.
Disclaimer:
Chapter 39
The Mewni Crisis:
A Path to Destruction I
XxXxXxXxX
Marco looked at the stone coffin, seeing everything he had stashed previously on Mewni while he came and went; there just wasn't enough for a large-scale battle. His armor too were tattered to pieces, thankfully his teachers were already making some replacements for him...he sighed.
Even if he had armor and armaments he was grossly outnumbered.
Darcy had preemptively taken out the Mewni factor by preying on the desperate and slaying those who would not be swayed.
Marco thought of the kingdoms or factions that could be useful but it fell to Butterfly, Johansen and Lucitors, two of which hated him and the last just been recently hit, courtesy of Darcy.
Everywhere he looked Darcy was already one step ahead and without outside forces to do battle, he had even less to work with.
He confronted many risky solutions...
Lift the Ward and give chase to Darcy.
Or...give in to the Fell that he harbored.
Marco mentally shook his head.
As if reading his mind, Buttercup and Automata looked at his direction and gave a very audible:
NO.
"Shouldn't trade your problems for another." Oblivion lectured, the ghost gave Marco a serious look seeping out of the ground, "...believe me: Darcy is better than either. You'll spend the rest of your life chasing her...and the Fell; that's bloody obvious. You need to be ready for that abomination."
"I don't know where to start."
"Why don't you go back to Butterfly Kingdom, perhaps rally some hearty bruisers."
"…"
"If anything see how they are holding up."
"...alright, I'll go now."
The ghost watched Marco leave the Grove; the Elementals didn't bother giving him a glance.
He spoke loud enough to be heard throughout,
"Really hate the lad...don't you."
...hate is such a strong...incorrect word.
"Am I mistaken then?"
The Sisters merely tended to themselves.
The ghost shook his head and drifted towards the Lizard, who busily arranged the pieces for Marco's battle armor, he glanced up as he arranged his student's armor,
"I'm sensing you're about to do something foolish."
"I am."
.
Marco was ignored walking through the smoldering town.
He kept walking past crying families and baffled knights, citizens cursing at the sky and everything in between.
He made it up to the drawbridge and stopped at the castle steps, knights rushed past him with buckets and barrels, no doubt to put out the embers that dotted the town.
Marco looked up at the half demolished castle, the once proud symbol of kingdom stood a former shell of itself; casting a deep shadow. He sighed before made his way in
"MARCO!"
He looked up startled.
Hekapoo!
She was saf
He saw a flash of red and he was knocked on his ass as she cocked her fist back, ready for another punch.
"What have you done, you idiot!"
"Guh..." Marco rubbed his cheek, "Nice to see you, too..." Despite the swell on his cheek, he couldn't help but feel re
"ANSWER ME!"
"I..." he stared at her, seeing the drastic change in her body language, "I fucked up."
"CLEARLY." She hissed.
Marco picked himself up and moved closer, seeing her tense at the sight of him,
"Hekapoo, you're alright?"
She slapped him.
He stood there stunned.
"...I waited for you." She whispered, "...for weeks, I was her prey…and you didn't come."
Marco stared.
She forced herself to smile.
"Then...you sent a little girl to save me." She snarled, her eyes glowing, "One of your apprentices? Minion? Fan girl? Love child?"
Marco immediately retorted, "Damnit, Hekapoo, I was fighting Darcy! Did you think I didn't—"
"Yes. I think you did."
Marco felt suddenly unsteady at her declaration.
He stood there for what felt like a century.
Her fierce composure slumped before she walked back up the steps,
"You better follow me."
.
Marco could hear the bawling from beyond the door.
Hekapoo gestured for him to go in.
"I don't need to see this."
"I don't care: get in there."
Marco felt conflicted but pushed the doors nonetheless, feeling the unsteady timber underneath his palm as the door swung open to reveal the throne room in its ruined splendor. He could see and smell the charred wood, blacken blood and everything accompanying the destruction of half the castle.
He would have been more distracted if not for the cries and sobs of despair from the grieving royals, only one throne still stood and Moon sat upon it whilst River held her hand, doing no better. Higgs turned to see who came in and a rush of relief flooded her face before she looked back at the royals, who continued to wail.
Surprised still, did he see Tom Lucitor sitting on the bottom of the dais with his elbows propped on his knees, his hands all over his face.
The Dark Knight felt the uncontrollable urge to turn back.
And he couldn't help but feel guilty about the thought.
He hoped they would stop but when they made no signs of noticing him, his eyes darted to Higgs who looked at him, her mouth tighten for a moment.
And inhaled, reluctantly.
Marco's eyes widen, knowing what came next...
"Your Majesty...
Marco Diaz of Earth." Higgs announced miserably before she turned away from him, unable to face him.
He stood there as the royals did nothing but continue to mourn; uncaring at the knight's announcement.
Marco didn't know what to do, he did not hold it against Higgs, she was simply following her duties. Still, a pit had grown in his belly as he walked towards the royals, the distant din of recovery belie the whole situation before him.
He stood in front of the grieving parents.
And lover.
Silent.
And waited.
The crying did not subside.
The din of hammers and yells echoed.
The guilt gnawing on his insides continued.
And he waited.
An eternity passed before one finally spoke.
"...why?"
"..."
Marco couldn't even tell who spoke, their voice so haggard and grief stricken.
His eyes moved to Tom, then to River then to Moon.
"How could this have happened...?"
Marco longed to say nothing, to not add more to the misery, but he knew no matter what he would say it would always be seen as tactless and cold especially after what they had gone through.
"Queen Moon. King River. Tom. I'm—"
"...?" "...Marco?" "..."
The two raised their heads to see the Dark Knight, tear stricken face and blood shot eyes, their faces seemingly aged 50 years.
Marco grunted when four hands grabbed him and shook him like a ragdoll,
"Where is she?!"
"Where is our daughter!"
"Answer us!"
"Tell us it's not true!"
Marco's lips tighten, his fists bunched,
"Darcy stabbed Star with the Traitor's Sword...and I couldn't heal the wound. I'm sorry."
Marco felt his eardrum burst at the wails from the two grieving parents. A choke sob escaped the prince.
He firmly unlatches himself from the two and walked away, Higgs gave him a concerned look, Hekapoo impassively watched from the doorway; her hands bunched on her dress.
"I trusted you, Marco..."
Marco felt as if he was super glued to the spot.
He heard the prince slouch to his feet and take heavy predictable steps to him.
"No matter what you've done...if I couldn't then you, the vile scum that you are...I trusted you, Marco to keep Star safe..."
"..."
"THEN WHY IS SHE GONE, MARCO!?"
Marco's sight filled with a grief stricken Tom, grabbing his front and shaking him, tears streaming down his princely face.
"If anyone could protect Star from that vile fiend—IT WOULD BE YOU!"
"Save me your breath, Tom." Marco snarled, he glared at back at him, "You weren't here at her hour of need, so keep your guilt trip to yourself.
I have a clone to kill."
Tom stood in his way.
Marco glowered at him.
"It's so easy, Tom, so very easy to accuse, to berate and to criticize without knowledge or proof.
I did protect Star, I ripped her from Darcy's grasp and it was short lived.
Now, I must do battle with that mockery of myself; putting myself in danger for the good of Mewni. And not just for Star's sake.
War is coming in the likes you've never bear witness to; what you endured until now is paltry to what's to follow. Know more will suffer and die, you are not the only one to have Darcy rip something precious from you. No different from the lowliest peasant on this dimension."
Marco's words cut deep, but he couldn't hold back.
Not now.
Not anymore.
Too much was on the line now.
Tom snapped at his words and threw a punch he easily caught and return one in kind.
Towering over the prince, Marco spat,
"I don't expect you to understand, Tom. Being responsible for your own actions, having no choice but to make difficult decisions, to have terrible decisions made for you and to be an accountable for each one...I wish I could be so lucky to have someone do it for me, take this burden off my shoulders—but I don't."
And never will...
He turned to leave.
To get away from people who simply didn't understand what must be done now...
Marco silently berated himself, they just lost their daughter...girlfriend...
He felt something latch on his leg, he looked down to see Queen Moon sobbing on his leg, River not far behind.
"Marco...Marco...please, please, please let this be a bad dream...my daughter—she's innocent...please, why not me? I deserved it more!" Moon bawled, "I deserved to die instead of her!"
"..." Marco didn't want to dangle a fragile hope in front of either of them, especially when it came down to him to make it true...but he could not bear the thought of what the two would do without one...something to cling on...
So he knelt down and looked at Moon's eyes,
"If I don't kill Darcy.
If I don't become the Master of the Pendragon Sword.
Then Star is truly dead."
He didn't spare a second longer with the crying parents nor the seething prince.
He walked past Hekapoo.
And walked.
Before he knew it he was in front of the Wash again.
He felt like a child running to his older sibling after something terrible had happened…
He knocked before just letting himself in.
"Sir Lavabo!" he called out, he looked around seeing signs of a struggle, he moved quicker sensing someone close by.
"Hey...Marco..."
"!"
Sir Lavabo was slumped against the wall.
Marco shoved furniture out of his way and checked on the knight.
"There was a lot of commotion in the castle...I guess someone came in here...never got a good look at them..." he tried to move but slump again; he gave Marco a tired smile, "Something bad happened...right?" Marco made sure he wasn't hurt before he nodded.
"...yes: half of the castle was destroyed, the town below took a major hit and...the princess is gone."
"...if I didn't have this throbbing headache and on the floor already, I'd wager I would collapse at the news."
"...Darcy still isn't dead...after all this mayhem."
"She's slippery to be sure, but you'll get her; I know you will." He groaned.
Marco heaved Sir Lavabo onto his shoulder and carried him away, finding his cot he laid the older knight down.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Marco?"
"Yeah: you can get better."
"Heh, I meant—"
"I'm not putting you in danger." Marco replied flatly, "You've earned your retirement from the battlefield."
Sir Lavabo studied him for a moment and sighed,
"...I don't want you to go into battle alone, surrounded by enemies..."
"I've done a great job of that."
Marco stood up to leave but he felt a hand wrap around his wrist.
"All you need to do is ask...and I know the enormity of it, Marco. That it is the hardest thing to do sometimes."
"...get better, Sir Lavabo."
.
Marco walked out of the castle, his belly in a painful knot.
"Where are you going, Marco."
"I need to get away from here."
"Tough luck, you can't."
"Thanks for reminding me, H-Poo."
He grimaces when he felt his ear nearly torn off.
A venomous hiss followed,
"I've just gone through unbelievable horrors, Marco.
That little nickname makes me want to claw your face off."
Marco could hear the hurt in her voice,
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I came to Mewni to end Darcy, checked the places she struck, tried to find where she was then...I got caught up in battle."
"Sounds like I wasn't—"
Marco spun and faced Hekapoo, his furious brown eyes on her,
"Damnit, Hekapoo, I came back to Mewni because she took your form! After being applauded to leave and against the wishes of those who wouldn't want me here again. Do you know what was going through my head when Darcy just went off talking about all the terrible things she had done?! To you, to Higgs, to people I cared about still on Mewni!?"
Hekapoo stared at him.
"I'm sorry it wasn't me who saved you—but Hestia did and I will always be grateful for it!"
Marco didn't hear Hekapoo follow him as he left the kingdom, he was thankful because anymore and he wouldn't be able to stop himself...
All the pent up emotions he had bottled up over the years—no longer held sway over him.
Awash, he let himself be beguiled and before he realized it; he had done irrevocable damage.
He stood outside the kingdom for a moment, he huffed feeling the weight of the world on him before he trudged on. He didn't get far.
Ahead of him were a trio of red hoodies; a sword, a lance and a battle-axe resting on their person, the Dark Knight felt his jaw clenched for a moment. He didn't want to ask for their help, let others suffer for his fatal mistakes, he had gone through that before…
"Damn you, Darcy...for what I must do."
He stride forward, knowing where the path he was taking would lead...
The three hoods bowed,
"Lord Marco, we are at your service."
.
The walk to the hidden base took many detours, backtracking and general buffoonery; the so called 'knights' said it was precaution but the Dark Knight had a sneaking suspicion that they wanted to spend as much time as possible with him.
They denied it.
But the windfall of excited questions said otherwise.
Arriving at their destination Marco cringed seeing Tad again.
The fact he saluted him and told him he was his 'Second in Command' irked him even more.
He did admit that he found himself a snazzy home that doubled as a base; no one would ever think to find him or the Knights of the Hood here.
In an unnamed forest.
His amusement evaporated quickly as he sat at the 'head' of the round table as did the rest of the Knights of the Hood.
Marco looked around the table, seeing young and grim faces staring back at him, he clenched his jaw for a moment,
"…I wish none of you would partake into this conflict…but now, I have no choice: Mewni is endanger of an abomination created by both Mewmans and Monsters, I can no longer contain the situation alone. Had I not lose my sword and borrowed powers, Darcy would have been an afterthought."
"Lord Marco, you have nothing to apologize for. We have done what we could to curb Darcy's movements but her ever-growing strength and delight in destruction is unrelenting. True, she would let it die down but then come back with double she had dished out previously. Now is the time for Mewni to truly band together against Darcy."
Despite the hopeful words, Marco spoke counter to it.
"Listen, Raymond, this isn't some fairytale battle," Marco found himself speaking firmly, "I do hope Mewni still has people who has some fight still in them, but after what I've seen that's a long shot: many have been horrified by Darcy's strength and capacity for slaughter. The help you're banking on is...fleeting."
The words struck some hoods deeply.
Raymond noticed but was too late to quell to the outburst,
"Do you think we've had a peachy time too!? We were out there fighting our own people because they have been lied to and driven desperate and mad!"
"We've bloody the fields of Mewni with our people, all for Darcy's amusement! I'm sorry, Lord Marco for the disrespect but we've had it up with her as well!" Nathalie Woke Unredeem replied bitterly slamming a fist on the table. Marco's stony face didn't falter outwardly but inwardly he grimace, forgetting most of the fighting had been done in Mewni.
Echo Creek had been blissfully spared.
Marco quietly reflected at the small mercies he had over the Mewmans but nonetheless answered,
"Driving my point: this isn't some fantasy or blissful daydream; there is without a doubt, those sitting next to you will die in the upcoming battle. You've been lucky so far, but you'll be fighting your enemies where they can see you, your tactics so far will no longer help you. I can't call upon my vast Warband and allies across the dimensions lest Darcy flees, nor do I have all of my powers to fight Darcy who has coveted powers of the royal families of Mewni and magical artifacts. Darcy is now on par with a god."
"False god." Someone muttered.
The hard truth didn't faze those around the table, Marco saw a hood raise a hand,
"Lord Marco…I know things look grim…but do you think we will be victorious?"
"…" Marco didn't mean to exhale so loud in the quiet room when he ran the ambiguous numbers in his head, "…as things stand, we will win…I just don't know how many of us will be enjoying it."
"Sounds like great odds."
"You really think this is a game."
Marco remarked coldly.
Some hoods grimly shook their heads, Raymond sighed and spoke up,
"We don't have some delusion to what's to come, Lord Marco, please don't treat us like children or dullards."
"That was never my intentions, however your answers were to the contrary."
"...quite."
Again Marco and the table grew quiet, all grimly thinking about the battle to come.
The Dark Knight looked at their faces, it was like looking at a mirror of himself, disturbingly so for he did not see their features that were different from his.
No, he saw the youth and determination—he still had.
"As much as I love this brooding atmosphere, I got something to show you, Marco." Tad interrupted, his voice out of place within room.
"Tad, whatever it is—"
"I wouldn't if it wasn't urgent."
"..."
He stood up ready to follow the mop of wool when Raymond spoke up,
"Lord Marco, I'd like to do some recon of Darcy's movements, locate our various caches and perhaps locate some allies. No matter how little difference it would make."
Marco regarded the last bit as a jab at him, the hood gave him a sly grin.
"...be safe then, Raymond. And don't go alone."
"Wouldn't last this long otherwise."
Marco didn't get watch them leave as Tad immediately grabbed his attention, who strode ahead of him showing him various trophies, awards and literature achievements he had earned since he last seen him. In fact, Marco was impressed that Tad managed to get his life back on track and found himself a career that he unexpectedly excelled at.
"Well, Tad, I'm happy you're doing so great."
"I owe it all to you, Marco. If you didn't thoroughly destroy my fragile peace of mind and overblown self-image of myself like a flaming spiked wrecking ball I would have never found out that I, Tad, would be such a beast of a writer. With ink and parchment masterpieces and epic sagas are born!"
Marco grunted at the blunt choice of words.
Tad continued, lost in his tirade.
"I mean sure I spend a month wallowing on a sofa with gallons of ice cream, but I bounced back! The idea struck me, like—like a shot through the heart, oh Marco I just started writing and writing and before I knew it I had books stacked to the ceiling!"
Marco wondered what Tad thought what was so important, if it was to show him all the things he accomplished; it would have been better after—
Marco frowned, pausing at a massive white board that Tad had constructed, upon closer inspection his eye twitched at the contents:
Marco x Hekapoo
Marco x Princess Star Butterfly
Marco x Kelly 'a true Goddess'
Marco x Jackie Lynn Thomas
Marco x Janna Ordonia
Marco x Queen Eclipsa Butterfly
Marco x Queen Moon Butterfly
Marco x Princess Eclipsa Butterfly
Marco x Higgs
Marco x Princess Moon Butterfly
Marco x Queen Star Butterfly
"Tad…what is this."
"Oh. Uh. My brainstorm?" Tad said very slowly, cautiously, Marco was shook.
"It seems to me…that I have every readers fantasy." He said through gritted teeth.
"…well to be fair, there are some obscure ships that even I don't know about. These are what brings in the dough." Tad said, before realizing what he said exactly.
"OH? BRINGS IN THE DOUGH?" Marco said, his eyes filled with malice for the fur ball.
Tad had the decency to look embarrassed for a moment but shook his head,
"Yes, Marco, the dough. But before you think ill of me—"
"AND I DO."
"—don't think I've been hoarding the profit for myself, I've been contributing to the war funds, Knights of the Hood have been doing their darn-ness to keeping Mewmans and Monsters safe in Mewni. No one is safe anymore, peasant or royalty, it means little to Darcy and her ilk."
Tad looked completely serious at Marco's death glare.
"I write smutty and lemony fanfics of your legendary exploits. I have no regrets."
"WHAT BLOODY EXPLOITS!?
TAD, I WILL WRING YOU DEAD FOR WRITING ALL OF THIS TRASHY LEMON SHIT POSTS."
"TELL ME I'M WRONG."
"YOU ARE."
"BULL. SHIT."
Tad matched Marco's glare.
Something moved behind him and Marco whirled around, but his sudden movement startled the unknown person and Marco found himself arm locked with
Himself?
Marco leapt back his hand reaching for a weapon before Tad jumped in front of the two.
"Hey! No! Marco you can't attack Solid Spider!"
"...what?"
"Marco?"
Tad looked uneasily between the two.
"Marco...you already know Darcy is a clone of you.
Solid Spider...is also the same."
Marco gave 'himself' a cursory glance, the other looked away nervously decked out in a plain Mewni tunic, trousers and boots.
"I kinda figured that." Marco replied flatly, "Hmph, what's one more clone."
"...there's another, my brother Liquid Lizard."
"Fantastic. Mewni's stupidity is quantifiable. It's apparently triple the national average."
"Please shut up, Marco." Tad grumbled.
Marco felt his inner fire rise up, but let it go, knowing it wasn't the time to hit Tad upside the head. Body. Whatever.
"Solid Spider and Liquid Lizard, eh?" Marco scoffed, he didn't want to make eye contact but did so anyways.
"Tell me, whoever made you, are they still alive?"
Spider bit his lip, "...since I got here, I retraced my past: I was born originally in the Spiderbite Kingdom then taken to the Crimson Children. The latter has been destroyed thanks to Darcy, she took Liquid when she attacked."
"And that blasted kingdom...well, that will be taken care of eventually." Marco remarked coldly, he looked at his clone, seeing nothing but another self-looking at him, except his aura was surely different.
"They made you for a reason."
"We were to supersede you, but all accounts I say Darcy beat all of us, the stories and reports I've heard...I shudder to think to what pit she crawled out of." Spider noticed Marco's face and he continued, "Ahem. Mewman, Monster and your DNA were supposed to breed the ultimate version of you. I don't know if that's true, Liquid has Lizard DNA so he can regenerate; I'm part Mewman but I don't see why I would be better than you. Mewmans and humans are pretty similar from what I heard."
Marco took in the information, then shrugged.
"If you were meant to surpass me, what have they actually taught you? I'm sure Darcy was taught identical to your regiment."
"Weapon proficiency mostly the sword, strategies and tactics, skills for conflict...then they had a machine that forced knowledge from books and tomes forced into us."
"...wait, books? What they made you read books quickly or—"
"NO. It was if they forced the contents of a book into my brain, branding it with its knowledge...it was painful; overwriting your thoughts so absurdly I never thought it be possible until I was subject to it. When Darcy broke in, she somehow used that machine to chain Liquid to her will."
Marco was slightly unnerved by the tale; he knew the depths of Darcy's insanity but for her to do that, though...
"Solid Spider, you must know what is going to happen in a few days time. Darcy will march her own army upon Mewni, I plan to put a stop to it right then and there. All of her followers and minions in one place including Liquid; she feels absolutely confident in her abilities, so she wont run from the fight...so long as I don't come out with the Traitor's Sword."
"I'd run too if my enemy carried a sword capable of wiping my pathetic existence off the face of the lands...I've read plenty of stories and tomes about your sword."
"Impossible."
"...most of them are fables and tall-tales, make-believe and fanfiction...drunken rambling of fortunetellers and drunkards, old smiths and weapon connoisseurs."
"So, unreliable."
Spider shrugged, "Doesn't matter, so long as Darcy fears that sword, you will win this petty war of hers."
Marco nodded distractedly, his thoughts elsewhere.
"...how is your swordplay."
"...I don't know, honestly. I only really fought Liquid and he was better than me."
Marco felt a nudge from his knees and saw Tad handing him and Spider wooden practice swords. Marco took it and Spider did likewise, the two stared each other down, it was surreal to fight someone exactly like yourself and when the both of them launch at each other it was downright frightening.
The sound of wood thunks and clatter got the Hoods attention and they quickly crowd around the threshold and wall as Marco and Spider clashed. They started off with one hand swordplay but it quickly became two handed as their strength were evenly matched.
Their skill.
Technique.
Reflex.
And speed.
Wasn't.
Solid Spider was unsurprisingly skilled, his stance and guard puzzled Marco but after feeling out each other's tutelage, Marco began to dominate the duel.
If Spider had more time since his conception, he would have been truly formidable but regardless he's no push over...and Liquid is his superior...
But no matter how good Spider was, once the duel took to two-handed swordplay, Marco's overwhelming experience and skill outshined Spider's.
Marco battered apart Spider's guard, the clone tried to keep distance but Marco skillfully chased him, aware of falling into Spider's traps. When Marco locked blade with the clone, he managed to slip the pommel on the clone's crossguard and pulled, wrenching the sword from him.
It flew to the side scaring some of the Hoods.
Marco readied to call it but when Spider followed up with a series of open palm blows, he thrust forward to get him to stop.
The clone caught the blade between his hands, immobilizing Marco for a split second before he rush forward and used both hands in open palm and sent him skidding back.
Leaving both of them unarmed.
Marco and Spider eyed each other for a moment before the clone came in with a wild fly kick.
The Dark Knight responded with getting out of the way then delivering perfectly timed spinning backfist that sent Spider crashing into a wall.
The Hoods and Tad stared at Spider's crumpled form before they either cheered or helped the clone up.
Marco rubbed his chin, feeling the sweat built up from the fight, "I wasn't expecting him to go into hand to hand." Tad merely shook his head at his surprise.
Spider came to in a minute, Marco knelt by the clone and inspected the bruise,
"You're a good swordsman Spider, probably lay off fighting hand to hand, though."
"...thanks."
The Hoods tended to clone while Tad pulled him away,
"You think he can be useful in the war?"
"Honestly, I need all the help I can get. He might even psych out some from Darcy's army, so there's that."
"I will be fighting in the battle, Marco."
The two turned to face Spider, he wiped his cheek and stood up straight,
"They have my brother, I'll rescue him from Darcy's clutches."
"But Darcy has him under her thrall, what makes you think you can break it?"
"I don't, but I can at least try. I won't have him under her control any longer, if our roles were reversed Liquid would do the same, so shall I!"
Marco regarded the clone seriously,
"You know what that entails too, Spider: its not just Liquid out there, others with be there to claim your life. I know he is your brother, but if you join us, you must understand you can't act out on your own."
"Will following you allow me to save my brother?"
"...I would hope so."
"So be it." Spider folded his arms and nodded.
Marco turned to Tad,
"I need a map, I want to see where she could possibly choose to war in. The battle lines must be drawn."
A look of dread and reluctance cross wad of hair's face.
.