Finn Mertins' story

Finn wandered the ruins of the land, his mind lost in a blizzard of ice and snow. He looked to the cold and dark sky, which released inches upon inches of snow. How beautiful, he thought. Each is unique in their likeness. And each makes their own path. How beautiful. How perfect. This works is full of imperfections. And I alone must fix them. I am the end and the beginning. I... I!...

He suddenly thought of his family. Man, he thought, I really donked things up. Mom, Dad, Barbar, Susan... I'm so sorry.

"Why would you be sorry?" his crown asked. "Now that one world has ended, we can begin the next! We can change this chemical wasteland into a frozen utopia!"

Finn spoke aloud. "No... No! This is all your fault! You're the cause of this! You caused this mess!"

"Come now, Mertins! There are so many secrets to be discovered! I can reveal those secrets to you. I can give you power beyond your imagination!"

"No! No!"

The voice grew louder and louder with every sentence.

"The time of ice is now! This world must be cleansed! YOU MUST BE CLEANSED! WE MUST RISE AND CLAIM WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY OURS!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Finn grabbed the crown and threw it into the snow. The whispers grew calmer, but they never fully disappeared. They continued to chant as if they were singing a song.

"The power of frost... The power of frost... The power of frost..."

Part 2

Many months passed. All the old houses and buildings are now completely submerged in snow. Finn now lives in an igloo he formed to protect himself. Although the crown was taking his mind, his body was still human and needed shelter and warmth.

The crown took good care of its new master. It showed him where to find suitable food and would have him create suitable snow that he could later drink.

However, Finn could feel the changes happen. His skin grew colder and bluer as time passed, and his long blonde locks became as white as the snow. Every day he felt his control over his own body become less and less. He was scared. What could he do? There was no one left to help him. And how could he betray the very thing that is keeping him alive?

He sat in an ice chair, slumped over, looking down at his feet.

"Just think of all we can accomplish together, Mertins," the crown whispered. "The children of ice and snow must be brought to life to enjoy our frozen world! Oh, they will be beautiful! And perfect! They must be perfect!... "

The crown continued as Finn thought back to simpler times. Times when he could sit and play his flute with Jake by his side.

Jake. The poor fool. He was corrupted by the bomb. The result of the imperfection of humanity. He had to be slain. Finn had no choice. The poor fool...

Suddenly there was a noise. Finn listened intently, and then he heard the sound again.

He rushed outside to find a figure kneeling on the ground.

"Kill... KILL..."

"No," Finn whispered.

"KILL... KILL..."

Finn felt the crown take control as his powers began to glow in his hands. His eyes began to glow a bright blue as he prepared to strike.

The figure turned around to face Finn just as he was poised to strike. His eyes became normal as he gained control again. He lowered his arm.

It... It's a girl...

Part 3

"Whoa," Finn said.

What the junk? I can't believe it. An actual person!

She was beautiful. She had sun kissed skin and auburn hair. She wore a black coat over a torn red dress.

Wow, he thought. She's so booming.

"What are you doing?" the crown asked. "Why don't you defend?!"

Shut up! Finn thought. He offered his hand to the girl.

"Are you alright?"

The girl stared at his hand for a moment, and then stared into his face.

"It's ok!" Finn said. "I won't hurt you."

He took a step forward. As he did, the girl reached into her coat and pulled out a rifle.

"Stay back!" she screamed. "Stay back or I'll shoot!"

"Mertins!" the crown screamed.

"Whoa!" Finn exclaimed. "Take it easy! I don't want to hurt you!"

"Just stay back! I got rid of the other ones and I'll get rid of you too!"

Other ones? Finn thought.

... The monsters!

The chemicals of the bomb must've created more monsters like Jake!

Does she... Does she think I'm a monster?

"Hang on! I'm not like the others! I'm not a monster!"

"Why should I believe you?" she yelled. "How do I know this isn't a trick?" She raised her rifle, ready to fire.

She doesn't believe me!

"Mertins! Kill her!" the crown screamed.

Finn shook his head to shake the voice away, but it stayed.

"GAAAAAH!" He threw his crown on the ground. All the while the girl stared in confusion.

Finn shook his head. "If I were like the others," he said to her, "wouldn't I have attacked already?"

The girl thought about this.

He does seem different, she thought. Those monsters before... they never stopped coming. This guy... he hasn't struck me once.

She lowered her gun.

"You can live for now. But if you try anything, I won't hold back."

Finn smiled. "My name is Finn. And you are?"

The girl placed the rifle back in her coat. "Ignis. My name is Ignis."

Part 4

Finn smiled at the girl. Ignis, he thought. What a strange name.

"What were you doing out here?" he asked.

"Searching for food," she replied. "I haven't been able to find any since everything got covered in snow."

"Hahaha! My bad!" the crown chuckled.

Finn scowled at the crown's remark.

Poor Ignis. It doesn't seem like she has anywhere to go. Maybe... Maybe I should let her stay for a while. At least until she's got plenty of food in her stomach.

"Oh no!" the crown argued. "No no no no no! I don't like this girl. I sense something wrong with her. Just leave her be, Mertins."

Finn ignored the crown and asked, "Ignis, would you like to stay with us- I mean, me, for a while?"

She stared at him. "Really? You're going to let me stay in your house. Right after I threaten to kill you. Really?"

"Sure," Finn said, shrugging his shoulders. "No biggie."

Ignis laughed. "Man, if you're stupid enough to let an armed person into your home you really aren't like the others."

"Actually," he said, "I am armed. See!" He wiggled his arm in front of him.

"Oh jeez," the crown said.

Ignis laughed, holding her sides.

"Hahaha! You know what? You're alright, Finn. Ok. I'll stay for a while."

"Great!" he said.

"I don't like this, Mertins!" the crown exclaimed.

Finn sighed and picked up the crown. He led Ignis into his igloo.

As they entered, Finn placed the crown on an ice table by the entrance.

"Make yourself at home!" Finn said.

Everything was made of ice. The tables, the sofa, and even the little pictures on the wall were ice. Everything sparkled and gleamed so beautifully.

"Wow!" Ignis said. She gaped at the detail in everything. "You made all this? It's amazing!"

"Hmmmm," the crown said. "She has good taste."

Finn went to the kitchen and got her some apples and blueberries. He put them in an ice bowl and brought them back to Ignis, who was shivering on the sofa.

"Here you go," he said as he gave her the food. "Sorry, it's kind of cold."

"I-It's f-f-fine," she said through chattering teeth.

Finn was about to sit down when a thought crossed his mind.

Crop! I don't have a room for her to sleep in! I never thought I'd ever have company...

Finn went to the table by the entrance and grabbed his crown.

"I'll be right back," he said as he went outside.

"Why are you wasting your time on her?" the crown asked. "What could make her so important?"

"She's a living person," Finn said. "A person in need of help. I failed my family. I made the bomb go off. I created this cold world. I need to make up for the things I've done." He put the crown on his head and smiled. "Besides, I-"

"You what?"

Finn's smile went away. "Nothing."

He raised his arms and shot the ice out of his hands, creating the base of what would be Ignis room on the side of the house.

"Oh no," the crown said. "You like her don't you?"

Finn ignored the crown and continued to create Ignis' room.

"You poor fool," the crown laughed. "Do you really think she'll ever want you once she knows that you're the cause of this splendid era of ice? She'll leave faster than you can say you're sorry."

"Shut up!" Finn yelled.

"Finn?"

Finn turned around to see Ignis standing there.

"Ignis!"

"Finn?" she asked. "How were you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Your hands... They were shooting out ice. Care to explain to me what's going on?"

Finn closed his eyes and sighed. "It's a long story."

Ignis leaned against the entrance to the igloo. "I've got time," she said.

Finn took off his crown and went inside, with Ignis following behind him.