Chapter 7: Shifting Tides
Whew this one was a bit hard to find time for and again hope you like the stories unfolding. I have been busy helping family and other thing so sorry that this may seem rushed or stretched out in areas. Have a great read and leave some feedback if you, if not then come back and ill see you in the next one.
Disclaimer: I Do Not Own or Claim Any Sort of Rights for Star vs. the Forces of Evil and its characters. All rights go to Disney and creator Daron Nefcy. This is for entertainment purposes only; I do add other character and choose to have a right to for the purpose of conducting this Fan Fiction. Scenes maybe too obscene for young readers; reader discretion is advised. 18+
"Wait, what?" Marco accidently says aloud and the cute like girl within his chest looks up to him.
"Raven shh… It's really earl..y.." Kuro trails off as she realizes whose chest she was all snuggled within. She then pushes off of him quickly going across the cave and throwing a blade directly at his chest.
Marco lightly lifts his left bracer to it and deflects the blade as he is staying completely still on his right side to not disturb Higgs that is still soundly sleeping on his lap. "Whoa calm down Kuro, you were the one laying on me. Which is why I am wondering why were you lying on…?" Marco says as he is interrupted by her embarrassed outburst.
"It doesn't concern you but if you must know, I was checking your vitals to make sure you weren't dead because even a mutt like you is needed." Kuro Yelled at Marco.
'She won't be open with it and maybe she mistook me for Raven while she was sleeping.' Marco wanted to make since of this but decided to drop it. "Okay, I'm sorry Kuro for misunderstanding the situa…" Marco was saying as he was interrupted again by someone walking into the cave.
"Guy's we need to go now, I just spotted a pack of Shades 65 Meters north of us and they're closing in fast." Darwin says as he grabs his travel sack wrapping it around his back.
Higgs jolted up since she was already awake from the bickering of Marco and Kuro. She straps her blades to her waist as Marco follows strapping his onto his back. The group got ready and ran outside going immediately to the left to circle around from The Shades that were closing in.
"Shit 4 o'clock!" Darwin yelled out as everyone turned to see what seemed to be six wolves closing in. Darwin pulled his box back and let loose an arrow that passed Kuro's cheek when she noticed something attached to it.
Kuro pulled out two knifes that came out of her sleeves. A flash of light came from the arrow in midair stopping The Shades for a few moments. In the moment Kuro threw the knives outward to the left and right of her as they were driven into trees on either side.
The light died out and The Shades saw the group ready to encounter them. Marco stood out front with his long sword drawn and Higgs beside him with her Rapier at the ready. Kuro was gone and hidden behind a trees trunk. Darwin was behind Marco and Higgs a few feet away since his specialty was Bows and daggers.
Two of The Shade's pounced towards them as they were sliced in two. The other Shades could see the blood dripping from the metallic strings. Two of them turned into a smaller but still big wormlike form and burrowed into the ground out of sight. The two still glaring at them ran towards Marco and Higgs. One slid under the string as the other jumped over it changing into a humanoid form and encountered Marco.
His hand became a blade as he swiped at Marco. They were both locked in combat as the other shade was attacking Higgs. Darwin provided back up with his bow making sure The Shade that encountered Higgs didn't get the better of her. He was surprised as Kuro was soon beside him with a Shade under her and her blade as the ground was open with dirt all around it.
"Keep your eyes open you idiot!" Kuro yelled out to Darwin who was about to be ambushed.
Darwin saw the ground rising beside him and turned his bow to it as he shot. Almost immediately The Shade emerged and took his arrow straight into its mouth eating it. Darwin blocked its momentum but using his bow. "Hey fucker… Shine bright." Darwin smiled as The Shade began to burst from the inside as a flare bolt activated from within The Shade.
Kuro was having trouble with hers as it seemed to not take any damage from her earlier stab. She backed away and kept her blades at the ready. The Shade took a human form as she smiled. She reached within her pouch and pulled out metal threading as The Shade leaped to her. Dodging it's every attack her hands were always waving around and moving until it stopped and seemed like it was hugging itself.
"Thank you… You've made this easier." Kuro said as she pulled her hands to her chest and then outward as the threads wrapped The Shade and then dicing it to pieces. "Killing humans is more my specialty."
Marco was paying more attention to Higgs progress with her enemy then he was his own. Suddenly a sharp pain came across his face as he had noticed the shade sliced his cheek a little bit. He looked at his opponent with a serious look of annoyance. Marco ducked under the next attack as he brought the hilt of his sword to his chest and thrust into The Shade's upper chest. He then kicked its shin making it loose balance dropping it to its knees and Marco stepped on the blade to push his weight upon it slicing The Shade in down the middle.
He turns to Higgs as she was holding The Shade back. "They don't have arteries like us. You kill them by destroying most of their body. Heads, Torsos, Limbs… Those kinds of things, still yourself and use your skill." Solid advice is what Kuro and Darwin took it as but Higgs smiled as she felt like he was teaching her. Still though even though she seemed happy about it she didn't want him thinking she needed him for everything.
"I can handle it. I just wanted to learn more about their body weakness." Higgs said as The Shade pounced to her and she ducked under stabbing it in the jaw with her rapier while her left hand unsheathed her short sword and swiped upwards cutting off the beasts head. Marco had a look of surprise to him as Higgs smiled at him with blood dripping off her cheek.
"Okay then Higgs, my bad. Let's get moving so we can get away from here before more show up." Darwin and Kuro took lead in case The Shades were to attack from the direction their fallen were still at.
"If you hit their joints and center points it does affect their movements."Higgs told Marco as he walked alongside her. "But I think you already knew that?" Higgs said to a smiling Marco.
"Yes… They are still living things that feel pain. But still it's good that you're willing to go through the process of learning it firsthand within battle. Reminds me of how I had to fight them back then." Marco said as Higgs hit him on his shoulder.
Marco and Higgs were laughing when she noticed his face change from hearing rustling within the woods from where they came from. Marco took her hand and starting running for dear life as she looked back seeing a horde of Shades right on their tail. "Guys run… FUCKING RUN!" Marco shouted at the top of his longs when Darwin and Kuro looked back towards them.
"Oh Shitttt…" Darwin yelled out as everyone began to run all together.
"Darwin flash them… Kuro take to the shadows and try keeping them distracted at a distance while separating groups to send our way. The sun is going down so we need to be careful with all directions. Higgs be ready when Kuro separates them into groups, we will have to take that group on." Marco was spitting out orders as Darwin screwed in some flash bolts into a few arrows.
Darwin fires his bow into the crowd of Shades as a burst of light shined stunning them for a moment letting Kuro jump to the trees as everyone continues on foot.
Kuro followed her plan as Darwin kept setting off flashes some with throwing knives and others with arrows. Marco and Higgs were able to take on the groups that Kuro was able to make as she hid and controlled the paths Darwin was able to create for her. Before long dawn struck and they were all exhausted, hunger crept up draining their strength and focus, and the exhaustion of no sleep or rest made it even worse upon their minds.
Marco was losing focus more and more along with Higgs. The Shades managed to connect more on each encounter they fought without really resting. After so long the numbers wouldn't stop pouring in and Kuro wasn't able to hold them back before the groups ended up following the next which made it harder on the others.
The only thing that was going great was The Caravan was moving smoothly and ahead of schedule. They were about half a day's ride from Mewni and it seemed when The Shades attacked before taking out some supplies actually helped them travel lighter. The Caravan kept moving and handled the little bandit raids that were easily dealt with.
"I wonder if Kuro is doing okay. You better hope that Marco or your Darwin haven't touched a single hair on her head because…" Raven said out in a protective motherly voice.
"Yes, yes, or you will castrate them we know Raven." Miles said aloud and Sir Stabby laughed.
"I'm sure they're fine. When Higgs was my squire she was advanced in her Rapier technique and Marco is a bit reckless but keeping his friends safe is just who he is. Also we are almost to Mewni and we can go search for them as soon as possible. Remember Alfred gave us special permission to retrieve our underlings so trust that they will be in one piece when we get to them if they haven't already wiped them all out." Sir Stabby said to reinsure Raven's worries.
"Sir's we have another raid of bandits waiting in position about a mile out. One of Sir Miles scout's said the leader is highly wanted for murder dead or alive. I believe they want to ambush us, how should we proceed?" A woman with her face disguised by a hood reported in.
"I believe you should take care of them Raven." Miles said as Sir Stabby nodded in agreement.
"Get two others to help and make sure you do not underestimate them. They have been easy so far but all of you understand that a target is a TARGET for a reason." Raven said as she referred to an earlier time within her teaching process of the assassins.
"Of course Ma'am, we won't disappoint." The assassin vanished within the shadows and commenced the objective she was given.
"Well we can count on that but I still am worried about the others." Raven said as she crossed her arms.
"Stop worrying, I'm sure they're dominating those Shades." Sir Stabby said.
Within the forest we see a bloodied Marco standing in front of a incapacitated Darwin and Kuro that Higgs has on her back. Marco seems to have lacerations across his chest and arms along with bruising and swelling around them. He is exhausted but still at the ready covering Higgs as she holds the others and moving forward.
It has been a couple of hours since they were ambushed by Shades. The sun has set and the crickets chirp throughout the night ringing within Marco's ears. They haven't slept for hours and are hanging on by literal threads of sheer will for survival.
"Why were those last one's so aggressive? Even Kuro and Darwin couldn't hold them off." Higgs asked as she wanted to break the silence.
"Those Shades were Beta's. The warriors of the pack don't like that we have declared war on their turf, and have been showing their underlings and early death." Marco said as Higgs slightly looked back at him.
"Well what about the one hanging back. He was bigger but looked like he was just observing." Higgs asked to Marco who reacted with a smile.
"Observant… That was The Alpha. He lets his warriors fight to assess his prey. The only reason he held back is because he doesn't see any worth in us as we are now." Marco said as Higgs kept walking forward.
"You make it sound like it thinks like a person." Higgs said as she was adjusting the others atop her back.
"Let me carry Darwin, I'm sure they won't be attacking us right now so let's go about a couple more meters ahead and set up camp. I see a cliff past the trees so being at the top of that will give of an advantage and maybe some rest." Higgs took a knee as Marco pulled Darwin off of his back and it seemed like Higgs was relieved by the lightness. "The Alpha is a person…" Marco started waking ahead as Higgs stopped from getting up and looked at him before shooting up next to him.
"What do you mean he used to be person!?" Higgs lightly yelled.
"Shades are created from a ritual. Back when I was doing Heckapoo's trail I infiltrated a cloister of monks and learned a lot among them and their library. Within it I was sent on various quests for knowledge and enlightenment but sometimes to stop groups of heretics who were using black magic for their rituals." Higgs listened on as Marco told his terrifying story.
"They would embed their black magic within the victim turning them into all manner of beast. Some were even accepting to it for religious beliefs. Those who accepted it with grace were more compatible and loyal which made them valuable and had more magic drawn to them to make them stronger. Some were created as a beast with reasoning all different but The Shades were Alpha's with the ability to create warrior and servant class beast of their own to command." Marco looked as if he was being hurt by the memory but he continued.
"We were found out and captured by surprise as they readied us to force their magic upon us. The monks that were with me were made into vial beasts that were terrifying." Marco bit his lip as he didn't want to say what Higgs asked next.
"If they were made into Shades what happened to you." Higgs noticed him not wanting to say and being hurt but before she could say anything he continued.
"They tried making me a beast but the ritual didn't work. They said it was because I was already a monster… I was already broken and I belonged with them…" Marco looked over to Higgs who had a pitied look on her. "Well after hearing that they let me go. I went back to the monks who pointed me in the way of dimensional scholars. I ended up finishing my trial before I fully understood what it was they were doing. By now they're all dead from the time difference in that dimension. Maybe there were Beta's who evolved into Alpha's because the previous ones died? I don't really know." Marco was thinking of it for a while now but didn't think it was connected since in it would have been Millennia in the other dimension by now.
'Well Heckapoo is always young even though she lives in that dimension but they were mortals… Or at least they were before the rituals took place. I guess I can't rule it out but it isn't something to think of right now, first I need to make sure to keep them safe and worry about other things when they are.' Marco thought to himself as Higgs stopped him from walking by putting her hands to his chest.
Marco looked up to see her standing in front of him as she looks into his eyes. He notices she put Kuro sitting up against a tree stump behind her. "We're far enough Marco." Marco looks further behind her noticing they were out of the forest and near the cliff already. "Not the best but at least if they come at us we will notice them and have the high ground." Higgs said as she turned around and laid out Darwin's sleeping back for Marco to lay him on. "Put him here and grab some water and fire wood so I can clean their wounds." Higgs ordered Marco and he gladly followed so he can help his comrades.
Marco quickly went down to the stream and got some water as he saw a dry fallen tree beside. 'Huh, convenient…' Marco gathered some water in the canteens and picked up some dry wood to create a fire. He started up the hill to get back to the others. He noticed Kuro was up helping Higgs clean Darwin's leg and arm.
"Good to see you're up Kuro. But are you sure your okay to move so soon?" Marco asked as he walked over to them putting the wood down near them.
"Well I rested enough already." Kuro smiled at Marco as he gave her a thumbs up.
"Get the fire going and boil some water so we can clean his wounds. He will be fine but he may get a fever." Higgs said as Marco was already ahead of her by setting the fire up.
"Higgs get some rest ill clean and dress his wounds. You to Marco I got it from here. I'll set some traps around and call if anything happens, because if it does you both are the only ones that can handle it right now." Higgs and Marco knew she was right as Marco had sat where Kuro was before again the tree stump he was too exhausted to react to Higgs taking over his lap as a pillow.
She grabbed his hand and hugged it for warmth with no reaction due to him already being asleep. He was on auto pilot for a while now and Higgs as well which is why she was too in her deep sleep.
Kuro cleaned and dressed Darwin's wound as she said she would and placed a wet shirt atop his forehead. Next she ended up doing the same for Marco really quickly to close the cuts with herbs so they could numb and be clean.
She got up to start setting up her traps for defense around the cliff. Kuro looked off watching the woods and hearing only the wind blowing from the height they were camping at. 'I don't know if Marco said was true earlier but if it is then it might be the same as now. That first Shade I took out felt like flesh and bone of a human.'
Kuro seemed to have been awake while Higgs was carrying her and gained some information but would it be good to dwell on it or pass it up like Marco is doing by choosing to think of another reason. 'I can't be too sure but holy hell… Marco has gone through a lot. Maybe they were right though, maybe he is a monster. When I was passing out and Higgs was covering my back as I fell to the ground and she didn't see him like I did. I saw him notice the situation we all were in and Shades he took out when he thought no one was watching was insane. It shows it care to protect his comrades but I still don't understand why.'
Kuro seemed to admire that he was protective but why hold back so much. She was a little mad to why he wasn't serious at the beginning. 'I guess maybe for Higgs to not see him in such a terrifying state. The way she acts sometimes seems like they were a bit like rivals in the beginning but she can't admit she sees him as a man and wants him as one as well.'
'But either way Marco has something within him that shows when he wants it to. I think he is scared of it. Maybe that's why I feel comfortable around him… He feels like Raven."
Kuro was within her thoughts as everyone rested. None knew what was about to hit them. But within the forest, all that is heard after a while were the Howls.
