Author's Notes:

Hey! So, after what felt like a year, I finally managed to get another chapter of this story out. I have a billion different excuses I could use, but in the end, I didn't have as much time as I would have wanted and with what time I did have, I seriously just could not get this chapter right, but here we are. I'm finally happy with the chapter that I've written and I think you will be too. With that being said, I won't hold you here any longer.

Enjoy! See you at the bottom!

TW: Fairly extreme violence, including death and blood (Chapter Wide)

…

Chapter Ten: Restitution II

Voracius's flesh melted from his bones under the heat of Star's magnificent magical beam. A brilliant golden glow emanated from Star's cheeks, exceeding even that of her magic. She screamed, exerting every muscle in her body to maintain her newly uncorrupted magic.

Even if magic were as abundant as it usually was, an attack of such magnitude would have been impossible for Star to use, but something was different now. She was in a different form—a different plane of existence. She had transcended what she thought to be possible. She had reached her potential.

Voracius reached out, screaming in pain as his bones liquified before his eyes. He met Toffee's eyes with his own, desperate to be saved—desperate to escape the hell that was the pain he felt, but Toffee had no compassion in his eyes. Toffee's gaze was cold. He didn't lift a finger even as his former apprentice was being wiped from existence, instead, opting to simply spectate, a slight grin creeping onto his snout.

Star's body ached as her screams grew louder. Her beam flickered as she felt herself growing weak. Slowly, her body descended, her beam shrinking until finally, she hit the ground.

Only Voracius's legs remained, toppling over as Star watched from afar. All she heard were her own unsteady breaths and a faint ringing in her ears as the battlefield fell silent.

Blood trickled from her nose and her head felt light as she lay on the ground. Her vision blurred as she forced her eyes to stay open. Her eyelids were heavy, as was every limb on her body. She tried to force herself up, to crawl to Marco as he lay on the floor bleeding, but her head felt like a boulder.

Still, she managed to roll herself onto her stomach, her eyes fixated on Marco's suffering form. She reached forward, digging her fingers into the ground and pulling herself forward. Then again and again, drifting in and out of consciousness until finally, her cheek crashed against Marco's leg.

She panted as she gripped his pants, pushing herself up until she could see Marco's eyes. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he gripped his chest, blood staining his crimson hoodie. Star's eyes narrowed as she forced herself to stay strong, but as she lifted Marco's shirt, she couldn't help but sob.

The King and Queen raced to the scene, but no matter what they said, Star's focus was elsewhere.

There wasn't a patch of skin on Marco's body that wasn't coated in blood. There were eleven different holes in his chest, each spewing blood to no end. Voracius had landed an attack just under Marco's chest plate, where nothing stood between Voracius and Marco's flesh.

Star clenched her fist, slamming it into the ground, remembering the night of Voracius's attack. She remembered what she had seen—the horror in Marco's eyes. She remembered the night at the hospital. She remembered seeing his open chest, but worse than that was what came after.

She remembered telling him that he didn't need to follow her. She insisted on it, but still, he wouldn't leave her side. Again, she slammed her fist into the ground, knowing that if Marco had stayed behind, then none of this would have happened to him—that he would stay alive, that he would survive for her.

Again, tears dropped from her still glowing cheeks, splashing into Marco's blood-puddled chest. He winced, squeezing Star's hand. She met his eyes, but her tears continued to fall, seeping into his skin. He writhed in pain, but, oblivious, Star didn't try to stop herself. Seeing him in so much pain only strengthened the flowing waterfalls that were her eyes.

"St- Star," Marco struggled out as his body contorted.

Star met his eyes, but couldn't stop herself from crying.

Marco screamed in pain as the tears flowed into his veins. Ever so slowly, his bleeding slowed, his wounds closing themselves as Star continued to cry, her cheeks aglow. Again, Marco's grip on Star's hand tightened, his screaming fading as he lay flat on the hard ground.

His breathing slowed steadily as he closed his eyes, relieved to finally be rid of his pain.

Still, Star sobbed until Marco called her name.

"Star," he practically whispered. Her gaze snapped to Marco's face, an expression of shock in her own.

"Wh- What happened," Star asked, lifting his shirt once more. There was still a shallow pool of blood covering his chest, but as she wiped it away, more didn't come. As she stared at his chest, she could hardly see scratches, let alone the deep gashes that had been there before.

She met Marco's eyes and words escaped her. Without warning, she practically tackled him, squeezing him as tightly as she could manage in her loving embrace.

"I- I don't understand," Marco remarked, reciprocating the embrace.

He sat up slowly as Star peeled away. Again, her eyes drifted to his chest, an image that she'd hoped to forget flashing through her mind.

The night at the hospital replayed vividly in her mind. The doctors had cut him open only a day before he followed her to Mewni, leaving his leg and arm in casts, but almost immediately, his wounds had healed. It wasn't normal. It wasn't natural. It had to have been…

"It was magic," Star remarked, slowly turning to meet Marco's eyes, "I healed you. I don't- I don't know how, but I know it was magic, so it had to be-"

Marco squeezed Star tightly, silencing her in an instant.

Moon's eyes widened as the reality of the situation finally hit her.

"Do you mean-"

Star turned to her mother, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Finally," Star shouted, "I did it!"

The Queen smiled, patting her daughter's head as she celebrated. Marco watched with confusion, but as he met the King's eyes, the man finally explained.

"For generations, the Queens of Mewni have harbored unique skills. For example, Moonpie here is an extraordinary baker, whose pies can bring joy to the most downtrodden of souls."

Marco turned to Star, still confused. With a smile, she pulled Marco to his feet.

"Marco, I can heal people," she exclaimed, losing no excitement, "I don't know exactly how I do it, but now I know that I can!"

Star paused with her hands in the air. She glanced to the ground, realizing that her pain had left. She turned to her mother with a bright smile.

"Does that mean…"

Moon nodded, Star's smile only growing.

"Oh, it's on," Star remarked, turning to Toffee, who merely smiled in return.

"You foolish child," Toffee jabbed, stepping forward with his hands behind his back, "You've only helped me by killing that fool. He-"

All eyes snapped toward Voracius's leg. It twitched, then again, and again, only mere seconds in between.

"That's not good," Marco remarked as the monster's flesh slowly materialized.

It wasn't like how it was before. Rather than quickly regenerating, the skin slowly grafted itself, flaking away after mere seconds. It was like the skin was dead before it even finished creating itself, but as seconds passed, the skin continued to grow and grow, covering brittle bones that slowly formed themselves into what they had been before.

Nobody made a sound on the battlefield. Not even Toffee could make a snarky remark. His eyes widened with as much shock as every other soul that watched, human, mewman, or monster.

Voracius's flesh clung together with cruel apathy to the many eyes that watched on. Blood spewed from the ravines that cracked across the monster's body, leaking out as he slowly forced himself to his feet, his breaths uneven as his gaze slowly rose to meet the crowd ahead of him.

Marco turned to his side and picked up his sword, gripping it tight as he lowered himself into a battle stance before anyone else. Star froze as Marco stared down his foe without an ounce of fear in his eyes.

She smiled, turning to Voracius and raising her wand. River and Moon followed suit, readying themselves as the monster's blood dripped onto the ground.

Without warning, Marco leaped forward, swinging his sword for the monster's head, but Voracius let out a deep, pained grunt, smacking the sword away.

Marco landed ungracefully, raising his sword once more. He lunged forward again, but the back of Voracius's hand again deflected the blade toward the ground. Marco glared daggers at the monster but was met only with the same cruel smile he saw that night.

Marco screamed as he swung his sword from the ground. Again, the monster raised his hand to deflect the attack, but beyond his vision, a Narwhal pierced the air, smacking into the back of his hand before he could hit Marco's sword.

Marco smiled as his sword sliced through the air, a look of shock in the monster's eyes. On cue, his blade sliced through Voracius's arm, which splattered to the ground.

Voracius's eyes lingered on his disembodied limb, his shock short-lived as a look of anger overtook his expression.

The monster's eyes fell on his stump of a shoulder, dripping with blood. He clenched his body and the arm on the ground turned to ash, but as he continued to struggle, nothing grew from where his arm used to be.

His eyes narrowed as his anger deepened. Again, his gaze fell on the human that had harmed him, a lust for blood filling his already inhuman eyes.

Before he could ready himself, Voracius dashed forward, his fists reared back as he held Marco in his sights.

"No," Star screamed, reaching out.

Marco tried to raise his sword, but the attack was coming too quickly. He turned away and closed his eyes, but before Voracius's fists could reach him, the King crashed into his side, tackling him away just before the monster's attack could land.

Marco's eyes blinked open, widening as he met the King's.

The man's breaths were uneven and his eyes were dilated. He was less than calm, even as Marco got to his feet and helped the King to his. River took a moment before finally turning to face Voracius once more, his fist tightening.

Marco stepped forward eagerly, raising his sword to the monster's chagrin. Voracius sneered, his blood leaking from his crackling skin. His sole remaining arm hung in front of him as he struggled to breathe.

Marco lept forward and swung his sword down once more, and rather than deflecting the attack, Voracius dodged to the side. Marco swung again and found a similar result. Voracius was getting tired.

Marco turned and met Star's eyes with a smile. He didn't say a word, but in mere seconds, Star nodded. She lowered her wand and dropped it to the floor. The Queen watched on with confusion, but before she could even open her mouth, Marco tossed his sword to Star, and both teens sprang from the ground in an instant.

Star lept into the air with the sword reared back and Voracius turned to face her. Marco waited patiently behind the monster as Star swung down. As he had predicted, Voracius dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding what would have been a fatal blow from above.

Star turned to Marco with a smile, darting the sword in his direction. Voracius's eyes widened as he pivoted toward Marco. He tried to step back, but before his feet could leave the ground, Marco caught the sword out of the air, stabbing it deep into the center of the monster's chest.

Again, the battlefield fell silent, all eyes on Voracius as he stared at the sword in his chest. His flesh desperately clung to the edges of the blade, but flaked away with every attempt to seal the wound.

With a great thud, Voracius fell to his knees, his hands trembling as he pulled the sword from his chest. Again, he stared at his wounds, but even as he clenched as hard as he could, not even a single skin cell regenerated.

His eyes were wide with panic as he met Marco's vengeful eyes.

"I-" Voracius struggled, blood spilling from his mouth as well as his wounds.

He fell forward, only holding himself up with his weakening arm.

"I thought- I was supposed to- no…"

Marco's brow tightened as he stared the monster down, his fist clenching as his foe struggled.

"I- I was supposed to win," Voracius cried, blood splattering from his mouth as he coughed.

Star walked to Marco's side slowly, her parents close behind. She stared down at Voracius with disgust, but as she turned to Marco, she knew her hate couldn't compare to what he felt.

She could see the memories flashing through his mind. She could see the pain in his wet, reddened eyes. She could see his fist trembling and she knew what was going through his mind—the need to take things a step further, the need to punish the one who caused so much pain, the need for-

"Restitution," Voracius mumbled, "... it was supposed to be mine, not yours, you filthy human."

Marco's fist shook with anger and Star felt her stomach churn. She knew what he wanted to do and she didn't know if she had the strength to stop him, but as he turned to her with conflicted eyes, she knew she couldn't let him make that mistake.
Voracius smiled as he waited to be struck down.

"Yes, boy," Voracius spat, "...Prove me right. You're no better than me. No. You are just the same."

Star came to Marco's side, holding his trembling arm in her own. His skin emanated a discomforting warmth. It was as if his anger was manifesting itself, his skin aboil as his mind was, the image of his injured mother plastered at the forefront of his mind.

Still, she could feel his trembling slowing. She could feel his body cooling down as the monster remained silent, but of course, Voracius wouldn't be merciful enough to give the gift of silence in his defeat.

"You're weak," Voracius jeered, "You will always be weak. You hate me for having the strength to exact my revenge, but even now, even after all I've done to you and those you love, you lack the willpower to kill me."

Marco met the monster's eyes with disgust, pulling his arm from Star's grasp.

His gaze fell to his open palm, then to the monster's face. Again, Voracius smiled back at him, and again, Marco clenched his fist.

"If I'm weak, then why are you the one that's on the ground," he questioned, a smug smile on his face.

Voracius let out a disingenuous chuckle, his arm shaking under his weight as his blood seeped to the ground. Marco stared into his eyes with no remorse, even as his skin grew pale. His clenched fist itched, aching to strike the monster down, but as he felt Star's warmth beside him, he managed to hold himself together just enough.

The monster shook his head, blood spilling from his mouth as he met the teens' eyes.

"I hate you," he spat, his blood speckling at the teens' feet.

"I hate all of you filthy Butterfly."
Star sighed, shaking her head as her face fell.

"I should've- I should have killed more of you when I had the chance."

Star refused to meet the monster's eyes, even as his tone grew hopeless. His arm crumbled under his weight, leaving him only held up by his elbow. He looked up at the teens with disgust as they refused to acknowledge him.

"Look at me you despicable wretch," he spat, his words becoming audibly laborious.

"You created me," he cried, nearly choking on his blood.

"You attacked my people every single day."

Star turned to her mother with guilt in her eyes.

"Day after day you terrorized us."

Voracius once again fell, his chin slamming against the harsh terrain. Again, he glanced upward, finally meeting Star's eyes.

His tone weak, he finally broke down.

"You killed my entire family… right in front of me."

Again, Voracius's face hit the ground, tears falling from his eyes as his eyes dimmed. The entire battlefield fell completely silent, all eyes on the fallen legend of Voracius the Devourer. Even Toffee didn't interrupt the peace as the Butterfly Princess glanced down at her foe.

"I'm sorry," Star said, her tone genuine as she stared down at the monster, meeting his eyes as he labored to turn his head.

"I'm sorry for all of it. I'm sorry for the pain. I'm sorry for the death. But most of all, I'm sorry that it's taken an attack on my Kingdom for me to realize that I've been so wrong about you."

She turned to the crowd surrounding her with sympathetic eyes.
"I wish I could take it all back. I wish that we could have been friends rather than enemies. I wish that the former Queens of Mewni would have helped you instead of hurting you more. I wish that I hadn't caused so much pain myself, but I- I can't change the past."

Toffee scoffed, but Star continued, speaking to him directly.

"Toffee," she called, but he merely turned his back to her.

"End this."

"No," Toffee dismissed.

"You're the only person that can," Star reasoned.

"You can- We can save so many lives if you just go back. Toffee, please-"

"No," Toffee dismissed once more, his tone climbing as he turned to face the Princess.

"Please, Toffee," Star pleaded, taking a step toward him with all eyes on her, "I want to fix things-"

"Empty words," Toffee shouted, rearing his teeth with anger.

"The only way to-"

"The only way to make things right is for us to go home," Toffee questioned, "What? Were you going to say that 'Bloodshed only begets more bloodshed too'?"
"Well that seems a little beyond my vocabulary, but-"
"Eclipsa said the same things," Toffee shouted, turning to the Queen as her eyes widened.

He stepped forward, walking past the princess as he approached Moon. River raised his blade, stepping between the two and Toffee scoffed.

"Do you see what I mean," he questioned the crowd around him, "Even now, even after the Princesses grand speech, the King raises his weapon to me."

River sneered, showing no remorse for the monster in front of him.

Again, Toffee turned to his army, raising his hands as he pointed to the Princess.

"We were fooled once already by the words of the Butterfly Queen. Are we seriously to believe that they have changed since last time? Are we actually to think that they will keep their word?"

He stepped toward the Princess, locking eyes with her as he stood only a foot ahead of her, then to his fallen apprentice beneath him, who could barely keep his eyes open.

"No," Toffee asserted, turning to his army with hatred in his eyes.

"Go on, my brothers!"

"Toffee, please-"

"STORM THE CASTLE!"

"No…" Star muttered, her heart dropping. She turned to Marco as he gripped her hand.

"SEEK YOUR RESTITUTION!"
The army roared with fury as it converged on the royal family. Marco pulled Star away, but she resisted, glancing from side to side.

"My wand," she muttered, searching from side to side.

She delayed as long as she could, but as the army grew too near, she was forced to leap away, keeping Marco's hand in her own.

…

Author's Notes:

So, there it is, the second of three parts of this midstory climax. I know that it was shorter than you might have expected, but believe me, the next chapter has a lot of ground to cover, so I don't see it being any shorter than 5k words.

Still, I'm thrilled with the chapter and yes, I know that it might have been confusing in parts, so I'll try to clarify some things. First off, Star has healing powers. This was a decision I made really early in the story. As soon as the second chapter, I planned on having Star heal Marco, but it was meant to be something that you couldn't necessarily guess off the bat. Of course, it may have still been obvious, but I tried as hard as I could to keep it ambiguous.

Second, Voracius's healing powers stopped working. The original plan was to have him simply die from Star's beam, but after writing the rest of what this chapter was meant to be, it just felt like Voracius's death was too easy. Of course, once his healing powers started to fail him, it wasn't a super hard fight for Starco, but I still felt like his death needed more significance. Now, as for the reason that his healing stopped working, it's actually pretty simple. The basic explanation is that Star's beam did a whole lot of damage that he shouldn't have been able to repair, but Voracius is a special monster. He possessed powers similar to Toffee, but his abilities were beyond Toffee's. He had a defense mechanism that would grant him the ability to regenerate his body in the case of incineration, but with the caveat that he wouldn't be able to heal himself again afterward, at least not easily. In theory, if he was to have survived the fight, his wounds would have eventually healed, but it would have taken a long time.

Third, and lastly, Toffee claims that Eclipsa gave a similar speech to Star's, which we never heard about in the show or in my story. This was my intention. Eclipsa's history is pretty vague with the monsters in the show, so I thought that I could expand on her relationship with them by comparing Star's attempts to those of Eclipsa. Now, Toffee claimed that Eclipsa went back on her word, but as you may have put together, she wasn't the Queen that went back on those promises, it was the Queen that she was replaced by after being crystalized and dethroned, Festivia. I didn't feel that it made sense for Toffee to explain that much for a couple of reasons, but I thought it would be cool to leave this here for those who actually care about the deeper lore of my story.
Anyway, as you can probably tell, I'm an open book here. If you have any more questions pertaining to the chapter, feel free to ask in the comments/reviews and I'll be sure to answer as long as it doesn't spoil the rest of the story. Also, as always, I would appreciate it if you left a kudo/follow/favorite/bookmark depending on what site you're reading this on and I can't wait to see you guys again soon. As always, it's been a pleasure.

Have a good day! I'll see you soon.

~ lucash21