Forgotten Fates

Chapter Four

A Sickness

"I will go no further. Evil spirits in these woods, and a greater evil in the mountain."

Merina smacked a few stray insects buzzing around the jungle. Even a nature spirit would have found the change of scenery unpleasant. It had been an arduous walk from the monster village, even after a generous ride towards the base of the surrounding mountains. Whatever was out here was meant to be as far out of the way as possible. At a few miles from civilization, the Wild Lands beyond Mewni's borders left plenty to the imagination, and left plenty of room for danger.

Merina had asked for nothing more than direction, a step closer towards finding Vartek. Bullmond had been, understandably, a little unhelpful at finding a lost fabled place without a name or proof of its existence. But out here? In the mountains, he knew someone with more experience under his belt. The problem didn't come with location so much as with the man in question.

"You'll find him under Wisdom Tooth mountain, there's a cave hidden beyond a clearing of ferns. But I must warn you, Merina, do not let your guard down around him."

"I'm familiar with that man and his kind, I've spent the last few years of my short life surrounded by crazy and magic. I'll be careful."

Bullmond gave her a sympathetic sigh, shaking his head. "There are no men like him, be they Monster or Mewman. He can reach into the darkest parts of your heart and pull out your deepest fears. Keep your wits about you, and don't trust him. Find out what you can and leave before you can't. Do not, stray from the path."

If the man was enough to get even Bullmond nervous, Merina knew it would be best to heed his warning. Four hours later, a little past midday, she was slogging through towering trees and forest mud, all without a clue as to how she would interrogate… someone like him. She splayed her hands with a soft green light, pushing the roots and branches of trees aside to form a lattice walkway. She'd thought for hours, then thought some more, and given herself every chance to turn back, but it was no use. The only bit of consolation that would cool her nerves was the thought that it was all not without purpose. This was just a stepping stone, no need to panic. Just a little jaunt in the woods to meet a legend.

As expected whenever her nerves eased back to a state of serenity, Merina flinched at the movement in the corner of her eye. More shadows seemed to dart in and out of the thicket. Whispers passed around just beyond the tree line tickled her ears, but Merina paid none of it any mind. Spirits, pixies, Monsters, whatever they were. They'd only serve to distract. But… gods there were getting to be a lot of them.

She could just barely remember a time with Vartek, when he'd first taken her into the swamps. When you couldn't see below the algae covered waterline, your mind would demand that there was something there. Here she was alone and at the mercy of her surroundings, as Magic was only a small crutch to lean on. But with company the fear of the unknown was never so bad. It didn't matter what was below the water, because they could handle it together. Vartek was a bastion of confidence and optimism… until Nebula. Despite her change of mind and body and time, Merina never let that burning hatred for Mewmans fade, especially for that one in particular. she was aggregable with the Mewmans of this time, mind you, but hers? A special place in the underworld would wait for them at the end of the...

With a statrt, Merina found herself standing in a clearing surrounded by ferns, and a cliff face at the north side towards the mountains. The stumps of long dead trees barely poked through the grass. They'd been cut down, probably by her target long ago, but that wasn't the interesting detail. What captivated her attention was her sudden lack of magic. That small pressure that was always present in her palms and chest? She couldn't feel the plants at her feet, nor the coolness of the roots beneath the soil. She just felt, hollow.

Not wanting to dwell where she likely wasn't wanted, Merina pushed on towards the base of the cliffs at the far end of the clearing.

There, she found the cave Bullmond had spoken of, a simple hole in the rock face bored deep into darkness.

"You'd think the dimension's biggest criminal would be a little more conspicuous," she huffed. But then again, he'd been long dead by the time she was born, so what did she know? Stepping into the cave, Merina still couldn't feel her magic, but it was too late for second guesses now.

Almost immediately, there were whispers just around every corner, words of warning and objection to her presence. But as with the pests in the woods, it was best to pretend they weren't even there. 'He waits'... one disembodied voice hummed, but to deaf ears. Merina wouldn't be stopped by shadows in the trees, and she wouldn't be stopped now. Down she delved, deep into the heart of the mountain, farther than the light of day would allow. For the last few minutes, it was a harrowing march through blackness as she dragged her hand against the right wall of the cave.

'Turn back… to the light.'

Merina turned, but it was only towards the comfort of a memory. She tried to focus fondly of an afternoon with Genny. Or speaking to Star after a hearing. Anything to distract herself from the frigid walls of stone around her. Her memories were questionable at best, but like a locket she could pull out of her collar, she had a smile. A little girl and the warmth of her joy, the feeling of that love was one of the few things that hadnt faded.

'Your husband was a murderer. He killed your daughter. Thousands more perished. Your magic is to blame… your malice to the queen… it burns within you still... you cant fool us..."

She focused on her footsteps. One after the other, creeping deeper towards the inky void. It reminded her of her time as a statue, speaking to the boy, or protecting the Turned as best she could.

'You got yourself killed… you drove him mad…'

It wasn't her doing. It was vengeance for a slaughter that had never been so deserved in the universe. But… her mind began to wander. Vartek wouldn't have… there's no way he'd have killed their child. He was mad, but not even madness like that could have driven him to-

"STRANGLED your little monster child in the night!" The voices yelled from every crack and crevice around her, "You left him screaming to bring you back! Anything to save-'' Merina snapped her head to the right and a suppressed crack of green light lit up the wall before dimming to nothing. Her ears ticked towards the sound of retreating giggles. Her face twisted into one of rage, but she struggled to remain on the path. Her fist unfurled against the stone, and with tentative steps she continued on. He wouldn't have. There was enough good in him even at the end of his life; he must have known to leave Silva with an ally. Whoever was left…

There was light. Breaking through the darkness like a sunrise were the flickering beams of a torch, isolated and alone beside what appeared to be a heavy iron door.

She let out a slow breath, surprised to find that she'd caught it in the first place. She'd stopped in her tracks no more than ten feet from the banded barrier to the unknown. The air was… frigid down here, no trace of magic, no sign of life save for the torch. She was alone.

Regardless of what the voices had been egging her to do, she watched helplessly as she inched closer to the door. This had to be a mistake. She could still leave. Star would understand, there had to be other ways of getting to the Nexus. Vartek could be saved through magic, surely. If she just turned around now, everything would be-

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

The sound nearly made her jump out of her skin. She hadn't even realized she'd approached the door and given it several good raps that echoed throughout the caves. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but that wasn't the only deafening sound that followed. In a voice far louder than should have been possible, a man demanded from behind the iron door, "IDENTIFY YOURSELF!"

Before she could answer, Merina swallowed her nerves and took a deep, gratifying breath of air. Her fists balled in an attempt to keep them from shaking, but it was hardly doing any good. Her time to turn tail and run was out. An answer for the man on the other side of the door was all that stood between her and her fate. "I am Merina of… nowhere..." She cursed under her breath, but quickly she tried again. "I've come to talk about history? I've been told it's a subject you're well acquainted with?"

A moment passed, filled with nothing but the soft flutter of the torch's flame. Worried she may have blown it, Merina readied herself to try again when the door creaked with protesting metal. Iron gears groaned as heavy locks slid out of place. Dust showered from the cave ceiling as the door screeched open, skidding against the rock.

Through the dust and darkness, she kept her resolve and squinted through the debris. Merina stood unmoving as she waited, until finally her proprietor stepped into the light. There before her stood a man straight out of records. Mewni's most wanted. The most vile and corrupt creature to have ever walked among Monsters.

Merina smiled and bowed enough to convey her intentions. "Good afternoon, Seth."

Before her stood a massive man, a species of Septarian known as the Awati, and one ex-king unlike any other. The fanned fins on either side of his head, the spikes on his shoulders and arms, and the ghostly color of his hair were all identifying traits. But now, he was far past his prime. He looked nothing like the archived wanted posters and exaggerated records. He was withered and old, even as an immortal lizard. His skin hung like drapes over his old bones and fading muscles, scarred and graying as it was. But one detail that apparently hadn't changed was his smile. His lips curled into a frightening array of yellowing teeth. "To what do I owe the pleasure… Mewman."

Whatever his intentions, whatever his history, Merina wouldn't be intimidated further. If he wanted mind games, she would play along. "I'm as Mewman as any other creature on this rock, am I not? We are all children of Mewni." She tossed a lazy glance over her shoulder and smiled back. "I would lose the Mind Pixies, love, I doubt you get much company down here in these frigid caves."

Seth answered with a nod, opening the door wider and gesturing deeper into the cave. "Then by all…means. Let's *cooouuugh* …chat." Merina stepped inside without provocation, finding the antechamber of the cave system nothing more than a dingy little hovel. There were furs arranged around a campfire, incense to give the whole place an alien scent, banners and old keepsakes along the walls, weapons; the works. It was like some ancient gladiator had taken up residence and the villain of every bedtime story was just an afterthought to tranquility.

Merina cleared her throat and took a comfortable seat on one of the furs at the center of the room. The campfire in front of her cast dancing shadows on the tapestries hanging from stalactites, and wisps of incense snaked through the fragrant air. Seth closed the iron door, but he didn't lock it. He just fell into a coughing fit, slowly made his way over, and took a seat opposite to her. For all his bravado and intimidation, he must have actually wanted some company after all. "Speak… What is it you wish to discuss?"

Merina eyed her surroundings for a moment longer, formulating her question with care. As harmless as he looked, he was still once the King of Septarians. The last thing she wanted was to set him off. "You wrote a scroll a thousand years ago, one that was thought to be of a dream… about the 'Nexus'?" The old man's eyes widened, but that was the only sign he gave that he understood. "What do you know about it? What can you tell me about getting there?"

For a moment he just stared; still, but not apprehensive. Just when Merina was ready to give him another nudge, he simply let out a bored sigh and reached for a small stone cup to his left. It gave off an earthy, sweet scent from the wisps of steam, so he must have fancied tea now that his murderous days of mischief were over. Whatever was in the cup didn't seem to soothe his abraded throat. "You want… to talk about my dreams?" He wheezed out a chuckle, and there his smile was again. "You Mewmans of nowhere… are as arrogant… as ever."

Merina smiled back. She wouldn't bite so easily. If he wanted to be an ass, he'd have to work for it. "Be that as it may, I want to know how to find the Nexus. You're the only one who can give me an idea of where to-"

"Ha! Haaaa haaaaaaaaa!" Seth's laugh cut through her inquiry like a dusty wind. "The Nexus ain't real! It's a fairy- *cough! Cough cough!* a fairy tale… for kids to better understand magic!"

"I know it's not just a fairy tale." Merinas voice was hard. She kept her posture rigid and watched him, noticing the way his eyes narrowed at her refusal. "You had a vision about this place, and much more. Please, I have to know what you saw."

Seth answered her with a slow, languid drag of claws against rock. Another sip of tea, another fit of coughs, and he seemed to relax a little. "How's the Queen?" He asked. "The old windbag… still breathing?"

"Better than you, I suspect," Merina grumbled. "Did you write your theories on the Nexus based solely on your visions? Or did you find anything-"

*COUGH COUGH! COOOUUUGH!*

This time when he coughed, it took far more out of him. He reached a shaking hand for his tea and pot, which Merina was happy to pour. She handed him a cup brimming with hot tea and waited for him to recover. When he regained his stance, he regarded her with a touch more dignity, inclining his head to meet her eyes. "You Mewmans think you can… barge into a place… start telling people what to do…"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm asking you. If you'd like me to start telling you, I'd be happy to oblige."

Seth waved a dismissive claw. "Keep your loins in line… I'm sure we can… work something out…" He took the pot of tea and poured her a cup, offering it gingerly. Like she might snatch the stoneware away and never return it.

Merina took the cup and helped herself to a hearty sip, finding it absolutely divine. Smooth but robust, not a far cry from Varteks 'Fancy Swamp Wine'. "What is it you want from me?"

"Same as you…" Seth rasped. He sat up a little straighter; a little taller. "I know who you are, Mewman- the whole kingdom knows what your Septarian did. You want him back because you need him, because you need a way home or some hole in your heart filled. But I want a Septarian returned as well. You help me… I will help… you."

She frowned, an act mirrored by Seth. "A Septarian?" He stared at her, his slitted eyes narrow and calculating before nodding. So he was serious... "What, do you want Toffee back from the dead or something? Let me just step out to the temple of Glossaryck and scrape him off of the stone-"

"I WANT MY SON-" *COUGH cough cough* TAKEN FROM ME BY- *coouuugh* *wheeeeeeeze*

Seth's outburst ground to a halt with another coughing fit. As he hacked and wheezed he slammed a boney fist into the stone, even cracking it despite his old age. He was still a fighter, but it wasn't enough to recapture her attention. Merina didn't know about any relation between the two apart from their proximity to Queen Comet, no one probably did. Not that it mattered, anyway. A trade like that… wasn't ideal. Star would probably dive into a fit of rage at the very idea of resurrecting Toffee, but if it got her to the Nexus…

"Toffee is your son?"

Seth glared at the fire. "The resemblance lies… with his mother. But his ideals… those he got… from me. Revenge is a sympathy… only the wounded and marred have felt…" He cleared his throat of either mucus or scar tissue, hacking coughs echoing loudly through the cave. "Unlike Toffee, most of my... extended lifespan... was spent without those vermin infesting our lands. Unlike so many others I remember a time before the Butterflies."

"If I can get Vartek and a boy out of the Nexus, then… you can have what's left of Toffee."

Seth turned a curious glance her way to find this mysterious woman's resolve absolute. Whatever he thought of her, though, it didn't take long for the temptation to take him. After a long few minutes of silent contemplation, he set down his teacup and extended a hand, withered and flaking as it was. 'I know better… don't trust words. There is magic within you, so make a pact…"

Merina inclined her head. "A pact."

Seth nodded. "A pact. You carry magic, or else I wouldn't... have needed to seal it. You have my terms, so make your choice... or get out of my home."

If the alarm bells weren't going off before, they certainly were now. But in for a penny, she thought to herself, there was no going back now. Whatever dangers and pitfalls may come, what Merina saw at the forefront of it all was simply… Vartek. Her Septarian. Her daughter. Her home. The only way to see any of them again was through Seth. And Star, a girl lost on the precipice of an endless ocean of grief. She was a child who had no business knowing the kind of loss burdening her shoulders. If this was the only way to fix them both... why not take the leap of faith? So with care, Merina extended a hand and gently took hold of his. "By the old laws... by my word am I bound."

Between them was a small ribbon of dark purple energy that curled to bind their hands together. It tied them up to the elbows as a modest bow bounced atop their wrists. A soft burn etched a rune into the skin of their palms with a flash of purple light. As the smell of burning flesh and light faded, the ribbon began to disintegrate into a shower of propel snow. Merina winced and inspected the mark before turning back to glare at Seth. "There. Now tell me what you know."

As the warmth that had grown in the cave settled, Seth smiled, inspecting his own rune as if it brought him joy. "Everything, girl. The Nexus point… is everything. It is where magic comes from… The hub of creation before time was an idea… the center of the universe…" He snatched up his teacup and took a ginger sip. "The Ones… they made everything."

Despite her frown, Merina leaned closer. "The Ones..." The fire kept her warm, but those words gave her chills. The Ones weren't even a legend. They were hardly an idea, primordial creatures from before the beginning of the universe, barely even a fledgling concept in her time. "How can I get there?" She demanded, "our deals no good based on theories. You saw where it was, and you don't get any more than I do unless I get them out." Seth answered with a frown. He must have known she was right. She took a sip of her own tea, but never took her eyes off him.

"The Nexus isn't a place… so much as a point where your laws of nature bend."

"That sounds like a place to me, so what's the difference?"

"You don't go to the Nexus, girl." Seth took a breath and tried to formulate it for a mewmans feeble mind to grasp. Another sip in silence. "Ahhhh…. It is a concentrated magnus of nature and reality… a focus point and a beating heart at the same time. It lies where all magic converges, where it comes from…. To find it you must follow the Ones. They made it… like a crossroads…"

Merina nodded. If she could write all of this down without pissing off the old snake, she would have. "And I can still go to this mystical place at the center of everything?"

"You go… every time you use those scissors. The portals all pass through the Nexus like a lense, or the spokes of a wheel."

"That's not- that doesn't make any sense."

Seth gave her a shrug and for once, took a dignified sip like he wasn't speaking to a relative toddler. "I saw it in a dream, and even then I barely comprehend it... despite my age, I am but a mortal... we weren't meant to understand the laws of our reality... any more than a bug can comprehend the sun."

"That doesn't exactly get me where I need to be," she groaned and took a calming sip of tea, digesting the revelation of the portals. "How do I follow the Ones? I can't imagine that the footsteps of a dead civilization of gods are still lying around these days."

Seth nodded, using his claw to scratch markings into the rock beside the fire. "There is a temple… beyond the reaches of time... It was once a place of healing and knowledge. All history is recorded there, like the Mewmans and their quills… Your best chance is to start there, if it still exists." He dragged his claw back to his side and gestured to the markings. Merina inspected the crude drawing, but she was shocked to find that she recognized the place. It was the same temple Vartek had created her in. Where she'd spent the better part of a year in near solitude, waiting.

She nodded solemnly, giving him no reaction that would give away her knowledge. If Seth knew where the way to the Nexus was… she didn't have to imagine the outcome. And with Toffee coming back she didn't need to give either of them an in. "Thank you, Seth," she sighed. "I don't know if any of this will be of use to me, but you've been a help all the same."

Not wanting to give him a moment to pry, she stood and bowed, already turning to leave when she heard him croak, "wait." She froze in place not out of force, but anticipation that made her skin crawl. She still couldn't feel her magic, and Seth had a frightening set of claws. Preparing to fight, she was surprised to hear him ask, "You're from the future, aren't you…"

She didn't answer his little pets the first time, and she was reluctant to now. No one but a very select few knew about her dealings with other times. Apart from Varteks crazy ramblings and the children's knowledge of the future, that is. "I know more about you than your little friends probably do." She heard Seth stand and pop his back. He didn't sound so old and creaky now. His voice was as smooth as silk, deceptively calm, and curious. "I got good ears, little lady. You... aint like the rest of em, loving a monster and all that. You had a little monster girl of your own in the future, I won't tell… don't you worry. But the Mewmans of your time. They never change, do they. They took from you exactly what they took from me: a happy little family. Content to live out their lives in peace."

Her continued silence was all the answer he needed. Seth smiled to himself and turned to collect his tea effects, but Merina turned to meet his curiosity with a glare. "Mewmans stole plenty, but they didn't take my family from me. A goddess did." She rounded on him and approached, her glare a heated torrent of emotions and bitter resentment. "They do change, but power doesn't. Power infects and corrupts Mewmans, Monsters, wives, father, children, until there's nothing left to destroy. You seem to be familiar with the concept, but you blame one type of people for the illness of ambition, fear and pride when in reality, that sickness can and will infect anyone who carries the bigger stick."

She expected the old man to withdraw and mumble about any multitude of excuses. But Seth only smiled, his yellowed teeth gleaming in the firelight. "Spoken just like my son… to remove power from the hands of mortals… is to remove corruption from their hearts." He turned to his tea set, shuffling back to his business as though nothing was wrong. "Keep that in mind when you're shaping your future…"

As the heavy iron door slammed shut behind her, Merina folded her arms and walked out of the cave. She'd been given everything she needed, but for some reason it was a hollow victory. She still needed Star to deliver on her end before she could deliver to Seth. Toffee would soon be returned to the land of Mewni, and with him would follow the future of the universe.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

One blink was all it took.

One second she was climbing down the ladder.

One foot after the other.

One deep hole into darkness.

Nothing.

Star looked around, finding herself in what she could only describe as a 'Wasteland'. There was no memory of how she got here, but that was on brand with what this place was supposed to be. The Realm of Magic, only now it was more like the dead husk of magic. All around her were sandy dunes, rocky hills, mountainous plateaus in the distance, and a dark sky above. There was something of a vacuum that pulled in every direction of the empty and still expanse of… nothing.

It was a blank canvas, a dried up friggin tundra that wouldn't do an ounce of good on its own. But, that was the point. Star knew she had to rejuvenate this place somehow. She had to make a Millhorse… but… She blinked again, harder this time. She hadn't destroyed the wand this time, right? It was all sorta fuzzy trying to remember… where was the good? The giant smiling man? The blue guy?

With a start, Star realized where she really was. "Corn, I didn't bring any pudding! This stupid dimension and its dumb mind magic!" She cried, tearing into her purse. She needed her scissors, now that she'd seen this place she could come back, right? Better than forgetting who she was and dying out here without anyone coming to- "It's no use."

Her wand was armed and aimed before she'd even finished turning around. Star leveled the dimly glowing bulb at- "Toffee?" She gasped. The Septarian stood there, unphased, unaffected, and unchanged since their last physical encounter. He was wearing his suit and gave her no regard other than a disappointed frown. "Are you done?"

She answered with a muted stare, her eyes far colder than the last time he'd seen her. Toffee nodded so slightly, it was almost like she'd imagined it. "You and I are stuck here. And that wand of yours is about as useful as a paper Mache water mill."

She didn't lower her wand. Sand whispered by with the breeze as they stood unmoving. He was entirely right, given how the realm around them was devoid of even a single drop of magic, but that didn't dissuade her caution. She just watched him, waiting for him to move a muscle other than his flapping jaws. The action came when he gave her a dismissive wave. "There is no magic here, not even in me. The forgetfulness will pass with a few minutes, so make yourself comfortable."

Star continued to glare at him. She wasn't as dumb as he may have believed. "You seem awfully calm about being trapped here. Guess that means the big dumb snake has a plan?"

He smiled. Theeere it was, classic Toffee. "I always have a plan. You're just late," he answered before abruptly turning on his heels. Sand hissed beneath his feet as he began to walk away, bidding her to follow. "Come. The sooner you finish your work here, the sooner we can go our separate ways. And I have no intention of waiting any longer than needed."

She let her wand fall uselessly to her side, but she didn't relax. "How did you know-"

"Please. You obviously aren't here for me, and there's nothing else here for you to exploit, so you must be trying to re-arm yourselves."

With grating disdain, Star took one step after him, and then another and another until she was walking several paces behind. She'd keep a close eye on him, regardless of his motives. Of which, she had no idea. Sensing the curiosity of the princess, Toffee sighed. "We were just about to make a deal to rescue what little remained of your people. That fool Vartek pushed me out of Ludo, leaving me stranded and taking control of all magic. Then he drained the entire realm with help from the boy. I've been waiting here ever since, undying and alone. There, all caught up."

"Must have been preeeeeetty lonely around here then," Star mused, hardly caring about his shortcomings. "Don't suppose you've seen the Millhorse around, then?"

Toffee gave her a dismissive wave, careful to step over a puddle of suspiciously dark ooze. "That old thing is dead." The crunch of gravel beneath their shoes was the only sound as Star stared at the back of his suit. It wasn't impossible, given what all Vartek had done. But it was still a rough blow to deal with. "Hence the lack of magic. The crucible has been emptied, and you've not even a drop left."

Star kicked a rock across the sand. "So why bother helping me, then, asshole? You got what you wanted, no more magic for anyone or anything, mission accomplished right?"

"I'm 'helping you' because I have to," Toffee corrected, "I want out, and you're merely the key." His voice was a grating monotone, but there was a hint of regret to his words. "This… isn't what I wanted, and it doesn't solve anything. Magic hasn't been erased, it's just been removed. And sooner or later some fool will show up to fix it. Then it's back to square one."

Why was she even following this dirt pile? What could he possibly know about the crucible or whatever it was? If he was just going to use her to escape, then she'd rather take her chances alone. But the chance to gather information about her oldest enemy was too alluring to ignore. "And you'll be right back where you started a year ago huh?" Star glared at him as he stopped. "Trying to get back here to erase the magic? Killing anyone who gets in your way?"

Toffee only rolled his eyes. "I've learned plenty during my isolation in this dull place. The end of magic… is not the answer I thought it was." He glared right back at her. "I was wrong. So how do you plan on fixing that fool's mess?"

Flabbergasted, Star floundered through several replies before siding with, "wha- me? Glossaryck should be here to help me! But thanks to you setting everything up for Vartek and blowing yourself up, I'm on my own!" Toffee didn't budge, which only served to aggravate her further. "I have you, but you hate me, you don't have magic, and you're 'about as useful as a paper Mache watermill'!"

Where she expected to finally get a rise out of cool, calm and collected Toffee, he didn't even flinch. "Don't flatter yourself. You were but a stepping stone to the real prize: equality across a prejudicial universe." Before she could argue, he rounded on his heels and continued towards the horizon. "The idea that your people know so little about a force intrinsic to their very rule is offensive. Yet despite that, I don't hold you in ill regard. You people are sick, in that you've been infected with power. It serves to corrupt, infest, and destroy, and I still intend on curing you all. Albeit through far different methods."

Star wanted to ask any number of scathing questions, but before she could utter a word or draw a single breath, she doubled over. Pain flooded her head as a deafening ringing overtook her senses. She thought it was Toffee, maybe some last ditch to render her helpless and steal the wand, or break magic more, or to just kill her. But he stood idly by, concerned, but distant in his regard to her. Then, the visions started.

She could see… Glossaryck, only he looked younger, less old and ratty. He was sitting between four beings that looked almost Mewman, but so impossibly large they could forge the very stars into creation. Their hands were like brush strokes that painted golden streams throughout the universe, each of them connected and weaving and branching until it took a familiar shape. They were the roots of a tree, spreading anywhere the beings put them. And all the while Glossaryck waited patiently for them to finish.

They spoke without speaking, a language only they knew, telling him that this was his new rule. He would safeguard 'magic', a force of the universe that would breathe life into the living. It would change everything, adding beauty and creativity to every corner of reality it touched. Across every dimension, and throughout all time. It would add rule when they were gone, and he would be outside the control of the lesser 'gods'.

But it was a dangerous, volatile force. Glossaryck would protect it, he would govern it, and should it be compromised, he would destroy it. So why hadn't he, Star wondered. In this trance, she knew what hadn't been said and she could see what no other eyes had seen. The roots that spread throughout the universe…

It was the Nexus. So why did she…

Star sucked in a heavy breath, lurching upright and grasping at her head to calm the ringing. Slowly, it began to ease into a dull throbbing, but her mind raced with fleeting memories she could hardly cling to. Toffee was waiting nearby, watching her as she demanded, "what… was that?"

Toffee raised a critical brow. "You had a fit. The closer to the crucible we get, the more prominent it will become." Noticing her confusion, he added, "you've been around magic your entire life. For generations of your family history. You are far more connected to this place than me, so you will see things I can't. You understand?"

Star held herself and with reluctance she nodded. "This place… it's not just some tank where all the magic waits. It's like- the middle of the entire universe," she breathed, "I… this is older than just Mewni. This is-"

"This is everything," Toffee agreed. "Now you understand why people like you can't hope to wield power like that; why I want it removed from the hands of tyrants and despots."

With reluctance, Star couldn't help but nod. She didn't agree with him, she didn't even think he could fully grasp the concept he was touting. But there was a shred of logic to his line of thinking. Star pulled herself up and staggered for a moment, eying the horizon.

Darc had given her a warning that night, something about releasing something from somewhere. If the scale of magic truly did extend as far as she'd just seen, this was bigger than Vartek. It was bigger than just Mewni. And apparently, it was coming.

"We need to hurry."