Right Behind You

Chapter 20

Abandoned Sanctuary

Meteoras POV

"Bring him closer" Meteora beckoned to the two lizards who held Marco between them

They dragged him forwards until he was directly in front of her. She reached out a hand, placed it over his head and closed her eyes. Ah, there it is, the emptiness.. the emptiness and something else.. she thought I can feel it, the presence within. She snatched her hand away in surprise as she felt a burning sensation crawl over her skin. Meteora took a step back in surprise as she realized Marco was no longer unconscious but was looking right at her with narrowed eyes, the dried blood smeared across one half of his face lent him a demonic mien.

"Hello Meteora" Marco said. His voice came out tangled, as if something else spoke with him.

"Princess Marco.. how nice of you to join us" Meteora quipped, trying to wrest back a semblance of the control she'd already had taken from her

Marco laughed, in that curious twinned voice once again "I'm not Marco" he wet his lips and grinned

Not Marco? Then this is the presence.. this is what I felt in him from the very beginning. Meteora smiled to show she wasn't worried, though that was more for her benefit than the thing that was puppeting Marco's body. "Then what shall I call you?"

"Oh.. you can call me Monster arm, I've grown quite attached to the moniker, though I did consider 'Monster Marco'" Marco smiled again "what do you think?" he laughed mockingly and looked at the two lizards currently holding him "could you ask your goons to release me, I'd rather not make a mess"

Meteora gestured to the two and they dropped Monster arm to his feet. "How did you take full control of Marco? I knew you weren't able to manifest within him while his feelings held you in bondage, but I thought you'd have a more subtle presence.."

"Marco wasn't going to let me in no matter how much I dragged Stars name through the mud, believe me I tried" he chuckled maliciously "he may be unable to love but even without it he knows what's right and wrong and he's stubborn. Thankfully I had already fed his doubts and resentment so much that I was in a position to take advantage of him being knocked out cold, with his conscious defenses down it was a simple matter of dragging his psyche into the same wretched hole I have spent the last 9 months being crushed in" he finished angrily. He smiled coldly "but now he's there, and I'm not"

Hmm, this could work to my advantage Meteora considered for a moment before Monster arm spoke again.

"Now then, to business. Why did you release me?" Marcos eyes narrowed at her, mistrusting

"I intend to bring the Butterfly family to ruin and take my rightful place as queen" Meteora said, straight to the point. "They stole everything from me, and I will watch them burn for it. I felt your evil in Marco long ago, it will make my revenge all the more satisfying when Star is broken by the very person she loves"

Monster arm grinned threateningly "I like you"

"Thank you" Meteora smiled thinly in response "I do try"

"And once I kill Star?" Monster arm asked

"You're free to do what you wish, with you in control Marco is effectively dead anyway" Meteora said with relish "now.. do we have a deal?"

Monster arm appeared to consider it for a few moments "yes, we have a deal"

"Excellent, as luck would have it, we don't have to lift a finger.. if I'm not mistaken the entire Butterfly family is on it's way here as we speak, they were all so concerned about you.." she finished sarcastically

Monster arm flashed his teeth "perfect" he said, as his right arm transformed into a long, purple tentacle, he flexed it as if getting used to the limb "I was getting bored"

Abandoned Corridor

Stars POV

Star ran. She could hear the others faintly further back along the corridor, but she didn't stop. She used her wand to light the way as she rushed headlong towards where she hoped she'd find Marco. If Meteora has hurt him.. I'll.. I'll kill her. The thought shocked her as she realized she meant it.

Star rushed through an archway into a massive hall and stopped dead in surprise. The hall was lined with old statues, each creepier than the last, but what brought her to a halt was the fact that her progress was blocked, the entire hall was filled with row upon row of Septarians. They all stared at her as she raised her wand "Meteora!" she yelled

"Hello princess Star" the voice came from the end of the great hall, Star looked over the waiting ranks of lizards and saw Meteora ascend the raised dais there.

"Where's Marco!" she demanded "what have you done with him!"

"Why, whatever do you mean? He's right here" Meteora gestured and Star saw Marco join Meteora on the dais, her heart leapt with joy for an instant, before burning to ash in her chest.

No. It can't be. Monster arm? Star put her hand to her mouth in shock. "Marco!" she called out, hoping she was wrong

The thing masquerading as Marco laughed "no princess"

Star dropped to her knees as she heard the duality in the voice and realized Monster arm was using Marcos body like a puppet. No.. No, no! I'm too late, he's gone. Her eyes glazed over as she hugged herself tightly and squeezed her eyes shut.

Tom suddenly appeared from the archway and rushed to Stars side, "Star!" he shouted as he stood in front of her and faced the lizards, his entire body enveloped itself in flame. Moon followed him out, then the rest of the group and the royal guard, who immediately took up positions in a cordon around Star and her friends.

"Well, it seems all the players have arrived. Shall we begin?" Meteora gestured to the Butterfly's "kill them all" she commanded the army in front of her.