Hey guys! The plot thickens...enjoy!
High in the distant Jaggy Mountains to the north, just beneath the snowline, a baby's cry pierced the cool autumn's night. The grating shriek bounced off the massive stone walls surrounding a tiny wooden crib, echoing until it left the temple. Bats fled the disturbance from their roosts in the surrounding forest, and grazing pig-goats swiveled their diminutive ears to listen. Wolves caught the melody and wove it into their haunting songs, picking up on the strains of loneliness and sorrow. Soon all of the Jaggy Mountains knew the wordless prophecy—that tonight everything would change forever. Above the mortal world, the Sister Stars glinted their harsh light like evil glares, confirming the ominous feelings with their indifferent silence.
Infants are said to cry only for a few reasons: for food, attention, or to communicate cry had its own timbre and register so a parent knew instantly what was on the mind of the child. But this cry was different—it was like an absolute wail. Like the sobs of a widow by the grave of her beloved or that of a warrior finding fallen brothers among ruins. The misery of the cry halted a pair of feet coming to the little one's aid. A concerned father listened, and his purple fur stood on end. There have been old tales of the sons of priests prophesying even from infancy, inspired by omens from the Father. Should I set up an offering? He gazed out the window but decided against it when he saw that the moon had hidden his face tonight. He wasn't accepting gifts.
It's fine, the priest assured himself and kept going, gently calling to his child, "I'm coming. I'm coming." While the Father might be uncaring and distant, a Monster father was only a room away. His voice quieted the baby with the promise of comforting coming soon. To his enemies, his roar was like thunder from a late summer storm, striking fear into the hearts of Mewman warriors, but to his daughter, the Prince of Darkness gentle and warm.
As he finally approached the crib, Globgor rubbed his groggy eyes. He had suffered from another night of dreamless, restless sleep. An old superstition claimed that if a priest stopped dreaming, then he was close to death since the Father always gave them visions. Globgor thought the proverb was hogwash, of course. He was just too exhausted from constant baby-rearing duties to imagine a dream world. His offspring required round-the-sundial care, which had to be performed at all hours of day and night. It reminded Globgor of the priest duties he had attended to as his father's apprentice. The spirits needed to be constantly appeased. I think the baby has them beat though, the Monster laughed. At least the Stump and Father Moon could actually feed blood sacrifices to themselves.
Leaning over the crib railing, Globgor was greeted by a pair of shining yellow eyes, wide like an owl's on a hunt. My Shooting Star, he purred and rubbed her fuzzy cheeks with his finger. His heavenly messenger. According to Eclipsa, all Butterfly Queens were named after celestial objects, and she was not about to abandon the tradition with their daughter. Although it was odd for the rebellious queen to hold onto such conventions, Globgor understood. His tribe had a similar requirement. Every priest received a name that incorporated their word for star—gor—in their names, hence Trigor and Globgor. Evening Star and Rising Star. So the couple, wanting to honor both traditions, gave their daughter a perfect name. Meteora. It also sounded like the Monster word for "meteor" or meethgora.
Meteora reached up with her little hands, signaling that she wanted to be held. "As you wish, my Princess," Globgor held her in his massive arms. "What's the matter tonight?" He had just fed her an hour ago and changed her diaper right afterward. All of her needs were met as far as he knew, but was there something he was forgetting? Ugh, I feel like a horrible father.
The baby pointed to a mural on the wall, which depicted Eclipsa holding her shortly after birth. Oh, her father sighed, his heart sinking in his chest like a stone.
If Eclipsa had given birth in the castle, Meteora would have been instantly killed, so the young couple made the choice to run away together. Officially, the Queen declared she was going on a solo quest, but secretly intended to never return to Mewni. In a perfect reality, the pair would have left the dimension altogether, but the baby had other plans and came early. Since they were out of options, the abandoned Jaggy Mountain Blood Moon temple provided the perfect place for the Princess of Mewni to be born one summer's night far from the prying eyes of the Butterfly castle and the war waging in the Southern Wilds. As two worlds clashed and fought, a baby was born destined to rule both. For a while, the tiny family adjusted to life in the mountain shrine. Eclipsa and Globgor did their best to create a welcoming nursery for their Meteora so she could have a home. While it lacked the splendor of the Butterfly castle or the familiarity of Globgor's ancestral town in the Musty Mountains, the parents did a good job. However, they should have known that peace doesn't last forever.
One day, messenger ravens flocked to the temple with messages from irate royals demanding Eclipsa return and rule them. At first, Eclipsa ignored them, but soon after, the birds delivered speculative tabloid covers claiming that the Queen of Mewni was hiding with her Monster lovechild. The fact the press knew about the secret was a massive shock to both her and Globgor. As far as they knew, the Mewmans had no knowledge of the affair or that the child she carried was not the King's. Regardless, a few days ago, Eclipsa received a summons she could not ignore from the Magic High Commission. Although Globgor begged her to stay with him, she left a few days ago, insisting this was the only way to keep Meteora safe.
"Stay here with her," Eclipsa had last said to him. "Promise me you'll stay hidden no matter what happens to me."
Her plea was the only thing preventing Globgor from charging into the Mewnian countryside to find his wife. So far, she had been gone for nearly a week, which was much longer than a casual meeting should have taken. Her absence made caring for Meteora difficult to manage and sickened his heart. Perhaps that was why he wasn't dreaming—sleeping wasn't the same without her by his side.
Sighing at the memory, Globgor kissed Meteora's head and rocked her gently in his arms, "Your mother will return to us soon." The words felt hollow on his tongue, but he put on a brave face nevertheless. Meteora needed him. He had to be strong.
"Alright, my Shooting Star," he walked over to the rocking chair in the corner. "I know it's hard, but let's focus on getting back to sleep. Okay? Promise daddy you'll spend the rest of the night sleeping?" So I can get some rest too.
Blinking, the baby made a happy gurgling sound, which he took as a "yes." Good, he rocked in the chair, humming a familiar tune in his chest like a purr. With the baby being about a month old, it was time to start passing on the knowledge of his people. There was a song priests sang to their sons in a language known only to them. It was said that it contained the history of the entire universe and the secrets that lay within.
The Spirits rose before the dawn
And breathed into the void with a song
Out of the dark, the light forth yawned
To create a world where we belong.
The next series of verses detailed how the Mother Sun and Father Moon gave birth to the stars and planets—Sisters and Brothers—and told them to support each other so life may exist. On one of the Brothers, the Holy Three created Monsters and gave them gifts to set them apart from animals. Among them were the ability to grow corn, creativity, and reason. Using their intelligence, the Monsters multiplied and spread across the planet, adapting to each environment they came in contact with. As their towns grew and their corn became sweeter, conflicts arose over land claims and power. The Spirits grew angry, allowing their horrible children to wreak havoc on the beautiful home for a little while. But as time went on and battles became large enough to wipe out cultures, the Spirits were forced to intervene or else their creation would die….
The blackest spell caused the ground to shake
Out from hell did daemons fly
In his wrath the cold Father wake
And his eye turned to blood in the sky.
Globgor stopped when he saw Meteora whimper in his arms. I was just about to get to the good part, he was bummed that he couldn't share the climax of the song, which held the secret origin of the Blood Moon, but he had plenty of time to finish the tale in the future. "Or do you," an ancient voice rasped in his soul.
Glancing up, a sight chilled Globgor's blood to ice. The moon, which wasn't there before, was pale red. Danger! Slowly, he got up and tucked Meteora in one arm while reaching for his sickle-sword with his right hand. His ears picked up footsteps in the temple. A lot of them too. Chainmail tinkled like little bells and swords clanged against battle armor. Suddenly, a whiff of scent confirmed the Monster's dreadful suspicion. Mewmans! And by the sounds of it, they were a part of the Queen's army. Dammit, and Seth isn't here yet! The Septarian was on the way with a legion of his best warriors to guard the temple, but they wouldn't arrive until tomorrow morning at best.
Please, Blood Moon, Globgor prayed. Please don't abandon my family again. The moon stared in complete apathy, sending a sharp feeling of dread into the priest's soul. "There's a passage behind this tapestry, King Shastacan!" A knight reported in Mewnian.
"Don't just stand there you boob!" A nasal voice barked. "Get in there and search!"
Globgor knew they were close, and he prepared himself to fight to protect the remaining part of his family. If the King of Mewni had found the secluded temple, then it meant Eclipsa was...gone. Only she and Seth knew how to get here. Tears streamed down the Monster's face, and it took everything within him not to wail in grief. His Eclipsa, the love of his life, was never returning, and those monsters took her away from him. I'll...make them pay, his mind snarled in pure wrath.
One last time, he kissed Meteora on the forehead and hid her in the inner sanctum underneath the family altar where sacrifices were lain. "Shh…," he urged his precious Shooting Star to sleep and be still. "You'll need to be quiet for a while, but don't worry. I can handle this until Uncle Seth arrives in the morning." He was about to walk away, but there was something else he had to say just in case the worst happened.
"Meteora," he crooned her name. "I want you to know that I love you and your mother more than anything. Should—" Globgor was choked up for a moment, "—Should anything happen tonight...I'll find you. I'll keep trying no matter what to find you, okay?"
The baby blinked. Under his breath, Globgor muttered a sleeping spell that should last long enough to keep her hidden. Taking one last look, the Monster picked up his weapon and went to face his mortal foes. A raven landed on the windowsill of the nursery, begging for food. "Mordred," Globgor let him perch on his finger while he spoke to him in cawing noises. "Tell Seth he's needed here immediately. The King has found us."
"Will do, my master," Mordred flew off into the night.
Globgor exited the nursery and was immediately met with the poised lances of a hundred battle-hardened knights, many of whom were Kingsguard. In the light of the Blood Moon, their otherwise blue armor was a hellish red and their metal weapons seemed like bloodstained fangs ready to devour innocent lives. How typical of them. None of the Magic High Commission were around, but their ugly toad of a king was. Globgor had only met Shastacan twice in person: once during his Prince's Ball and the second time at his wedding to Eclipsa. The pathetic loser thought it would be wicked fun to invite Globgor so he could gloat about how the queen was his now. Little did Shastacan know that the Monster already had claimed her first. I guess he's a bit pissed about that, Globgor couldn't help but chuckle seeing how frazzled the king appeared. Shastacan's usually neatly-arranged powdered wig was crooked and unraveling, and the makeup caked to his chubby face was flaking off.
"There he is!" Shastacan pointed to Globgor. "There's the beast who impregnated my wife!"
Laughing coldly, the Monster taunted in Mewnian, "It's cute you think that she was ever yours. Maybe legally, but her heart, body, and soul were always mine. She never loved you."
"Take that back!"
"What can I say?" Globgor shrugged. "The truth hurts. That's why the child she bore was mine and not yours. Plus, she always told me I did a better job than you." This is too fun. His bragging triggered an adrenaline rush. It served King Shastacan right for his part in carrying out executions of innocent Monsters.
Throwing an odd sort of temper tantrum, the little man took off his crown and hurled it out the ground in a blind fit. "I'm tired of you and your kind's existence!" He howled like a hurt dog. "No matter...I'm going to have my way! I did today, y'know. I've got that whore imprisoned in the castle. Once you and her horrible bastard are gone, I'll force her to bear me a proper heir if I have to. If not, hell, I'll adopt a damn peasant girl and make her Queen of Mewni. No Monster will ever inherit the Butterfly throne."
How dare you! Globgor waved his arm and sent a blast of dark magic at the knights, sweeping them away like nothing. Their lances snapped like toothpicks and some of the hapless warriors were impaled as they landed on the points. The rest of the knights quaked in fear, and a few of them even fled. Oh no, you don't, the priest uttered a spell to seal off any path of escape. Using another spell, he seized several knights and cast them against the far wall. It crumbled and buried the Mewmans in the rubble. More magical attacks followed, decimating the army.
"Sir," a wounded knight begged. "We have...to fall back. The Prince of Darkness is too strong."
"Get back out there and fight!" Shastacan shoved her aside, only to see the screaming knight sail through the air a moment later.
A particularly foolish knight, likely the Captain of the Kingsguard, rushed forward to attack with his broadsword but was met with immediate resistance. Globgor's curved blade ripped the sword out of his hand and he seized the man by the throat, slamming him head first into the ground. A sickening snap filled the temple.
"Shastacan…" Globgor growled, looming over the shaking little man. "You think you have it all because you're a Mewman king, but you're nothing—not even a little worm compared to me. You can't even defend yourself like a real man!" Using his blade, he trapped Shastacan against a wall. "Now, I'm going to end your pathetic existence and get my wife back."
He would have ended Shastacan's life right then and there if it weren't for a blast of fire magic searing the skin off of his shoulders. What the—? Globgor turned to see a Lucitor prince leading an army of demons behind him. It wasn't King Dante, but his younger brother, Prince Dagon. Unlike his older brother, Dagon was a staunch traditionalist, which made him way more popular among the royals of all kingdoms.
"Thank you, my prince," the king sighed in relief.
"Sorry it took so long," the Lucitor smirked. "We had to ensure my brother didn't meddle. Now, let me finish this for you, My King." An evil chant summoned a coffin around Globgor and bound it with thick chains. No! The darkness closed in on the panicked Monster, and he banged on the wood in futility. He couldn't die like this—not when Meteora needed him. Hot electricity baked the Monster inside of his prison, and the last thing he remembered was shrieking in pain….
"Globgor? Globgor!"
...Rough shaking woke the Monster up and the first thing he felt was searing pain raking every muscle of his body. Light slowly returned to his eyes, and he saw that he was still in the temple. The knights were gone, even the dead ones, and the sun was shining. Instead, Monster warriors searched through the rubble, muttering quick messages amongst themselves. Their eyes were full of dismay, and pity. It was almost like they were apologizing for something.
Flopping on his back and hissing in pain, Globgor spied Seth standing over him, still holding his blood-flecked weapon. The Septarian's leggings were torn by sword cuts and his white hair unkempt. Despite his exhausted expression, a smile crawled on his face when he saw his friend finally wake up, "There you are, priest boy. 'Fraid we lost ya too."
"Too?" The Monster echoed weakly. "What do you mean?"
The warriors paused and shared suspicious uneasy glances. Seth dropped his gaze and kicked a pebble on the ground while muttering curses. His reaction scared Globgor for he knew the general rarely showed this amount of emotion unless something truly horrible had happened…
Sighing once more, Seth motioned to his warriors that he wanted privacy and waited for them to leave before addressing the lingering question. Hesitating for a moment, the warrior finally said in a low voice, "We came as soon as we could, and pursued the savages as far as we could. Reckon we made about the boundary of the Forest of Certain Death chasing those curs. But…"
"But?" Anticipation made Globgor antsy.
"We were too late," Seth shook his head. "King Shitcan kidnapped your daughter—"
"—What!" Energy swept Globgor on his feet and his fur stood on end. No… This couldn't be so…
"Bubba, we think he's taken her to the Monster Reformation Camp run by St. Olga."
"No…" Whatever Seth said hardly registered in the grieving father's ears. They've taken my family away from me! His mind wailed and body trembled like a leaf in a gale. His father, his entire tribe, his wife, his daughter...all casualties in the evil clutches of the Mewmans. They destroyed everything they touched, everything they set their gaze upon. I'm going to find her...he vowed despite knowing that it would be a suicide mission. The Magic High Commission would likely kill him for storming the place, but he had to do something or die trying. I will find my family or way or another.
Seth continued to tap his shoulder, "Buddy? Globgor?"
"Globgor? Globgor!"
Huh? What? Where am I?! Covers and pillows flew off the bed in all directions as Globgor shot out of bed like a frightened cat. He landed on his feet in a perfect fighting stance, his fists glowing with magic. Where was St. Olga? Where was she keeping his precious daughter? Were the Magic High Commission laying an ambush for him? The haze over his mind made him hallucinate. He saw the drab, gray walls closing in as he ran deeper into the creepy fortress. He felt the cold floor under his feet and repairing wounds ripping as he ran. But he didn't care. All of his energy turned into adrenaline and surged in his limbs, spurring him onward.
"Globgor!"
Something caught his arm, and he shrieked in terror. The Solarian warriors were here too! Visions of the Trehelm Massacre crowded into his overstimulated headspace, and he heard screaming all around him as the camp burned...No one could defeat the hulking mutant soldiers created by the Queen. It was useless…
A loud slap connected to his cheek and knocked the horrifying visions away. He swiftly realized that the torture camp and battlefield were nowhere to be seen, and, finally, realized he was in the royal bedroom instead. However, Globgor was dismayed at the sight before him. It looked like a storm had torn through the place: books and cushions littered the floor like fallen leaves, furniture was broken, and there were fist-sized holes in the wall. D-did I do that…? The king blinked, absolutely stunned.
Among the painful realizations, Globgor now knew the hand resting on his bulging bicep was his wife's. Eclipsa had been woken by his fever dream and stared wide-eyed at the raging fit he had carried out. This was the first time he had ever seen her frightened. Even during the Prince's Ball or the time she saw him fight Mewmans as a warrior or saw the extent of dark magic, the queen had never been afraid. She trusted his ability and judgment through everything as he trusted her. She sees me as the Monster I am... He recoiled in deep shame, hiding his face in his hands.
"Globgor, honey," Eclipsa's eyes were wide in panic at his distress. "Please... I'm right here."
His utter mental exhaustion made Globgor drop to his knees and he wept. Fear of losing his family had gripped his very soul, and he lost it in front of his wife. Eclipsa's tender arms brought him in for a hug, and he felt silly like a scared child seeking his mother for comfort.
"There, there, my love," she stroked his fur gently. "We're all safe. Meteora is in her room, and my horrible ex-husband is long dead, praise corn."
"You heard that…?" The Monster weakly lifted his head.
Eclipsa giggled to ease the tension, "You were yelling in your sleep, love. Sir Hairy came in wondering what was wrong."
Dammit, the king muttered inwardly. How was he going to explain traumatic-memory fueled dreams to his Captain? Would his knight think their king was a lunatic? As if she could read his mind, Eclipsa comforted Globgor with a kiss. "Stop worrying, sweetheart. You know...you haven't been the same since we came back from Solas…"
Globgor averted his gaze and sighed. Not this again. Why did she constantly bring up that dark day? After three months of living in blissful ignorance within the castle walls as Eclipsa's king, his peaceful world came crashing down in Solas. There, he discovered how many of the Mewmans really felt about their new rulers. Eclipsa told him to put the event out of mind, but Globgor knew the day changed him. How could he trust Mewmans anymore despite how the new Queen of Mewni insisted that her kingdom was running strong?
"I'm f-fine," he sniffled. I'd rather not talk about it.
She read his facial expression and escorted Globgor back to bed, steering him around the mess on the floor. Gathering pillows and a few blankets, she tucked the two of them in bed, snuggling close to her husband. The gentle heartbeat thumping through her chest and how she cradled him was pleasantly soothing. Fear melted off of Globgor at last and he yawned. Giggling, Eclipsa rested her head on his chest, "Night, my king."
"Goodnight, Eclipsa," he purred.
Pink pre-dawn light weakly glowed in the eastern horizon, hiding low behind the greening hills and cottage houses as if fearing the day already. Dammit, Globgor peaked through his opening eyelids, feeling quite miserable after his terrible dream and the unrefreshing sleep. The Mother was waking, and he had failed to set up her offering. However, she was usually forgiving of an occasional transgression as long as a double portion was given the next day. Since that was the case, the king would simply order his chefs to prepare a fine loin of the freshest-caught boar for dinner so he could enjoy, then sacrifice in the morning. Knowing his matters with the spirit world were settled, the priest could roll away from the sun and continue to catch up on his rest. Sleep healed body and soul, the elders said, and Globgor needed plenty of it.
His troubled mind was eating at her serenity and affecting his family life. Never again did he want Eclipsa to worry over him like that. She needed to know her husband was alright so she could focus on her job as Queen of Mewni. How could she continue to help Monster-Mewman relations if she was busy worrying about his petty nightmares? As he snuggled deeper under the covers, Globgor noticed his royal wife had risen early, probably to shuffle around paperwork. It was her least favorite part of the job, but one that had to be done to ensure the kingdom and her remaining alliances ran smoothly. I'm just not thinking about Solas anymore, Globgor resolved the tension in his mind and began to drift off.
Suddenly, a flash of red filled his vision, and he opened his eyes. Who's there? He froze, quieting his breath to a slow crawl so he appeared still. Someone was in the room with him, the Blood Moon warned him, and this someone was not a friend. Should I get help? Globgor spied the alarm bell resting on the nightstand next to Star's crudely made Notebook of Spells, but part of the Monster was too terrified to reach for the device. Instead, his panicked brain searched for clues and thought over a million plans of action depending on the outcome of his survey. So far, his attuned ears heard nothing but a faint breeze from the window. But Eclipsa sleeps with them closed…
In a quick motion, Globgor shot up in bed and reached for the sickle-sword under his bed, pulling it up in defense. "Who are you? Show yourself!" He challenged, swinging his head around to see who dared to lurk in the shadows of the room.
At first, there was silence but a knife slicing a chunk off his ear as it whizzed through the air. It lodged into the headrest behind him, and Globgor gritted his teeth. Anger gave him energy, causing the Monster to roll out of bed and blindly slash the blade, hoping to injure something. However, it hit nothing. The swoosh mocking how soft the old warrior had become.
"Wow... and I thought size-shifters were better fighters than this," sneered a shrill voice from the darkness. Stepping forward, the villain revealed herself to be a thin woman with dirty lavender hair kept in loose buns on the side of her head. She wore ancient-looking armor, dating back to the days of Solaria, and had a deranged glint in her good minty-green eye—the other hidden under an eyepatch. A proud smirk emerged on her smudged face, as she leaned against the wall of the royal bedroom. "Hello, Prince of Darkness, my old friend. I've come to end your life again."
Her witty phrase was lost on the Monster, but her face wasn't. Deranged green eye. He was in the town of Trehelm then during the time the Monsters had captured the town. It was amazing to see how much the Mewman changed since they stole the land a few generations ago. Many of the beautiful temples and buildings, painted a rich gold in dedication to the Mother, were destroyed and had typical Mewman cottages built in their place. They looked like toadstools growing out the dead corpses of crumbled yellow bricks. While the Mewmans seemed proud of the recreated quaint town, the Monsters lamented how their sacred spaces and homes were gone forever. For a while, however, it seemed like they could keep the town out of Mewman hands, giving the rightful owners of the town a chance to clean up and rebuild. But those hopes were quickly dashed when Seth's generals received word of the vile Queen creating an unstoppable army out of the local peasant population. At first, Globgor scoffed at the idea. What ruler would trick her people into becoming mad science projects? Would anyone stoop so low? Then one day, the Monsters met her.
Mina Loveberry. Patient Zero. The Queen's Finest. Solaria tested her twisted transformative magic on the naive villager, using her as a guinea pig in order to perfect the magical technique needed to change lowly peasants to elite super warriors. Mina and "the Chosen," as Butterfly-leaning propaganda dubbed them, were given the strength of ten thousand and magical powers that put the Monster's best sorcerers to shame. They were unstoppable, undefeatable machines who never tired or grew weary from bloodshed. Monster armies were wiped out in mere minutes, forcing Globgor, Seth, and the remaining fighters into a hasty retreat. Yet Solaria's experiments had a costly side effect: her warriors were mentally unstable. After the Battle of Trehelm, reports of Solarian warriors going rogue or having serious mental breakdowns filled the news. Because of the danger they posed, many were "decommissioned" but there were rumors of some escaping.
"How did you get in here?" Globgor bared his fangs. The Kingsguard was an absolutely ironclad group of guards who let nothing pass them, not even a breeze.
Mina shrugged, holding up a collection of bloodied mail shirts, "No cruddy Monster can beat Mewni's bestest warrior." They jingled as they crashed to the ground in a heap. "Y'know, I was snooping around Solas after months of hiding in the Mewnian wilderness, and I heard something mighty interesting: Monster Lovin' Eclipsa and her boo are runnin' the joint instead of Mud Sister and Earth kid. How curious, eh? The doc tol' me I needed to check out this little rumor, leadin' me this way."
Ignoring the derision in her tone, Globgor straightened and tried to stand as tall as possible, "That's right. I'm King of Mewni. Got a problem with it, then leave."
"Ha!" Mina smirked. "Things were bad enough when Star married a human and tried to give you stupid Monsters rights! Ain't no way over my dead body I'm lettin' you run this kingdom. Now, prepare to take the longest nap of your life!"
That's what you think, Globgor reached for the bell, only to have a knife knock it off the nightstand and under the bed. Shit! He didn't have time to search for it so he would have to fight. A torrent of knives sliced through the air, and a shield of black magic prevented them from hitting Globgor's body. Using the break to think, he canceled the barrier when Mina ran out of projectiles and lunged into action. He brought his blade down in a sweeping mark, only to have it meet Mina's short sword blocking his attack. They exchanged blows, trying to best the other while fending off the rival blade. Sweat poured down Globgor's face as he deeply concentrated on avoiding death. I'm so out of shape, he huffed.
Unfortunately for him, Mina was in peak condition. In a fluid motion, her sword sliced through the sliver of handle sitting above the Monster's grip, sending the sickle blade clattering to the ground. Oh...crud, defenseless, Globgor ducked the next oncoming slashes and rolled far enough away to blast magic at his attacker. Purple bolts exploded when they crashed into the floor or furniture. Shockwaves rocked the castle, but the blasts did not affect Mina in the slightest. She shrugged off the magic as if it were minor inconveniences. "Tis but a scratch!" The warrior gloated, wiping the dust off her mail skirt. "I'd thought you'd put up more of a fight, bub. I'm not even in my final form yet!"
With a cocky smirk on her face, Mina cracked her knuckles and summoned transformative magic into her veins. Bulging muscles rippled to life and she hovered in the air like a vulture ready to descend on dead prey. But what scared Globgor the most were her glowing fists—hands that have killed thousands of Monsters and torn down villages. Patient Zero was the most lethal weapon in Solaria's army, and Globgor was about to again see why.
Scrambling for cover in a wardrobe, he just missed the torrent of blue flames swirling in his direction. "Come on out, you filthy beastie!" Snarled Mina as she sent another blast which completely obliterated the wooden shelter around Globgor. However, the Monster was ready to fight. He connected a glowing punch to Mina, knocking her several walls of the castle. Before she could recover, Globgor pounced and body slammed the enemy through a couple of stories. Blood seeped from under her eyepatch and the scratches on her body. Finally, the odds were shifting out of her favor.
"Thunder Strike!" Black clouds swirled just under the ceiling and a clash of lightning struck Mina. I should be able to finish this...Globgor was about to summon another spell when he felt a hand grip his throat. In a heartbeat, the king found himself scrambling to hold onto a narrow ledge. A hundred-foot drop was the only thing that separated him from the hard ground and death. Shards of glass from the broken window pelted Globgor like sharp hailstones, slashing at the sensitive skin on his face, but he was still determined to win.
He charged up the side of the building and stormed into the room. The taunting in Mina's good eye boiled his blood. Globgor had had enough of these horrible Mewmans. This ended here. "Darkest Night!" He snarled, clapping his hands together.
All of the light in the room disappeared, as Globgor banished the place to a dark dimension. The blackness was thicker than blood, seeping into the very souls of the combatants in the room. Mina started to scream in panic, however, the Monster was in control and not afraid. He followed the faint string of Fate to his enemy and unleashed another powerful attack. Called Twilight Terror, the spell involved concentrating dark magic into razor-sharp points which skewered anything in the way. Pained cries told Globgor the attack had hit like planned.
He canceled both spells and stood back to admire his handiwork. Mina was covered in bleeding gashes, laying limp on the ground as if dead. Have I finally won? Globgor prodded the body in front of him with his foot.
Suddenly, a hand snatched him, and Mina slowly rose to her feet. Her grip tightened around Globgor's neck, blocking the passage of precious air. He coughed and sputtered, feebly thrashing in a futile attempt to escape. "H…help," his weak voice rasped as his vision dotted.
"Too late," Mina laughed wickedly, "I win!"
Blood flooded his mouth, and Globgor knew this was it. He couldn't fight. He couldn't call for help. Goodbye Eclipsa and Meteora…I love you dearly, he was prepared to release his spirit. As his soul loosened in his body, he heard faint chanting behind Mina.
"...to blackest night, I pledge my soul…" He heard his wife's voice.
Eclipsa? All of a sudden, the pressure around his neck subsided. Mina was gone. Only a puff of a butterfly-shaped cloud remained where she had been. Glowing spades dimmed and Eclipsa wiped away tears with her blackening arms. "I... I," she sniffled. "Had to do it. A-are you alright, sweetie?"
Seth was right...Globgor shook. He was absolutely right. The Mewmans were going to take his family away from him again. They were out to get him…
Globgor was vaguely aware of Eclipsa calling his name as his legs carried him on autopilot out of the castle, through the town, and into the woods. He had no idea where he was going except something in his soul spurred him onward, deeper into the wild. At last, he slowed to a halt in a thick part of the Forest of Certain Death when his legs and lungs gave out. Collapsing to the ground, he vomited and sobbed, holding his knees in despair. What on Mewni had happened? Why had Globgor lost his mind? Was his family going to be safe? Above him, ravens croaked as if mocking the king.
"Done with your pity party, hoss?" He turned to see Seth hover in front of him, rapping his sword against a tree trunk. "I think you know what must be done...what's it gonna be?" On Globgor's tongue, the destiny of Mewni weighed like lead.
An oppressive hush hung over the library like a heavy fog, choking the lives out of the captives studying below. Colleges are known for many things—cheap alcohol, raucous parties, and tons of junk food—but academics formed the heart of all life. Except for the greatest slackers, every student spent at least part of each day at the hallowed library, even if it is to snag a cup of coffee or drop homework off to a classmate. In many ways, the space was like some sort of temple to learning, socializing, and procrastination. Lots of procrastination. Despite classes, parties, and trying to sleep, papers were an unfortunate and unsavory part of college that bound all students to stress and anxiety. No one could escape its clutches. Not even a certain blonde hopelessly staring at a blank word document on her laptop.
Stupid essay, Jackie slumped in her uncomfortable wooden chair, groaning when the cold backrest scraped against her thin tank top. So far, her ten-page paper on British Romanticism only had a header with her name. This was torture of the highest degree. Literary movements were alien to the girl, but her university required her to take gen ed courses out of her major, including an English one. If only that history course didn't fill up...but it wasn't all bad. While Jackie didn't give a shit about the effects of the Industrial Revolution on poetry, she was able to share the experience with her best friend. She and Janna hadn't had a single class together since high school and being with her made the suffering worth it.
Across from Jackie, the Princess of the Underworld seemed buried behind a wall of thick books. The ones from the course were opened and the pages were dog-eared and heavily annotated in Demon to discourage copiers. Right now, they lay unused. Instead, Janna had her attention focused on a giant book written in Mewnian, which was hard for Jackie to read. Even after years of listening and speaking the language, her literacy skills were lacking. Was Janna reading a book called, The Book of the Heavenly Ale or The Tome of the Red Sun? Blood Moon? Divine Fate? Depending on the dialect, any combination of those translations was possible.
Sighing, the girl rested her head on the table. Thinking about Mewni made her head hurt and her heart ache. A few months ago, life was turned upside down when Eclipsa, the evil queen who tried to take over the kingdom years ago, came back with Meteora and her Monster Husband. She expelled Star and Marco, then barred anyone who had closely allied with them from visiting the Butterfly castle unless they were royals. She had to keep them along for the sake of the alliance. In truth, Jackie didn't need an official order to stay away from Mewni. Her only reason to return were gone forever without a trace...a sobering, depressing thought. The thought of never seeing Star, Marco, and the twins again was devastating.
To distract herself from the crushing realization, Jackie devoted herself a hundred-and-twenty percent to schoolwork. It sharpened the mind and lessened the blow. Plus, this was her element, unlike Mewni. Was there a place for an ordinary human in another dimension? Marco and Janna were married to superhuman royalty and had skills that gave them major advantages. After all these years, Jackie was still...Jackie. She had no magic or powers. Watching Janna magically flip the pages of several books while leaning back casually in her seat made Jackie slightly jealous. If only I could do something that cool…
Janna happened to look up and lock eyes with her Earth friend, "Something up?"
"Nothing," Jackie sighed, choosing to leave the real matter unanswered. "Just frustrated over this dumb paper. Got ideas for it but can't figure out how to word them." Her excuse was partly true. Analytical essay writing wasn't her strong suit. She could crank out lab reports with no problems, but her English professor wanted a paper on symbolism in Moby Dick. Did it matter if the white whale represented anything? Did it represent anything at all?
"Ah," her companion nodded. "I'm already done." She moved the laptop around and smirked seeing how dumbfounded Jackie was. How on Earth had the girl typed a full ten-page paper in an hour?
As if she could read Jackie's thoughts, she answered, "There's a spell for that. It transmits your thoughts onto the paper in words of any language. All I have to do is check for grammar and rearrange things." Leave it to Janna to find a clever spell like that.
"Isn't that cheating?" Jackie lifted an eyebrow.
"Nope. It's still my words," Janna shrugged. "Working smarter not harder. Y'know, I can teach you how to do it. She's a real lifesaver."
"I dunno."
"Why? It's simple."
"Yeah...but… I'm just a human."
"So."
"Janna, I don't have any magical abilities," Jackie sighed bitterly. Part of her wondered if Janna had set the scenario up to probe her true thoughts.
"Neither do I," the princess countered. "You think I'm like Tom or Star? Nah, I just studied hard. For the most part, demon magic doesn't require a fancy bloodline—except for the truly hard spells, although I can probably do them now since I'm married to a Lucitor. Long story about how that works."
"Oh." Was magic really that simple? Marco talked about having his soul magically bound to Star, which allowed him to use her spells and create his own. Jackie had assumed it was like that for everyone.
Laughing softly, Janna placed a hand on Jackie, arranging her fingers in a certain way. "Just like that," she noted. "Also, when you make gestures, it's all wrist. Don't change your fingers at all or you'll create a blinding curse."
"O-okay…" the girl breathed cautiously. If it was so dangerous, should they be doing this in a library on Earth? Yet the other part of Jackie was elated. She was going to learn real magic—like the stuff her other friends could use.
"Now," Janna instructed. "Say urtham durr—I think it literally means 'mind write' or something in Old Demon. Tom would know."
Still skeptical, Jackie exhaled slowly and gathered her thoughts on the novel to be instantly projected on the laptop. Once they were in order, she flicked her wrists and uttered the magic words. A sharp sensation of intense heat shot through her veins and nearly made Jackie yelp in surprise. Dark blue light appeared around her limber digits and the laptop, subsiding in an instant. Wow...to her complete shock, the spell had worked. All ten pages were filled with intelligible words, even down to the citations. "That was amazing!" She cheered in triumph. "I had no idea I could do something like this…"
"Magic comes from exposure to powerful sources," Janna leaned back and crossed her arms in a sense of pride. "You and I have been tagging around enough seriously powerful creatures to be able to do a few tricks."
"Yeah…," Jackie balled her fist, trying to flex away the painful emotions of losing Star and Marco. Both of them would have been so proud.
Yet there was no time to dwell on the past for a pair of ravens flew through the propped open next to another table. The students ducked and screamed, covering their belongings to avoid potential bird droppings. Other people studying in the same section stared or took pictures to share to friends. Meanwhile, Janna simply folded her arms and smirked, "Had a feeling today would be the day."
"What?" Jackie questioned the rather cryptic words.
The ravens turned toward the dark-haired girl and landed on her shoulders with Janna hardly reacting at all. This can't get weirder than this, Jackie simply blinked. Of course, she should have known better. She was friends with Princess Janna Ordonia-Lucitor...nothing was beyond her. Not even turning her head and cawing to one of the ravens.
"A-are you okay?" Jackie shakily reached for her phone. "Should I call Tom?"
"Nah," Janna shook her head. "Just business to attend to. These are my messenger ravens, Huginn and Muninn—well I share them with this cool Monster from the Southern Wilds."
"Southern Wilds as in Mewni?"
"Bingo. They tell me everything and help me keep contact with my expanding network of freedom fighters."
"What are you talking about?" Networks? Freedom Fighters? The Southern Wilds? While Janna had always been an oddball ever since Jackie met her in preschool, none of what she said made sense. Why would she need any of these things on Mewni?
One of the ravens hopped off of Janna and fluttered over to her confused partner, landing on the top of her laptop so it could look her dead in the eyes. Uhh? Jackie scooted to avoid its dark gaze but felt drawn in. Greetings, the raven cawed telepathically. I am Muninn the memory messenger.
"J-Janna…"
The princess was busy feeding lunch meat to the other bird, "That's natural. Trust the process."
My mate is more of the talker,Muninn confessed, But my job is far more important than his. I carry what I see and transmit it directly to those who send me. Now, I don't usually do this, but I see you are the princess's friend and a friend of our Queen.
"Eclipsa?" Jackie tilted her head.
Our true Queen
Suddenly, Jackie was in the middle of the Forest of Certain on a moonless night. It was quiet, too quiet. Even the usual hum of tree frogs, crickets, and other creepy-crawlies were bizarrely missing. Why am I here? Jackie wondered. She reached down and noticed how her hand faded when it contacted the ground as if she were a ghost. Weirded out, she would have screamed if not for the two figures speaking nearby. Would they have heard her? Jackie wasn't about to find out, but she did creep forward to hear the exchange.
"Globgor," the lizardman hissed the name of the new King of Mewni. "Do you swear you'll finish the mission this time?"
Flicking his tail, the Monster considered the idea for a long moment, his eyes narrowed to slits. Exhaling audibly, Globgor lifted his head to meet the eyes of the phantom before him, "I do. I swear it with my life's blood that I will not rest until every Mewman is killed. I have to do this to protect those I love."
The other Monster placed a glowing hand on his shoulder, "Good, I'm glad you finally see what must be done. Now, we all we've gotta do is find the Blood Moon pair and open the portal. Our time has come, coz. We'll kill those dogs all of 'em."
"So help us, the spirits," Globgor nodded. "I'll start gathering us an army, many of the Monsters are fed up too."
"Excellent. Then find the Blood Moon pair soon afterward. They're the key."
See and approve this memory, valiant knight of Mewni.
At the sound of Muninn's voice dissolved the vision, bringing a terrified Jackie back to reality in the library. Her friends were in danger, even Star and Marco despite being God-knows-where. In fact, Echo Creek could easily end up on the hit list due to their alliance with the Butterflys...the thought of a magical Monster army rampaging the streets against defenseless humans was horrifying and sobering. Perhaps the worst travesty though was the fact that Monster-Mewman relations had eroded so much since Star left. A naive part of Jackie thought Eclipsa and Globgor could unite the two groups after centuries of one-sided conquest, genocide, and unfair treatment. Clearly, things were at a boiling point now.
Are you okay, fair knight? Muninn gently tapped the human with her beak.
"W-wait...how'd you know about that?" She hadn't thought about her training since the fateful day because what use did she have for her knight skills on Earth? Being able to wield a sword, run several miles in heavy metal armor, and ride giant black horses weren't transferable job skills to put on a resume.
I read all memories. I know you're scared but take courage! You and the Princess will help free Mewni from this threat.
"But I'm just a human…" Jackie dropped her gaze.
Muninn landed on her shoulder and rubbed her face against Jackie's cheek. Ravens were surprisingly soft with feathers as cool and sleek as a night breeze. I believe in you, Jackie-Lynn Thomas. I know you can do it. Who knew a silly bird could give comforting mental words? If war was on the horizon, then it was time to get her hands dirty. Plus, Jackie missed the feeling of her war ax twisting in her hands.
With courage welling in her veins, Jackie turned to Janna and asked, "So what's the plan, my princess?" Knowing her, it was likely there was a plan in the works already.
"I've been on it," Janna replied. "First, I've got tabs on Star and Marco—"
"—How?!"
"I was getting to that, sheesh," she held up her hands. "Remember that inn we went to that time we had to find our star-crossed couple?" When Jackie nodded, she added, "Let's just say, Star and Marco aren't totally original. Don't worry, they should be safe down there until we can get ourselves a resistance army."
"And how are we going to do that?" Jackie was puzzled. She was answered with a face full of a black cloak, edged with a turquoise hem. Before she could question anything, she noticed Janna was clad in an identical one with purple accents. Should I ask? The blonde stared at the dark attire but decided that questioning anything Janna did would give her a headache. Her methods were as unknown as the mysteries of the Blood Moon.
"With some diplomacy," Janna winked. "C'mon, we're going on a little field trip."
Two crescent moons like claws sailed high in the night sky over a barren part of northern Mewni. Everything was brown: the dried grass, the dusty ground, and the stony hills. All seemed devoid of life aside from a few withered cacti and wiry tumbleweeds that bounced along in the wind. They looked like vegetative hairballs left on a rug by a giant, cranky cat. Every once in a while, the brittle weeds would collide with something, catching small animals and bugs to carry off into the night. In the distance, coyotes yipped and sang their boasts to the empty landscape that they were the rulers of the wasteland. Rabbits, mice, and scorpions heard and fled for cover in the thin brush. Owls, foxes, and desert gryphons rolled their eyes in jest. They knew the wily dogs were no match against real hunters like them, and their point was proven when the coyotes fled from the vicious snarl of a dragoncycle zooming down the pale road in the night.
A pair of yellow eyes glowed like miniature suns, cutting through the darkness and scattering any creatures in the way. On her back, two cloaked figures held onto each other and the pair of deep olive horns that swept into natural handles. The one driving the beast twisted her grip and the dragoncycle unleashed a fiery roar. It was thrilling! On Earth, Jackie's driving experience had been limited to her hand-me-down sports car. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine how much she would enjoy riding a motorcycle-dragon hybrid. I have to find a way to borrow Nachos from Marco in the future, she urged dragoncycle to perform a wheelie. Nachos obeyed, rearing on her spiky wheel and spreading her wings.
"Woohoo!" Jackie cheered. "That's my girl! You're right, Janna, I'm having a blast."
"Told ya," the princess tightened her grip around Jackie as Nachos returned to the ground, her dangling number tag clinging against her scaly chest. Who knew Mr. Safe Kid was daring enough to own such a wicked ride? He mentioned something about spending sixteen years in the dimension of the fiery Hekapoo, but the details were fuzzy. Maybe I need to pay ol' H-poo a visit one day.
The joyride ended at a bar that appeared out of nowhere. Called the Dragon Spit, the building looked like a cross between a Viking boat ride at the fair and a saloon from a western. Broken wagon spokes and flat tires littered the ground with empty crushed beer cans. Stacks of hay lay on the ground for parked dragoncycles to sleep in while their riders were turning their livers black. After getting Nachos settled, the two girls drifted into the bar and were greeted with the rank smell of desperation and perspiration. Tough-looking bikers swarmed around bar tables, settling scores and scarfing down drinks. Jackie noted that they suspiciously looked like the figures on the wanted posters plastered to the walls, promising monetary rewards for information. Yelling and the sounds of glass breaking overpowered the faint rock music playing in the background to create a badass ambiance. On first glance, there didn't seem like a reason to be here unless Janna wanted an excuse to get trashed. Knowing her, there was likely a bigger plan in the works and the desire for a drink at play.
The cunning princess led Jackie to the bar, shoving right through the patrons sitting on rickety stools. The bartender appeared and eyed the cloaked girls. "Women of the night, eh? What can I fix ya?" He was a young Monster, about Janna and Jackie's age, covered in tattoos that seemed like scars on his fur.
"I'll take a cosmo," Jackie replied. She wasn't feeling anything super strong today.
"Gimme your strongest vodka," Janna leaned against the counter. "Oh, and I'm looking for someone. Heard this was a good place to look for people."
"Ah…" he slid the drinks to the new customers. " Tis be true. All the rejects of the universe find their way here eventually. Who are you looking for? An ex-lover? A mercenary?"
"Neither. At least today," Janna shook her head. "I'm here for info on the ex-Captain of the Mewni Kingsguard."
The Monster sighed and shook his head, "You mean the Weepin' Redhead? She's over there like she is every night."
In a far-off corner, the girls saw the most pathetic sight in the universe, a drunken Higgs surrounded by a heap of empty glass beer mugs. Among the sticky mess of spilled foam and stale crumbs, the former Captain of the Kingsguard was truly a shadow of her old self. Gone was the cocky, confident warrior who used to commander her knights with authority. Instead, Higgs was dirty, her hair unkempt, and the chain mail shirt she wore above her civilian clothes was full of holes. The saddest features on the old knight were her bleary green eyes, dulled with pain and numbed with alcohol. A crowd of bikers and other rift-rafts egged Higgs to drink more and more, offering another platter of freshly-poured beer. A drunken smile lit up her reddened face as she snatched a mug to drink. "Kee' 'er comin', I have all night." Her speech was practically unintelligible.
"Tell us a story, Higgsy!" A Monster shouted at her.
After two beers, the knight sighed, tossing one of the glasses over her shoulder, "Aight, good patron. I'll spin us a 'arn. Y'see, I used to be Cap'n of the Kingsgar. A mighty one at that. Descendant of Helgi the Red, who was champion of the First Queen...but, loo' at me now. I'm a nothin'. A nobody. An' you wanna know why?" Her eyes began to water.
"Here we go again," one of the Monsters snickered to Jackie, who stood next to him.
"But that's not what hurts th' most," Higgs wept without even answering the requests to say what had happened. "I don' care that I've got no job or that Eclipsa is Queen...well I do care. What hurts the most is that is that I lost my best friend." She drank and wiped the tears from her eyes with her arm, "Used to hate his guts, Marco Diaz. I 'member when I first met him—a pampered squire who couldn't polish armor or saddle a horse because he was in with the princess. I still think he was lying about not being her boyfriend...never saw Star love Tom like that."
Here we go, Jackie sipped on her drink to hide her amusement. She had been to many parties on campus to know that drunken words are sober feelings.
"An' y'know what," Higgs continued to slur. "Stupid Earth kid… he and I didn't get along 'til much later. We used to hate each other's guts but now...I love the guy, okay. Not in a romantic way 'cuz I ain't a damn homewrecker—the guy's got a wife and two kids. I respect that. I mean platonically. He's the only person that puts up with me and appreciates my rough exterior."
"Wow…" Janna and Jackie mouthed to one another.
"What does it matter tho'," she sighed bitterly. "He's gone and ain't never comin' back." Higgs slumped into her chair, a signal that she wanted to be alone. Wisely, the Monsters obeyed, leaving Jackie and Janna alone with a sad, intoxicated knight.
"Sooo…" Jackie glanced at Janna. "How are we—?"
A thud answered her question before the blonde asked. Higgs passed out on the floor at her feet, snoring loudly like a hibernating bear. The grief and the alcohol had worn her out. Rolling her eyes, Janna motioned for Jackie to help support Higgs so they could carry her away. When the barkeeper raised an eyebrow, Janna spoke, "We're her friends."
Nodding, the Monster sighed, "Yeah...you better clean her up. Also, who's paying for the beer? She just drinks but never has the money."
"Put it on my father-in-law's tab," she dramatically flipped her hood revealing her face. Monsters gasped, reaching for napkins too capture her signature, but the elusive princess had already disappeared into a portal with her knight and drunken friend.
Where the fuck am I…? Higgs's crusty eyes weakly blinked opened. Blurry shapes and colors shifted then coalesced into familiar objects: a chair, a bedside table, a few bookshelves, and a door. Judging by the quality and craftsmanship, she wasn't in the motel room she rented with the last of her savings. That place was a dump. On the outskirts of town and located next to stinking pig sties, it remained the only place an unemployed knight could afford. Also, where was the Dragon Spit? Her last memories of the previous night included lots and lots of cheap beer and Monsters, all of which were gone. Had some stupid guy brought her home? Over my dead body, Higgs ripped the covers off her body, but grit her teeth when the cold air and fullness of the light hit her. "Fucking hell!" She hissed, holding her head.
Vomit rose in her throat, but she choked it down, nearly gagging again on the sensation. When did the Captain of the Kingsguard become so useless? The thought haunted her head and brought her spirits down. She was the badass descendent of Helgi the Red, who inherited his sword passed through the generations from father to son. She fended off almost an entire Highwaymen and her traitor colleagues all alone. How far had she fallen...now a lame ass drunkard who spent her nights blabbering about nonsense and waking up in strange rooms. Helgi would be bitterly disappointed that the lineage had declined so much.
After letting her sickened body recuperate, Higgs tried her best to remember who was around her last night. Any cute guys or half-decent men? Nope. Other details emerged around Higgs, solving her mystery. There were lava tubes running through the red walls and a picture of Prince Thomas on the wall...wearing a speedo on a beach. Okay...she averted her gaze. So, she was in the Underworld, nice. On the table next to the bed, a note lay next to pain pills and a glass of water. "You'll need these," purple handwriting said. "They come from Earth but should work on a Mewman. Meet us in the throne room when you're ready—Janna, Princess of Literal Hell."
"Sure thing, my princess," she swallowed the foreign pills and rested until they kicked in several minutes later. Much better, Higgs stretched. Before she left the room, she discovered a door leading to a bathroom and could not resist taking a hot shower—the first in months. Soap felt amazing after being without for so long, and Higgs watched dark, soiled water swirl down the drain. Maybe the pigs weren't the only thing that stunk in that old motel, she patted herself down with a towel, taking off the remaining dirt.
Sufficiently cleaned and dressed, Higgs spied a sight that put a huge grin on her face. Warfang leaned against the foot of the bed, practically gleaming. "No way…" she hugged the weapon close, crying a bit. A knight and her sword were an inseparable pair and being forced away from her "Fangy" was as difficult as losing Marco. Being united at last felt so good. With her sword on her hip, she departed for the throne room of the Lucitor castle. Of course, the visitor got lost momentarily, but she remembered if she could find the front of the castle and worked her way down, she would eventually run into it.
A solid obsidian door with fancy carvings proved her point. The pictures portrayed the Lucitor crest in the middle with battle scenes bordered around it, which Higgs instantly recognized as the great Lucitor-Demon war. Although the details of the war were lost to time, basically, a family of warlocks appeared in the Underworld eons ago and subdued all races of demons, goblins, and skeletons then united them under one Lucitor rule. Guess we Mewmans aren't the only ones with a problematic origin story, she studied how the First King, a practically mythical creature, grinned while watching his goblin victims burn.
Higgs opened the door and walked into a cavernous room full of lava accent features, massive thrones, and a three-headed dog who eyed her with interest. In the midst of the grandeur was a small wooden table and three figures staring at a map. Shoulda known, the knight rolled her eyes seeing two of her old trainees with the princess. "What did I miss?" Higgs called out in greeting.
"Nothing much, sir," Kelly bowed, putting a faint smile on Higgs's lips. "Just got here myself, and we're chatting."
"By the looks of the map, I think about warfare," guessed the Captain. Her element. "Who are we killing this time? More Highwaymen?"
Princess Janna shook her head, "Bigger. Found out the King of Mewni has plans to destroy all of Mewni and make it a world for Monsters only."
Higgs let out a low whistle—that was unexpected news and a lot to take in. She was filled in on the details, and she rubbed her chin considering options. "So, any guesses on the size of an army?" She asked.
"Not yet," Jackie answered. "Depends on how many Monsters join in."
"And the Great Horde," Janna chimed in.
Jackie, Kelly, and Higgs glanced at one another, "The Great What?"
With a snap of her fingers, Janna produced a fragment of a tattered tapestry showing an image that made even Higgs gulp. It portrayed a Monster breathing fire full of flying creatures descending from the sky. Usually, tapestries exaggerated a few details, but Higgs felt very uneasy. Something told her that the weaver was being honest. King Globgor was going to barbeque her home and serve it to these evil creatures.
"I'm too sober for this," Higgs shook her head at the news. Maybe she was hallucinating from her migraine, but a quick pinch to her arm dispelled that notion. Reality is a bitch. "Welp, before I give you a verdict on how majorly fucked we are, what's at our disposal?"
"The Lucitors have a secret alliance with the Johansen and Pigeon Kingdoms," Janna pointed to the seals on the map. "Between them, we could muster twenty thousand capable warriors."
"Figuring we'll need more than that," Higgs couldn't take her eyes off the image. "No offense to these kingdoms, but this shit looks like deep magic. Barbarians and birds won't cut it."
"We have other allies within the other kingdoms. I'm sure the young royals will stand with us and bring some people over. We also have some Lucitors and some Monsters."
"'Kay," Higgs nodded. "I'm guessing fifty thousand hopefully with some magic users. Looking kinda better...but, my princess, I'm worried. One, who the hell's going to lead that, and, two, we're looking at a lot of groups to bring under one idea. That's hard to do within a kingdom. We're gonna need a rallying point. We need—"
"—A Queen." The girls turned to see Prince Thomas stroll towards them, holding Prince Dante in his arms. Higgs melted at the sight of one of her adopted charges and her mind instantly went to Orion and Andromeda. How were her godchildren doing in all of this? Did they miss her? Focus! Her mind chided herself.
Tom sat Dante on the table then paced while he spoke, "We need a real figurehead. Someone everybody will listen to. If I were King of the Underworld, I could do it, but Starship's the only one who has a legal right to kill Eclipsa and Meteora. She's the only one who can unite Mewni."
"That shouldn't be a biggie," his wife nodded in agreement while tickling Dante's tail. The princeling grin, showing off budding fangs to his parents and aunts. Higgs couldn't resist showering the Lucitor with attention and affection. Babies were hard to resist.
"I agree," said Jackie. "Star will come running at any opportunity to kick ass. Now, back to this army. We need some serious organization here. Someone who can boss people around and get shit done… Hmmm…" Everyone, even the dog, stared at a certain somebody in the room.
An entire army? For me? The Captain straightened up, resting a hand on Warfang. Such an honor was only awarded to the most trustworthy and battle-tested warrior on Mewni, the ones remembered in history forever. Higgs was now in the same league of legends like her ancestor. I won't let you down! Answering the call, the knight dipped her head in gratitude, "It is an honor to be called to this role, my Prince and Princess."
The Prince of the Underworld smiled, "Marco trusts you more than any other knight, so I do too."
"Oh stop with the flattery," she giggled stupidly like a school girl. "Anyways, if I'm General, then I'll need knights to operate under me and head up subsections of my army." Kelly and Jackie beamed with pride, knowing what Higgs meant. This is long overdue...Honestly, had the Monster Bash gone on as expected, she would have knighted her trainees after a peaceful night. Kelly, Jackie, Jorby, and Slime were ready to show their stuff as full Kingsguard knights after the crud they had been through. With the situation being a lot different, Higgs could make Kelly and Jackie her knights, but they won't full Kingsguard until Marco completed the ceremony. I'll have to get Slime and Jorby when we see each other again.
"Kneel," she instructed Jackie and Kelly before unsheathing her sword. "Do you, Jackie-Lynn Thomas and Kelly pledge to serve Mewni with all your might, your Captain with all your strength, and the true Queen of Mewni with all your loyalty even if it cost you your lives?"
"I do!" Exclaimed Jackie.
Kelly nodded, "I do too."
"Then I bid thee by your new titles," Higgs touched Warfang to their shoulders, "I dub thee Sir Jackie the Determined and Sir Kelly the Brave." She always knew which titles we would give to the two of them. Jackie's came from both her determination to become a knight despite being human and the story of her stubborn feud with Star over Marco, and Kelly's for her formidable strength in battle. Both fit the girls perfectly.
The new knights rose and exchanged high-fives all around. "Alright," Higgs cleared her throat, "My knights, your first mission is to go out into Mewni, find allies, and make them warriors for our army. We need to be ready as soon as possible."
"Yessir!" They saluted. Higgs really meant the last part too, right now Globgor had an upper hand in the fact he had an instant-army in his power. Something told her that the Monster king wasn't going to wait long either.
A flock of ravens flew into the room, waiting for orders to carry to allies scattered throughout the dimension. One pair, in particular, landed on the table next to Dante. Janna told Higgs that these ravens, Huginn and Muninn, were tasked with finding Star and Marco and delivering the news to them. "I can carry one message from each of you to your friends," cawed Huginn. "Choose your words wisely."
"Ooh, I'll go," Tom eagerly took the first spot. "Tell Starship that I miss our dances and Marco that he's my absolute bro and nothing's the same without him."
Janna went next, "Tell them that they better not come home with baby number three, we need them on the battlefield." When the other adults looked on mortified, she shrugged. "Accidents happen."
Jackie added, "Uh...tell Marco that I can't wait to see him again and Star that we're going to celebrate with burgers and shakes when it's all over."
At last, it was Higgs's turn, and her thoughts were a mess. She had a million things she could say and none of them sounded right when she voiced them in her head. C'mon, we don't have all day, "Yeah," she shrugged, "Tell them I miss the twins 'cuz they're perfect and that Star and Marco are the closest things I have to true best friends and I miss them dearly." The message was stupid and corny, but it felt good to say.
All at once, the murder of ravens took flight and blotted the sky with wings, carrying Mewni's final hope with them wherever they went.
Author's Note & Review Round-Up
Note: is used for a language being used that is different from the dominant one used in a scene. For example, when Globgor first hears Shastacan coming and speaking in Mewnian. Up until then, he has been speaking a version of his native tongue, though he switches to Mewnian to deal with the Mewmans. will only be used for when a being is using telepathy to another. In short, you'll only see this with Muninn. Star and Marco are a special case because they are Blood Moon bound.
Aldal- I love weaving lore I know the show will never get to in the stories. I think one of the beauties of fanfiction is that we writers can run with neat ideas the show will never explore. While I adore this show, I know lore isn't a strong suit of Star Vs., which is fine. But I loke going the extra mile because I can. Also, yes, Globgor's buddy is Seth from The Book of Spells. Idk if he'll play a larger role in the show, but here he acts as a part of Globgor's conscious. Fun fact, I image Seth having a Cajun accent, idk why. As you can tell, the Mewmans are just as bigoted as ever, we'll see how this ends.
The reason Star and Marco don't casually head to Echo Creek is that it is under Mewnian Rule, (at least the part where the Diazes and Ordonias live). True, they could live somewhere else on Earth, but that's no fun. The Hunter's ravens are borrowed from Norse Mythology-Huginn and Muninn are Odin's messengers and I couldn't resist using those names here (I'm a huge Norse mythology buff). We'll have to see about Rye's future in The Dawn of the Sun. Coming soon.
themast3rmind.m15-Thanks! I mean...sure they could rule another part of Mewni, but...would it truly be epic?
Broken Brother Matthew- Maybe
saturn- It's about to thicken even more.
Nutzkie- That's actually a good thought, I never thought about having the Mewmans convert tractors into tanks (tanktors?). Tbh, now I will add that in. As a note, while Mewni has access to modern Earth technology, they lack the infrastructure for widespread implementation and they still rely on the Queen and her magic. Of course, that could change, but they're slow to doing so rn.
daglas99- It's about to get even more EPIC. I can't wait for you to see the finale.