. "I don't think we all need to go to the Willow."

"Let's send Marth, Nanette, and Jun to the Willow beforehand," Jeffrey said. "You three should still know where it is. Meanwhile, Dr. Mario, Roy, Falcon, Aliana, and Ganondorf will come with me."

"Why am I coming with you?" Aliana asked, annoyed. "You doubt my skills so?"

"Of course not," Jeffrey replied. "But do you know where the Willow is?"

"I can go with the angels," Aliana said stubbornly.

"So can I," Jeffrey said. "But I want an angel only strike team. Call me old fashioned if you would like, but you will stay with me and come with us. Unless, of course, you would like to remain here?"

Aliana glared at the demon. "Of course I want to go," She said. "I promised my father I'd do this. Now if we're going to go, then let's go." There was a collective flap of wings as the three mentioned angels vanished.

"Everyone else, stay here and defend the mansion," Jeffrey said. "Anything may happen; just keep your guard up! Let's go!"

In the Willow, Jeremy was holding the staff shakily in his hands. Nervousness enveloped him as he and Nivian waited for Jeffrey and the smashers to show up. But it wasn't because he was questioning himself; wondering if he was doing the right thing. He was nervous that he'd lose his final general; the one he had obtained by chance alone.

Nivian seemed to have lost his voice as well as his pupils; even now, he never spoke, never tried to ease the fallen guardian. Of course, Jeremy didn't mind this at all; it was not like he'd even listen anyway.

He felt the angels' presences, and tensed. "General Lant, prepare yourself!" Nivian did as he was told. An arrow was shot from behind, but the demon managed to dodge it. Dropping the staff and pulling out his golden gun, Jeremy fired.

"Firing randomly? A shame," Nanette's voice echoed from all sides. Jeremy glanced around, but was able to just dodge the oncoming angel. Jun carefully charged towards Nivian, her sword meeting his, as Nanette rolled, pulled her bow out, and fired. Jeremy dodged, but jumped into Marth's reach, and the demon was sent flying into a wall.

Nanette aimed another arrow, but instead of aiming at Jeremy's head or chest, she aimed at his arm. "Let's make sure you don't hurt anyone sweetie," She said, successfully disarming the demon.

"You think that'll save your lives!?" Jeremy shrieked. Nanette dropped her bow and rushed forward as Jeremy copied himsel; the clone teleported behind and confronted Marth.

Jun kept matching blows with Nivian, keeping her eyes open for any weak points. Nivian was able to successfully break past her defenses, but Jun reacted quickly; retaliating with her sword, knocking back and setting Nivian slightly on fire. The flames burned his arms before being absorbed into his sword, and Jun frowned before sheathing her blade and pulling out a glowing bow.

Growling with rage, the GateKeeper conjured and unleashed a fist sized ball of fire. It homed in on Jun, who shot and dispelled it with her bow. Aiming another arrow at Nivian's left wing, she fired, damaging the wing and sending the GateKeeper to the ground.

Underneath the airborne battle, Marth and the Jeremy copy were in a duel; lance striking against staff. It was a stalemate, until Nivian crashed into the angel; both immortals' weapons were sent flying into a corner.

"Oh no! I'm sorry Sir Marth!" Jun shouted, aiming and firing at the Jeremy copy, which was looking triumphant. The arrow pierced though the copy's head, and it dispelled.

It was after Marth pushed Nivian off himself when Jeffrey and the others barged in. Ganondorf and Dr. Mario ran for the staff and held it as the elder guardian tinted Nivian's eyes. Seeing his older brother caused Jeremy to hesitate, which enabled Nanette to send him flying into another corner with a well-timed Falcon Punch.

"Uhh…am I free?" Nivian asked weakly as Falcon, Roy, Jeffrey, and Aliana marched forward, surrounding the younger demon. Marth and Nanette hung back, called their weapons to them, and kept a fighting stance as Dr. Mario and Ganondorf stayed with the staff.

"Yes, Sir Nivian," Jun replied, helping him up. "Lean on me. Let us see what Sir Jeffrey has to say."

"This…this is it, isn't it?" Nivian asked. "I wonder…what will happen…"

"Jeremy…I beg you…" Jeffrey fell to his knees and placed his gun onto the ground. "Come with us. The staff is mine again, and the angels you captured are free. You have sealed your fate, but I will make your death quick and painless; that's all I can do. Please…"

Everyone was now watching Jeremy, who was looking unsure; conflicted. But Nivian couldn't help but wonder what was contradicting Jeffrey's words. His madness?

Jeremy's uneasy glance to the ground didn't ease anyone; Nanette and Marth actually tensed. A foreboding feeling was rising in the air, and both knew what would happen next.

To them, it was almost ironic.

"You…you're confusing me!" Jeremy shouted, conjuring his gun with his uninjured hand and aiming it at Jeffrey. Weapons were drawn as Jeffrey rose to his feet; his own gun held loosely in his hands. "You're trying to get into my head! Well it won't happen! I won't let it!"

"Calm down," Jeffrey said; panic hidden in his voice. "I'm not doing anything like that. I'm doing anything you are accusing me of doing. Jeremy, I want to help you!"

"No you don't!" Jeremy roared. "You don't!" The gun was loaded, which made Roy and Falcon run forward.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing!?" Falcon asked.

"You want to kill your own brother!?" Roy added.

"Douglas, Roy, get back!" Nanette shouted, dropping her bow and running forward herself. Marth was quick to copy her.

"He's no brother!" Jeremy shouted, now aiming at Falcon's head. "He's only a fool who claims the title, just like Marth!"

"W-what…?" Roy asked, faltering back.

"He's lying, don't listen to him!" Jeffrey replied instantly, seeing that Marth had halted; caught off guard with Jeremy's proclaim.

"No! It is true!" Jeremy shouted. "They're not brothers; just posers who use others!"

"Jeremy!!"

"He used you Roy! He used you from the time you were—"

"That's enough!" Marth cried suddenly.

"Jeremy, be quiet!" Jeffrey hissed angrily. "Your madness is consuming you! Just come with us!"

"Go to hell!" Jeremy shouted, firing a round of bullets. Everyone dodged and ducked as the spray continued; bullets ricocheting off the walls and flying back at the smashers and immortals.

Roy felt a bullet graze his side, but ignored the flash of pain that came with it. Glancing around, he spied Nanette pushing Falcon out of harm's way, and taking the shot instead. He also saw Dr. Mario push Jun out of harm's way, the shot just missing the doctor's head.

Aliana could feel her instincts take over as she dodged three shots; one flying towards her after ricocheting off the ground, another flying towards her from an angle, and the third flying towards her from the sky. The ground one bounced off the ceiling, and was stopped by one of Nivian's fireballs. The ceiling one bounced off the ground, and exploded seconds afterwards. The third one ricocheted off a wall and continued its tracking. Aliana expected it to blow up like the second, but it didn't…

While dodging shots of his own, Marth had accidentally jumped into the third shot's path. He barely had time to glimpse the oncoming danger before it embedded itself into his shoulder.

The demon thought time had stopped; her eyes widened as the angel fell to his knees; his hand immediately flying to the injured shoulder. All sense but her sight had numbed; she could barely hear Roy's scream as she saw the brown liquid mingle with his blood. Shock over what her dodging had done enveloped her as she saw the look of pain on Marth's face, his eyes losing focus as the Toxicosis began its effect, and how effortlessly, like Azrael, he collapsed.

'N-no…' It was a snowball affect. 'Gods…goddesses…that didn't him…he's just…pretending!' The demon began feeling frantic as her pathetic attempts at trying to ease her mind failed. 'That bullet…that I could've taken…it can't be poisoned…it can't kill him…Father…tell me this wasn't my fault…that no matter what, the bullet would've done that if I dodged anyway…tell me that following my instinct wasn't a bad idea…goddesses…gods…Father…that isn't him on the ground…that isn't him suffering because of me…help me…this is a trick…a hallucination…a—' She instantly stopped; only one final thought running through her head…

'I killed him…'

"Wha—no!" Dr. Mario cried, racing towards the fallen Nanette. Ganondorf could only stare, dropping the staff, letting the fear overtake him. Jun and Nivian quickly ran over to Roy, who was on hands and knees; silent tears falling from his face.

Jeffrey was enraged. "What the hell are you thinking!? Killing three angels with the Toxicosis!? Are you that ruthless!?"

"I don't know anymore!" Jeremy wailed, throwing his gun to the ground and dropping onto his own hands and knees. Everyone couldn't help but look up as the younger demon began to cry… "I don't know!"

"Jeremy…" Jeffrey's rage had vanished. "You realize the consequences of your actions, don't you? If they vanish like Azrael, you are to blame."

"I don't care!" Jeremy shouted. "There's nothing left for me anyway! I can't take this anymore!"

"Then come wit—"

"No! Kill me now!" Jeremy interrupted. "End my life now! I don't care how…just do it!"

"Jeremy! You—"

"Do it!"

Jeffrey aimed his gun and loaded it, but hesitated; the weapon and his hand shaking. Aliana noticed his hesitation, but could feel her own rising as well; she had never had any problems with the younger Hand before all of this. Did she really have to do this? Would killing him make anything better? Her mind was still numb from what he had done.

Before she could act, Jeffrey fired; the shot slamming into Jeremy's head. The demon whispered two words in demonic; he was dead before hitting the ground.

Aliana ran over to the fallen demon, and knelt at his side. "You…you didn't have to do it…I would've…followed my father's orders…"

"I am thankful for Lord Shikarume's kindness," Jeffrey said. "But he was my brother; the responsibility was mine, whether or not I wanted to do it or not."

"Ummm…Master Hand?" Dr. Mario asked weakly, getting off the ground. "What…what do we do now?"

Jeffrey looked away from his smashers, from the demon and angels who were now staring at him, and it was then he realized how much of a coward he actually was. His guilt was stinging his heart as well; he had saved Nanette once before, but now he had failed. And Roy…the poor smasher was suffering more tragedy and sorrow than a mortal was supposed to.

All he could hope for was that his suspicions were right…and that time was on his side… "We head back for the mansion. The countdown has begun…and we all know what will happen if we are…too late…"

Falcon & Yoshi: O.o

Marth: Yeah…--;

Falcon: Son of a…she didn't write that. O.o

Yoshi: This has to be as bad as The Angels' Door's ending; maybe worse. XD

Marth: Who saw this coming? (Everyone raises their hands) Exactly. Still, Azrael suffered poisoning…now it's our turn. Do we end up the same as the poor Angel of Death? O.o

Yoshi: Actually, ABL can end either way, and with those Commanders and Lucifer and stuff…ick. But I think you'll be okay. n.n

Falcon: And that's it for the fic! For the final time from us (for now…), review!