alright lets try a new story,
Marco Pov
I'm standing on… nothing? I thought as I tried to examine my surroundings. But everywhere I turned there was nothing, just an deep, endless, black, void. It was like being in a room where the ceiling, walls, and floor are painted black. Yet it looked like I could run for hours with my eyes closed and not have to worry about running into anything. Or anyone. My mind started to race at how I got here and what to do. But that was quickly put aside, as voices faded in and out of the darkness. I could barely make them out, but it sounded like two… No. Three deferent voices.
They sounded all around me. At first whispers, but they kept growing louder and louder with each passing second. Until finally, there was no silence, only words. Some stuck out more then others.
Pain.
Worried.
Protect.
Those words sounded like they described something at one time, or someone. Other's formed into sentences, that I heard at some point.
"… there being lead."
"Not when your here."
"You're here to defend your home. YOUR QUEEN!" My eyes widen as I recognized my voice. "ATTACK!"
All the voices stopped, and It was silent again. But not for long, from my right, sounds in the distance. Footsteps, metal clinking together, and more voices. A lot more, all screaming. Not in pain, but in a way, that's meant to intimidate the opposition. All heading this way. Even though I couldn't see them or even if they were real at all, my instincts told me to run. But, I couldn't move from this spot for some reason. looking down I saw the blackness engulfing my feet. Which meant all I could do now is wait as the roar of sounds got closer until they were right on top of me.
They changed, once on top of me. The metal clinking turned into metal clashing together and the screams turned into actual screams of pain and agony. It lasted a good while, but then it started bleeding down until it sounded like there was only one left. That's when something happened, it was getting harder to breathe and my right arm started shaking.
The weird blackness started crawling up my leg, forcing me down to my knees. I held my hand in front of me, watching as lines of light went through my vines all the way up until they stopped and connected in the palm of my hand. Just as the blackness started seeping down my throat, the point of light got brighter and brighter until my vision was nothing but white. Clenching my eyes shut, my breathing stopped. Until my eyes shoot open and I sat up, taking the biggest gasp of air along the way.
I looked around, even though my eyes wouldn't focus fully for some reason, I could easily tell where I am. In my quarters, right across from queen Star's room. Getting out of bed, only to fall flat on the floor. I laid there until my breathing finally settled down and as much as I wanted to stay here until my eyes focused, I was thirsty and need to find water. Trying to stand up again, to which was more successful this time, I walked the best I could to my bathroom.
Turning the light on, before stumbling to the sink, I then reached out for one of the nobs and turned it. Even though I knew there was a cup nearby, I just simply cupped my hands under the water, until finally bringing it up to my mouth to drink what was there. I Did this a couple more times, before leaning on the sink and stared down at it. Everything was still blurry, so I put my right hand under the faucet and started rubbing my eyes.
Somehow, that worked, once my hand was not covering my left eye everything became more crisp and clear. But once I saw my reflection in the mirror, I stood there like a deer in headlights. On the back of my hand, there's a scar, a big one that looked like a burn scar maybe, that traveled to my arm. I followed the scar down my arm, to my chest then up my neck. Slowly I moved my hand to reveal the rest of the scar running up my cheek and stopped a little bit above my right eye.
I just stared at the reflection before me, not knowing what to think, until I saw something that stood out. Leaning forward a bit, to get a closer look at the scar on my cheek. The scar runs up my cheek, then almost dose a complete circle before continuing upward. It almost looks like… a crescent moon… Wait, it is. Did my powers do this? I thought, but I didn't have to long to think about it, as the mirror started to fog over. Oops, must have turned on the hot water.
But as I went for the nob, I noticed something. My left hand, it's blocking the drain in the sink causing the water to fill it. Why didn't I notice that? Taking my hand out of the sink, I started examining it. The skin has a red tint to it now, there was steam coming off it, and the mirror was fogging over, so the water must be hot. But I felt nothing. That's when I realized, I never even felt it under the water earlier either.
Holding my hand back under the faucet, the water hit my hand again, but nothing again. Then bring my hand up, I pressed it to my cheek. Pressing hard enough to compress my cheek in and even cocking my head to the right a bit, but other then the visional note, I couldn't tell anything else. Removing my hand from my cheek and turning the faucet off, I decided to try one last thing.
Now bringing my right hand up, I stuck a finger in my mouth and bit down. I knew it was there because my mouth wasn't closing all the way, but still nothing. Removing the digit form my mouth to see the indentation in it from my teeth and it even drew some blood. I tried focusing on it hard for only the same thing.
"I can't feel nothing." I said out loud, but there was something else that was weird too.
That's when I heard something, it sounded like a group of people. Turning around and going back into the main room, reviled the room was still empty but the voices did get louder. Noticing that my window was open and thinking that's most likely where it's coming from, I walked over to it. Sure enough, looking through it revealed a crowd of people all gathered around a stage. On the stage, there were three people. A guard, someone in shackles, and a guy with a black hood welding an axe.
An execution? Star has never ordered an execution before, no matter what the crime was. When they laid the prisoners head on the chopping block, that's when I realized something. I know him, that's Eliot. Him and his twin brother, Jaxson, where my apprentices. They're good at swordsmanship and really trustworthy, to the point when I wasn't around, they guarded Star. I remember Jaxson was in the battle now, which he wasn't supposed to be.
Watching as the hooded figure raised the axe, before bringing it down on Eliot's neck, decapitating him in a single blow. Turning away from the scene, all I could do was think why did he deserve it? But a better question popped up, why don't I feel sad or angry at what just happened? Not just that, I woke up with a big scar and not being able to feel anything, why am I not panicking?! I was not sweating, breathing deferent and/or showing any other signs of panic.
"I can't feel emotions." Hearing that realization said out loud, made me sound crazy. Sure, there are circumstances that would cause people to lose the ability to feel things. But emotions?
I tried to think of an explanation for all of this, but my mind was thinking of something completely different. It was saying to leave this place... So I did just that. Quickly throwing on a t-shirt, paints, before just grabbing my socks and shoes. Going over to my desk, I grabbed my scissors and tore a hole to, anywhere, before just jumping through it. Landing on the other side of the portal revealed I was in a park. There's a swing set and a paved path with benches on the side.
Going to the bench, placing my socks and shoes on it before I sat down. I don't know why I need to leave, was it out of fear? No, my body was not showing any signs that either. Maybe it was the fight-or-flight response. but was I in danger? It didn't seem like it. But in any case, I didn't want to go back there. After putting my socks and shoes on, I sat there thinking of the past couple of days. Thinking that, possibly there's something in the details that could explain all of this.
...
Three days ago…
Standing in front of the mirror over the sink, I ran the wet comb through my hair one last time until finally, my hair stayed the way I wanted it. Placing the comb down I headed back into the main room and went over to my dresser to start getting dressed. Putting on my black button-up jacket with attached red and gold shoulder epaulets and red cuffs on the sleeves. After buttoning up the last golden button and smoothing it out, I stood in front of the full-length mirror and frowned at the image before me.
I look like a prince and I hated it. I'm a royal knight, not a prince. But I wanted to look nice for this meeting, so I'll just have to put up with it. Heading to the door, but just as I was about to leave, I remembered the most important item of all. Walking over to my desk and I picked up my wand. Star had it custom made just for me. It looked like a really fancy sword handle with the hilt. Feeling the energy flow through my arm to the wand, before giving it a swing and a three and a half foot long blade formed out of thin air.
Effortlessly twirling the sword in my hand, before getting into a battle stance for an imaginary opponent. But out the corner of my eye, I saw my reflection. Turning to it fully, I held the sword in front with the tip planted in the floor. It always felt weird seeing the glowing crescent moons on my cheeks. Which reminds me that Star wanted me to learn other spells. Just doing this though took me months and wore me out badly. But now, I could do this for hours with ease. Perhaps I should learn something else that can help me protect her.
The crescent moons disappeared and the blade shattered into little lights before disappearing fully. Placing the wand in the holder on my belt, I exited my room. I waited there, staring at Star's door until getting down onto one knee and bowing my head just as the door opened.
"How many times have I told you, you don't have to do that." Star said. Standing up I looked at her. She wore her normal queen blue and white dress.
"Habit." I said, holding my arm out and in the direction of the meeting room.
I walked beside her, as we went to the meeting room. I felt a little excited. Not about what the meetings about, but because Tom was going to be there. The last time I personally saw Tom was when he was crowned king, which was five or four years ago. With Star being queen, My knightly, and his kingly responsibilities, it quickly took away all our free time to try and hang out, we didn't even make it to his wedding. Just then a feeling of anxiousness ran through me, looking at Star I can see the troubled look on her face before we got there. Entering the meeting room, only to see that there was no one in there.
"Where's Tom?" Disappointed not seeing him here.
"Were a little bit early. He'll be here." Star said walking up to the table that had a map of Mewni on it.
Walking up to the table, I looked at the map for a bit until the sound of fire caught my attention. Once the fire disappeared, I was shocked when I turned to see him. He's gotten tall. The last time I saw him he was maybe a couple of inches taller than me, but now he's a good foot and a half taller!
"Tom?' walking up to him and having to lean my head back to see his face.
"Ha, I knew you were going to be shocked at how tall I've gotten." He said with a smile.
"Yay… What, are you going to get as big as your mom?" Tensing up at the realization of what I just said. His parents were killed days ago in one of the attacks that we're going to be talking about. What a good way to see a long-lost friend again. Remand him of a horrible time.
"I hope not. I still want to sleep with my wife, she's already a little scared of it as is." As he laughed. Hearing that made me laugh too.
"You know, the first time I saw your parents I thought how did-" Facepalming myself as I realized I did it again.
"I think it would be just like what you said. Throwing a… um."
"a hot dog down a hallway."
"Yay, like that. Oh no. now I got an image in my head I didn't want" he said laughing as he covered his eyes.
"Sorry, but you did that to your own self." I said chuckling a bit, but truly he was trying to change the subject and kill the pain with laughter. Just then I started feeling a little frustrated, looking over to see Star with her arms crossed and not amused at our talk. Clearing my throat, Tom uncovered his eyes and looked at me.
"Soo the attacks." I said before nodding in Star's detraction.
"Oh um, right." Tom said as he got back into more of a professional demeanor. "My scouts and informants couldn't get much. But here's what they did get." Walking to the table.
"The attacks are organized." Leaning forward he placed a finger on the map and burned a little hole in it and continued to do this.
On the fifth one though he held his finger there a little longer, as that was the one that took his parents. I could see the pain in his face, as he swallowed the lump in hit throat before he continued. He did these seven other times, before standing back and looked at it. Looking at it, I could see sort of a pattern in the attacks.
"As you can clearly see the attacks are in a line and not random. So, that must mean one thing, there being lead." Tom said. to which this raised a lot of questions now.
"Do you know who's leading them?" I asked, and Tom shook his head.
"All I know is the group is composed of manly monsters." Star and I were shocked to hear this, especially after everything those two did.
"But the policies you and I put into place eased all of the tension. Why would they be mad?" Star asked, just then the sound of fire caught my attention.
Going for my wand only for Tom to hold out his hand stopping me from drawing it. Once the fire disappeared, there stood a hooded figure. Tom walked over to him, to which the figure bowed before stand straight again. Relaxing as I realized he was with Tom, but still a little angry at the sudden presence of him. Turning to Star, to see the stern look on her face too. A fire crackled again, and I turned to see Tom walking back with a grim look.
"More news?" Star asked.
"The group's big." he said
"How big?" I asked
"A good ninety plus." My jaw dropped at hearing this, I know our abled fighters just toped at a good seventy maybe eighty. Looking back at the map, I studied the line of attacks and noticed something.
"Oh shit." I said, getting both Star's and Tom's attention. Leaning over the table I placed my finger on the first attack and followed them.
"If they keep going that way," going off the last attack and creating an invisible line until stopping right on Mewni castle.
"They're going to be right at our doorstep!" I said turning to Star.
"Do you really think they're going to attack the castle?" Star asked with a hint of worried in her voice.
"To go from small attacks to sieging a castle. I don't know." I said, walking back and forth as I thought. Now I'm more worried about their true purpose.
"But why attack us?" Star asked.
"My dad told me when I was crowned, 'no matter what you do, there'll always be people out there that'll hate you.'." Tom said, pain in his words until it was replaced with anger.
"Either way. They need to be stopped." Tom said with venom in his voice now. Anyone could easily tell it was for revenge and I'm with him on it. Not just for his parents, but also for the others they've killed.
"I've got a plan. We don't want any more innocent people hurt. So, well meet them halfway." Pressing my finger on the map to where the battle should take place.
"I take fifty of my men and attack them in the front. While-"
"While mine attacks the rear." Tom said with a smile.
"Exactly. What do you say Star?" I asked, just as a knock on the door caught everyone's attention.
"Star the high council needs you." The person on the other side said.
Looking back at Star as she weighed all her options. A sense of regret flowed through me, but this is the way it must be. She walked to the door and opened it to reveal Eliot and Jaxson bowing, ready to escort her. But before leaving, she turned to us and simply gave us a nod, before having to deal with what the high council wants.
"Airtight, I'll have my scouts follow them and tell us where they are while trying to gather information too." Tom said.
"How long do you need to get ready?" I asked. I knew I can rally my troops in seconds easily, but his.
"Two days. One to get the men ready and in position, the other to attack." Tom said with confidence. Witch, I had no problem with letting my men rest before a big battle.
"Sounds good to me. So, how's the kid?" I asked, remembering the last big news I heard about him was that he had a child.
"A pain in the ass. I don't even think I was this much trouble to my parents when I was young. Or at least don't remember it" He said with a smile, but the smile faded. "listen umm, I need to get back. But the three of us really need to get to gather and catch up."
"Yay, we defiantly need to." I said, hopeful that we might be able to someday.
"It was nice seeing you and Star again." Tom said holding out his hand, which I gladly shook.
"You too, pal." Once I let go, he stepped back a bit before being engulfed in flames and he wasn't there anymore.
Leaning against the table, a feeling of remorse washed through me. Because with all honesty with our lives, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. If not ever at all, I thought as I looked at the map.
well what you think so far?