Magic was not defined by artificial constructs like morality, or fairness, or friendship. Justice and love were matters for mortal beings. The realm of magic could be shaped and molded by individuals, changing form or appearance, but magic did not care about how it was defined by those individuals. Normal, light, dark, corrupt, magic simply was. The form of magic made no difference, except to those that used it. Magic existed to be used. And to be used, magic must continue to exist. Magic created the life, the universe, everything. For a mortal being to think they could destroy magic was the height of hubris.

Star Butterfly could only recall flashes, like in a mad dream. The magic realm and evil millhorses. Tom Lucitor, left behind and now corrupted like the rest of the realm. Her mother, the cause of all this, calling her back. Marco by her side, where he belonged. Dear, sweet, beloved Marco. With a wand? Her rage at destiny, forcing her to choose between the right thing for Mewni, and her nascent relationship with the one she loved, officially begun only hours before in a stable. Her attempt to use the whispering spell only made it as far as uttering the first words before her voice choked off and the breath ripped from her throat. The bitter irony of trying to use magic spells to destroy magic. Marco, protecting her, being thrown back in pain. Marco stabbed through the chest by a dark millhorse, the wound bleeding out as a stain of dark magic spread throughout his body. MARCO! It wasn't his time to die! It wasn't fair! They didn't have the time they deserved together! Star didn't have the time to come up with a proper plan to destroy magic, didn't have the time to stop Mina, to see what her mother had become. She didn't have enough TIME!

Creating spells was neither a science, nor an art. While wrapped up in rituals and difficult to master, magic wanted to be used. It didn't matter whether the spell was a quick blast channeled through a wand, words shouted, chanted, or recited. Poetic rhymes and summoning dances carefully written down and recorded were no different than impulsive shouts. What mattered was merely a user with a strong enough focus, and a strong enough intent. The world before Star flashed with an explosion of color too painful to look at. Her eyes clenched closed but the painful radiance burned through her eyelids and everything went black.

AN. Wanted to get this posted past the point of no return, before the finale aired and I want to change everything. First proper chapter will be up shortly. After that, I'll do my best. Honestly not the best at schedules, but I have multiple parts planned. Just need to put the words to paper and fill out the connecting flow. And maybe if I can get a flow going with this sorty, I'll finally go back and continue some of my long neglected Community fics. Rating will likely change, and characters and pairings will be added as the story goes on.