My name... is Merlux. A wizard descended from the famous Merlon, I am known as the greatest sorcerer of the Mushroom Kingdom, the wisest of the King's advisers. Recently, a page was found in the Dry Dry Desert. This page, shown to us by a Little Mouser named Muriz, a resident of Dry Dry Outpost who has since gone missing... I immediately recognized it as a page that belonged to a book only rumored to exist. This book was the Book of Daeja, a powerful object created by my ancestors. Within this book resides their story. And so now, I will open it, and looking upon its sacred words, read it to you...
The Kingdom of Vuu and the Book of Daeja
...Let me tell you a story, passed through generations upon generations, about a mystic and wonderful power that resided in the world long ago... ...Three thousand years ago, a civilization thrived, called the Kingdom of Vuu. Vuu was a peaceful land, one where war never broke out, where all people lived in harmony, and where ancient magic was put into use for good. Vuu was known by most other countries as the Land of the Scholars, because of their vast knowledge regarding the world and even the universe itself. Vuu was also known to be the forge for some of the greatest spells in the world, being able to grant mystic powers to those who were pure of heart. Within the king's private library resided a book that housed these spells, as well as most of the knowledge that the kingdom had gained in their time. This book, written by a wizard named Daeja, was seen only by those who proved themselves worthy. This was the Book of Daeja. ...Unfortunately, not all beings wished to preserve the peace of Vuu. Jealousy befell a neighboring kingdom. Why should they be the only ones to understand the world in which we live? Why should we not be the ones to rule the world using this knowledge? Such questions rang through the streets daily, and as envy grew, so did the evil within the kingdom. One day, many months after word got out that the Book of Daeja had been created, the ruler of this land, known now simply as the Shadow Caster, led his armies in Vuu. Ruthlessly, they broke into the unsuspecting kingdom, killing all that stood in their way. The king and queen were placed under powerful illusions by the Shadow Caster, banishing almost all traces of hope for survival. ...Daeja, however, would not give up so easily. Making his way to the Book of Daeja, he held it in his hands. Just as the Shadow Caster and his followers were about to take it, Daeja uttered a powerful failsafe spell, breaking the book's power and casting its pages all over the world. The Shadow Caster, in a fit of rage, struck down Daeja. In his last moments, the wizard was able to place a spell upon the invader, destroying his body and trapping his soul in the unknown dimensions. Slowly, the Shadow Caster's followers dispersed, and the Kingdom of Vuu, once a powerful and awesome place to behold, faded into legend...
As I close the book now, contemplating what to do next, one thing is for certain: The Shadow Caster grows ever stronger. Soon I fear he will return. And when he does... Well, that will not be good for us at all. Unfortunately, we have anothe problem. The Koopa Troop has figured out the meaing of the page themselves. They have already sent their armies across the lands, searching for it. Yet there is hope. Legends foretell of a group of beings who will find these pages and save our world. Perhaps this would be a good time to shift your attention away from myself, and to tell you that, in all honesty, this is their story...