Star and Marco vs Evil Book 2

VI

Possible spoilers between the ⭐🦋 and 🦋⭐.

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⭐🦋 Star and Marco stepped out of a space-time portal into a forest. It was cold, the dead of winter, and ice covered many a branch, rock, and puddle. The forest was thick with trees having crimson leaves, retained despite the season, and bark white as the gentle snow that sprinkled through the canopy.

"Radiant Shadow Transform!" cast Star, replacing the pairs' spring adventuring clothes with those suitable for the cold.

"Where are we?" asked Marco.

"I'm not certain, but the Bleeding Willow Trees make me think it's the Forest of Certain Death. But I've never seen so many in one place before."

"Me neither; no wonder I didn't recognize it right away."

The odors of smoke and death were heavy in the air. Looking out past the tree line, what the pair could see of Castle Village was burning, and they could faintly hear screaming. They took a few steps forward so they could better see Butterfly Castle; it, too, was burning. Standing atop one of the castle towers was a figure pointing to the sky and glowing with green magic. Both teens immediately recognized the silhouette despite the distance; it was Toffee.

"I think ..." Marco began, fear evident in his voice, "I think we should get the hell out of here."

"Yeah," Star replied, "totes."

Star was about to open a space-time portal to home when the teens heard a voice behind them command, "Surrender now, Star Butterfly!"

Whirling, looking desperately for the source of the demand, the pair spotted a clearing. They could see figures and flames but couldn't tell what was happening.

"I doubt that was meant for you," Marco said.

"Let's move closer, see what's going on," Star replied.

"No, let's get out of here before they see you and think you're their Star."

Star was already moving toward the clearing, ignoring Marco's plea. Marco sighed, then followed. They took up a position where they would be well hidden but still have a good view of the clearing.

Many of the trees surrounding the clearing were burning. In the middle was Star, standing over a body, but a Star like they'd never seen before. One eye was blue, the other red, and her hair was blonde on one side, red on the other.

More disturbing was the figure on the ground. He wore charcoal and red armor, a closely cropped beard, and was very clearly dead. They were surrounded by dark, armored, beings.

The AU's Red Star fell to her knees, screaming, "You took him from us!" The scream was so loud that the armored beings, as well as Star and Marco, covered their ears, in pain. Red Star then screamed wordlessly, as the air, and ground beneath her, rippled with raw magical force. The armored beings fell to the ground writhing in pain, as Star hastily threw up a shield bubble around herself and Marco.

The bubble almost didn't hold. "Damn, she's powerful," Star said in awe.

Two dark figures in black cloaks emerged from different spots along the tree line, both behind Red Star. They moved against the rippling magic toward Red Star, like beings walking against a heavy wind. As the figures moved closer, the two noticed each other. One stopped, hesitated, then turned and walked back into the trees; the other pushed on. When the remaining cloaked figure reached Star, a blue-white, faintly tinged with pink, helical sword of magic appeared in its hands. With no apparent hesitation the being drove it into Star's back.