ACT IV: Eclipsine, King of Darkness Part 3: Dealing with Grief

Nine Years Ago

Eclipsine Dragonfly happily munched on a Snookers bar as he proudly displayed his garden to his grandfather. After a brief tour of flowers and shrubbery, the prince begged Skywind to tell him stories of interdimensional travels, which he was more than happy to oblige. The King of Hours enjoyed spending time with the boy; one of the few perks of no longer being a ruler was having more time for his family.

At the end of the day, Skywind carried Eclipsine on his shoulders up to his bedroom. But the older man suddenly buckled in pain just as they reached the doorway. Eclipsine dropped down and handed his grandfather a handkerchief. Skywind quickly accepted the cloth and coughed, violently, into it.

"Are you okay, Grandpa?"

"I-I'm fine, Eclipsine. Just a little under the weather." The former king tucked his handkerchief into his back pocket; he didn't want the boy to see the red stains. In truth, Skywind's body was slowly succumbing to a serious disease, and the royal physician estimated that he would perish in six months. Only Solarius and Jeshica knew about his affliction, as they didn't want the young prince to worry.

Regardless, Skywind refused to spend his remaining days in a hospital room, swallowing pills in a vain attempt to prolong his life. He just wanted to be with his family. Just as he was tucking his grandson into bed, the boy looked up.

"Grandpa?"

"Yes?"

"Do you miss Grandma?"

"What? 'Do I miss Grandma?'" Skywind sat down on his grandson's bed, slowly processing the question. "Well… yes. Of course, I do. I… I miss her every day. Why do you ask?"

"... because I miss daddy." The prince whimpered. "And I'm afraid he'll get hurt like grandma did."

Skywind was at a loss for words. Not a single day had gone by since the death of his beloved Gem-ivine that he wished he had been the one to die at the hands of the Lizardman. But there was nothing he could do about it now. His wife was gone forever. "I'm sure your father won't get hurt, my boy." He promised.

"I was wondering… couldn't we use the scepter to bring grandma back to life?"

"Oh, Eclipsine…" The old man sighed. "I'm sorry that you never got to meet your grandmother, but when you die, you die. And no amount of magic can change that. After you die, it's just… nothing."

Eclipsine rolled over in his bed, pulling the covers over his head. "Goodnight, Grandpa…"

"... goodnight, Eclipsine." Skywind pat the boy on his back before leaving the room.

"Tactful as always, dad." The old king nearly jumped out of his skin. It was Solarius; he had heard everything.

"I'm sorry. I've never been too good at this sort of thing." Skywind coughed into his palm, and shuddered in pain.

"Okay, dad. Okay, go get some rest." Solarius watched his father make his way down the stairs, then silently made his way over to Eclipsine's bed. The prince had already drifted off to sleep, but Solarius spoke anyway.

"I… I wish I had the courage to tell you this sooner, my boy." The warrior king sighed. "I cannot promise that I will always be safe… and I certainly can't promise that one day I won't fall in battle. But I can promise you this; you are ten times the man that I am. Yours is the strongest spirit I've ever witnessed. And I know that when your time comes, you will be a much better king than I could ever hope to be. And most importantly; even though we're apart, I'll always be with you."

Present Day

"Dad…?"

Eclipsine felt as if a vice was crushing his chest as he looked down at his father's mangled corpse. The Magical High Commission had removed the dagger from Solarius' chest and did their best to clean him up, but it wasn't much of an improvement. Jeshica rested both of her hands on her nephew's shoulders, fighting back her own tears.

"Dad… wake up…" Eclipsine shook his head in denial; he refused to believe that his father was dead. He started shaking his arm, hoping to provoke a reaction. "Dad, wake up… dad, wake up!" He sobbed. "Y-you said… you said it would all be over after tonight! Y-you… p-promised!"

Jeshica quietly led the Commission out of the room, leaving the prince to mourn. Eclipsine sobbed into Solarius' chest, still begging him to wake up. "No… I won't let it end like this!" The prince held his scepter aloft and summoned the Great Book of Magic.

Almost instantly, Indexia materialized from the pages. The blue mage knew what her master was thinking, and for the first time in her existence, she was afraid. "Eclipsine, wait!" She begged. "I know you're upset, but-"

"I can do this!" Eclipsine desperately flipped through the pages, searching for the right spell. At last, he found what he was looking for. Despite Indexia's protests, Eclipsine held the scepter above Solarius' body and whispered in ancient Mewman. Soon enough, the spade-shaped marks on his cheeks glowed brightly as the dark magic began to stain his palms.

Purple bolts of electricity surged from the black onyx atop of the scepter and into the deceased body. Without warning, Solarius' eyes snapped open and he gasped, painfully. Eclipsine stumbled backwards in shock as his father sat up on the cold table. The whites of the king's eyes had turned black, and his skin was still deathly pale from the poisoned dagger, but he was indeed alive again.

"Eclipsine? What… what's going on?"

"I… I brought you back!" The prince tearfully hugged his father. "You're okay!"

"I… I feel strange… I…"The reanimated king looked down at the cuts and bruises, as well as the dark purple veins branching out over his skin. "This is wrong."

"What?"

"This isn't me. This is just your grief influencing your mind. Manifested through the dark magic.

"Th-that's not true!"

"Yes, it is…" The cadaver gently brushed the boy's cheek. "Because I wouldn't be smart enough to realize it. But you are. Eclipsine… please, let me rest." The prince buried his face into Solarius' chest, not wanting to admit the truth. But as he felt cold fingers stroking his hair, he knew what he had to do; he began reversing the spell. "There you go… you'll be alright… Leaves from the vine… falling so slow… like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the foam…"

Eclipsine sobbed as he held his father's corpse in his arms, feeling it grow heavier and heavier. "... little s-soldier boy…" He wept. "Come marching home… brave soldier boy, comes marching home…"

Three days later, the Magical High Commission had gathered all the other delegates in castle's war room to finally read over Solarius' last will and testament. With no evidence of his father's decision to cancel the arranged marriage, and despite Jeshica's objections, Eclipsine was forced to follow through.

At midnight, the newly appointed king of Mewni solemnly made his way through the Forest of Certain Death to Globgal's castle. Ever since he helped her find the idol, Eclipsine had assisted his girlfriend in finding other monsters like her; monsters who felt like outcasts even among their own kind. These monsters were invited to live with Globgal in her temple to create a better society for all the monsters in Mewni.

Monsters like Mina; a Slime-person, Eijiro; a Rock-creature, and Viktor; a Frogman, were all prime examples of the kind of people who shared Globgal's way of thinking. They were among the first monsters to welcomed into the kingdom; even taking a liking to Eclipsine, himself. And after them, many more monsters stepped forward to join the new society.

As he made his way down the halls, Eclipsine heard music coming from the dining hall. Sure enough, everyone was dancing in celebration of the end of the Mewman/Monster war. The king went over to the bartender and ordered a simple cup of tea. A certain size-shifter spotted him, and immediately took notice of his sour demeanor. She handed her cup over to Mina, grew a few inches, snuck up behind him just as he took a few sips, and scooped him up into his arms.

"We did it!" Globgal exclaimed, happily, trying to lighten her lover's mood. "We've created a safe haven for monsters! Anyone who has been abused, or abandoned, or harmed will finally know sanctuary!" Despite her efforts, Eclipsine wouldn't smile. Concerned, she set him back on the floor and leaned down to meet his eyes. "What's the matter?"

At last, he looked up. "He's gone…" He sniffled, wiping away a stray tear. "My father. He was killed in battle against a lizardman."

"Oh…" The band stopped playing once they realized that their illustrious host was no longer dancing. Mina and Eijiro were close enough to overhear the conversation, so they were the first to flock to Globgal's side. Unfortunately, the size-shifter was at a loss for words. "Eclipsine, I… I'm sorry."

The prince rolled his eyes and walked over to an isolated corner of the mess hall, followed by his friends. "I'm being forced to marry Shastica…" He added. "We are to be wedded in a fortnight."

Globgal was speechless. Eclipsine had always been open about how strongly he resented the Duchess of the Spiderbite kingdom; making snide remarks and crude jokes about the pathetic woman. And yet, he was now willing to marry her without question. Until today, the Mewman before her was always smiling and laughing as if he never had a care in the world. But now, she may as well have been speaking to an entirely different person. "Can't your aunt get you out of this? Or your mother?"

"Aunt Jeshica doesn't have enough political influence to speak on behalf of my father." He replied, stirring his tea. "And my mother… well, it's complicated. This is something I have to do. There's no other option."

Globgal took her lover's hands into her own, blushing brightly as she looked into his eyes. "Yes, there is." She whispered, softly. "You can run away from it all. Stay here. With us."

"Whoa, hang on, Globgal." Mina stepped in, shocked at her suggestion. "I mean, we all love Eclipsine, but-"

"Yeah, I mean, do you really think it's a good idea to have him here twenty-four-seven?" Eijiro added.

"Yes, he could bring problems with him." Viktor agreed.

"Guys!" Globgal snapped. "I-I'm sorry, Eclipsine, they're just a little nervous. This is the first time I've brought up the idea."

"I can't blame them." Eclipsine sneered, bitterly. "Why would they want the son of Solarius living amongst them. They all must be overjoyed now that he's gone."

"Hey!" Mina snapped. "In our defense, he did dedicate his whole life to - y'know - kill us!"

"Yeah, man!" Eijiro agreed, angrily. "Sure, it's easy to defend the guy when he's your dad, but not everyone here has had the privilege of enjoying a silver spoon in our mouths since the day we were born!"

"Okay, take it easy, you guys." Globgal tried to diffuse the situation, peacefully."

"No! This dude wants to come in here and talk smack?! I don't think so!" Eijiro went on. "Now, since Globgal spoke up for you when we first met, we were willing to give you the benefit of the doubt! And we learned to like you, man! But you come in here, blaming us for your dad's death, when most of us never even asked for this war?! That ain't cool! We don't have castles, or treasuries, or magic scepters to keep us together! If we had just a fraction of what you were born into, maybe we'd be the ones complaining to you about all of our dead dads!"

Suddenly, the dining hall's doorway splintered into pieces, earning everyone's attention. A group of sinister beings had forced their way into the temple with deadly weapons and large appetites. The leader of the group - a bat monster - unsheathed his cutlass and pointed it at Globgal. "I told you we'd be back, wretched sow!"

Eclipsine leaned back in his seat as he gave Eijiro a sarcastic look. "More examples of those who simply need 'a fraction of what I was born into?'"

"No. These guys are exceptions." The rock monster sighed.

"I thought I warned you never to come back here!" Globgal snarled. "Or do I need to teach you another lesson in humility!"

"Oh, ho ho ho. I think you are the one who will learn that lesson, tonight." The bat snapped his leathery fingers together, beckoning another monster into the room. The peaceful patrons of the temple shuddered in terror at the sight of the enormous behemoth. "Yeah, that's right… we have a size-shifter now, too! And now, we're gonna teach you a lesson about trying to act peacefully in our land! KILL THEM ALL!"

"Gentlemen?" Eclipsine politely raised his hand, which in turn earned him everyone's attention. The young Mewman took a deep breath and measured every word, carefully. "Now, I haven't the foggiest idea as to what your problem with my friends is, but I have had a rather tiring and stressful day. My father is dead, I'm being forced to marry a foul woman that I do not love, and to top it all off, I will soon be forced to take on new responsibilities that I am nowhere near prepared for. So, I am hoping that we can try to just sit down and talk about our issues. Or at the very least; allow me to finish my tea before things get too violent."

"Listen, you little punk." The Bat sneered. "Normally, I'd eat Mewmans for less than that! But you happened to have caught yourself a break. Because right now, the only thing I hate more than Mewmans are these losers. So, I'll give you a ten minute head start. That ought to be all the time my boys and I need to kill these pathetic weaklings. But after that, we're coming for you."

Eclipsine looked back over at Globgal who silently begged him to leave so that he wouldn't be harmed.

"... fair enough." Much to his friends' disgust, the king got up from his seat, tipped his hat to say farewell, and made his way towards the exit. But what they didn't know was that his meticulous mind was currently devising a plan to incapacitate the intruders. As long as he didn't do anything brash, he might get away with it. Sadly, it seemed that fate was not favorable to him this day.

"You better enjoy the quiet times while they last!" One monster laughed. "Mewni's gonna learn the real pecking order around here! Now that we got rid of the psychopathic bastard you called a king."

Eclipsine stopped just in front of the door. His eyes flared with righteous fury as he reached for the locks, trapping his targets in the room. "Manners… maketh… Mewman." He announced. The monster bosses looked back, again, confused by the boy's words. What they didn't notice was that the black crystal on the tip of his magic umbrella was beginning to glow with raw power. Normally, using dark magic out of anger would risk seriously harming his body if he didn't focus it through the scepter, and even then it would still have an adverse side-effect on his arms. But he was willing to ignore the pain to protect his friends and defend his father's honor. "Do you know what that means?" He asked, rhetorically. "Then let me teach you a lesson."

"Alright, kid. You asked for it." The arrogant bat-monster cracked his knuckles. "I'm gonna take your manners and shove 'em up your-!" He was cut off by a brick smashing into his face.

Eclipsine had used the handle of his umbrella to hook a stray block of stone and launch it at his opponent. Globgal, her friends, and even the hostile monsters were startled by the sudden assault. While the bat nursed his broken nose, Eclipsine confidently strutted towards his accomplices. "So, are we going to just stand around? Or are we going to fight?"

"Why, you little-!" Another monster rushed forward with a dagger.

"Ink submergence." Suddenly, the attacker sank into a bottomless puddle of darkness.

"Black Widow Calamity Cobweb." Three more monsters were caught in a giant spider web that teleported them far from the temple's grounds. The hostile size-shifter brought his fist down, hoping to crush the Mewman.

"Onyx barrage." Instead, his entire arm was severed by a crystalline blade that appeared out of thin air. The remaining monsters rushed the king and the peaceful monsters, thinking they could catch them off guard.

"Obsidian barricade." In the blink of an eye, a transparent bubble of black energy surrounded Eclipsine and his friends. Once the attackers touched the barrier, they were whisked away in a tornado of shadows. All that remained of the intruders was a cowardly Kappa, who bolted for the exit.

Eclipsine smiled, wickedly, as he charged his scepter for a final spell. "Midnight… shriek." With that, a powerful blast of concussive energy struck the Kappa in the back, knocking him down for good. Without a word, the new king closed the umbrella, adjusted his tie, and turned to sit back at the table. Globgal's friends stared in awe as the Mewman nonchalantly drank the rest of his tea.

"Babe… that was… hot." Globgal blushed. "Thanks for the save."

"Nothing's too much for my darling." Eclipsine winked, flirtatiously.

"Damn, 'Clips!" Mina exclaimed. "That was wicked cool!"

"Yeah! I mean, I always figured you were good at magic, but that was awesome!" Eijiro blushed, embarrassed. "I'm sorry for what I said, earlier."

"Oh…" The Mewman waved his hand in dismissal. "Water under the bridge, old sport."

Just then, Viktor gasped as an idea popped into his head. "Eclipsine, my friend, with magic like that, you might be strong enough to take on the King of Darkness!"

Globgal and her friends recoiled in terror at the suggestion, but Eclipsine was confused. "I don't understand. Who's the King of Darkness?"

Globgal gulped and shrank down to meet her lover's eyes. "The King of Darkness is like a god to all monsters. Even the lizards fear him!"

"Oh, my…" Now, Eclipsine looked worried. "He must be terrifying. Has anyone challenged him before?"

"Hell, no!" Mina shook her head. "He's too powerful! Too big! Too scary!"

"Supposedly, he is immortal! He has ruled over all of monsterkind almost as long as your family has ruled over the Mewmans!" Viktor chewed on his claws, nervously. "He's probably the one who ordered Mors Caput to fight your papa!"

"Wait, what?!" Eclipsine spluttered in shock while Eijiro and Mina smacked Viktor. "Globgal, did you know that?!"

"I-I swear, I had no idea!" The size-shifter insisted.

"Where is this King of Darkness?"

"Uh, about four hundred kilometers west from this temple." Eijiro pointed in the wrong direction.

"And how fortified is his castle?"

"He doesn't have one." Mina replied. "He's so powerful and large, he just lives among the oldest and tallest trees in the Forest of Certain Death."

"And how powerful is he? What are his feats?"

"Well, no one's ever seen him that clearly, before. But I'm pretty sure he only has two feet." Viktor shrugged.

"What…? N-no, no. How strong is he? What has he done before, that makes him so terrifying?"

"Oh, well… I haven't really seen him do anything before." Viktor admitted.

"Yeah, me neither."

"Me neither."

"Hmm…" Eclipsine looked down at the dark veins spreading from his palms down his forearms. If was going to challenge anyone, he would have to improve his skill at handling dark magic. "Alright… I will continue to practice with Indexia and the Commission for a few years; at least until I can fully master the dark arts. Which means I'll need to stay with Indexia... which means I will have to go through with marrying Shastica."

Globgal's heart sank. But her beloved took advantage of her current size to cup her cheek and kiss her lovingly. "However… if you and I were to get married right now, my marriage to Shastica would be invalid. And once I defeat the King of Darkness and unite the Monster and Mewman societies, we can truly be together."

"You… you'd do that for me?" Globgal cried, happily.

"Of course I would." Eclipsine turned to their friends. "Would one of you do the honors?"

"Oh! Oh, oh, oh! I'll do it!" Mina volunteered, eagerly. "I do this for my brothers and sisters all the time!" The pink slime monster ushered the two lovers towards the center of the temple so that the moonlight shining through the stained glass window brilliantly illuminated the two lovers. "Do either of you have anything to declare?" Mina asked.

"Yes." Globgal took a deep breath before laughing, nervously. "This feels kind of silly. I mean, we've known each other for seven years."

"And five months." Eclipsine added.

"Right. Well… when we first met in the Forest of Certain Death, I told you that I always wanted a home and someone to share it with. I used to blame my parents' abandonment as the reason why I was so hostile to everyone I met, but I see that it was just because I was so bitter about my past." She wiped away her tears and leaned closer to the boy. "But then I met this brave - if not annoying - Mewman who didn't see me as just some scary monster. He taught me that it was okay to let down my walls and open up to whatever the future may bring. Without his help, I never would have found the idol and gotten this amazing temple from the Kappas. And I certainly never would have found out that I'm capable of love… because I love you, Eclipsine Dragonfly."

There was a brief moment of silence as the new king of Mewni dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief. After a deep breath, it was his turn. "Well, despite what many often believe, my life has not been pristine. I have been looked down upon by my future delegates, the Commission, and even the peasants. But when you look at me, Globgal, you see me for the man I wish to be; someone who wants to build more bridges and fewer walls. Of all the souls I have ever encountered in this hostile world, it was yours that shone brightest of all. I am lucky enough to even be your friend. But now, I humbly ask you to take me as your lawfully wedded husband. In sickness and in health, for better or worse, until death do we part, and even beyond that."

Mina struggling against her urge to burst into tears of joy. "Then, by the powers vested in me… I now pronounce you… husband and wife! You may kiss the bride!"

Later that night, Eclipsine silently crept back into the building as a married young man. But as happy as he was, his heart ached at the sight of his father's tapestry. Mournfully, he reached out to brush the fabric, as if he could hold Solarius' hand. And then, he started to speak. "I… I know that you said you'd change your will when you returned, dad. And I wish it didn't have to be this way. But, that girl I mentioned to you before? I went ahead and married her, tonight. I know I said you wouldn't approve of her, but… after a short while, I think you would have really liked her."

The king paused for a moment, as if the tapestry were about to reply. Eventually, he started again. "She's perfect in every way. She's smart, and fun, and kind, and… beautiful. Her eyes just sparkle like four pieces of citrine, and when she smiles she puts all other women to shame. And she does this adorable thing with her tail where she plays with it when she gets flustered."

Eclipsine laughed to himself, imagining the look on his father's face if he ever told him that he was in love with a Monster. Unfortunately, the ache in his heart returned with a spiteful vengeance. He was ashamed, thinking that the last moment he sent with the warrior king was a petty argument. If only he had known what would have happened. "I think… I think that with her help, I can bring peace between Mewmans and Monsters. I only wish that you could be here to see it… I'm not even sure that I can be king without you."

"~And even though we're apart… I'll always be with you.~"

Eclipsine's ears perked up; the faint whisper startled him at first, but he soon recognized the familiar sound. "Dad…?" His voice cracked.

"~I'll always be with you.~"

It sounded as if the voice was coming from upstairs. Curiously, he followed the voice up the steps, past the other tapestries of previous kings and up into his bedroom.

"~I'll always be with you.~"

Eclipsine walked over to his nightstand, where he left his grandmother's bracelet and a folded piece of paper. The voice had gone quiet, so the king curiously shook the piece of paper, as if to prompt the voice to come again. But upon closer inspection, he realized that it was the same drawing that he had made for his father when he was much younger.

"Hmm… it's a rather puzzling sensation." He mused; his gaze shifting between the bracelet and his drawing. "But… it's almost as if you never left me. But that can't be, can it? Or… can it?"

Eclipsine unfolded the crude artwork he had created years ago. According to his mother, the king had carried it around with him throughout the war. A stray tear fell free from the boy's cheek and onto the paper. Vivid memories of Solarius' soft smile and reassuring hug warmed Eclipsine's heart. "Perhaps you are here." He whispered to himself. "I may have lost several opportunities to be with you in the future, but no one can take away the few treasured memories we shared. So, even though you're gone… we really are still together? Ha, then perhaps grandpa was mistaken all along."

The young king laid down on his bed, hugging the drawing and bracelet close to his chest. "Perhaps the bond of a father and his son… is not measured by the distance between them. But by the love they shared." Although he was still crying, Eclipsine smiled as he slowly dozed off. "How very nice for… us."

To Be Continued!

Author's notes: Eclipsine is still fifteen years old in this chapter. Globgal is around the same age. And before anyone leaves a review asking about why they're both okay with getting married so young, keep in mind that this chapter takes place over three hundred years before Mars' chapter. In real life, three hundred years ago, the age of consent was twelve years old, and arranged marriage often happened to ten year olds.