An: Welcome to the next tale. As i have said, DarkCzar13 will be proofreading, and any comments he has will be in bold letters. I would suggest you check out his story, it is quite good.
Quick summary of two characters that may be mentioned (or used):
Nikolai Petirosky: Wolf-Vampire Hybrid (see beast of burden), has become friends with the group, and is now married to Lily Petirosky, who he will soon be having a child with
The Runed Enchanter (or Smithy): Human covered in strange runes, and has revealed that the runes are a gift only he can use, that al;lows him to enchant anything he sees fit. Also married, and also soon to have a child.
Now, let us begin this tale.
Chapter 1: Silent Kingdom
Finn decided this was one of the best days ever. He and his girlfriend (he still blushed when he thought that word, let alone spoke it) had been spending the day together, and after a extended make-out session (which was entirely his fault), they had gone shopping in the Candy Kingdom, Flame Princess wanting to see what it was like to eat candy. She was obviously made of fire, and as such, had attempted to heavily pay (it was denied, saying he would do it free of charge) for a enchanted ring that would quell her flames, allowing her to eat, drink, be near anything flammable, etc etc...
After she found out why you don't each mass amounts of candy in one sitting, and had promptly fled to the bathroom to empty her stomach, they had went shopping for dresses, which had ended in a very long period of dress-up, Finn trying his very hardest to not be bored by the marathon of dress trying on. After that, they had left the shop (several dresses in Finn's backpack, having refused to carry a plastic bag full of girly clothing) they had saw the sun going down, and began making their way home. They cut through a alleyway, hoping to make it home before the sun fell completely.
They wouldn't see it for another week.
As Finn turned the alleyway corner, his mind picked up on something, but he couldn't place it. That is, until they had entered another brightly coloured street. The entire street was bare of the citizens, and the sun had disappeared, the moon hanging high in the sky. He felt Flame Princess hang onto him tightly, clinging to his arm with little restraint. "F-Finn...where is everyone?" she asked quietly, looking around for any signs of the dopey citizens.
He wondered the same thing, trying to hear any sound, but the street was silent. Except for a strange scurrying noise, he couldn't hear a-Scurrying noise?
Looking up, he had enough time to push Flame princess away, as a strange blur of flesh leaped down onto Finn, attempting to bite at him. Finn couldn't quite make the creature out, but he swore it had a human head, but he could feel four hands gripping him. Struggling, he freed a arm and punched it directly in what he thought was it's head, causing it to let go of him and scurry away. He looked at it, and realized it was ALMOST human. But, whatever this was had no legs, just another pair of arms. It climbed up a wall, and fled, cackling like a banshee, the sound of it running staying with him long after it was out of hearing distance.
He looked over,and watched as she ran up and hugged him. Slightly grateful of the four rings of flame resistance (each was more powerful then the last, as smithy had said), he hugged her back, feeling her heart beating rapidly against his chest. "W-What was that thing?" she asked, deciding to not let go of Finn no matter what, gripping his hand tightly.
"...I have no idea. We need to get you out of here, and get some back up. Jake should still be home, and Nikolai and Smithy aren't far from their either. Maybe even Marceline if we can get word to her." He explained and planned, watching her calm down slightly.
Nodding, they both fled towards the massive open gates, and both stopped directly at them. "...Finn? Why can't I move this way anymore?" she spoke quietly, trying not to panic.
Finn frowned, and gripped her hand tighter. It wasn't like there was something physically stopping them, but he couldn't make his limbs move that way, no matter how hard he tried.
They gave each other a worried look, and began walking back. "Which way should we go, then?" she asked, having been lost of where she was the moment she entered the massive kingdom.
Looking around, he spotted the massive castle that Bubblegum called her home, and pointed to it. "There. Someone might be inside, and can help us get out of this mess." he said quickly, trying to keep her from panicking, which was obviously failing by the fact that she was pressing against him with no restraint, which he would have enjoyed if the circumstances were less...terrifying.
However, he panicked when he heard a large thud, like a body hitting the earth, and slow lumbering steps towards them. Turning a corner, he almost prayed that it was somehow Father Knight, but he knew from the glimpse of a oversized round stomach, that whatever coming was not the protector the the innocent. Flame Princess gave a squeak of fear (Finn holding back the urge to do the same thing) and they both began to flee, not wishing to see what was turning the corner.
After running a great deal, they reached the center of town, the fountain that Finn had always been fond of 'looting' for coins as a child still there. However, sitting on a stool in the middle, was some form of creature. It looked to be some form of Flame elemental, judging by the flaming skin, and looked to be oddly similar to Flame Princess. However, this creature had no eyes or nose, just a large mouth, filled to the brim with sharp teeth, and possessed no arms. It's body hissed as the water splashed against it, sending steam floating about. "Hello, Princess and Hero. What forces brought you to our little Kingdom?" it cried, loud and squeaky one moment, and deep and terrifying the next.
"This isn't your kingdom, this is the Candy Kingdom!" Finn cried, approaching the fountain, sword drawn.
"No, your wrong, Hero. This is the Kingdom of Silence. The one who speaks with no tongue resides here, and we are his...flock."
Frowning, he stepped onto the edge of the fountain, watching the hissing elemental carefully. "And why are we here. You obviously know."
It laughs loudly, the squeaky then deep voice beginning to drive him up a wall. "The one that hears but with no ears wishes your head on a platter. As such, he has captured your little friends, and sent your friends into a infinite slumber, where they shall pay for their greatest evils. I suppose...you could rescue them, but you would need to find where their minds lay and free them of their torment. Oh, Looks like your little girlfriend has joined the list!" it cried, giggling madly.
He frowned, and realized that the tight grip on his hand was gone. Turning rapidly, he looked about, panicked.
Flame Princess was nowhere to be seen.
Growling loudly, he pointed his blade at it's neck. "WHERE IS SHE!?"
Laughing even louder, it bit down on the sword, drawing blood. "She is inside the morgue, regretting her mistakes, and atoning for her mistakes.."
AS he went to flee towards the area, the voice stopped him. "You best wait. An ally of sorts is sending assistance..." it cried, laughing deeply. "We would stop him, but it is against the RULLLLESSSS..."it screamed, the steam hiding the creature, before it cleared and revealed it was no longer there.
Nikolai had been having a good day. He and Lily had spent it talking and laughing, and she had not been having any stomach cramps, or strange cravings for foods that you could only get on the other side of Ooo. At the moment, he told her stories of the stupid things he has done over the years, of how he nearly was gutted by a Wind Elemental who had lived with a bunch of ogres. "So there I was, standing knee deep in ogre blood, when this angry looking elemental came barreling at me, swinging his air scythe things at me like I was sushi and he was the chef. Little to-" He found that everything had simply froze. After a Brief moment of surprise, he realized what was occurring, and sighed inside his mind. Watching intently, he saw the Librarian turn the corner, coming out of their bathroom of all places.
"Hello, Doctor. Your time to...pay me back has come. Your friend, Finn has been captured by...a enemy. You shall assist him, and allow him to free his...and your...friends. I shall even give you something to help...I really shouldn't...but I do enjoy employing you." Approaching him, he slipped something into his hand, before smiling. "Rise...and shine, Doctor..."
Frowning, he looked about, finding that he was standing in a pond, with a very confused Finn looking at him. "Nik? Your my assistance?" he was torn between gratitude to see a friendly face (more so when it was one that he ranked as "the hardest to kill thing in all of Ooo" right behind the Lich and Gunter.
Frowning, he nodded. "Apparently so." He slipped the item into one of the pockets on his ragged shorts, deciding to decipher what it was later, the buisness at hand more important.
As he was about to tell him who had sent him, the ground shook once more, and they turned to see the fat beast that had been chasing them had made it down the street, and was charging towards them both. Grabbing Finn, he dove out of the oversized beasts way, and spotted that it is...or was...a Minotaur, but this one did not match the usual description. It was fat as a truck, and had six different legs, each not nearly large enough to naturally carry the girth, but did none the less. It's arms were simply bones, like massive spears, which it waved angrily. It charged at them again, and Nikolai growled, feeling his flesh ripple and grow, wincing at the usual pain of the transformation, soon standing as tall as the obese bullman. Grabbing the remains of what was once its arms, he pushed it back, finding himself barely able to stop the strange beast. Driving his ivory daggers that he called his claws into it's head, it gurgled and took a swing at him, forcing him to dodge it and flee backwards. Grabbing the boy, he leapt onto the gingerbread rooftops, and they both began hastily jumping from building to building, the creature screaming from below.
"What do we need to do, Finn?" he asked, watching the small hero scan the horizon, before pointing to the east. "We need to go to the morgue, pronto." he said, the usual cheer gone from his voice, which might have been the most terrifying thing this entire day.
Grabbing the boy, he allowed him to ride on his back, before charging off, hearing the massive creature slam against walls and homes, attempting to keep pace with them.
Nikolai sighed. He knew he should have stayed in bed.