Chapter 9-The Battle for the Ponyhead Kingdom Part 2

Ponyhead Kingdom

Helvete's glare and overwhelming power had the couple before him affixed to their positions. Star and Marco were looking at him with a state of total fear plastered on their faces, and he relished in every second of that look. He couldn't explain it, but there was an incredible feeling of pleasure that surged through him when he sensed true fear in his opponents, it made him enjoy these fights even more than usual.

He glanced towards the royal magic wand currently gripped in Star's right hand. Then returning his gaze into Star's eyes, staring directly through them and into her very soul he began to speak with a confident and sinister tone "Well, that's an unexpected pleasure, that wand you posses marks you as a member of the butterfly family, and from looks I'd guess that you are the current heir if not the queen herself, am I correct my dear?" A sickening grin found its way to his lips as he gestured a hand forward, beckoning Star to answer his question.

It was Marco however who found his voice all of a sudden. "Don't speak to her you creep!" He yelled with a seething anger in his voice at what he'd witnessed. Helvete turned his gaze now towards Marco, eyeing the knight up and down with an unimpressed look on his face.

"I'll assume you're her bodyguard or something right?" He said casually, obviously not seeing Marco as much of a challenge. "Well, whoever you are, you should learn to hold your tongue when two royals are speaking" He then formed his magic into a thin, short blade which outstretched a small distance from his fingers, holding it up he uttered in a threatening tone.

"Otherwise, I'll be forced to cut it from your mouth, is that clear peasant?". Marco drew back at the threat, Helvete's glare and power was the most intimidating force he'd ever seen. Marco could tell this was not a man who could be as easily beaten as someone like Ludo or even Tom. He was in another league entirely.

Helvete then directed his gaze back towards Star and spoke once again with a sincere, if not slightly sinister tone. "So my dear, if you won't be kind enough to grant me the title of your personage, then allow me to take the lead" he bowed lightly at the waist but never stopped his stare into Star's eyes or his power surrounding him.

"My name is Prince Helvete" he uttered, drawing a gasp from both Star and Marco which Helvete found curious. "I take it from the reaction that my reputation has preceded me somewhat, thats not according to plan, as such I must enquire as to how you know of me?".

Star found her voice and tried her best to sound confident despite the fear and shock she felt inside after what she had just witnessed him do to King Ponyhead, who was still unmoving despite Ponyhead's best efforts at attempting to save her father. "You're the old prince of Helios that Eclipsa fought against? But if that's correct you should be over 300 years old by now?" Star said as she tried her best to show defiance against Helvete's power.

Helvete chuckled to himself. "Well, time works a little differently in my dimension compared to Mewni, I'm barely even out of my 20's, But my age is not the point here my flower" he said as he once again beckoned to Star to answer his question. "You know who I am, but I do not know you, so please, grant me your titles the both of you" He said before glancing at Marco, once again unimpressed "Yes that includes you peasant knight, I give you permission to speak".

Marco spoke first, disgusted by the attitude this murderer had shown to himself and Star. "I am Marco Diaz, Knight of Mewni and member of the Magical high commission" he announced proudly. However Helvete was not impressed, simply remarking in a sarcastic tone. "Oh joy, another knight, the magical high commission must be really scraping the bottom of the barrel these days huh?". Marco clenched his fists at the comment, he was more than ready to turn Helvete into a pulp but then Star spoke up.

"I'm Princess Star Butterfly of Mewni, I've come to stop you from killing my friends, and trust me, I'm gonna win this fight!" She declared before directing the wand at Helvete and yelling "Cataclysmic Total Extinction Death Blast!" as the wand glowed. The beam of orange light that travelled from the wand to Helvete sparked and hissed as it shot towards him.

Helvete faced his palm forward and caught the blast, he smiled as he did so, holding off the blast with his palm he began to walk forward while calmly talking. "Well my fair Princess Star, it seems the Butterfly family is still full of magic users" He then stopped before his eyes glowed for a second and a small ball of fire broke its way through Star's beam and rested in Helvete's palm. "However, it seems you're not going to be much of a challenge after all" he said before launching the ball towards Star.

Marco reacted instinctively and directed a finger towards Helvete's attack. "Bultina" He yelled, firing a small red beam from his finger which hit home onto the ball of fire Helvete had launched, re-directing it into one of the guns on the nearby hill, destroying it easily.

Helvete looked at Marco with a look of anger plastered on his face. "You're going to regret getting in the way boy!" he shouted before charging at Marco and landing a punch to his gut, causing Marco to double over in pain. As he did so, Helvete landed an axe kick to the back of Marco's head which sent him sprawling to the ground, unconscious.

Star gasped, and began firing multiple blasts towards Helvete, each of which he expertly dodged or blocked while smiling sadistically. Helvete was clearly enjoying himself which only angered Star more and made her blasts more intense as she surged towards him. Eventually after a short while of dodging Helvete shot forwards with incredible speed and blasted Star from point-blank range, causing her to land several feet away in a daze.

He casually began to stroll towards her, charging a small ball of power in his palm. As he got within a few feet he directed the ball at Star, who was struggling to look up at him. "Well my dear Princess, I did hope this would be more of a challenge but alas it seems our time together has ended" He then smirked as he added "Don't worry, I'll send your boyfriend along momentarily".

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a beam of black magic smashed into Helvete, causing him to fly backwards. He landed on his feet but clearly the blast had hurt. He looked up to find the source of the blast. Star also looked for the source, amazed that her life had been saved.

"Star" A voice came from behind her "Get Marco out of here, he's in a bad shape". Star struggled to her feet and turned to face the source of the voice, only to see Eclipsa ,with staff in hand, floating lightly above the ground. Her cheeks were glowing a dark purple and her expression was one of dead seriousness.

"Eclipsa!" Star yelled surprised "I can't leave you to deal with this!". Eclipsa shook her head "I caused this Star, I'm the one who'll fight this lunatic, its been a long time coming anyway" she said as she fired another blast towards Helvete who summoned a shield to block the attack.

"Now go Star, Marco needs help, please do as I say, for him?" She pleaded as she directed Star to Marco's unconscious body. Star looked towards the boy, with concern on her face before nodding to Eclipsa and rushing over to his side. Star took Marco's dimensional scissors and cut a portal next to her. Giving a final look to Eclipsa, who simply nodded, she dragged Marco's limp form through the portal.

As the Portal closed, Eclipsa looked towards Helvete, who was simply smiling towards her with the same sadistic look that had frozen Star and Marco. "Well, well, well" He began "Isn't this a blast from the past, the years have been good to you Eclipsa, most people don't look half as good when they reach 320 years old" He mocked as he took a few steps closer to his opponent who was unmoved by his tone.

"How did you do it Helvete?" she asked "Your father disinherited you from taking the throne of Helios, so tell me how you've suddenly come back from the brink like this?" she demanded as she raised her staff to face him.

Helvete chuckled and spoke plainly "I overthrew my father and took the throne for myself of course, my oh so naive enemy, it isn't that hard to figure out". Eclipsa had a thought and it was one that brought images of horror to her mind. But she needed to know, just to know how far Helvete was willing to go in his lust for power.

"What of your brother? The young prince? What did you do with him Helvete?" she asked calmly, almost not wanting an answer.

Helvete's smile didn't fade, nor did any part of his posture or bearing waiver as he spoke "Well, you can't very well inherit a kingdom if the heir is still alive can you Eclipsa?" he spoke, much to Eclipsa's horror and anger. She coiled back her staff before speaking "Black Velvet Inferno".

A black beam shot from the staff with a trail of black butterflies caught inside of it, a disturbing and yet oddly beautiful sight, it travelled towards Helvete. However Helvete shot a large beam of fire magic at the attack. Both attacks exploded on impact as they cancelled each other out. Helvete began laughing "I've waited a long time for this you know Eclipsa, you'd better not disappoint me now" he said confidently.

Eclipsa only spoke as she raised her staff once more "Scarlet rain" She uttered, the staff launched dozens of deep red energy blasts into the sky. Helvete awaited patiently for the effects, and was soon greeted by thousands of small energy blasts slamming into him and the landscape surrounding him. Eclipsa stood back, but stayed on guard, confident that an attack like that wouldn't be enough to finish Helvete.

She was right, when the smoke cleared from the blasts, Helvete was stood unscathed under a shield spell he'd formed at the last minute. He then directed four of his fingers from his right hand towards Eclipsa, and thousands of rapid fire blasts shot out from the tips of his fingers in a constant barrage at his enemy.

Eclipsa threw up another shield but the blasts were hitting hard and fast and it was a struggle to keep the shield repaired. She had to think of something quick, so she directed her staff at Helvete once more and yelled "Obsidian storm". Shards of thick gemstone shot towards Helvete's spell and the two collided cancelling the effects of the other. The two spent some time locked in this clash before one of them made a more decisive move.

Helvete shot into the sky, positioning himself above Eclipsa's position. As Eclipsa looked up she saw five separate streams of flames shooting down from the sky. She covered her position with a shield spell which took the blasts as they rained down. But as the smoke cleared she saw Helvete standing before her shield, his arm extended with palm out towards her.

He grinned sadistically and a huge blast of fire ripped through her shield spell and shot her across the field into a heap. Eclipsa struggled to her feet, using her staff to prop her upright. Helvete was strolling towards her, one of his fingers extended, he fired a thin red blast into her leg, causing Eclipsa to take a knee.

"Well, I must admit that was a good warm up, but much like a child who peeks at his Christmas presents, it was sadly anti-climactic" Helvete said as he fired another shot into Eclipsa's arm, causing her to drop her staff as the pain seared through her flesh. She looked up through the tears of pain at Helvete's form getting closer. "It's a shame that husband of yours didn't turn up, his head would've made a superb trophy for my throne room" he said as he landed a kick to Eclipsa's gut, causing her to double over in pain, coughing blood onto the ground as she went.

"I'm not going to kill you, you know" Helvete said plainly, causing Eclipsa to look up in confusion. "I'm going to break you, and make you watch, as I burn your kingdom as you once burned mine...I Want you to watch as I kill everyone you have ever loved, just as you and your monster killed the only person I ever loved" He said as he produced a burned doll from a small pocket on his side.

Holding the doll aloft he allowed Eclipsa to see it, it was a small doll of a red-haired girl in a small sundress. It would've been pretty once, but now the sundress had faded and was half blackened with ash, half the doll had been burned away, revealing the stuffing inside to be singed and blackened.

"This was my daughters you know" Helvete said as he looked into Eclipsa's eyes with an emotionless stare. "When your monster rampaged in that village 300 years ago, or I guess it was only around 10 years for me, he dropped a building on her and my wife, my daughter survived that, only to have that demon burn her alive when he scorched the houses, I have nothing left to bury, and neither will you Eclipsa" Helvete then slammed a fist into Eclipsa's temple, causing her to fall limp onto the ground.

Pointing to two of his soldiers nearby he ordered "Bring her back to Helios and lock her up" the guards saluted and dragged Eclipsa off. Helvete turned back towards the Ponyhead Kingdom and watched as his armies overwhelmed the defenders, the Mewnian Knights had been beaten back and were now attempting to retreat with as many refugees as they could save. He grinned and said to himself "I'll avenge you my precious flower, these people will learn how this pain truly feels".

Butterfly Castle

Star dragged Marco through the portal to find they were in his room in Butterfly castle, this would have to do for now. She dragged his limp form to the bed and layed him down on it, trying her hardest to be careful with him. She then checked him to find he was fortunately still breathing. Sighing with relief she spoke into his ear "Marco, wake up...please wake up Marco". He didn't respond, causing Star to start panicking, she yelled out into the halls "Someone get me a doctor now!" with desperation in her voice. A guard ran down the hall as fast as he could towards the physicians quarters.

Star returned to Marco's side and gently ran her fingers through his hair, as she did so she examined the damage Helvete had done to him. The back of his neck was a deep blue from the bruising and his stomach had a perfectly circular bruise from where Helvete had slammed his fist into Marco to cause him to double over in pain. Small tears came to her eyes as she saw Marco's battered form, running down her cheeks as she lightly sobbed.

A couple of stray tears landed on Marco's face, he twitched as they landed and groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. Star smiled with joy as she saw Marco finally respond and yelled "Marco!" before cuddling herself into him. But drew back as she hear him hiss in pain from the hug. "Sorry, sorry I'm just...glad you're awake is all" she said shyly as he slowly and painfully sat upright.

"It's okay Star, but where is Helvete!?" He asked concerned as he looked about his room. Star placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and spoke soothingly "It's okay, the knights know what to do and Eclipsa is taking him on, she told me to bring you back here". Marco's eyes went wide with fear as Star said this.

"Star, Eclipsa won't be able to beat him, he's insanely strong, I've fought monsters and demons triple his size that didn't hit nearly as hard as that, and the worrying thing is I'm pretty sure he was holding back" He said, panic stricken as he fruitlessly attempted to get to his feet but Star stopped him.

"Marco stay down!" she said seriously "You're in no shape to fight him like that, please just, you need to recover..I can't lose you, so please just try to recover" she said as she lowered him down onto the bed again and placing a light kiss onto his lips.

As they parted Marco spoke lightly "Okay Star...but we've got to tell Queen Moon, have her fortify Mewni, just in case, please Star" Star nodded and stood up from the bed. "I'll go and tell mum, but you've got to promise to stay here okay? If you don't I won't forgive you!" she said with a serious tone towards her knight. He nodded and said calmly "Okay Star, for you I'll stay here, I promise". Star kissed Marco's forehead lightly and then strolled out of the door towards her mothers office.

Ponyhead Kingdom

Helvete stood upon the balcony of the remains of Ponyhead Castle, overlooking the now shattered and broken square which formed the centre of the city. The remaining residents and surrendered forces were hemmed into the square by his and the Lucitor armies. The citizens and wounded soldiers now looked up to their conqueror.

"Citizens of the Ponyhead Kingdom, It is my pleasure to tell you that this battle has now concluded, your soldiers fought well and are commended for their loyalty and efforts and I ask that you do not think ill of them, their surrender to our forces was not cowardice, it is simply acceptance that victory was impossible" He spoke as he gestured towards the dotted groups of wounded and bitter soldiers of both Ponyhead and Mewman armies that had been stripped of their weapons and forced into chains by their captors.

"Do not think of us as dictators or conquerors please, I wish for you to think of us as your liberators!" He announced to some sceptical muttering from the crowd, but noone dared speak up against him "For too long this kingdom has been ruled by spoiled brats and weak monarchs who have dragged your once prestigious heritage into the dirt, we have come to strip those individuals of their ill-earned titles and make you once again part of something bigger than yourselves" At this small sections of the crowd muttered again but the reaction was more mixed between those who thought he was a tyrant and those who questioned what he was saying, that it made..sense?

"We have come to form you into our new nation and raise you into the grand power that you were destined to be, that all of Mewni was destined to be!" He declared raising his fist into the air "Once we have liberated Mewni from the oppressors that halt her progress into the bright future, we shall build that future together, and all shall live in harmony and true happiness, I swear this to you as your new King, now will you join me!?".

The armies of Helios and the Luctiors rallied into cries of "Praise Helios" and to the surprise of much of the crowd, some of the citizens of the Ponyhead Kingdom had joined in with this cry, the rallying cry echoed off the shattered walls of the kingdom again and again, growing louder and more intense with each cheer as the crowd was slowly changed by it's zeal.

Helvete could only smile to himself in a sinister grin, "This is where it begins" he said to himself as he turned to return to the castle "Soon I shall hear these cries from all of Mewni, and those who dared to steal away everything I had shall be burned in the flames of revenge".

A/N: So the Ponyhead Kingdom falls and Helvete sets his sights on Mewni, with Eclipsa imprisoned and Star and Marco unable to compete with Helvete during the battle, can anything stop this tyrant? Until next time guys :)