"Forgive me child, but absolutely not," Luna returned with a stoic grimace pointed towards Darc, her distaste worn clearly on her shoulder, "he is a vile, corrupted piece of irredeemable refuse from a monster brimming with evil to his core, and I will not have him assisting by any means!"
"You can't be serious!" Star pleaded with her, ignoring all ceremony regarding their very different standings, "without Marco, it'll just be a repeat of the throttling I just got! How can you just outright refuse to let him help!"
Darc, wisely choosing to say nothing, sunk deeper into the couch beside Star, hopeful he'd go unnoticed under Luna's withering glare.
Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the case. She looked beyond murderous when her eyes rolled over to him, her ethereal hair flowing in turn. "Do not misunderstand me, Child, I fully intend to pull Marco from the depths of this beings consciousness," she all but growled, her hair flaring with her words, "and subsequently thereafter I intend to purge this sickening creation from existence!"
Darc shriveled further under her scorching glare, but Star was quick to stand between the two, finally having enough of the Goddesses brooding. "We tried that already, remember? Plus, we might need him down the line," she reaffirmed, met with an eye roll from the goddess. But Star remembered a crucial bit of hearsay perspective from Darc, unsure if it was true, or if it would even help. "Plus plus, if there's even the slightest chance he might be able to protect Marco from Vartek's magic, I want it."
After a moment of silent deliberation, Luna folded her arms and arched a brow. "Explain, child," she barked, the heat radiating from her body shrinking somewhat.
"He's been learning about the ins and outs of Marco's… mind? What would you call it?" Star asked, turning to Darc. The copy in question wanted no part in the conversation, meekly answering, "v-void?"
"Yeah, void. He's been learning about that. So there might be a chance that if we put him back, he can keep Vartek out and Marco in control!" Star looked between the two, unfortunately finding Luna's expression perpetually dismissive.
There was another option she could try, using a different perspective. It was a bit of a crack shot, though. "Look, Luna. I know...about Glossaryck. I know he's gone," she offered with remorse, watching as Luna loosened her posture, "but, that's all the more reason to get through this however we can, so we can bring him back. And make sure he stays this time."
"Uh, if I can just cut in? Ahaha, where uhm. Where does that leave me, after all this is hypothetically over?"
Luna turned a bored, impatient glare towards Darc, shutting him up immediately. She had no time for the thoughts of a soon-to-be dead entity, especially with such an intriguing conversation going on. She turned back to Star. "I'm gonna- I plan on erasing that thing when this is all over," she noted, "but for now...what is it you would ask of me?"
Darc inclined his head towards the door, asking with a meek smile, "I don't suppose you could serve up some asskick- *HURK*" a heavy tendril of red magic snaked towards him and yanked him from the couch, throwing him over her shoulder and out of the living room. With the nuisance well and gone, Luna leaned down to Star's level and rolled her eyes.
"A stain on the clean linen that used to be your lover," she groaned, "and it's no other's fault but mine we find ourselves here."
Star stared at her, watching as Luna's hair sunk down over her shoulders. The once illustrious locks that shone with the stars of the night sky, we're now a mere deep crimson as Star let out a careful sigh. "There's no way you could have known all this would happen when you...when you…"
"When I killed her," Luna finished for her, "nor you, when you came here, expected to clean up our mess, thrust into a world of unknowns and trials." Her words were drowning in regret, a feeling Star could resonate well with, given the events of the last few days.
"Maybe you can help make it right," Star offered, ignoring Darc as he crawled his way back into the living room, "you can help us take down Vartek. You can help us stop him here and now, so we can fix our present, and our future. No one else has to die for-" Her words were charged with passion, but even Star had to falter; to wither as Luna's grimace deepened.
"I cannot, child," she returned, standing up and turning to glare at Darc, "as a Goddess, I am forbidden from interfering in the affairs of mortals beyond my realm of bonding. I overstepped in the future, erasing… her, and one more misstep would-"
"What? You'll lose your job?" Star asked with unintentional impatience, immediately softening at Luna's stiffened posture, "sorry, sorry. But I mean, c'mon! We lose everything if you don't-"
"Star…"
"Vartek will kill everyone if we don't stop him," Star pleaded, "I can't do it on my own, and I don't want to risk losing Marc-"
"STAR!"
She turned madly to face Darc, her expression falling into hopelessness by the second. However, he met her look of desperation with a somber frown of his own. "She's a Goddess. She exists simultaneously across an endless sea of dimensions, and an infinite flow of time," Darc noted dryly, gesturing to Luna's grim, turned glare, "If she's removed here, she will have never existed at all, for anyone. You can't ask her to act on suicide because we're too weak to settle our own problems."
"Hilarious, coming from the visage of the man who killed others of my kind," Luna growled, turning sharply to Darc, making him flinch back behind Star, "Vartek, slayer of gods, butcher of the innocent, yet his actions are that of a wounded dog."
"Hey, I don't-" Darc began, but he was all but silenced when Luna whipped about and shot a tendril of red magic his way. It stole the breath from his lungs as it pressed him against the wall, cracks shooting behind as Luna stalked closer. In a voice laced with venom, she spat, "Do not speak to me as though we are allies. You are a byproduct of my mistake, and have tarnished the very bond of my creation. You. Will. Die, before this is over, that is my promise to you."
The air was as tight as a crossbows drawstring, not a soul moving for a very, very long time. But ultimately, it was Darc who chose to defend himself, giving the Goddess a steadfast nod before answering, "whatever it takes to stop Vartek."
Luna held her glare for a moment longer before dropping him to the floor, turning away from him in disgust. "Your promises hold no favors," she barked, turning to Star and immediately softening, "as I said, Child. I cannot help you, as desperately as I may want to. I'm sorry."
"Then…. Maybe…" Star had to think. She wasn't used to being the one thrust to the forefront like this, usually Marco came up with the plans. Marco always had a plan, even when he didn't. He was reliable, loyal, strong…
"I can hear your thoughts, child," Luna cooed, kneeling down to Stars level, making the princess blush beet-red, "you yearn for your other half, for the far side of your moon. Though I cannot interfere, I believe I am within my power to try to return him to you, at the very least."
Not waiting for an answer, Luna extended her arm towards Darc, ripping him from the floor and dragging him across the destroyed living room. Star watched with growing unease, remembering very well what happened the last time Luna tried messing with Darc, but sure enough, Luna turned slightly and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Worry not, child. I will be gentle, despite how enticing it would be to bring as much suffering to this creature as possible," Luna shook of her malicious smile, "As your Bond Mate is now below the surface, it may be possible to pull him out, as his life force is far more recognisable to me."
"Less suffering would be good," Star offered. However, while Darc seemed to appreciate it, her suggestion went unheard. It was time to begin.
Luna closed her eyes and adopted a stillness like that of a statue, excluding her hair which seemed to plume into a mirror of the night sky. Like a column of smoke it curled into itself, the stars hidden within its locks twinkling brighter as she focused. Darc, wide awake this time, flashed Star an uneasy look that went completely ignored, right before he arched his back and screamed louder than she thought would have been possible.
Star made to move, but a thin stream of red magic pulsed from the center of Luna's chest, flowing towards Darc. And likewise, a similar tendril of teal magic flowed from his, the two meeting at the center of the room and mixing as well as oil and water. Star watched with vested interest as Luna's practice took place, Darc's initial scream of shock having since been silenced to the night.
Both looked unnaturally calm, like they were both asleep and sharing a dream that took place between their bodies. It would have been almost serene were it not for the circumstances of the 'exorcism', but just as Star was about to make ready for the long haul, Luna suddenly snapped back, releasing Darc's magic as he fell to his knees with a gasp.
*cough cough!* "What the hell was that?" He asked madly between ragged breaths, "you almost destroyed me!" Star's face fell, back down into that chasm of hopelessness as she heard not Marco's voice, but the parasite's.
"Oh believe me, in due time," came Luna's harsh response, the Goddess immediately turning to adress better company, "My child, I apologize, but I was not able to bring out your bond mate."
"Yeah… I see that," Star turned towards Darc, assessing his mannerisms and movements, finding nothing having changed at all, not a trace of Marco to be seen.
"It pains me to admit it, but it is entirely likely that this scum knows more about the workings of your bond mate's mind than I… despite me replicating it to begin with," Luna admitted with clear difficulty, "I cannot find him, and the only other person who could aid me in your partner's rescue… is my partner."
Star tilted her head in curiosity. "You mean...Glossaryck? You really think he'd be able to switch them back?" she asked with a tinge of undisguised hope in her words.
"He could, I'll not forget how easy it was for him to send you both into the wand, and it was he who peiced together Marco's mind initally..." Luna trailed off, her eyes sinking to the floor. Star knew what she was thinking, and mentally kicked herself for getting so hopeful as to forget. Glossaryck was gone, so whether or not he could, was a moot point. Although, realistically speaking, he wasn't gone for good, but that hardly mattered now, and both of them knew that.
"What's with the droopy faces?" Darc asked, immediately flinching as Luna's expression twisted in a very human display of anger, "Sorry, I swear I'm not making light of it or anything, but...if Glossaryck can get your buddy back out, why don't we just ask him?"
Luna and Star exchanged a short, impatient glance before the Goddess stood, narrowing her eyes at the fake. "Explain yourself, scum. What do you know of Glossaryck?"
"He's in the realm of magic, right?" Star asked in conjunction, "Until later, I can only get there using the whispering spell. How are we gonna 'ask him' anything?"
Her question was met with a deadpanned look between the both of them. "You're joking. She's joking, right?" he asked before gesturing to his chest, "Glossaryck is in here. In all likelihood, he's probably annoying the hell out of Marco as we speak."
Silence. Star had no idea what to make of the news that Glossaryck was figuratively in the same room as her. Even Luna was speechless, narrowing her eyes at him as if to inspect him for the truth. "Impossible. I would have felt him when I was searching for her bond mate," she spat with incredulous disbelief, "he and I have been together for hundreds of years, so what explanation could you possibly have to reason that I wouldn't be able to detect him?!"
"Uhhh, because I corrupted him?" Darc answered as casually as reading the time of day, and was quick to narrowly avoid being slammed into the wall again by another wisp of magic. "Hey! Take it easy, I don't mean like, Turned him or anything, I can't do that," he reasoned with a touch more intensity.
"I admit, I tried to destroy him when I had less control," another dodged attack that sent cracks through the wall, "But! Nothing happened, he and I kind of...canceled each other out? I dunno how it works, but he messed with my magic, so we kinda run on the same thing now. It's like he adapted to me and I couldn't get rid of him."
Luna made to offer some form of incredulous remark to Darc's actions, but Star beat her to the punch, closing the gap between them and eying him with desperation in her eyes. "So Glossaryck is still alive! He's just stuck in there with Marco, right?" She asked, earning a nod, "then all we have to do is get the message inside your head that he needs to switch you two back!"
She turned about to face Luna, stealing a quick glance at her now useless wand. "If Marco is really in there with Glossaryck, do you think you could...could you help me find them?"
"I… one would imagine-...I suppose…" Luna faltered, inclining her head toward the princess. "No one has ever attempted something like this. Even your own introspective journey into your wand was simple by comparison. I could put you on the path, but the dangers present could destroy you both should you lose your way."
"I don't care." Star glared between the two, her steadfast determination withstanding whatever warnings the Goddess could produce. She was as good as dead if they did nothing, anyways, so it was worth the gamble. Not to mention, they were talking about saving Marco, there wasn't room for question.
"Right now, we don't have the luxury of picking our battles, and I'd rather die trying to fix Marco, than die alone fighting Vartek," she stated calmly, "Darc is right. ...I left him behind because I was scared, and right now, I'll do anything to make that right; to see him again is all I want."
In truth, she was still scared; terrified actually. Who wouldn't be in this situation. But Star wasn't scared of the fight, or the attempt to bring Marco back. It was a fear of failure, and what that would mean for the both of them should she return empty handed, if at all. But when a warm, reassuring hand rested on her shoulder, the touch alone from a Goddess filled her with serenity, and her longing to see Marco was increased tenfold.
"I have every faith in you, Star Butterfly," Luna smiled at her, and Star realized it was the first time she had ever been called by the Blood Moon Goddess by name. "I chose the two of you for good reason, and I have not once been disappointed in that decision. You have many great feats before you, and this is but one challenge of many I will see you overcome."
Star couldn't help but return the smile, just as Darc sighed to himself, earning an inquisitive glare from the two of them. "Sorry, sorry," he coughed, "just, can we hurry up and kill me already? I'm not long for this world and I'd rather not spend it-"
"Silence yourself and be seated," Luna ordered, a command which Darc was happy to oblige.
Star, for whatever reason, felt some semblance of pity for the paras- for Darc. Sure, his repertoire was chocked full of nasty business, from possession, to trying to kiss Jackie, but in the end? He was forced into creation, clueless as to his position between his creators, and was quite clearly trying to help, even if it was for his own rewards.
She took a step closer to Darc. Watched closely by Luna, she met his eyes above an expression of questionable sentiment, and rested a hand on his shoulder. Much like Luna had done with her, it did help him feel a little better. "Thank you, for trying to save everyone," she offered, "I know you just wanted your own life, but… you did the right thing...I think. And I'm sorry, but I really need Marco back. For a lot of reasons."
"Yeah yeah," Darc grumbled, "You have apologies to make, a reunion to enjoy, and a date with destiny, among other things. Just make sure the idiot doesn't die again, or else I'm toast along with him."
Star frowned, nodding in assent at Darc's warning and suggestion. "Thanks again, Darc. I don't wanna seem like a bad person, but…" she trailed off, stepping back to stand beside Luna. He smiled, a brazen kind of sadistic grin. "But you hope you never see me again, right?"
A nod was all she gave him before Luna turned another scorching glare his way. "As do I," she seethed, her hair flaring like a plume of smoke, "the only solace I give you, the only recompense you can be awarded, is that you comply-"
"No worries. I'm done getting my ass kicked," Darc said with a roll of his eyes, standing to meet the two, "being 'Marco' sucks, in all honesty, not to mention having to put up with you guys. So go right ahead: put me back in the void."
Luna started, likely due to the comment, and the creatures unnecessarily given permission. Not that she had any intention of asking, but his compliance would definitely make things easier. So without any further un-necessities, she extended a hand towards Darc, and placed a hand on Star's shoulder.
"Be warned, child. This will not be an easy journey," Luna felt obligated to warn her one final time, "be wary not to stray from your goal, and do not forget: you cannot release the corruption I sense festering within.. Do you understand?"
Wordlessly, Star gave a quick nod.
It was time to begin.
Luna flexed her arm, letting another vein of red magic pour from her, to Darc. It caged itself around his chest and flowed deep into his body, but this time he didn't fight it. It burned, the full heat of a Goddess coursing through him, but he fought it down and watched as Star slowly adopted a faraway look in her eyes, and collapsed.
He tried to ask what was happening, but his voice was stolen. The magic squeezed tighter, and although Star appeared to be out, Luna took a step closer and deepened her glare at him. "You have defiled the bond between my select chosen pair. You have tainted the love between them with fear, anger, and sadness."
Luna took another step closer, now towering above him with an unnatural malice burning in her eyes. "Should anything happen to my chosen pair, it will be on your head, and nothing, not even those who bestowed my duty upon me, will save you. Do we have...an understanding?"
Darc, bound in her magic, felt something enter his body by force. A sudden burst of unfathomable magic, and whether it was Star, or Luna making a point, he couldn't ask regardless. He simply nodded as best he could, and buckled in for the long haul.
O - O - O - O - O - O - O
'Welp, this is definitely not what I expected the inside of Marco to look like,' Star thought to herself as she looked around at her new surroundings. She had expected a bounty of Mackie hand, Echo Creek, or even Star Butterfly shrines, maybe a couple amusement park style rides dedicated to memories? Perhaps, she didn't quite know Marco as well as she thought, because what she found in the stretches of his mind? She had heard him and Darc alike describe it as a 'Void', but this was nothing like that. It put even Mewni to shame.
The sky above- and below? -was tinged slightly red, like a blanket of clouds just before the sun began to set on Earth. Looking around, Star could tell she was somewhere very, very high, with no ground in sight beneath her. What she could see, however, was a decaying pathway of stone overtaken by a web of sprawling Vines, floating steadily amidst the clouds.
And what lay further beyond that was nothing short of breathtaking. Buildings, castles, mountains; all floating just as the walkway was, and seemingly connected by a network of more paths stretching into obscurity. What Star could only assume was the main path, snaked its way through the collection of structures and landscapes, splitting off towards the various landmarks like roots.
It was somewhat reminiscent of Cloud Kingdom, but something about the sight of it all proved far more serene, regal even. It was quiet, seemingly remote, and the air was as warm and inviting as an afternoon in the Diaz's backyard. But with a quick shake of her head, Star abandoned the peaceful thoughts to reaffirm her purpose in such a strange environment. She needed to find Marco.
With that reaffirmation came the realization that somewhere, in the pit of her own mind, she could feel him. He was near, that much she could tell, and although the sensation didn't prove any more useful than that, it was at least reassuring to know there was a chance she could see him again. And make things right.
"Alrighty, Diaz, let's bring you home," she said to no-one, taking her first tentative steps down the beaten path, unaware of true nature of the space she now occupied.
AUTHORS NOTE
Hey everyone, lemme start off by apologizing for how long such a short update took to get to you. I don't really have an excuse, I honestly just got super blocked, and kept putting it off. But moving forward, I'll be more diligent to get you the updates you deserve.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in three days (promise) for Pt. 8 of The Battle for Mewni! Thanks so much for reading, BUH BYYYEEE!
~Mr. Ronald Reagan