*Smack*

*Smack… Smack*

Star glared at the mosquito perched on her forearm, watching as it nestled against her skin before sending the hammer down in the form of a silence-splitting smack. But just as before, the mosquito evaded all attempts a it's destruction, happily buzzing off without a care in the world, more of them sure to return. With her palm now stinging beet-red, Star groaned at her hapless position and rolled from the dirt of the swamp, turning an incredulous eye on Moon. "Can we please hurry this up?! It's not like you're gonna plan out a vacation or anything!"

But Moon was undeterred from her practice, going over vocal exercises at the swamp waters edge, a pack of lazy crocodiles slumbering within earshot. She rolled her eyes, repeating a set of deep growls and hums as she harmonized with herself, eager to make it perfect. Meanwhile, Dennis sat on a rotting tree trunk nearby, his head rested in his hand as he struggled to stay awake, the anxiety and adrenaline all but gone from his system.

"It's a passphrase, Star," Moon scoffed between vocal warm-ups, "Some things take patience and care to get right, and I'd rather not be locked outside when the storm hits." But Star saw that answer as an excuse to waste time, knowing that if they didn't hurry, the rain would fall anyway and drive the sanctuary gatekeepers to deeper water. "Mom, I get that you like to take your time with things and do everything 'the right way', but we can't leave Ludo out in the rain," Star noted with impatience, her arms crossed beneath a glare, "so just get on with it before we miss our chance to get in."

"She does have a point, Mo- uh..Queen Moon," Dennis corrected nervously, "when it rains, it might make it impossible to get… wherever we're going. Plus, I even speak a little crocodile, and to me you sound fine."

Dropping her nerves and her warm-ups, Moon sighed, defeated. "Very well, let's hope they're in a good mood, then." She took a tentative step into the murky water, earning the eye of a select, choice crocodile, before lowering herself to eye level with it. Its beady yellow eye rolled lazily toward her, the beast gave the strange newcomer its full attention

"Aherm…" Moon cleared her throat before sucking in air, narrowing her eyes in a vacant, thousand-yard stare. "BWAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH."

Seconds ticked by as Dennis threw Star a nervous glance, the latter simply shrugging her mothers antics off as if to say, 'just wait for it.' Dennis glanced back to the carriage where Ludo resided, before sighing in resignation and turning his attention back to the two swimmers in the swamp. And finally, after what seemed like minutes passed, the swimmer with scales decided to answer.

"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH."

"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH."

"BWAAAHHH."

"BWAAAAAAAAH?"

"...BWAH."

"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

"BWAA-"

"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

After Moon's outburst, the crocodile seemed to narrow it's eyes at her before sinking into the water with a hiss of bubbles. Dumbfounded, Star stammered for the words to ask what just happened as Moon just shook her head and stood, wringing her dress of swamp water. "We had a bit of a disagreement, but he decided to let us in anyway," she noted, just before a wave of bubbles rose to the surface amidst the small lagoon.

Like a mountain rising against the horizon, a stone structure bubbled from the- "Alright c'mon, quit standing around!" Star huffed, smacking the rears of the warnicorns that drew the carriage, sending the wooden wagon careening into the proverbial front door. Dennis and Moon exchanged an uneasy glance, before they too followed the stampede of princess, warnicorn, bird, and disinterested crocodile.

Inside of the looming structure, things weren't much calmer, what with the towering likenesses of Glossaryck and the pools of glowing golden ichor that flowed from the ceiling. It resembled some sort of ancient shrine, the center showcasing a monolith of more likenesses over a pool of gold, complete with moss and vines to boot. And while both Moon, the horses, and Star seemed to make themselves at home, Dennis wasn't quite as willing to unwind as the rest of the party.

"Where are we?" He asked, looking at every representation and crumbling wall with his head on a swivel. Star tossed a lazy glance at Moon, who was busy inspecting the golden water, before clearing her throat to get her attention. "Mom, I actually didn't have a lot of time to ask last time, but what exactly is this place?"

After a moment of poking the liquid, and a deep resonating sigh, Moon stood and gestured to the likeness of Glossaryck. "I'm solely reciting what I've read in the archives, but to my understanding, it's something of a shrine," she noted, before gesturing to the pool at her feet next, "and something of a gateway."

"Yeah, well of magic, realm of magic, all that jazz," Star nodded, the memory of her last visit with the Millhorse still fresh, "look, we have work to do, so you can get into the deep and horrifying history of Mewni later."

Moon scoffed at the impatient remark, gesturing to the well and tower at the center of the shrine with an incredulous gaze. "But you just- Are you meaning to tell me you care nothing for the truth of this place? Star this shrine was built in honor of Glossaryck's gift by the very first-"

*splash*

"Mmmm, it still feels weird, but nothing crazy," Star noted after dunking her hands elbow-deep into the magic slurry at the center, pleased to find that it felt every bit as pure as it did in the Realm of Magic. "We probably don't have a whole lot of time, so we should probably get started."

Moon was silent for a moment, glancing from Star, to Dennis, to the magic, and then towards the carriage. "I agree… Dennis, could you fetch Ludo for me?" She asked pleasantly, a tone that neither of the other two present parties found comforting.

Dennis made to ask something, likely along the lines of what Ludo had to do with it, but Star beat him to the punch with a tone as grave as death. "What do you need Ludo for?" She asked, pulling her hands from the magic and shaking them dry before stopping, her eyes going wide. "No, nope. Uh-uh. You are not putting him in here inside one of those weird cocoon things." But Moon stood straighter, not the least bit deterred by Star's blatant refusal.

"And why not? Moon was quick to retaliate, taking a step closer to Star, "It's the physical form of all the magic in the universe, Dennis, and it could save Ludo's life. It would immensely speed his recovery." Now it was Dennis' turn to get defensive, inching towards the carriage with a worried look about him, glancing between the two royals. "Wait, you guys...wanna put Ludo in- wait what did you say that stuff was?"

"It's Magic. Pure, volatile, and totally easy to corrupt when Vartek gets his grubby hands on it," Star answered quickly, folding her arms, "you put Ludo in this stuff, and it will either reject him, and he'll die, or the corrupted magic he's been running on will ruin our last bit of magic anywhere. It's dangerous, stupid, and we didn't do it last time." And while Star whole-heartedly believed that, she also knew that it wasn't exactly the last bit anywhere, Glossaryck hoarding one small speck for himself.

"I hardly think any of that quite rules out the fact that Ludo needs help," Moon countered with a glare, her position and tone making it clear that this was not an issue she would back down from. Something both Star and Dennis alike found...discomforting. "You said so yourself that we are very limited on time, and apparently magic," she continued, "so we must act quickly to save his-"

"Why do you really wanna do this?" Star interrupted, narrowing her eyes at Moon's albeit questionable motives. Saving the life of a monster had never been something she was so vocal about, much less the monster who had been, up until recently, working with Vartek to destroy Mewni. "I know you probably have an idea of what's really inside Ludo, so I guess what I really wanna know, is what you're actually planning."

Dennis watched with anxious scrutiny as Moon's expression twisted into unease, before dropping into resigned acceptance. She straightened slightly, as though the shrewd front she was keeping up had been broken to reveal her true intentions by force. "Toffee," was all she muttered at first, earning a traded glance from both Star and Dennis, "He's likely inside the realm of magic, and if we can use that to our advantage-"

"You want a little more information about your old friend Toffee?" Star interrupted again, Moon meeting her gaze before sighing into a nod. She did want to know, though she knew it was likely nothing good. "Let's recap a little then. On what Toffee was up to, shall we?" Star moved towards the well and pointed at the golden fluid. "He was inside the wand, and found a way to control the magic. He drained every bit of it from the realm of magic until there was nothing left, and not even the wand would work," she noted, Moon and Dennis alike listening intently.

"Then there is a chance we could have him do it again, Star. Toffee could drain the magic from the universe, and then Vartek would have no more power than you or I. We could stop him." Moon met Star's recap with her proposal, her passion worn upon her shoulder, but there were too many holes in it. Too many variables could cacade into horrific disaster at each step. Toffee could be unreachable, he could turn on them, it could make Vartek stronger, and it could leave them powerless against him.

Dennis took the short moment Star used for deliberation to excuse himself, his knowledge on the subject and his authority on the matter both little to compare to theirs. But as Moon and Star were left to be, the argument only served to divide them further on what exactly the real plan was. A suicidal assault on Vartek and the High Commission, or a martyrdom mission to the realm of magic. Regardless, Star couldn't let Moon go through with her ridiculous idea. "We can't just hope things work out for us this time," she argued with heavy resolve, "and...if anyone's going to turn the magic back for us, it's gonna be me. I just need to get close enough to him to-"

"To what? Sacrifice yourself?" Moon asked as she drew closer, her voice rising to fill the shrine, "you expect me to let you waltz right up to him with a faulty wand and sparse magic without doing everything I can to weaken him?! Star, if there's even the slightest chance to take some of his power away, then we have to use Ludo to-!"

"Uhhh...excuse me?"

Both Butterflies turned from their heated discussion to find Dennis standing awkwardly by the carriage, a badly burned and bandaged Ludo standing by his side. "My uhm...my borther's awake, if you wanna ask for his opinion?" After a traded glance and a lengthy moment of stunned silence, they watched as Dennis helped Ludo walk towards them, the injured avian leaning heavily on his brother for support as he managed to just mumble a few words.

"...Mas...ter… plan...to…. Re- re….trieve."

Star carefully approached him, kneeling down to meet his fractured gaze, and only then did she fully notice the true look of terror in his eyes. She nodded in understanding to ease his nerves, hoping he had the strength to tell her more before asking, "do you know what he's planning, Ludo?" Thankfully he nodded, hurriedly even, as if simply saying yes was enough to convey the message. Moon took to standing behind Star, and all three of them listened as Ludo struggled to form his words.

"You… he needs… you…"

"What does he need Star for? What's he-" Moon demanded, her voice more tinged with worry and fear than anger, but Star stood, blocking her from Ludo and shushing. This was a delicate matter, and Ludo was in a delicate state, so for once, Star was careful and coordinated to handle the situation. "Do you know what he needs me for?" She asked, kneeling back down before him, "you're safe now, so you can relax. Take your time, okay?"

Slowly, as if struggling for the effort, Ludo slowly nodded and sat over crossed legs, drawing a shaky breath to speak. "Vartek...he needs you to bring...Merina back… he needs your magic...your wand…" Ludo shifted, leaning forward and pointing to Stars chest. "He needs...your soul...he wants to steal it...like he did to...that Earth brat."

"How can he bring back someone that doesn't exist anymore?" Star asked after a moment spent processing the information, she knew Vartek had taken Marco's...soul...but he needed hers too? "What does he need my soul for?" Thankfully, Moon stayed quiet despite her insidious look, not directed at Ludo of course, but enraged and pacified all the same.

"He plans to use… your souls to power a device...a warp pad from a distant world… he needs- *cough cough* ack! *coouugh!* Dennis stepped in and handed Ludo a skin of water from the carriage, the older of the two brothers quick to drink it all down in as little gulps as possible. When his throat was satiated and his breathing had returned to normal, he looked up to a set of anxious, curious eyes and resumed in retelling what he could remember. "He needs your wand...to command the warp pad to recreate her...using all of his magic, your souls, to rebuild her...and your wand to control the process… He also...needs a host to act as...the framework for the wand to...build on… you can't let him get your wand...you have to-! *gak!* *cough cough cough!*

Another fit of coughing echoed throughout the room before Ludo regained some composure, shooing away Dennis as his brother tried to offer more water. He still had more to say, more to warn them about. "There's one last thing…" he managed to gargle through his raw vocal chords, Star and Moom starting at the fact that there could possibly be more to worry about, "her magic...he's taken it for his own, and he's corrupted it beyond repair...it's changed him, broken his mind and rebuilt him into some kind of...monster. There's no saving him, and if he gets his wish...if he tries to use the warp pad to rebuild her...the pad, his magic... it will destroy, everything."

Ludo looked back up to Star, finding her face downcast and mute at his words, and finding Moons resolve having been melted into a look of abject horror. Vartek was every bit as broken as he seemed, and what he was planning wasn't just outlandish. It went against one of the founding rules of magic itself: he was planning on resurrection, creating life.

When one uses a spell, an incantation meant to produce a narwhal or a bee, that spell is really a whisper of power, and like an echo in the mountains, it can only last so long before it dissipates. To create life from nothing, even if it is given immense power and a soul, it is still just a wisp. It cannot be called life, and the forces that bring it about couldn't possibly be contained by physical means.

"You said...a host?" Star muttered softly, her eyes not leaving the stone below. Ludo nodded, though he didn't see how that was more important than the destruction of all of Mewni, likely the entire multiverse. "Yes...he needs a base to rearrange into...Merina. A living host...to act as the framework," he breathed, finding more of his strength returning as their conversation went on, "you've actually already met her." Stars eyes darted up, terror in her eyes that it was someone she knew, like Jackie, or Janna, or even another one of the princesses, but Moon stepped forward, resting a hand on her daughter's tense shoulder.

Ludo recognized the fear in both of their eyes and decided it best to mitigate the situation. "No, it's not one of your friends, Star...I was talking...to her." He pointed to Moon, the look of clear confusion drawing over her face, "the girl...from the monster temple…"

Moon's eyes shot open, the memory of the little Turned girl that Vartek was brought to rage in order to protect. She seemed so fragile, it almost seemed just natural that Vartek would go to such lengths to protect her, but to think that she was instrumental in his plan to return his wife to the living? "We don't have a choice then," Star muttered out of the blue, standing and locking eyes with Moon, the latter of the two standing silent, "this...this changes things. We need Toffee, as much as the idea makes my skin crawl."

"Wha- why would we actually want to bring-" Dennis began, but Ludo was suddenly beside him, standing on his own to look up at his brother with cold, if a little fractured, determination. Dennis struggled to form a cohesive defense, but Ludo wouldn't have any of it. "Denny, don't worry. I promise it'll be alright," Ludo sated, using his brother's hated nickname to calm him down, "my whole life I've done nothing but mess up, and disgrace our family's name, Dad has always made sure I knew that. But...I have to do this, helping Queen Moon at the temple helped me realize that. I can be good, I can do something right for once."

"No," Dennis spat with cold indifference, folding his wings, "you don't need to bring out that thing- possibly die in the process, just to prove that you can be good. You already did that, and you have the scars to prove it." He thought he had gotten through to him, but Ludo simply shook his head.

"I've spent a lifetime trying to prove my worth, so I'm not saying I need retribution, Denny," Ludo answered, his younger brother meeting his gaze to find a smile forming on his beak, "I want to help people, I want to do something good now that I have a chance. If this will help bring Vartek down? I have to try, ya know? So...let me do this?"

Star watched, mortified with how different Ludo was, especially when compared to the last time she had seen him. On one hand, it was incredible to see the drastic, wonderful change he'd gone through. But on the other, it was harrowing to think of what he must have seen and been through to spark such a metamorphosis. And eventually, Dennis must have seen it too, both the good and the bad having gone through his brother to form a resolve as strong as this. So with some difficulty, he ultimately nodded, bursting forward to embrace his brother in a careful hug.

Ludo was happy to return it, the pride he felt from his brother more than worth the risk of his own life as hot tears burned the healing tissue around his beak. "I'll be fine, and after this is over, you and I can go home, round up the family, and rebuild. Just like the rest of Mewni."

"Deal, Ludo," Dennis whispered, finally letting his brother go as he let Moon lead him towards the pool of magic at the center of the shrine. It was a feeling akin to sending a loved one to war, but this time it was more of a war that everyone would have a hand in. None bigger than his own brother.

As Moon helped Ludo down the steps to the magic, his feet one step higher than the golden blood of the universe itself, she decided it best to give him some advice before the big plunge. "When you enter the magic, you must be very careful not to let it consume you," she warned, referring moreso to the being inside Ludo, than Ludo himself, "focus on your history, your emotions, and your future above all else. You will lose yourself the longer you are in it, and it will hurt, more than anything you've ever experienced. The magic may try to purge the evil inside of you, and if it does, you have to get out at once. Do you understand?"

With a gulp, Ludo nodded, and Dennis slowly felt more and more uneasy about the situation. But nonetheless, he sat idly by and waited as Ludo took off what little remained of his old robe. "Not the best review in the land, but let's see what this spa is all about." He meant to enter the magic with grace and strength as a testimony to his newfound resolve, but the moment he dipped a toe into the fluid, it hissed and bubbled against his skin, a thick black smoke gurgling around his shoes as he made contact. "Gaaaaah! What is this?!" He demanded, turning back to Moon.

"I told you it would hurt," she answered, though far more patiently than Star would have given her credit for, "just remember what I told you. Focus on your future, and keep your emotions in check. Where your mind wanders, the magic will follow, and lead you to Toffee. Stray too far from the path, or let your negative emotions run free, and the magic will consume you. Case in point."

"R-right...got it," Ludo stammered, turning back towards the magic. What little patches of black that had formed had since dissolved, and tentatively, Ludo exhaled gently, focusing on the positive image of himself he wanted to build. A leader, a hero, a cornerstone to the salvation of Mewni. And inside of him there was a sickness, a malicious tumor who's name was Toffee, and he wanted it out. There was an evil resting within his very being and he needed to find it, to draw it out by the tail and purge it from his future as- "Ludo?"

Ludo opened his eyes, finding that he had stepped waist-deep into the magic, and better yet, it has taken a liking to him, the magic flowing up his back and over his shoulders in beautiful, golden veins. It was searching for him, and Ludo would be the hero to lead the magic towards the tumor hiding within. He lifted his hands and held them out, letting more magic pool in his palms as it grew like roots around him, circling in a tight double-helix.

Star, Dennis, and Moon all gathered around to watch, all in awe at the incredible display of focus and control. The magic seemed to bend to Ludos will, searching all over for something within. It healed his wounds, it flowed through his veins, and for all intents and purposes? It was a part of him. But just as soon as Ludo had taken control of it, the Magic seemed to shudder, and flinch away from him like a coiled snake. It shifted from bright gold, to a deep black as it circled him, and finally Ludo opened his eyes, both of them having taken on a bright green color.

"Hello...Moon."

"...Toffee," the Queen muttered, but held her resolve for the greater good, Star standing close by for any sign of trouble. Ludo nodded to himself, a sinister sneer forming on his lips. "It would appear, that you need my help dealing with a certain, persistent little foe," he offered, his voice much deeper, and cordial, unsettlingly so, "I've been watching everything, even your pesky daughter, with open eyes. And I can tell you now, that you are all but doomed without my help."

"Yeah, we know that, genius," Star cut in with a jab, glaring at the puppetmaster himself, "we need you to do that thing where you shut the magic off, that way we can-"

"Are you quite finished?" Toffee asked, bored, "do you seriously believe that I would help you at a time like this? Especially when I gain nothing?" Moon growled to herself as she fought the urge to barrage that impudent, malicious lizard. But Star was careful, and well-informed enough to play him right into her hand. "You'll get what you want, if you help us," she offered calmly, earning a curious look from the man behind the mask.

"And what is it I want?" Toffee asked with a chuckle, shaking his head, "do you seriously think you can buy me with something as simple a trinket, or power? Like I'm as fickle as your Mewman subjects that follow your beck and call for no other reason than-"

"You want Magic to be destroyed, for good."

Ludo, or rather, Toffee, was silent for a long time, his face mute and void of expression before finally, he inclined his beak in curiosity. "And how do you intend to make that a reality? You believe that you can erase magic in its entirety all on your own? Don't make. Me. Laugh."

"No, I know I can. Because I've done it before," Star answered matter-of-factly. And before the Toffee puppet could scoff or ridicule her, or argue on the impossibility of it, she continued with intense confidence unusual from their little group. "I know about the future too, just like Marco. And in about a year, we destroy all Magic to stop- uhm...the why isn't important. What is important is that Magic doesn't exist in the distant future, and I want to make sure that happens. Vartek doesn't, so are you in or not?"

What followed was a long moment of quiet deliberation from Tudo, his cold, empty eyes staring at Star with finite calculation. Star noted that it was akin to the way Moon would watch her, as if she was deciphering her very thoughts. And just Like Moon, Toffee was a master of strategy, cunning, and manipulation. But finally, his beak twisted into a smile, his head inclining to show his pleased grin.

"Very well, I'll weaken our shared foe," Toffee answered, the pools of Magic in his palms turning black to match the helix, the Magic of the shrine losing its color by the second, "And in return, you will make sure that the Realm of Magic is-" *SHUNK*

Not a soul moved inside of the shrine, all eyes on the object protruding from Ludo's chest, his mouth hanging open, and his eyes a hollow black, with two pinpricks of lime green.

"LUDOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOO!"

Dennis screamed every breath of air from his lungs, the knife's hilt jutting from Ludo's chest glowing green to match the pools of magic in his hands. The helix shifted from black, to toxic lime before the same corrupted color flooded the rest of the magic, turning the entire pool to slime around him. And as so, Ludo stared blankly ahead, the cracks around his empty eyes glowing before a voice echoed throughout the shrine from above.

"Quite a shame the old man decided to switch sides, and I really did enjoy the little birds company," Vartek noted from the highest window, his hand still outstretched from the throw, and his cracks still glowing bright from the spell, "but do you know what makes me feel better?"

No one moved, no one breathed as the Septarian dropped to the floor, drawing power from the air around him and collecting it in his hands. "I feel so much better, now that I have everything I need," he chuckled, eying the wand, eying the pool of corrupted magic, and most importantly: eying Star, "and everyone I need. You're all invited to the celebration, for the return of Merina, and for the end. Of Mewni."

AUTHORS NOTE

Hey everyone, sorry for the long wait, I dunno about you but fanfiction was broken as hell for like a week. But, as you can see, we're back on track! So, enjoy, and I'll see yall next time!

~Mr. Ronald Reagan