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Disclaimer: we're in the fanfiction Endgame now.

Chapter 38

Mewni Civil War:

No Sacrifice Too Steep

XxXxXxXxX

Darcy screamed in raucous delirious laughter even as the Traitor's Sword spun for her head.

She caught it between her fingers and snickered, she grabbed the tip of the sword and the hilt and proceeded to bend it.

Darcy blinked.
She was flat on her back.

The sword nowhere to be seen.

She was numbly aware that the front of her face and body looked as if was blown off.

"Breaking that sword is going to be a problem." Darcy sighed as her flesh began to bubble and re-stitch and reformat, it was if nothing ever happened. She sat up to see Marco propping himself with the sword, his face etched with fury, she rolled her eyes.

She was dimly aware that the overgrown oaf was not around.
Probably blown to somewhere.
Not that it mattered anymore.

"You have tried. You have failed.
Nothing more than a failure, Marco." Darcy snickered as she hopped to her feet and made a gesture, her broken armor flying at her before she brandish more magic on the Hell Crusader Armor.

Marco felt his body wobble as he got back on his feet as Darcy don the black demonic armor set, using the Primordial Magick to repair the damage Raiju had done to it. Darcy hummed to herself even as Marco readied to attack her,

"I've been thinking on going on vacation, Marco. I've been so busy this year, escaping my prison, planning uprisings and the Mewni Civil War, fighting so many, many faceless mooks. I really never had any time to myself! Ah, busy-busy-busy~" Darcy fiddling with a crack on the chest plate, mending it easily.

"Earth was such a nice place! So many things to see, places to go!
So many helpless people to be devoured~
You got family and friends there, don't you~?"

Darcy gave him an elated dark look, licking her full lips.
Marco glared death back at her.

"You won't make it to Earth, Darcy.
You will never set foot there again."

Darcy laughed; it wasn't her normal girlish one.
Oh no, it sounded as if someone had swapped it with something terrible.
Something unnatural.

It made Marco's skin crawl.

And when she stopped, her eyes fell on him.
Filled with untold malice for everyone she would cross.

"Oh, my darling Marco:
I don't need your silly permission~

I shall come upon your dimension and show them how magnificent I am; their GOD has returned! But I know your kind all too well: there will be non-believers, the naysayer and the dimwitted. And there will be many of them~ But I am a kind GOD: I shall give them my enlightenment...or they can rest their head upon my bosom whilst I wring the life out of them."

Darcy smiled widely at her promise of depravity.
Marco wasted no more words, no more glares.
He held up his sword, ready to fight the clone again.

There was no way he would let her spread destruction on Earth as she did on Mewni.

Forest Style: Harrowing Hemlock

Marco felt his legs spasm as he shot forward, his arms bring down the sword for a mighty chop, Darcy drew the Misery Rose and responded in kind although swinging horizontal to his vertical slash.

Marco felt his arm jitter as the Traitor's Sword failed to cut through the blacken thorny metal and he tumbled to the side, he quickly scrambled to his feet, unsure what had happened.

"Hmph, I was right: your sword has a problem with magic—ah, it still broke." Darcy huffed as she wagged her sword as the blade fell off, Magick coating the stolen demonic sword. Marco watched as Darcy regrow the sword but this time holding it with her left, letting the Primordial Magick directly feed into the Misery Rose, it glowed with the hues of the rainbow.

"Now, let's see if this is enough Magick to stop your blasted sword~!"

Marco snarled and battered blades with his clone and it became quite apparent it was a stalemate in terms of skill. Marco's blade found no purchase again the clone, each hit knocked the wind out of him but he mustered his ebbing strength against her, focusing on Buttercup's style of fighting.

Again and again their blades met.
Marco hoped for her magic to wear off in an opportune moment.

It would only take a moment for him to slip the blade into her ribs.

Marco parried a hit, twisting his grip he locked the pommel on the Misery Rose guard and flung the sword from Darcy's grip, the blade racing for her neck

"URGK!"

The Traitor's Sword slacked in his hands
as a magic blade erupted from Darcy's left hand and into his gut.
The seizing pain was akin to a heart attack, stroke and sudden blindness.

"...you're too dangerous for your own good, Marco." Darcy said softly as she raised Marco up, enduring the pain he brought the sword up and let it crash down on Darcy's exposed head, her head splitting in bloody two.

Darcy recalled her demonic sword and knocked his sword out of his hands.
The image of her dying faded from Marco's sight as he gripped the magical blade.
Darcy forced the blade to grow, keeping him beyond arms reach.

"You have my respect, Marco.
And my gratitude.

After all: you made all this possible."

Marco felt blood well up in his mouth.
Darcy watched him as he struggled to breathe, to stay conscious, to stay alive for another second longer. An indomitable will he possessed in the puny body of his.

"To die by my hands is an acceptable loss on your part.
I am simply superior to you in every way."
"Superior...hah." Blood dribbled down the corners of his mouth, Darcy narrowed her eyes, "The only thing you're superior in—is being a thief. Nothing about you is yours."
"Talking to a mirror, Marco: you're the same."
"That's where you're wrong." Marco spat, a glob of blood struck Darcy's face, "Earned, borrowed and freely given; all you did was steal and took by force, corrupted and perverted it and therein yourself."

Darcy gave him a dazzling smile.

"Doesn't matter how greatness is achieved.
So long it is achieved."

She raised the Misery Rose at him, black thorn spikes growing and aimed at him

and fired the spikes at him.

Marco bared his teeth as the spikes pierced him but no more than that.
Darcy narrowed her eyes, eyes appeared on her exposed skin,

"Strange. I thought for sure you had something up your sleeve—guess you're all out of tricks!"

Darcy gleefully plunged the sword for Marco's death.

Death.

Darcy's eyes bulged in her skull as she stared at one.
An eye filled with hate burned in its socket.

A massive figure erupted out of Marco's back, built like a roided out Greek god and a skull for a face, it thunder-clapped her head; splattering it like a ripe tomato.

Darcy's headless body immediately hopped back causing Marco to fall to the ground

If not caught by the figure, but it yanked out the spikes without concern to the Dark Knight.

The clone quickly regrows her head and stared at the monstrosity, her sword in guard; Marco huffed painfully as he saw the figure for the first time.

"What...are you...?"

...

Marco watched as it lifted its hand and Fell Flames floated in its open palm, he yelled a second later as the fire leapt out and doused him, rolling as the flames painfully closed and healed his wounds.

It paid Marco no mind and looked at Darcy.
Eye burning intensely.

You can see me cant you

"Oh goodie, it can talk.
WHAT ARE YOU."

Darcy snarled but sweat began to collect on her brow.
The skull figure regarded her coldly.

what a simple creature
death becomes you

The skull figure covered its face with its massive hands before it slowly raised it to its forehead, two massive horns growing out of it, soon Fell Flames erupted all over it, completing its fearsome visage.

Darcy's face drained of all color and step back.

She sneered.

When the flames had finally finished healing Marco, it faded from his flesh, the pain very much fresh on his mind; but seeing a blurry figure receding from his watering eyes made forced him up.

"Where do you think you're going Darcy—this fight isn't over!"
"Oh, but it is~"

Darcy began to make a tear with her index finger,
she smiled darkly at him,

"You can wait here, Marco, like a good little boy.
While I go meet mY fAmIlY."

Marco didn't need to imagine the chaos and destruction Darcy would bring to Earth, how she would revel in causing misery and insanity to countless people. There would be no words to describe the horrors and atrocities she would commit,

she has gone well beyond the realm of evil
there is nothing she will not do

Marco heard the skull figure whisper, words of absolute terror that he knew to be unforgivably true.

He had to stop her.
Stop her here on Mewni before she got, Prima forbid, stronger.

"What can I stop her with?!
I can't even do that—not with the Elementals or sword, that Magick of hers keeps stopping it!"

She grinned evilly at him as the tear got bigger.
Marco's heart hammered, his eyes drifted to the skull figure but it merely watched Darcy.
His thoughts raced for any avenue to stop Darcy from opening a tear into Earth, he didn't have the Hallow and Seraph droplet to make a crystal anymore! He had to find another way to stop her from going from Mewni to—!

Without another thought he recalled his sword and threw at her, she snarled and open the tear wide letting the sword go into it.

She closed it.

"Enough of your tired little tricks Marco~!"

Marco called his sword again from the tear and flung it at her, she spun and kicked it back to him, nearly getting himself impaled if he had not caught it.

He gritted his teeth as she began to make another tear, his mind racing for anything
and finding there was truly was no other way.

He raised up the Pendragon Sword and slammed it down with all his might.
Invoking his command:

"NONE SHALL LEAVE MEWNI SO LONG AS I LIVE, DARCY!"

Marco roared as the sky flickered as the entire dimension bend to the Traitor's Sword power, Darcy yelled as her finger burnt as the tear shut itself. She looked at Marco then tried to open another tear

She howled as her finger caught on fire, she flicked her hand but the fire remained and began to spread. She viciously cut it off with her sword as the finger curled and burned leaving nothing, she looked at the bleeding stump and regrew her finger again, she hesitated before she screamed at Marco,

"'None shall leave Mewni so long as I live?' Fine! I'll kill you badly, then, boy!" Darcy rushed him

He swallowed thickly as he faced Darcy bare-handed.
He tumbled to the side to avoid her sword edge.

"You think you can fight without your sword? My how mighty brave of you." She spied the Elementals still unconscious, "And without your cheerleaders too? You really think highly of yourself."

Marco breathed out.
Breathed in.

His gait steadies before he broke into a run for Darcy.

He saw her swing for his neck and he called forth the sword to block it.

He felt the sword reject the command even as the blacken sword raced for him.

idiot

Marco watched as Darcy was clobbered into the ground.
He tumbled over her before he climbed back to his feet as Darcy rose up by magic and faced him.

Marco wasted no time and punched her with all his might.
She caught his fist.
Marco held back his yell when he felt his fingers crushed.

Even when she gave him a burly backhand; leaving his mouth full of blood and eyes watering.

Marco threw a punch with his other fist, no matter how mediocre it would have been to the clone in full armor.

She cried out as she was propelled backwards, again the skull figure wrecked Darcy's shit, Marco nursed his fist, feeling stupid for acting so foolhardy.

Darcy screamed in a fit of hysteria, magic flooding out of her suit jutting her to her feet, eyes dead on Marco, mouth foaming like a rabid beast. Marco flicked his uninjured hand feeling the concussive plates move into place, just one hand to fight a well armored, well armed magical monster.

"C'mon Darcy." Marco taunted, he squeezed his fist and readied to fight, the clone stared at him slowly circling him.

"...no, I don't think so. I can't leave Mewni until your dead, even then that might not be a guarantee..." she whispered, Marco felt the corner of his lip twitch, "I think I'll set Mewni ablaze, I wonder how much blood and screaming will it take before you correct your folly towards me, shit-stain. How many dying villagers will it take Marco before you pull that cursed sword out of the ground and let me free? Because if that is not enough I'm going to try my DARNEST to make you take up that sword."

"You will NEVER leave Darcy."

She laughed hysterically.

"Can you even stop me now, boy? That sword is the only thing that could truly stop me—and you used it to cage me here, in Mewni." Darcy clicked her tongue, "I will march my armies upon you, who stands alone."

Darcy smirked seeing Marco did not rebuke her insult.
"I don't need an army to beat the likes of you."

"Clearly." Darcy taunted, "But, no: do bring an army of yours too, Marco~ Let's see how many braves you can scrounge up to stand alongside a dead-man."

She gave him an arrogant smirk and slowly retreated from him, he took a step forward.
She showed him her glowing left fist and smiled wider, "Oh, I think you and I could tussle a bit more, Marco, but let's do this right: our final battle should have a grand audience wouldn't you say?"

She grinned as she was far enough from Marco.
And the ground swallowed her from below.

Marco stood there, his eyes where she once was.
And everything he had done...finally dawning to him...

The walk back to the grove was unusually slow.
Uneventful.

Marco carried the seven unconscious Elementals on his back, halfway there Automata awoke screaming and beat her metal fists on him. He calmed her down while she hurled insults and threats, crying for her Sisters...

Automata was blind now.

She wept as he tore what little remained of his red hoodie and covered her ruined eyes.

She walked silently behind him when Dunes broke apart in his arms.
He filled his pockets with Sand and kept walking.

Each step he took felt wet.
He was sure he was bleeding inside his boots.
Automata told him she was following him by his bloody footsteps seeping out.

He trudged and stumbled until he was at the grove entrance.

Buttercup, Honeysuckle and Oblivion stared at him from the threshold.

"Marco..." "..."
"Well, don't stand there, c'mon help the lad, damnit!" Honeysuckle berated as she rushed forward and carried off the girls off him, Automata robotically followed by her footsteps.

Marco avoided eyes contact and walked to a nearby log, collapsing on it.
The world disappearing into the void...

.

He awoke to see his mentors looking at him concern, a mug in one hand.
The other offering theirs.

"...Oblivion, how are you going to help me up." Marco groaned, the ghost blinked before shrugging.

"Never thought about that. Being dead for centuries, you sorta forget that."
"..."

Buttercup pulled him up and gave him the mug, he sipped the icy water slowly, the refreshing sting was ironic to how shitty he felt. He sat on the log for a moment, rolling it between his hands, one of them thankfully bandaged and sorted out.

"...I fucked up." Marco said finally, he looked at his teachers, they were silent and quietly observed him. Sensing their confusion he took a long pause, trying to sort himself mentally and emotionally.

"You know we're gonna have to ask how, Marco, we're not psychics."
"Or mind readers."
"I just—never mind."

Marco squeezed his eyes shut just as he did his hands, feeling just as badly as he had to explain to his parents why he was expelled out of Mewni...his guilt gnawing in his insides.

"Darcy...she's more powerful than ever." Marco whispered, the two shared a look, "I thought coming here I would put a swift end to her...after I found out where she was hiding, that is. But the fact she put Mewni in a chokehold and surveying her handiwork first hand...I knew wasn't dealing with the run of the mill bastard.

"...coming to Mewni in a foul attitude only made things worse; so ready to be done with her and this place, bitter memories being dredged up...I let it consume me...with Darcy's barb words and watching opportunities to end her slip through my fingers—sloppy.

"And when Darcy stabbed Star...I was filled with so much rage, shock and despair I just—I just don't remember. Next thing I knew I was in a castle nearly fallen apart with Darcy coming at me, Star still bleeding no matter how much I tried to stop it...Darcy was just relentless, no matter how much I threw at her; she just kept getting up, fighting me tooth and nail."

Honeysuckle carefully handled the sand that was Dunes, her Sisters fretted over her while Automata sat underneath a tree, not wanting to talk or be comforted by anyone. The leopard gecko looked across to see Marco still unloading to his teachers, seeing him distraught.

"She said things that...shook me to the core. I thought with how much of a beating she already took she was done for, just like our bout in Echo Creek—but once she took the Royal Wand Jewel it got so much worse. Raigu risked going Primal and it still wasn't enough; it just validated how strong she got...then she drank the blood of Mina Loveberry, the last Mewman Solarion...now she's unstoppable."

"Marco, there's no such thing. You know this, as you've made it very apparent in the grove." Oblivion said casually, "Especially not to the—"

"I can't use the Traitor's Sword." Marco said bitterly, the two flinched, "Darcy had grown unbelievably powerful, but knew that sword could end her so she planned to run, go to Earth and wreck havoc there—or somewhere faraway and bid her time."

"What are you sayin' lad?" the ghost asked, Buttercup felt a lump in his throat, a sense of dread welling in the grove atmosphere.

"Because I just had to use the Droplets of Seraph and Hallow on Star..." Marco gritted his teeth painfully, "I commanded the Traitor's Sword to act in its place: no one shall leave Mewni as long as I breathe. Mewni is Warded now till I die."

The two stared at Marco in mute horror.
Marco felt hot shameful tears slid down his face.

"Stupid...SO FUCKIN' STUPID! I gave up the only thing that could have killed her!" Marco raged, "If I just let Star—if I was just quicker, then—argh! Why?! How could I just—!"

Marco stopped mid-tirade when Buttercup punched him sending him reeling off the log, the mug shattering somewhere.
Almost on instinct he crossed his arm over his face and buckled as he sunk into the ground.

Marco felt the side of his face swell from the hit while Buttercup looked down in disbelief,
"...I was expecting you to hit me back but never expect you to do it while falling."
He didn't hit you. It's that thing standing behind him all the time.

"But...there isn't. Nothing is behind him." The lizard responded to the Elemental.

Buttercup pulled himself out, Oblivion watched Marco pick himself up, his eyes roving all over Marco, the ghost squinted his eyes, "..."

Raigu sighed and walked over,
While Marco was going ballistic that 'thing' came out of him and attacked anyone within arms length, my Sisters and Hestia included.

"Whose Hestia?"
...a wandering vagabond pyromancer, could be a denizen from that piss poor prince's kingdom. Who the heckin' knows. But this is the part that you should know you did, Marco. Even if you don't remember, I'll fill you in...

Raigu inhaled ready to go on a tirade.
Automata loudly coughed interrupting her Sister as she made herself a cane and maneuvered her way to them.
Marco looked sadly at the Elemental as she retold the tale,

Marco, this power of yours manifested when you tried to destroy this dimension with everyone in it. We tried to stop you along with Hestia but you were hell bent on destruction that none of us could restrain or knock some sense into you. That thing clobbered everyone indiscriminately on top of that your Fell Flame burst out of it too and burned all of us, the scarring won't heal at all. If Musica wasn't around we would have been dead from your rampage.

That is the reason we are so angry with you.
Whether or not you were aware: you could have killed all of us. Imagine Marco if you came to your senses and all of us were dead on your feet, you'd have the fury of Prima bearing down on you...but worst of all you'd be beyond horrified. What do you think you'd do?

"..."

The worst thing you could do, Marco.
And the fact you have no recollection made our suffering one-sided.
There would be no meaningful resolution if you couldn't even remember.

"..."
"Marco, I gotta agree with the lass. Those burns look nasty, unnatural on someone like their kind. And the fact she got blinded...it doesn't not bode well for what's to come with Darcy."
"There's also the matter of your attack...you used Grove Style."

Marco looked down.
Buttercup sighed, "Don't beat yourself up, I did use it in front of you, so I should have known you'd copy it. But to think it would make that much damage, then again you were using the Traitor's Sword, no other explanation."

"Then could I get an explanation about the punch to the face you gave me?"

Buttercup and Oblivion shared a look.
"Because you were second guessing yourself." the lizard explained.

Marco felt anger rise within him, the lizard took notice and folded his arms,
"Marco, are you angry with me or the choice you made."
"..."

"Did you want to save the princess." Buttercup demanded firmly, "Or were you fine with letting her die."

"Being mute doesn't suit you, lad." Oblivion spoke up.

Marco steady himself on the log, his body trembling as he wrestled down his emotions down so he could at least speak coherently,

"...I am angry, Buttercup: with myself. I could have handled this debacle with a better hand. Now...its so much worse. I had done well in my adventures...but the moment I step foot here, I...you were right when you said I had something wrong with me; my resentment clouded my better judgement and now it has led to this." Marco whispered, he covered his face with his hand, shaking his head.

The lizard and ghost looked at their student, Raigu fixed Automata's blindfold, her back turned to him.

"So, you're just going to let her do what she wants? Kill and devour everyone here on Mewni?"
"I can't—"
"BULLSHIT." Oblivion spat.

The ghost reached over and grabbed him by the collar, even as his hands phase through him, Marco stood up.

"I did not impart my birthright onto a spineless man." The Pendragon looked him dead in the eye, "Nor did I train one either. I watched you train yourself bloody with Marrow-Eater, you have a flame that didn't waver no matter how harsh the storm brewed. So why now, eh? What is it Marco, did Darcy cut your balls off. Terrified of facing her in combat."

Marco stared at the ghost, sensing what he was trying to get at, he felt everyone's gaze on him,
"I am not afraid of her."
"Great. Then she's good as dead."

Marco frowned.
Buttercup clapped a hand hard on his shoulder, Marco grunted,

"Sorry.
But Marco, your actions, your choices...others have gone through them before. Not to belittle your plight but they got through it. Oblivion managed to survive even after he lost his parents, all he knew was the cold and hunger for years...I made a life for myself even after my family disown me and tried to kill me for disgracing them...you may feel like you're alone in a world full of your mistakes and tragedies, but you know better than most it's more than that."

The two gave him a reassuring nod.
The gecko smiled at him.

"...how are you two so good at this." Marco asked, the tension he felt concentrated in his gut and shoulders suddenly drop.

"We've been through a lot just like anyone else. Being empathetic comes with being on both sides of choices and experiences."
"Being as old as we are definitely helps as well."

Buttercup clapped his shoulder again before leaving him, Oblivion following suit.
Automata and Raigu remained.

Marco sighed and reached out to the both of them.

Raigu snatched her hand away.
Automata stiffen feeling his hand touch hers.

"...I don't know any way other than just saying this:
I'm sorry.

I wish could have stopped myself, not bring you to this dilemma of mine. When I face Darcy again, I'll go at it alone. I won't put any of you in danger anymore."
...Marco.

"Seraph was right about me: I would get you, her precious Sisters, hurt or worse; killed. Ignis, Undine, Sylph and Gnome are asleep and nothing can wake them...I've put all of you in enough danger."

...I'm glad you understand.

Marco nodded before Raigu led her Sister away.
He sighed deeply before he turned and faced away from them all...

Hekapoo watched the strange girl stuck half her body out of the window to see what was going on before she pulled herself back, almost sheet white.

"What? What's going on?"
"...which part do you want to know." She said slowly, Hekapoo gave an exasperated sigh.
"Everything you dolt!"

Hestia made a face at the last bit,
"Well...from the smoke and fires, the town below the castle is in near ruins, somewhere south of Butterfly Castle Marco has to be fighting Darcy and I think that sky-flickering has be Mewni getting itself a Ward. I can only guess who could do such a thing..."

"..." Hekapoo stared at Hestia before she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Oh, Marco, you Ward-loving idiot."

Hestia looked over her mother, she looked a lot better since her imprisonment but haggard all the same, she gripped her right arm feeling the black tendril tattoo throb. She was running out of time, she had to leave before the changes became permanent on her.

"You never did say who you are."
"...like I said, who I am doesn't matter." Hestia replied dismissively, Hekapoo stared at her for a moment before she stood up, albeit unsteady.

"Yeah, that's the problem, it does matter: to me specifically. I thought he—ahem, I knew I would be rescued but you were not the one I was expecting...frankly I'm at a loss."

"...just your friendly wandering pyromancer vagabond."
"...what's your name."
She hesitated, something Hekapoo quickly noticed, forcing her to immediately speak, "...Hestia."

Hekapoo narrowed her eyes at the name, "...that name, it's..." "!"

"Cute."
"Ah. Yeah, Mom, thought so, too." Hestia said relieved.
"Really—and who is your Mother?"

Hekapoo probed, Hestia mentally slapped herself, how could she forget her Mother was just as cunning as her Father.

"Heh, you shouldn't concern yourself with who are my parents," Hestia said coolly, "I would rather be concern with how the rest of this place is holding up."

Hekapoo gave her another look over before she gestured for the Scissors, Hestia hesitated for a moment before giving it up, t'was not hers anyways but...her heart yearned to keep it a moment longer.

The blacksmith began to cut into the air.

Nothing.

Hekapoo blinked.
She tried again and to her amazement.

Nothing.

"What the heck!?" Hekapoo hissed, "Marco! His Ward, it must be interfering with my Scissors!" Hestia felt a drop of sweat run down her brow, am I stuck here too?

"When I get my hands on him, I swear!"
"..."

Hekapoo started for the door before she paused and threw a backward glance at her, as if she was suppose to follow obediently; Hestia nearly did too.

"Are you coming or not?"
"...yeah, I'm right behind ya." Hestia said slowly, Hekapoo didn't look convinced but when yells and cries rang inside the castle, the blacksmith did not tarry any longer and moved the best she could to investigate.

Hestia watch her leave, a part of her wanted nothing more than to follow, help her Mother in the battle to come...

She felt her arm spasm.
The sword, to her eternal relief, cut through the Ward and made a portal.

Hestia grimace for a moment, committing the time she spent in the dimension to memory...
"Mom...Dad...it was good to see you again. Please raise me lovingly...
And don't ground me so much."

And stepped into the portal.

.

Eclipsa cried when something soft but heavy collided with her head knocking her down, Meteora quickly picked up her mother and hissed. Jackie, Kelly and Janna stared at the girl who seemingly fell from the ceiling and crashed into the queen, she parted her inky bangs from her face and saw five faces staring at her.

"...fuck."
"HEY WATCH YOUR FUCKIN' MOUTH!"
"...really."

Eclipsa looked at her daughter in disbelief then back to the girl, who quickly got to her feet, a fabulous sword in one hand.

"Didn't expect assassins in my kingdom. Thought I was doing a good job." Eclipsa said thoughtfully.
"I'm not an assassin."
"Yes, I mean using your cakes to attack my mother is admirable. But foolish. Yours are not even that big. I doubt you could even suffocate a peasant."
"...did you just call my bu—"
"Who are you." Eclipsa said firmly, interrupting her daughter.

"I'm just your typical wandering pyromancer vagabond who unfortunately landed on your head." Hestia said flatly. She dusted herself as Janna, Jackie and Kelly found themselves and asked the queen if she was alright, she ignored them and responded to Hestia.

"Uh huh, and I learned my magic from a vampire witch that lived on the isles just over yonder the boiling sea." Eclipsa deadpan.

"...did you, Mother?"
"I was being facetious."

"I apologize for knocking you over, but I really must be going." Hestia said as she curtseys and spun on her heel and quickly darted out of sight. Meteora yelled at her and gave chase, leaving the four of them behind.

"...such a strange girl."
"...so no one is going to say it?"
"Hm? What?"
"That girl looks really cute?"
"...I mean yeah, that's a given."
"But she did look strangely familiar."
"Yeah, now that you mention it."
"It was the eyes, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, but knowing her that wouldn't be possible." Eclipsa muttered to herself, she straighten up when Meteora came back around the corner out of breath.

"Well, where is she?" Eclipsa asked, magic bending around her hand in the shape of shackles.
Meteora panted, wiping her sweat stricken face,

"I can't find her."

.

Hestia grunted as she hit solid ground again.
She snorted, pushing dust from her face as she sat up, her hair tumbling down again.

She sighed, turning the sword over her hands staring at her reflection.
"...and another adventure over...it's high time I go to Prima and see my Aunt."

ah and what kind of mischief have you done girl
"!?"

Hestia spun to her feet.
Her eyes went wide.
Her face turned as pale as her Mother's.

And her cry echoing an empty asteroid.

Marco didn't know how long he stared off into a random spot in the horizon but hearing the subtle footsteps of Buttercup did rouse him back to reality. He inhaled sharply before he faced him, Oblivion side by side with the lizard. Honeysuckle waved to him from the background, tending to Dunes who had reformatted but looked even younger than Jewel.

"So lad have you calmed down yet?"
"...relatively."
"Mhmmm, well then, we'll go back and frolic with the—"
"I'M FINE NOW."

Marco refrained from explosively sighing at the antics, seeing his serious face his mentors quickly schooled theirs.

"Be frank with us, Marco—"
"I'd prefer to be Marco, actually."
"HAVE YOU A PLAN NOW MARCO?"

Marco let his smirk fade as Oblivion shook his head,
"Darcy, she's powerful alright...but only because she's augmenting herself with Magick artifacts. If I can just chop of her left hand or arm or break those gems in her fist then she will lose most her recently acquired power."
"That still sounds plenty powerful."
"...yeah, even without magic she has taken a lot of powerful traits and abilities from other Mewmans and Monsters plus Solarion blood; I don't know their biology that well but it has be magical in nature at the least. But I've fought those types before and I always come out on top, if not completely battered and bloody afterwards." Marco said in an afterthought.

"Well, at least she's by herself."

The lack of Marco's immediate retort worried the Lizard.

"About that: she has herself some allies. One looked as if it was doppelgänger of me but beastly."
"That's...foreboding."
"And a large crow or raven. I wouldn't be surprised if she had more to add to her ranks."
"Could be her lieutenants."

Marco sighed, saving the worse for last.
"And she has an army."
"...and who doesn't—"
"—how many."
"Thousands. At least."

The Lizard sighed, putting a hand over his face.
The ghost gave a grunt.

"Well, lad, you need to find yourself one as well."
"...I'm cut off from my forces outside of the Ward, communication out of Mewni is being disrupted and I don't the extent within Mewni as well. Silver linging: I don't have to worry about other mercenaries coming into Mewni to supplement the madness here because it isn't broadcast for them to hear. Discord is the dinner bell for them, I can fight the run of the mill mooks all day, but a trained merc force? That's just asking for trouble..."

Marco exhaled, thinking the matter over,
"As procuring myself an army...I don't want to involve the denizens here, they already have taken a wallop from a year long war with Darcy. I rather not ask knowing they wont come out to fight a monster that has been terrorizing them."
"That's fine and dandy, lad, but you are not fighting her and her army alone!" "That's stupid."

Marco spread his hands open,
"I'm sure I can give a heck of a speech to the kingdoms but I'm not going to expect much."
"Better you try than not at all. There are some with a backbone to stand alongside you. If anything else: angry with Darcy."
"Do you know when she will strike?"

Marco shook his head,
"I say less than a week. Three days would be sufficient; at least that's what I would give and seeing she's my clone..."
"Hm, so to win this war Marco you'll need to defeat her army, destroy or at least remove her left arm and finally end her with the Traitor's Sword...those are steep perquisites."
"Nearly impossible, but that's just it: 'nearly'."

Marco felt a self-decrepitating smile at the notion,
"I don't suppose you have an army you could lend me?"

The two didn't answer.

"I don't have an army, but I do have a visitor for you, Marco."

Honeysuckle walked up to the three of them, Marco blinked as the leopard gecko gestured to her side. Suddenly, as if walking out of her silhouette was the

"Blood Moon Goddess." Marco uttered.
"...hello, Marco." She weakly picked up the torn red cloth barely on her and gave a soft bow.
"Stop, your breasts are about to fall out."
"...lad, why you—"

Buttercup's eyes locked on to his wife's who was conveniently doing the same.

"Alright, enough with your antics." Honeysuckle said irritated.

The goddess nodded and looked at Marco tiredly,
"...I never wanted this Marco."
"..."

The Dark Knight felt rage build inside him at the words, his distrust and malice for the goddess, it...

Marco exhaled, as if to deflate the unbridled boil he would feel at the mere sight of her, he spoke slowly,
"How can Honeysuckle see you? Can everyone else see you?"
"Yes, they can. I've lifted my veil for this visit."
"...what did you mean, goddess. Is this dire predicament your doing?" Marco quit the small talk.
"Yes...if you want to see it that way...Star Butterfly, I can't sense her, it is as if she is dead to the world and my powers have been unraveled as a result."
"She isn't. She is with the Concept of Time."
"Nay, Marco, she bears a wound by the Pendragon's Sword...it wont ever heal. That fatal blow will not be undone even if she is taken to where she is currently. Her death is inevitable."

Marco tilted his chin upwards.
"The sword can undo what it has wrought."
"..."

"Was my return to Mewni simply the beginning of the end, goddess?"
"...I'm not omnipotent, Marco...when you returned I prayed you would mend the bridges between you and the princess, save yourself from more suffering…from losing anymore. Instead you lost more coming here instead of staying away..."

The Blood Moon Goddess let silvery tears drip down her exhausted face,
"I'm so sorry, Marco."

Marco merely turned away from her, no longer able to bear the sight of her.

"Is that all you came here for."
"...yes."
"Leave then."

The goddess sniffled at his indifference.
A gently breeze glided through the grove and whisked her away, fading out of sight.

Oblivion, Honeysuckle and Buttercup looked at him.
Without a backward glance, Marco made a very audible answer,

"...it's time for the final battle."

XxXxXxXxX

The end of Book II has begun.

The battles will only get bloodier from here on out with Marco ill-equipped to fight the monstrous Darcy and her legion of Mad Mewman and Monsters.

Ciao,
I AM NRG

END OF TRANSMISSION