What the Heart Wants Chapter 14: Time Immemorial, a star vs. the forces of evil fanfic

Author's Note. This one was a lot of fun to write for whatever reason. Perhaps it is because the beginning of the end is drawing nigh. Maybe 4 or 5 chapters until it ends… Whatever will we do?

Legal Trash. I do not own Star vs. the Forces of Evil or any of its associated characters. Don't sue me. K Thanx.

Time Immemorial.

The darkness loomed over Kelly as the ominous winds blew. The desiccated forest was once again her home, and she knew the sickening looks of the place have always accompanied a being beyond understanding.

"Why are you bothering me! Why! Haven't you done enough!" Kelly's defiant voice echoed out through the decadent woods.

There was no answer still, but the creature with eyes so bright loomed from the shadows, a living embodiment of the darkness itself. When it moved forward to reveal its form, its posture seemed different, and it merely appeared as if it wanted to look upon her.

"You… Please… I…" Kelly held her heart, almost unable to take the constant strain and stress of this torturous monster.

Kelly stared into its eyes, and but for a moment, the expression changed. Its eyes seemed softer and more contemplative than before, and that was when Kelly decided to actually think about the purpose of all of this.

Her mind swirling with questions unanswered, and the creature's words from the night before repeatedly rang through her head.

"Unforeseen actions have unexpected consequences…"

…

"… In giving back what was taken, our bonds have grown stronger."

With words remembered, Kelly reached out her hand and began to speak in a calmer tone.

"I don't understand our bond… What… Is it? What have the unexpected consequences led to?"

The creature just remained still, silently staring at Kelly. It seemed as if it were pondering, and then it eventually answered in its typical haunting tone.

"Your tale is cyclical. It is one that has been told and retold since time immemorial…"

…

"A life naught but a blood sacrifice on an altar of greed."

Kelly blinked when the cryptic words came out and then thought for a moment longer.

…

After gathering her thoughts, she responded. "What…? I… is that the unexpected consequence? My tale's end is different?"

The creature seemed unsure of how to answer, and its eyes started to lower themselves from Kelly's gaze. It was as if Kelly had all of the power in this brief moment. Eventually, it stated one simple word in a meek whisper.

"Feelings…"

…

"Feelings?" Kelly mimicked the word, more confused than ever.

The longer she stared, the louder the silence became. After a while of looking, Kelly widely opened her eyes as if she felt she understood.

"I… Ar… Are you saying you feel? Feel bad for me… Is that what is unexpected?"

The creature stared at her once again and didn't respond to her statement. After a pause, it spoke boldly and reissued its warning from the previous night.

"Never return to Mewni. The hour draws close, and should you be a fool wishing to inexorably race to your death, I'll not stay my hand."

...

With that, the creature began to slowly fade, and it made Kelly rush towards it frantically.

"Wait! I want to understand! Stop!"

But as she reached the place, it once loomed; it was no longer present. As Kelly dropped to her knees in frustration, the ground beneath her began to decay and swallow her whole. Panic took over immediately, and she struggled to pull herself from the falling sands.

"No! Ah! Please! Marco!" Her shrieks came, and then her grip was lost.

Her body toppled all the way into the abyss, and she could feel the speed at which she went. Closer and closer to impact she came.

Falling…

…

"Ahhhh!" Kelly let out a loud scream while sitting up frantically in her bed. Cold sweat covering her body entirely from head to toe.

Eyes darting about the room, she frantically shifted her focus to her phone once she found it. The screen lit up and hurt her eyes, with the slight blurriness of her vision only complicating things.

She hastily went through the numbers until she reached Marco's, and then she hovered her thumb over it. With hands shaking, she paused, unsure of whether or not to press the contact and pester him. The further things went, the worse she felt overall.

With a heave of reluctance, she let her hand collapse with the phone in it, and eventually, the darkness returned when it dimmed. The fear she felt never left her, and even in her bed, she felt as if she was being watched by the entity.

"What am I going to do…?" She murmured to herself.

The warning fresh in her mind she knew she had a choice to make, and she felt it would legitimately determine her fate. She pressed her thumb against the phone once more and quickly backed out of Marco's contact info.

"I… Guess I have no choice…" Kelly said to herself, and then shifted to another contact, pressing when she reached it.

…

Calling… Star Butterfly.

…

Marco paced about his room with sleep unable to find him since his encounter with Kiel. Every time he passed the window, he looked outside of it and could see the looming forest just before the city. It moved ever closer by the hour, and he knew that panic would erupt the second people awoke to see it.

He had thought for some time about calling Star, calling anybody, but his guilt for causing all of this was so strong that he could merely meander about in exhaustion. After a brief stop in front of the window, Marco stared out at the now beginnings of the morning. The ominous dark clouds hanging overhead had captured morning's light, and Marco knew all his fears would come to fruition very soon.

What could he do? Was he indeed nothing more than the cause of problems rather than an aspiring knight who solved them? As the thoughts and self-doubt took hold, they were interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing.

When he walked over and picked it up to look at the screen, he was surprised and a tad relieved to see it was Tom. Hopefully, calling to say something nice to ease the pain of inevitable destruction.

With the press of a button, he answered with a meek and dry throated response.

"H-hello?"

"Marco?" Tom's voice sounded worried on the other end.

"Yes?" Marco responded numbly, unsure if Tom had returned to Mewni with Star and seen the encroaching forest.

"Dude… I don't know what is up, but Star is acting really weird… She wants me to pick you up and bring you to Kelly's world. I dunno… She is demanding it, but I told her I would ask." Tom said.

Marco took another look out the window at the forest and responded. "Yeah, Tom… I uh… Can you just send a chariot by itself…? I will meet you guys there. I, uhm… I need to tell you all about something."

"Marco… It's fine… We will meet you there. I… I just hope that everything is ok." Tom responded.

Marco was silent for a long while, which prompted Tom to speak once more.

"Marco…?"

Marco wiped his face and breathed in a little bit to try and make his anxiety better. "I… No, things are not ok Tom… Just wait till I get there, and I will tell you."

"O-ok Marco… Just hang in there. The chariot will be there momentarily. Star and I will head to Kelly's on another." Tom said.

"Thanks…" Marco said halfheartedly before hanging the phone up abruptly and placing it down on his desk again.

Without a moment spared, he was already out of his room and sauntering his way down the hallway stairs. It was as if he was on autopilot, and his tired legs moved on their own towards the front of the castle.

Once he was on the bottom floor, he exited the main hall and moved towards the gate to catch Tom's chariot. He could see nearly the entire defensive squad of knights standing out in front of the castle, awestruck and terrified by the sudden appearance of the sickening vine filled forest.

"What on Mewni?"

"I-I… Someone has got to inform her majesty."

"Would you look at that…?"

They were all so entranced that not one of them took the time to acknowledge Marco as he climbed into Tom's chariot, and by the time he had closed the door, he was already gone from Mewni. Part of him knew that time was of the essence, and another part of him knew that whatever happiness the four had found the previous evening was likely to be eternally shattered.

The ride was not calming, and even the driver seemed to have a nervous expression. He had seen the forest and likely also felt Tom's apprehension when asked to get him.

While Marco thought, the purpose of his visit to Kelly's world became ever more evident. Star seemed to already know he did not have his scissors, and given the location, he assumed that Kelly had let the cat out of the bag.

At first, Marco felt angry at her for doing it, but as the brief time passed, he felt like he was the bad one, having hidden everything from Star despite caring for her so much.

After a brief while, his palms became sweaty, and his heart was racing the nearer they drew to his destination. He was sure that the conversation about to happen might be friendship ending, and he never wanted it to come to that.

…

Within minutes, the chariot had arrived in Kelly's homeworld, and from the window, Marco could see Star, Kelly, and Tom standing about with sad looks on their faces. When he exited, he found himself in an empty field in the dead of night with naught but the moonlight to see his friends with.

Kelly looked at Marco, and her expression told him everything. Star seemed almost unwilling to look at Marco or Tom, and Tom merely had his hands in his pockets while looking away from the group.

The moment of dreadful silence dragged on until Kelly was straightforward about why they were here.

"I told Star about what happened to us… Nearly everything that you told me, Marco… I… We…" She struggled to find words, but Marco interrupted her.

"Look… I, you are right. We need Star's help…" He trailed off when Star glared daggers at him.

"My help? Marco… Is what Kelly saying true? Did… Did you take my wand and… Do something?" Her voice was a mixture of pain and refusal to believe such betrayal.

"That's not what's important!" Marco became slightly defensive and raised his voice.

"Then what is important, Marco!? This witch? Witch of the Woods?! That's an old, stupid story my parents were afraid of!" Star elevated her own speech, unable to believe anything she was told while simultaneously focusing on Marco's supposed wrongdoings.

Tom walked forward and responded in kind. "Star… I… It's true. I didn't believe it myself either, but you changed, and… Well, Marco did what he had to."

Star looked hurt, but the more her eyes shifted from person to person, the more she recognized their truthfulness through their solemn expressions.

"I… You're really serious… Aren't you?" Star said, clearly still in shock.

All of their silence did nothing but confirm as such, and after taking a moment to recover, Star asked the most pertinent question to her at this moment.

"H-how did I change?"

When she said that, Marco and Tom looked terrified to answer, and Kelly really couldn't since she hadn't been there. The more Marco and Tom avoided speaking, the angrier Star became.

"Tell me! I deserve to know what happened! If all this is true, then I want to hear it. I want proof of it!" Her voice quivered with volatile emotions.

Tom sighed and told her the truth. "I… you became hateful and despicable towards me. You had me thrown in the dungeon, and well…" He trailed off due to the pain the memories caused him.

"I… Tom I… I what?" Star stammered, recognizing the reason for him being locked away that night.

"You basically told me I was a scummy demon and a thief…" Tom said with reluctance.

"I…" Star trailed off, but when she thought about the past few days and Tom's unwillingness to be around her. It made it difficult to accept because she was the reason why. "I would NEVER say such a disgustingly despicable thing!"

Tom merely lowered his gaze to the ground, and Marco took over.

"It's all true, Star… Everything you have heard is true. I wish it weren't, but it is."

Star scowled at Marco and angrily balled her hand into a fist. "So, I am just supposed to believe this… Believe I said that? Believe in fairy tales out of the blue?"

Marco let his hands rest at his sides. "No…" He paused. "You will see I am telling the truth when you go home…"

Star looked surprised when he said that, and even Tom looked at him unknowingly.

Kelly stepped forward and spoke after being silent for so long. "She's coming."

Marco nodded quietly, and Star walked up to him and wrapped her hands around his arms.

"What do you mean, Marco?"

Marco looked into Star's beautiful eyes. Though full of sadness, he knew that now was the time to tell her.

"The Forest of Certain Death is overgrowing; it is almost to Mewni castle town… I… it's coming…"

"No way, dude…" Tom said.

Kelly fixed her glasses and now fully understood what the ghastly creature was warning about. An assault on Mewni and its people. "I…"

"I have to get home!" Star said, interrupting Kelly.

"But…" Marco began.

"NOW!" Star said, nearly panicked. She had to see this with her own eyes.

Tom walked over and snapped his fingers. After which, his ghastly driver pulled over to them.

Marco looked down and then spoke. "Star, I am sorry… I don't have my scissors…"

"Enough, Marco," Star stated and then opened the door to the ride. "We can sort this problem out later… If my home is in danger, no matter by whom, as princess, I need to be there."

Once she disappeared inside, Tom moved past Marco and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, we will fix this together… I know Star will need time, but I believe things will be ok."

Marco watched on while Tom got into the ride, and then he turned to look at Kelly, who was merely rubbing her arm.

"I… uhm… I am sorry I told Star… I…" She began but was cut off by Marco once more.

"No, Kelly… You did the right thing… I just… We need to face this once and for all."

Kelly seemed extremely hesitant as if she didn't want to move, and after a moment, she spoke up again.

"She… It… the creature… She warned me never to return to Mewni. I don't know exactly what she's planning, but I admit I am scared to go back…"

Marco blinked, unuse to seeing Kelly so unnerved, and merely walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Stay here. This is a fight I caused, so no matter what… I will find a way to see it through."

Kelly smiled a bit, hearing his assured words, and slid her hand up and wrapped it around his. "I just needed some confidence."

After that, she moved past him and yanked him to the chariot by the hand. "No matter what happens, we will see it through together."

Marco felt some relief having her by his side. She let go of his hand and leaped up into the cabin, after which Marco used his leg to lift himself into a seat beside her. Within an instant, the four were being transported towards Mewni and their destiny. No matter what that might be.

Star sat quietly and seemed to be in contemplative thought. Marco knew that she was suffering and leaned in to place a hand on hers while they rode.

"Star… I am sorry. I know it doesn't mean much, but I did what I had to, to save Kelly."

Star briefly looked at him and tried to smile. "I know Marco… I just keep hoping this is some horrible dream, but I will know for sure when I get there and see it for myself… If true then, I will just have to fix what has happened."

"No…" Marco paused briefly and placed his hand on hers tightly. "We will fix it together."

Star looked into his eyes, and genuinely she felt more at ease. She was still angry at everyone deep inside, but also thankful they were there to aid her. Maybe Marco and Tom did what they had to do. Perhaps the true essence of friendship and love was having bad feelings about someone or their actions and being able to look past it.

Tom placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled. "I know you aren't like that, Star… I want you to know I am here for you, and I am just as sorry as Marco is."

"Thanks, guys… I just hope things aren't as bad as you are making them out to be." Star said.

Marco let go of her and turned his attention towards Kelly, who merely stared out of the window. She looked as if she were dreading going to Mewni but was only putting on a brave face.

Marco reached out his hand to touch her, but at that moment, the chariot jostled and rumbled, knocking the passengers about. Once Marco had his bearings, he could see Mewni and that the looming forest had now reached into the confines of the city, with dozens of knights taking to the front to stop it.

Kelly had a look of shock about her face, as it mirrored her dreams so well. The endless forest, as far as the eye could see. Only the beginning of destruction, she clenched her dress with her fists, while Star's mouth hung open.

"Hell…" Tom said.

Star didn't say a word and jumped out from the chariot into the crowd of knights.

"Star!" Marco yelled, but it fell on deaf ears as she was lost in the sea of people.

Kelly, Tom, and Marco squeezed out, and Tom instructed the driver to be ready at a moment's notice if they needed to escape.

…

"Charge men!" A commanding officer yelled.

"We need to cut it down, go, go, go!" The passing squad yelled.

…

The chaos was such that Marco had to grab hold of Kelly and Tom to remain together. Finally, when they could enter the castle doors, they could see refugees from the castle city, terrified and bereaved over missing loved ones.

Nobody decisively saw where Star had run off to, but Marco knew that they needed to act fast. "We need to prepare as best we can and find Star!"

Kelly nodded and kept at Marco's side. "I have everything I need in my hair. We should find the queen first because that is our best bet to accomplish both goals!"

More knights ran past them, and heavily armored units stood before the doors to protect those that made it to the castle.

Marco, Kelly, and Tom went against the current of bodies rushing to the innocent's defense and made their way hastily to the throne's location. Around a few corners, pushing and shoving their way through, they made it to the central entrance of the massive room.

There, standing before the elegant throne, was King River, who was hugging his daughter tightly.

"Marco! Kelly! Tom!" You had us all worried!" River's voice roared out with joy.

Star pushed back and looked up at her father and then to her friends. "Where is my mother!?"

There was a solemn look on River's face. "When she heard about the emergency, knights were sent in. When they never returned, and that massive bush grew, she gave a few orders and headed off into the forest with the elite guards and Rombulus."

Star looked incredibly worried and kept her eyes on her friends.

Marco, Kelly, and Tom remained quiet. They felt they knew what kind of enemy they were up against, and though Moon did not, she choose to be steadfast in the name of her kingdom and its people.

Star, sensing their hesitation, outstretched her hand and made her wand appear with a bit of concentration. She clenched it tightly and fixated her gaze towards the entryway. "I am going, and there is nothing anybody can say to stop me."

River didn't want his daughter to go, but it was on him to lead in Moon's absence as the sole monarch left. He worried much for his wife but did hold a sense of trust in his daughter to do something productive.

"I… I don't want you to go dear, but if you must, I only caution you to be careful… Nobody knows what is happening, but there are whispers of a powerful creature causing it."

Star remained silent, having heard enough to knock her out of her delusions that Marco and the others were incorrect. She moved up to her friends and, with a stern and ready expression on her face, waited for them to say something.

Kelly remained hesitant, but Marco just stepped forward. "I will go with you, Star… Kelly, can you stay here and make sure King River is safe?"

Kelly looked at Marco, and it was apparent to only her he was trying to spare her from facing her nightmares. She wasn't weak, but she couldn't help but feel fearful of what was to come. With a gentle wave of her hand, she responded confidently. "Ok, Marco. I will suit up and be ready for anything."

Star looked at Tom and then walked over to him and took his hand. "Please, Tom… protect my home. I will be back… I promise. I am just getting my mother."

Tom merely nodded and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. "I will do anything for you… If things get worse, though, don't think I am going to sit here and not come for you."

Star smiled a bit and pulled away, grabbing hold of Marco to pull him into the rushing crowd of castle workers, knights, and refugees.

Through everyone they went, and as they reached the door, Star reached her hand out and took one of the decorative knight swords from the wall. She casually passed it over to Marco, and as he took it, she spoke to him.

"I… I am having trouble with what you did, but you can make it up to me by helping me get my mother back… I know you are experienced because of your time in Hekapoo's world, so please. Show me what you can do."

Marco nodded confidently, grasping the hilt in his right hand, and just as Star was about to leave through the castle entrance and towards the forest, he spoke out to her.

"Star!"

Star turned her attention towards him, and he moved as close as he could to her so that she could hear him clearly.

"The witch can't be hurt physically… I do not know if magic will do anything…"

Star held up her wand and smirked somewhat. "Then I guess we are going to have to find out!"

With that, the two were off to retrieve queen Moon and put an end to this madness once and for all.

…

Through the secondary military line and crowds, Marco and Star approached the massive forest, which had not only expanded towards the castle but outwards in other directions as well. A foreboding, dark entrance surrounded by knights was now before them.

"Princess!" A knight shouted, coming up to her. "We are trying to stop it as best we can, but fire seems to have limited effect on the trees, and our blades can't cut fast enough to stop the growth entirely."

Star nodded and held up her wand. "I am here to get my mother; I want you to do whatever it takes to slow down the forest. Whatever buys us more time."

The soldier saluted and stepped out of Star's way. With the queen gone, Star and her father had ultimate authority. With the utterance of her command, more knights approached and began using any means to stop the forest's spread.

Star and Marco entered alone, and the second they did, the most immediate thing they noticed was how alive everything seemed. Trees that could blot the sky were covered in twisted, sickening vines that appeared to have a life and mind of their own. Loose, foul-smelling fog hung low to the ground, and the claustrophobia it produced was tearing apart both Star and Marco's confidence.

"Rainbow Beacon!" Star pointed her wand towards the entrance, and in an instant, a rainbow shot up towards the heavens.

"There, now we can never get lost. I can just concentrate to see it through any object I wish." Star said, trying to boost both of their resolves.

Marco held his blade at the ready and kept his posture straight. The two maneuvered and ducked low hanging branches. Within minutes, they could barely see due to the fog and darkness, and their fear became ever greater when they found some of the knights that had entered earlier.

Their bodies transfixed to the trees and lying about the ground because of squirming vines. Some looked entirely like mummies so trapped in them they were.

Marco muffled a shriek and mustered the strength to speak instead. "A-are they dead?"

Star leaned in and tried to examine one of them, but the second her hand reached out to check the mummified knight, a vine grabbed hold of Star's arm. "Ahhh!" She yelled in surprise. It wrapped around her so quick and tight and was now trying to drag her up towards the blackened treetops.

Marco was quick, and with the swing of the blade, he slashed the vine. It caused Star to fall to the ground with a thud, and the rest of the vine disappeared to where it was dragging her, clearly run off by Marco's assault.

"What… What is this!?" Star said, horrified. Having that thing grab hold of her was draining. She felt as if she were more tired than before.

"Star, look!" Marco said abruptly. Knocking her out of her thoughts and fears.

Her eyes traveled to where Marco was pointing, and there were many vines encased in hanging crystal that had been clearly frozen during their assault.

"Rombulus!" They chirped together.

Further, they went, keeping their eyes peeled for any vine that might move. Dozens of knights, peasants, and even elite guards were lying or dragged everywhere, some looked more recent than others, and upon fixating on them, it was clear they still drew breath.

"Asleep?" Marco said.

Star nodded and continued to follow the trail of crystal vines. Moving until they found themselves in a more open area. Rotting, dead flowers grew everywhere, and the vines slithered about the trees with excitement.

"Rombulus!" Marco called out.

"MOM! ROMBULUS!" Star shouted even louder.

"Run… Escape!" They heard Queen Moon's unmistakable shouting further down.

"Mom!" Star hastily ran.

"Wait, Star!" Marco tried to keep her senses keen.

Star slowed, and when she saw her mother before her, she was a mix of both disgusted and relieved. Her mother was wrapped totally in vines and struggling weakly to free herself. Her alternative butterfly form had just worn off before her eyes, and the plants were overpowering her.

"Mom!" Star yelled.

"S-Star! Run! The vines… they sap your mag… magical strength away! Go! Hurry!" Moon cried out while frantically struggling against the vines trying to cover her face.

Marco pushed forward, eyeing the vine's thickness, and with a controlled swing, he cut through the row of them without even grazing Moon. Within moments, they fell off her, and she collapsed weakly onto the dirty ground, gasping for precious oxygen.

"Mom!" Star cried out once again and bent in to hug her mother.

Marco looked about and could see more vines crawling towards the three of them. "Uhh, guys. I think we need to get a move on!"

Star stood up and tried to help her mother, but it was clear she was too tired to walk independently.

"Go, Star!" Moon cried out.

Star held her wand up and shouted as loud as she could. "Shining Glitter Bomb Shield!"

With a burst of glitter flying everywhere, a sparkly bubble surrounded the three. Each vine that tried to penetrate it was immediately knocked away by a glittery explosion.

Star then bent down and began to help her mother to her feet slowly. "Come on, we are getting out of here!"

Marco looked back at Moon and smiled a bit with relief. "We are happy we got here in time to help… Where is Rombulus, though?"

"I… We were separated when we were attacked by the forest itself. Vines and branches of all kinds attacked from all sides. Rombulus became scared and disappeared. I tried to fight as best I could, but when they grabbed hold of me, I just became weaker." Moon answered with shallow breaths, finally recovering a bit.

Once the moment had passed. Moon spoke up again. "We need to escape. This place is beyond dangerous. If we are going to fight against it, it has to be from the outside."

The three knew it meant regrouping and figuring things out with what time they had. As they watched the vines eventually shrink away and recede from attempting to grab at them, they figured now was their chance to make a move.

Moon weakly stammered forward, getting her bearings. As tired as she was, she knew she had to push on to get out. Though mildly sore, Marco's leg was better than it had ever been in recent times, so he was ready to fight as best as he could if it came down to it.

Once the glitter barrier was down, the three cautiously made their way back from where they came, but as they approached the end of the glade that led towards the claustrophobic path, the sound of hissing laughter could be heard.

"Leaving…?"

That voice terrified Marco, and Star and Moon, having heard it for the first time, merely turned to see a ghastly apparition behind them, barely visible in the shadows.

"W-what?" Moon said, as if subconsciously already knowing the creature.

Star stared in awe at the creature and held up her wand defiantly. "Stay where you are, witch, or I will narwal blast you into next Tuesday!"

Moon appeared petrified and befuddled, but the creature just looked amused, floating there in its home.

"Dear princess… That wand is not in capable hands…Though, when I had it, it was put to use…" It mocked gleefully.

Star angrily looked at Marco, and Marco stepped forward, tired of the creature's talking. "Shut up! I said no tricks! I said, leave us alone! You lied!"

The creature laughed more and merely opened its claw-like appendage. "Our bargain was fulfilled per your terms. All was returned to normal… Anything that happens in the future beyond is unwritten."

The three stood there together, and Marco looked at the tired Moon and horrified Star.

"We can handle this together, Star…" Marco encouraged her, pushing aside what he'd caused.

Star looked at her mother and then raised her wand, stepping forward. Allowing her trust in Marco to supersede her disappointment. "Yeah, we can!"

Moon stood there watching while Marco moved forward, and Star went behind him.

The creature casually stared and then moved its claw. "If you wish to end your existence prematurely. I shall gladly help you along in your task."

After its gesture, a vine that was as big as a small tree started to move and hang from the unseen tops of the forest. With a swing of the witch's hand, the vine followed, and Marco had to dive into a roll to keep from being crushed by it.

"Woah!"

Star took immediate action and raised her wand. "Glittery Heart Slap Blast!" She shouted.

The witch watched the flashing pink heart travel from the wand at quick speeds. It tore through the vine that had attacked Marco and headed straight for her.

Marco regained his composure and brought himself up to his feet, looking just in time to see the brilliant light show Star had unleashed.

The witch raised its claw, and flashing darkness swirled around in it. "Shadow Barrier." It hissed.

The pink heart smashed head-on into the creature, releasing an explosion that had little effect against the magical shield it had concocted. Star and Marco stood at the ready when it raised its appendage in front of itself.

"Amusing…"

…

"Now it is my turn…" Its whispery voice hissed venomously.

…

"Die mewman… Feed the forest where you fall!"

…

It gathered energy, and then it placed its claw into the muddy landscape before it.

"Twisted Treants, crush their bones into dust!"

No sooner had it spoken, the ground began to shake, and a black, magical ichor traversed along the ground. The sounds of cracking stone and stressed wood echoed out through the corrupted forest. Star and Marco grabbed hold of one another to keep balance, but Moon had fallen to the ground from sheer exhaustion and the small earthquake.

The three stared on in awe as two massive, twisted trees containing gaping maws sprung up from the ground, their hand-like branches and splintered teeth sharp enough to impale steel. They groaned and looked to be suffering in the life they had been granted.

Star ran over to Moon and grabbed hold of her once she noticed her fall. "Mom! H-Hang in there!" She said, losing her bravery in the face of such daunting magic.

Marco held his sword, and one of the trees began lumbering its way towards him, its stumpy feet quaking the ground with each step it took.

The second set its black, bottomless eyes on Star and Moon, and it was clear that each one had its own target.

Moon held on to her daughter and pleaded for her to escape. This was not a winning fight, and it would be foolish to try and conquer such things in a place seemingly crafted to suit them.

Marco looked back at his companions, still feeling the thunderous shake inching ever closer. The ghastly witch just watching the attack unfold. Star looked at Marco, and at that moment, he decided that Moon was right.

"Star! Take Moon and escape!" He said.

"What? N-no wa…" Star began but was cut off.

"Stop! Listen to me! If we split them up, they will be easier to fight. If you lure it out, the whole army will make short work of it!" Marco said as the next small quake made him shift a bit. He turned his attention towards his tree foe, and it was more than halfway towards him.

Star bit her lower lip nervously. "I… I can't leave you here…"

Marco looked back briefly enough to give her a smile. "Don't worry, Star… Trust me to fix this… I owe you that much."

Star was about to continue protesting, but he had already taken off for the lumbering goliath. Star looked at her mother who's labored breathes concerned her, the second stomping of large feet drawing ever closer to her and her mother.

"Be safe, Marco… I believe in you…" Star uttered before raising her wand. "Cloudy!"

Her magical smiling cloud appeared, and with little time, Star was using all of her strength to lift Moon onto it. Another loud stomp and she saw the treant was just before her. Its lumbering arm lifted slowly to bring its splintered claws down upon them both, but Star leaped onto Cloudy with her wand tightly clenched in her hand and sped through its parted legs.

The tree, for all its size and strength, was slow and unintelligent. The lumbering monster shifted its gaze and blindly looked about, and then turned in the direction of its target. It could sense who it was after as Star raced through the claustrophobic path, zapping vines and debris as she went. The monster ignored all else and stomped its way slowly after them, crashing through anything that got in its path.

Marco stood before the witch and his opponent, and the witch seemed intrigued by his choice to stay.

"Self-sacrifice? For what? Whether I get them now matters not. They will succumb in the end."

Marco ignored its taunts and waited for the treant to make the first move. It brainlessly lifted its hand and made a grab for him. Marco quickly rolled out of the way and brought the sword up against the beast's wooden fingers, severing several of its tips in the process.

Marco was surprised that the monster didn't even react to the damage and merely raised its branch as a fist and tried to slam it down on him.

"Augh!" He yelled, having avoided the slam, but the shockwave was so intense that he'd fallen entirely onto his side.

The tree shifted its blank eyes to Marco and moved its entire body towards him. While Marco was getting to his feet, the creature pushed its hand forward and slapped the entirety of his body.

"Ahhh!" Marco cried out in agony as his sword flew from his grip, and he was sent toppling all over the ground until he hit a sizeable casual tree that was part of the forest.

"Ugh!" He said, winded, grabbing hold of his chest, such pain a simple slap had done to him. He wasn't even sure if his bones had been broken; the feeling was so strong.

Marco dizzily tried to orient himself, but he found he couldn't move. The stomps and vibrations from the treant ran through his fingers and up to his wrists. He tried to stand up but fell immediately back down.

"Oof... C'mon Marco…" He told himself, but by the time he looked up, the sinister being was towering over him.

It lifted its hand and reached forward. Marco tried to move, but its broad grasp nabbed him. With crushing force, it pinned him against the tree he had landed against, and he screamed in a mix of terror and pain.

"Ahhh!"

Struggled as he might, he was trapped, yet being held gently enough so that he would not die. As he squirmed and tried to free himself, he felt one of the slithering vines wrap itself around his neck.

"Ah! N-no!" He cried while moving, but the choking pressure it began putting onto his throat silenced him.

The witch floated before him and stared at Marco, pinned and helpless.

"Poor creature… Bravery and stupidity truly are singular." It said while it looked almost sympathetic for Marco. After a brief pause, it clenched her claw closed, and the vine tightened its strangulation on him.

"Rrrhh!" Marco choked out, struggling for strength and breath.

"Agonizing death shall not find you; I shall take what little you have mewman, and you shall cease to be." The witch passed its lenient judgment.

Marco could feel himself growing weaker. Pinned and helpless against the oppressive force of the vine and treant. All felt hopeless, and the longer it went on, the harder it became to keep his eyes open.

….

"S.t.a.r…"

….

"HEY!" A loud shout came from nowhere.

Marco's eyes jolted open because of the sudden loud noise, and the witch turned its attention to the shout.

Rombulus stood from across the clearing, and with little hesitation, he began to use his snakes to blast the giant treant. Crystals began to overtake it as the monster roared out, now incapable of moving. When all but its hand was frozen, Rombulus aimed at and encased the top of the vine choking Marco in crystal. It squirmed, and the part cut off from the rest let go of Marco's neck as if trying to preserve itself but was inevitably futile.

The witch watched Rombulus and seemed curious about him. It knew of his presence but also had seen his cowardliness, so it indeed shocked her that he would dare oppose the might of her magic.

Rombulus raised his snakes towards the witch, and his one eye scowled. "LOOK, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOIN ON HERE, BUT I DO KNOW YOU AREN'T TOO NICE, SO I THINK IM GOING TO HAVE TO PUT YOU ON ICE!"

The witch stared and didn't speak, so Rombulus, as impulsive as he was, merely fired his crystal laser beams at her. The second they made contact, a large crystal formed and trapped the apparition beneath it.

Marco never felt more relieved to see the big dumb oaf in his life. "Rombulus, I… Thank you, you saved me."

Rombulus turned and raised his snake, which caused the crystal attached to the treant's arm to sever at the wrist. Once that happened, Marco found himself able to move once the hand had collapsed. Tiredly, he used the frozen crystal treant to stabilize himself on his feet while holding his hurting chest with his hand.

"DON'T MENTION IT, LITTLE GUY… I WAS GOING TO LOOK FOR MOON, BUT I FOUND YOU INSTEAD!" Rombulus said while turning his attention to where he had frozen the witch.

"HUH?" He said abruptly.

Marco turned and found that the crystal that once encased her was utterly empty.

"WHAT! NO CREATURE CAN GET OUT OF THAT WITHOUT ME RELEASING THEM!"

The two looked about, and shortly after that, the shadowy figure was spotted in the darkness by the empty crystal, its light eyes fixated on Rombulus.

"You cannot entomb that which has no physical presence…" It hissed and raised its claw.

"WH-WE-WELL… I THINK I HEAR MOON CALLING! I GOTTA' GO!" Rombulus shouted as he turned and tried to make a hasty retreat.

He barely made it two feet before vines from all directions assaulted him.

"AHH NO!" He frantically shot his crystal beams, but for every one he nabbed, another latched itself onto him.

"Rombulus!" Marco shouted, limping his weak and bruised body forward.

The witch laughed, eventually speaking aloud. "Your powers intrigue me; they will be a useful skill in my repertoire."

"AHHH! HELP ME, KID!" Rombulus shouted as he was lifted off the ground by vines while kicking and screaming.

He soared off into the abyss of treetops wailing and crying until he was so far that he could no longer be heard or seen.

Marco, now enraged, began to shed tears of anger and balled his hand into a fist. "STOP IT NOW! LEAVE THEM ALL ALONE! I AM THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE PUNISHED, NOT EVERYONE ELSE!"

The witch turned to him and menacingly floated in his direction, but he stayed his ground. Eventually, he found himself face to face with it, and the two locked eyes in a way they never had before.

"All mewmans shall be punished… It is what they rightfully deserve!" The creature spit.

"No, it isn't! If your problem is with ME, then don't take it out on mewmans! I am a human from Earth!" He shouted back, just wanting the suffering to stop.

"…" The creature stared, and it unsettled Marco.

Eventually, after constant eye contact, it seemed conflicted and spoke softly.

"Like Kelly…?"

Marco was taken aback by the odd question, but while gripping onto his chest, he finally broke eye contact with it. "No… She's from somewhere else. I… We are merely friends of the princess."

He answered- why he didn't know, but he could see contemplation in its eyes when he looked at the witch. It made him feel sad in some unspeakable way. Though he hated her, there was more there than just its need for destruction… He could see it.

Marco stood quietly, and eventually, the witch raised its claw, which caused dark magic to begin rising up from the ground. He was terrified when it encased his legs and torso, and then it eventually started heading towards his face.

"I… Don't hurt anyone else… Please…" Marco pleaded one last time, expecting the end to come quickly.

The creature stared at Marco's face and then spoke. "Interdimensional traveler… your blood is different, and so you were spared from my magics purpose. An enemy not to me, but to oneself…"

The witch looked down, as if sadly, and then it returned its pain-filled gaze back onto him.

"Your home calls… I have seen it during your affliction…" It paused, and then sadness left its voice, replaced by seething rage.

"If you dare return, enemy or no, your fate shall be sealed…"

Marco was wide-eyed and tried to speak." Wait! Wha…"

Before he could finish the sentence, he was encased in the black magical energy. He tried to fight and flail, but it was all for naught. No sooner had darkness found him in the powerful magic, so too had unconsciousness.

…

"Ugh…"

Marco's eyes opened. What had happened? He remembered everything clearly, but his body was wracked with pain when he sat up, and his eyes were blurry.

"What?" He said in confusion.

He sat up painfully, finding himself in his own bed. His eyes darted about his room on Earth, and he was so unsure if any or all of it had been a dream. He hastily pulled his comforter and blankets from himself and found that his whole body was dirty and covered in mud.

Tired and sore, he was sure the thing had sent him home. Strange, how conflicted it made him. Its relentless bloodlust and selfishness were offset by mercy, and it seemed as if the creature were in conflict with itself just as much as Mewni.

…

Marco knew that he had to return despite her warning, but it was the late morning at home. How long had he been out? Not but briefly?... Star? Was she ok?

Marco became frantic and began rummaging through his pockets, searching for his phone.

"Ah… Where is it!" He yelled in a panicked cry.

His hands searching all over his sore body until he felt his heart stop. "Oh no…"

The realization that he'd left his phone on his desk in Mewni. The one that housed all his numbers he had been too lazy to bother to memorize.

"No… no, no, no, no!" Marco sprung from bed, the pain in his chest making it difficult to breathe.

"NO!"

The reality of things was coming down so hard at this moment for him. No scissors, no way to contact anybody, and a creature set to engulf Mewni castle in mere hours…

Even could he track the numbers down from Janna or somebody else, it felt like it might already be too late.

…

Time really was of the essence.

Unfortunately, Marco's might have already run out…

…