A/N: Will I manage to (finally) conclude this story by New Year's eve? Probably not, but I'm sure as hell gonna try :D!
Replies to the latest reviews:
SugarQueen97: Well, "not guilty" is highly subjective...
Oatmeal Cookies 101: Yeah, been a rollercoaster for me as well... I honestly forgot the plot several times, then just made stuff up and it somehow worked out xD... And I think you're about to stare at it for more than one minute once this mess is over... Trust me, it's messed up...
Starco4everr: Thank you!
Rock Raider: Meh, I made it seem worse than it was. Wasn't pleasant, but in hindsight, I was overreacting. And anyway, yeah, Ula is innocent, that much I can spoil. Moon, on the other hand... yeah, read and see...
Disclaimer: I do not claim the right to Star vs. the Forces of Evil or any of the characters that appear in the show. They belong to Disney and the show's creator, Daron Nefcy. I do, however, claim the right to the plot as well as any original characters that may appear in this fic, and would kindly ask you to inform me should you want to use anything from this fic in your own story. -jolleIQ
Beta read by ElleFreak.
Story cover by Luzz015. Be sure to check her out on DeviantArt!
Star vs. The Forces of Evil: Staring it up!
Chapter 11
Queen's Lament
Part 9
"Out of my way! Move!" he shouted, rushing through the chaos and bloodshed, dodging spearheads and sword-tips of the Mewmans massacring his kin. He wanted to stop. He wanted to stop and help his kin. He wanted to save the small boy being beheaded, or maybe stop them from stabbing through the frog-woman's chest and leaving her to bleed out, but he couldn't. If he stopped to save those two, hundreds would pay the price.
The castle was in sight. He had to get there. No matter how the fresh cuts and bruises hurt, he had to make it there and put an end to things.
There had to be some misunderstanding. Why else would the Mewmans be doing this?
Did Moon know about it?
Were the Mewmans under the influence of some sinister spell?
Where was Ula?
So many questions, and the answers lay a few yards ahead.
Just a few more yards!
And so he kept running, blocking out the cries of his kin, voices pleading for help. He ignored them all, focusing only on the moonlit path ahead, at the end of which lay only despair.
Castle Mewni
Why did it come to this?
How did a visit with nothing but pure intent turn into such a hellish mess?
More importantly, why was the young queen acting recklessly? She didn't know her that well, but she seemed like a pleasant young girl, one who would grow up to be a wonderful queen. Why, then, was she putting her people to the blade all based on one letter filled with lies and deceit? Why the irrationality? Why the malice in her eyes as she plunged the edge of her wand-blade through one of the guardsmonsters? Why the burning hatred in her posture as she marched towards her-
"Ula! Look out!"
A "huh" was all she was able to muster up before she was shoved aside, and the edge of Moon's blade narrowly missed her. Next she heard the clashing of blades and saw her husband stand his ground against the silver-haired demon. Next, she heard her daughters shaky voice.
"M-mommy?" asked the young creature, utterly lost.
Ula snapped back to reality as she heard Nerida's voice and looked about herself.
Wherever she looked, all she saw was chaos and bloodshed. Mewmans and Monsters fighting each other; steel meeting steel; corpses bathing in blood. Those who hadn't brought weapons used improvised ones, grabbing whatever they could, from chairs to glass bottles, and the second a person with a proper weapon fell, all lunged to pick up the blade or dagger or whatever else, wrestling like savage boars over who would obtain the means to another's end.
In the forefront was Moon, now surrounded by four monsters, moving gracefully as a ballerina as she took all of them on simultaneously, deflecting their blows with ease and dancing between them, swinging her blade and landing blow after blow. Two of the warriors testing their steel against hers fell swiftly, and the other two knew they would soon follow.
"Ula! You have to take Nerida and get out of here!" she heard her husband shout as he sliced off the arm of a feeble Mewman and then decapitated him. He then turned to her, his look frantic. "Now, Ula!"
"I'm not leaving you behind!"
"We don't have time for this! Forget about me and run!"
"No!"
"I'll be fine! Just go!"
As Ula was about to protest anew, she heard a deafening cry. She and Tethys directed their gazes at the source of the scream and saw the young Mewman queen standing amid the corpses of the four monsters, her wand-blade coated with crimson. She wore a perfectly cool look as she looked at them and slowly began making her way over.
"Dammit..." Tethys muttered and assumed a defensive position, glaring at the cold-blooded killer queen. "Stay away from my wife and daughter, you wretch!" Tethys yelled, and heaved his sword, blocking the path between Moon and the two. Behind her, one of the monster-guests slowly crept up to her and raised his dagger to the sky, wishing to use the distraction as an opportunity to take vengeance for his fallen kin. Before he could even take another breath, Moon's sword slashed the air, then she lowered her sword arm and turned her head sideways just enough to look her assailant in the eyes, hers dead and cold. The monster stood there for a moment, then dropped to the floor, and blood oozed from his neck. Ula watched in horror and Moon brushed back a loose lock of hair and gazed over Tethys's shoulder, looking directly at her.
Tethys swallowed audibly and his blade trembled in his hands.
"I'll kill you for what you've done!" he growled and turned to look at Ula. "Darling, cover our daughter's eyes... She doesn't need to see this..."
Ula nodded and did as instructed, hugging Nerida tightly and covering her ears.
Tethys let loose a mighty battle cry and charged at Moon. Before he could even take three steps, Moon dashed to him so swiftly that it seemed as though she'd teleported from one spot to the other, and swung her blade. Startled as he was by her lighthing-agility, he managed to deflect the blow in the nick of time and was ready to launch a counterattack, but before he could even swing his sword properly, she was already out of range.
"I've been training with Mewni's best since birth," she said, her voice poised and calm. "If you lay down your arms, I may make your deaths slightly less painful..."
"Argh!" he lunged at her again, but she evaded the blow and swung her blade, which tore at his side and left a deep cut. Tethys cried in pain and swung his blade anew, but Moon used the opening and slashed at him, narrowly missing his head as he just barely managed to sidestep the tip of her blade. Tethys panted heavily, focusing only on the sly fox before him.
"Already out of breath? You disappoint, Tethys-" she lunged at him and he deflected the blow, but she twisted her blade in a manner that allowed her to circumvent his defence and land a jab in his leg, which sent him stumbling back several feet. "-I thought you were an acclaimed warrior? Such a letdown..."
Tethys grit his teeth, and Moon swung her blade again and again, landing blow after blow. She attacked anew, but this time, he was ready. Instead of parrying the blow, Tethys rushed at her and landed a mighty punch in her gut, knocking her back several feet and forcing her to her knees. Before she could stand up, he rushed her and kicked her in the head and sent her tumbling and rolling on the floor. She tried to get up, but he stomped on her chest, knocking the wind out of her, and knocked the sword-wand out of her hand.
"Don't get cocky with me, girl! You still have a thing or two to learn about real fighting!" Tethys cried, heaving his sword, ready to deliver the final blow. Moon tried moving his massive foot from her chest, but it was no use; she was too weak. She looked up and stared at the tip of the blade with terrified eyes. "Time to end this!" he cried. Behind him, Ula closed her eyes and whispered something in Nerida's ear.
Moon tried forcing him off her with all her might, but it was no use. She was bested.
She grit her teeth and snarled at him, and he aimed his blade at her chest.
Just as Tethys let loose a mighty cry of rage and was about to plunge the blade through Moon's chest and put an end to things then and there, he felt a searing pain in his side and screamed. He whipped his head around and saw a chubby, blond-haired boy glaring at him, his blue attire ripped and stained with crimson and his face full of scars. Tethys looked down and saw a dagger plunged in his side. He grabbed to pull it out, and River used the opening to shove him off Moon. Tethys landed on his buttocks and groaned in pain, and River offered Moon a hand.
"Moon! Are you alright!?"
"R-River..." she murmured, taking his hand. But before River could yoink her upright, he felt a pain in his stomach and flew backwards several feet. When he opened his eyes, he saw Tethys standing there, the hilt of his sword aimed in his direction, eyes filled with rage.
"What is the meaning of this, River!?" Tethys yelled, and from the side, Ula rushed to her husband's side.
"Dear, are you alright!?" Ula placed her hand on the open wound and felt Tethys recoil from the pain.
"I'll live..." he muttered and gently swiped her hand away, and shot a glare at River who, holding his gut that had been struck by the hilt of Tethys's blade, stood up. River lunged at Tethys, ignoring the pain. But the attempt was futile as Tethy's slashed his blade and cut the boy's stomach, and River collapsed onto his knees, crying in pain.
"Agh!"
"River!"
"Look around yourself, you bloody fool!" Tethys cried, and both looked at him. "Look at what she's done! She's insane! No true ruler would commit such an atrocity! She needs to die!"
"Over my dead body!" the blonde-haired boy declared, coughing violently.
"River..." the young queen muttered in disbelief.
Was he always so courageous?
Before she could say any more, River collapsed on the spot.
"River! No!" she cried and knelt beside him, supporting his head with her hands. Several of the guardsmen ceased fighting and rushed to her side, encircling her and the injured boy to shield both him and their queen.
"Dear," Ula said, tapping her husband's shoulder, grabbing his attention. "We should use this opening to make our escape."
"But-" He saw the look in her eyes. That wasn't a question. "R-right..." he said, cast a final gaze towards Moon, then rallied a few of his own men and with their aid, fought a way to the exit, leaving the conflict behind.
"River! River!" Moon kept calling his name. The boy stirred awake and flashed her a smile, then felt a sting in his side.
"Are you alright!?"
"Don't worry about me... I'm tougher than I look..." he chuckled, flashing a cheeky grin. "Just need to rest for a bit..." he muttered and fell unconscious in her arms. Moon put an ear to his lips and sighed in relief; he was breathing.
"My Queen," one of her guards spoke. "Ula and Tethys have fled the scene. Should we-"
"No." Moon gently laid his head on the floor, stood up and outstretched her hand and her wand came flying into her hand. "You needn't bother yourself with it, Sir Frugard, I'll see to it myself... personally..." she muttered, a vengeful glare on her face. She took a spet forwards, then felt a sharp pain in her gut and took a knee, gripping her side. She coughed and saw a few droplets of blood splatter on the floor.
"My Queen!"
"Must've broken a rib earlier..." she muttered, frowning angrily. She made an attempt to stand up, but was stopped by one of the guards.
"My Queen," another guard spoke, making a troubled face. "I admire your confidence, but with all due respect, you are clearly injured. Let us handle things-"
"That won't be necessary..."
"But you can't possibly fight in the state you're in! You'll be killed!"
Moon groaned angrily. The guard was right. In the shape she was in, Tethys would easily kill her, and that wasn't even accounting for the rest of the monsters at his side she'd have to deal with. And even if she used magic to heal herself, it would take too long and leave her drained and in no shape to fight.
And yet, she didn't want to give anyone else the pleasure of executing the monsters who were responsible for the deaths of her mother and father.
There's a way...
She looked at her wand, deep in thought.
Deep in the archives of the Royal Library, she had scoured through numerous tomes and scriptures, some prohibited from ever being read. She remembers one distinct spell, locked away deep within the archives. It would grant her the power to claim the vengeance she was due, but it came at a dire price: one's own humanity. There was no guarantee the spell could be reversed. The chances were slim, and she could end lost, a prisoner of her own magic.
She gazed at River. Poor, foolish River, lying there unconscious and in pain, all because of the same traitors that had already stolen so much from her, and they were about to steal even more.
She squeezed the handle of her wand tightly, took a deep breath and lifted it to her chest.
I call upon the blackest art,
to darkness I shall pledge my heart;
To see my foes before me cower,
I summon forth the ancient power;
Of Mewni's rulers long foregone,
To paint with crimson morrow's dawn;
To wake the demon deep within,
To taint my body black with sin;
To make my foes with fright beseem,
And feel the wrath of Mewni's Queen.
...
"We're almost there!" Tethys yelled as he cut the corner that led to the Throne Room. Ula followed closely behind, carrying Nerida in her arms, and lastly came the company of monsters accompanying them. Before they could enter the Throne Room, Tethys blocked the way and carefully stuck his head through the door, looking to and fro, making sure it was safe.
"Clear," he said and motioned them to follow him through. Upon setting foot in the Throne Room, it was eerily silent, not a living soul around.
"Daddy, where are we going?" the innocent Nerida asked.
"Not much farther, sweetie," he said, smiling a reassuring smile and ruffling her hair. "We just have to make it outside the castle, then we'll open a portal home."
Thanks to the protective barrier, they couldn't even call for help unless they used one of the castle's magic mirrors, but it was far too risky to even attempt, so fleeing was their best choice.
"I'm worried what'll happen once we get home. Everything's ruined..." said Ula with downcast eyes, and Tethys placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"We'll figure something out. You said it yourself: that brat wasn't herself. Something strange is going on, no doubt about it." Tethys gripped his blade with full force. "If I ever find out who's responsible for this-"
"My King, I would advise saving all that rage for after we've made it back alive," a lizard-man suggested.
"Right."Tethys nodded and turned towards the exit. "This way. We've just gotta get outside and-"
"Look out!" one of the monsters yelled, pointing a finger at the exit. Tethys followed the tip of the finger. All he saw was the massive, wide-open doors.
"What? I don't see-" before he could finish his sentence, the monster attempting to warn him jumped before him and was hit by a blast of dark energy. The monster screamed in agony as his body began to visibly deteriorate, turning into a wrinkled mess, black as charcoal. The others looked on in shock as the beam subsided and the remains of their fellow warrior fell to the ground, giving off black smoke.
They stared at the charred remains for a moment, then cast their gazes towards the exit, and their blood froze.
Blocking their path to freedom was a female figure enveloped in a cloak of shadows, its eyes gleaming wicked purple and two diamond cheek marks on its face radiating an evil aura. In one hand, it wielded a familiar wand-sword, now black as night, and in the other, a black flame burned, pointed at them. The shadow lowered its hand and flashed a wicked smile.
Tethys swallowed, raising his sword.
"Crap..."
To be continued...
Chapter End Notes:
The next one really is the last. I'll try to push it out before New Year's Eve, but no promises.
Alright, see ya!
