It's gonna get a little Weird - A Starco Fanfiction

Chapter 5 ~ A Losing Battle

Star's POV

My wrists and ankles are bound tightly with a thick brown rope. A gag has also been placed inside my mouth to prevent me from screaming out. I am caught with no way out. But how did things end up this way?

Inside the cave I had leaned up against the wall and listened quietly to Ludo's conversation. My knees were hugged tightly to my chest for extra warmth as I listened in.

"Hmm, so let's see,"  Ludo would start and call out the name of a spell. Knowing how reckless I could be, I closed my eyes and curled up in fear of something hitting me and giving away my position. He tried out a few spells, none that I recognized myself. I wished I could've seen their effects, but the darkness prevented me.

"Are you done making a fool out of yourself yet?"

"!" That was Glossaryk's voice. Without thinking, I stood up in a firm, steady pose. A broken tree branch cracked under me.

"Who goes there?" Ludo yelled. I held my breath and stood as still as I could, hoping he'd just ignore me and go back to whatever he was doing.

"It's just the wind," Glossaryk replied, sounding exasperated as usual, maybe even more so than usual. Ludo grumbled something under his breath, and I let out a small sigh of relief. My heart was pounding out of my chest with all the tension in the air.

I took a few small steps forward, hoping nobody else could hear my heartbeat as loud as I could. It was strange; I've never been so nervous before, at least not since I was little. Sure I had reason to be; my spell book and Glossaryk were taken from me and I was marching into enemy territory with only my wand and combat skills. I guess the biggest reason was that I was alone. I've grown so used to having Marco with me to back me up that going in alone suddenly seemed a lot scarier than it used to be.

I could see and faint light ahead and swallowed my fears. Quietly, I approached in the shadows. Ludo's voice was a lot cleared now and I could see he and his lackeys in my sight as well as... Glossaryk! He was really there! Thank goodness he was ok! And my spell book was laying out open on the ground there next to him! Everything was so close I could just leap out and touch it!

Feeling a mix of excitement, nervousness and newfound hope, I stood there silently, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "A-Achoo!" Oh no. I covered my mouth quickly, but it was too late; my cover was blown.

"H-hey! Who's there?"

I stepped out of the shadows shamefully, my fingers tightly curled around the handle of my wand.

"Well, well, if it isn't Star Butterfly," Ludo started with a sly grin, " I'm surprised you found this place, but seeing how you look right now, I imagine it couldn't have been easy."

"Star!" Glossaryk called from his place over the book.

"Glossaryk!" I called back and attempted to run over to him.

"Not so fast." Ludo said, putting up a magical barrier between us. It send me flying back when I touch it. "I've been doing some reading since the other day and have learned quite a few new spells you know." He blasted me with another spell I've never seen before, causing me to think quickly. I rose to my feet and sent him a starfish tsunami myself.

"I want you to give me back Glossaryk and my spell book," I said firmly, with a clearly unamused expression. Today was one day I wasn't messing around; I was gonna get them back no matter what it took.

"Oh Star," he said with an evil chuckle, "if only it were that simple."

Thus began our all-out battle. Ludo and his lackeys vs me. I put up a good fight for someone as battered and bruised as I was; and I'm not just talking about physically.

"By the way," Ludo started as we each took in a few breaths, "where's that karate kid you always bring with you?"

I thought of Marco and what he could be doing right now. Probably still on the phone with Jackie, knowing him. I shook my head, no good, no good! Stop thinking about Marco! I wished he was here with me. So much for, "the most important thing is that we have each other's backs." Though, I guess I have no right to say that since I was the one who decided to come alone.

My foot hit a bump and I fell to the ground. My guard had been down for too long, and now I was gonna pay for it. Ludo's spider companion tied me up with its web to hold me down temporarily while he and the bird binded me with sturdier rope. Even a gag was placed inside my mouth so that I couldn't scream or call for help. My eyes darted around the room, looking for where I dropped my wand in the process. It was laying in the shadows, and luckily hard to notice from where we were. I struggled to break free from the rope, but to no avail.

"Stop wasting your time Star Butterfly, you know it'll take a lot more than a little wiggling to break free," Ludo sneered. I let out an exasperated sigh and ceased all struggling. He was right, and I knew it, but that didn't mean I was giving up all hope. If timed exactly right, there was one way I could escape...

"Star," came a familiar voice in the distance.
"Mmpho?" I attempted to say, but sounded muffled because of the gag. I used my tongue to loosen it, and eventually spit it out. "Marco, what are you doing here?"
Marco glared harshly at me for a moment before turning to face Ludo.
"Sit tight Star, I'll deal with them."