Author's notes: I've written a grand majority of this because I wanted to see more stories with the darker side of what could happen. What if a few things hadn't gone the way they were supposed to? What if Finn really had blown it and there's no recourse for his actions? Except for, of course, doing his duty.
I'm still writing the chapter for my other story. I haven't stopped with that, I'm just exploring more ideas until I start writing something I really like.
Well, I hope you enjoy part 1, leave criticisms and comments in your reviews, please! Heaven knows I need 'em.
Finn stood at the abyss of the Flame Ruler. The girl he had once loved, and truthfully still loved, had just committed the ultimate act of betrayal toward all of Ooo and too himself. In the name of her people, she lashed out, marring the continent with the last of her Fire Giant's. The abyss, as Finn refers to it, was once a thriving ecosystem, home to countless lives. But because it was so close to the fire kingdom, and Phoebe being pressured into expansion by the responsibilities of her crown, took it by force. What shocked Finn the most, was that all in all, not even the thought of killing to achieve her goals had stopped her hand. Finn had loved her so, and now those feelings that he had toward her are mixing with the righteous fury of the now mature hero. If it meant bringing down a threat to innocent people, to others he still cared about greatly, then he would even fight someone like Phoebe.
Finn had spent much time in the land of Ooo since his relationship with the Flame Princess. He had grown to be clever in battle and lethal with his sword. His strength and stamina had tripled, his agility ironically inhuman, and as far as warriors go, there were none fiercer or as brave as Finn. The once happy go-lucky kid he used to be had, sadly, hardened into someone a lot more serious. He wouldn't let the memory of his brother fade by dying. Finn was better than that. And so, now, although he still had a lot to learn, he was now a force that could change the tide of any war.
The sky crackled with the sound of molten rock as bits of it plummeted to Ooo. Flame Princess had caused a volcano in the surrounding region to erupt, thereby supporting her ground troops immensely. The armies that marched to meet her were at a serious disadvantage when it came to the environment. The Flame Kingdom was known for being one of the most powerful and it's soldiers were certainly among the most competent. Among the armies were the Candy Kingdom and the Wildberry Kingdom. These two nations made up the majority of the force. There were, however, smaller units to count on. Princess Bubblegum had fairly easily convinced the Ice King to fight with her, promising him something in return. Glob know's whatever that might be. So along with having a dangerous Ice Wizard in a battle against fiery opponents, there were also the smaller and yet somehow powerful penguins that came with him. I shouldn't need to mention the time when the penguins marched on and conquered the Candy Kingdom all by themselves.
Princess Bubblegum did not go into this battle with her regular force, however. She had created a new breed of fighter to stand on her front lines. These hulking brutes were the size of a shack and were creatures made of a strange rocky-road ice cream mixture. In their left hand, they were armed with a large and thick jawbreaker shield that was easily the size of a mature trunk of tree. In their right, a large maul that sported yet more jawbreaker attached by several threads of the toughest black licorice they could forge. She had chosen jawbreaker for this fight as she had noticed the material was resistant to just about every force of nature imaginable, and molten lava was not excluded. These things were war machines, and Bubblegum had made enough so that for every two columns of normal soldiers, one of these stood abreast to another. With the size of Bubblegums army, that was easily twenty brutes. I shouldn't casually mention the regulars, either, for they weren't actually the normal corp of soldiers. They were dressed head to toe in a jawbreaker armor, sword and shield all at the ready.
Now, for Finn, nothing mattered except for that he wanted to be the one who personally took down Phoebe. He took a step forward, standing at the top of aforementioned abyss. The abyss was nothing more than a steep crater, still steaming from the blast of that evil war machine. With that step, and let himself fall forward over the edge and down the incline. As his foot made contact with ground, he put all his strength into a leap and catapulted down the charred hill, heading straight for the valley. His legs worked with all the might they could afford, swiftly vaulting rocks and sudden geysers of steam that erupted from the ground. About halfway down, a large chunk of molten rock landed near him, and Finn had dove to avoid getting hit. This didn't really slow him down in the slightest. He was as fierce and determined as ever, and even against Phoebe he wouldn't pull his punches. He unsheathed his sword, the sword that was made from his time counterpart when Jake and Finn had restored Prismo to his former life. He let it drag behind him as he ran. He had only just now drawn his sword because it would slow him down, and down on the field, the battle was already raging. As he got closer, he noticed Flame Princess had other war machines to deploy.
Saying that these were war machines was an understatement. One of these beasts was the size a large house, easily triple the size of one of Bubblegum's ice cream brutes. It definitely had the bite to go along with its bark. Coming off the hillside, Finn rushed to flank the beast, several of Bubblegum's forces having already engaged it from the front. They were easily being smacked away by the things large arms, but not for long. Finn made it to the beasts leg and jumped up onto one of its uneven boulders. The boulders which composed the giant allowed him to easily climb it. As he went along, he swung his sword into its side, making a large mark as he went to find its head. The beast was bellowing and jerking, now fully aware of the pesky human's presence. With one last groan, the beast clawed at it's shoulder where Finn now stood, but it was too late. Finn swung his ethereal sword into and through the beasts rock skin, cleaving it in half, and then vaulted off backward. No armor had ever stood a chance against his sword before, and it didn't seem anything was about to start now. The sword, seemingly made of energy, had elongated in the moment of the swing, slicing clean through the head, down to the pelvis of the monster. With that, there was a large groaning of something similar to a building falling apart, and then the belated crumbling of the giant. Finn landed with grace on the other side of the rubble. He had done that maneuver many times on large foes, so he had plenty of time to perfect it. Behind him, the soldiers of the Candy Kingdom and Wildberry kingdom gawked in awe. What they couldn't do as an army, Finn could do in a matter of seconds.
With the defeat of such a great beast, he could hear the forces rally behind him, their morale greatly boosted. Taking the cue to carve a path forward to the Flame Princess, Finn did exactly that. With every foe, big or small, Finn made sure to dispatch it quickly, attracting a larger and therefore a more organized force behind him. What was once a battle that anyone could have won, was quickly turning against the favor of the land of fire. He was fighting not just for himself, but to make amends. All those years ago he hadn't acted very justful toward Phoebe, and maybe that led to the way she is now, but that isn't an excuse for Finn to let her be anymore. It's not within Finn to let anyone walk over innocent people, no matter how many laughs they had shared together, and no matter how much it will hurt should he have to kill her.
As he pushed the Flame Kingdom's front lines, he could feel the enemies soldiers beginning to waver more and more. The rumors of the human fighting like some sort of unstoppable machine had begun to spread down the ranks of both sides it seemed. Rumors and legends were a powerful way to win a war. If you defeat the enemy in their own mind, then you have already won. That was showing to be very true this day. Though, it was due in no small part to Finn's sword. The sword of which could transform itself into any shape he deemed fit, it having an ample reach as well. As long as it wasn't longer than the width of a creek, Finn could stretch his weapon that far. Combining the destructiveness of his sword with his uncanny ability on his feet, his talent at tumbling through the swings of his opponents and counter-striking, made him an utterly terrifying champion. Speaking of champions, Finn had heard that Cinnamon-bun was out there somewhere, next to his Princess as her knight-at-arms. He wouldn't be much of a threat. While he considered Cinnamon-bun to be mostly a blundering fool, he also knew that he had a way of utilizing his incredible luck to his advantage.
After slaughtering rank after rank of foot soldiers, he began to think he would never spot a sign of the Flame Princess. He was mostly correct in his thinking, but he did however see her brother. That megalomaniac despot was floating in the sky, doing nothing but charring and roasting wildberry soldiers and any candy soldier unlucky enough to have lost their jawbreaker shield. Even from the distance Finn was, over the clattering and clashing of weapons, he could hear him cackling like a mad man. This enraged Finn. Finn had killed his fair share, but he didn't think very highly of it. He did it as his duty, not as a pleasure. So, Finn immediately switched gears and began to push in his direction, jumping onto the face of a common Flame soldier and catapulting off. He ran over the crowd of enemies, staying at the side of who he could now tell was Flint, the most horrid of Phoebe's brothers. And just like with the rock beast, by the time Flint had noticed Finn approaching him, it was too late. Finn had catapulted off the last soldier and flying tackled into Flint, knocking them both to the ground.
Flint had just barely managed to regain his composure when he found himself knocking away a blow of Finn's sword with a heated blast. Flint wouldn't go down near as easily as the other soldiers. He knew how to use his own energy, how to turn his very arms into swords if need be.
"You.. you're that human boy. Oh man, I didn't think I'd get the pleasure of roasting you myself." Came Flint, his voice seething with nothing but bloodlust.
"You know, she used to talk about you a lot. Used to come home all happy and content, it was actually kind of gross." Flint seemed to be talking with more tact now, taking a sidestep for every pause. Oddly enough no one from either army challenged them as they stood there. Finn never dropped his guard, though.
"Yeah, that was until she came home crying one day." Flint's position and demeanor changed a good deal. He took a stance that would leave him well guarded against attacks. Those last words had managed to put a chink in his armor.
"She cried?" Finn thought. "She seemed so put together when she left me.." That stung him harder than he thought, because this time it was Finn who found himself deflecting one of Flint's blows. Finn quickly turned his sword and glanced the fireball off of it, but gave up no ground.
"Of course she cried, she's not a monster. Or at least wasn't.." came Finn's thoughts again.
"Yeah kid, she cried. That what happens when you betray someone, like people are always going to do to Flame Citizens." It didn't seem like Flint was fighting just to kill now after all. He was fighting for his people, and it seemed he was also fighting to protect the honor of his sister.
As noble as that thought was, it made Finn straighten back up.
"I'm sorry she cried. I'm sorry that I did that to her, but that doesn't mean I'm going to lay down my sword and let her kill thousands of people." Finn spoke in a manner that revealed little of what he was feeling, it revealed no regret. With an exaggerated exhale, he dashed toward Flint, feinting to his left, causing him to put up his arm in an energized state to block it. But, as quickly as Finn had dashed forward, he had switched his sword hand, expertly tossing it to his other arm (working off of the feint) and slashed clean through Flint's armor and right arm. It seemed if he wasn't ready for it, Flint couldn't block the sword. Finn knew that there was no way Flame Princess would forgive him now. He had just cut off Flint's arm - and he wasn't about to let him get away. Flint in that moment had jumped back, a reflexive recoil from his sudden loss of limb. Finn guessed he expected it to grow back, but when it didn't, he became enraged and his body began glowing white hot.
"What the hell did you do to me?!" Flint screamed through agony and hatred. Flint charged without giving him a moment to respond. That was the fatal move. Charging in a with blind rage as your weapon is a bad match up to someone that can remain calm and collected. With a simple reflexive sidestep and a downward slash, Finn had caught Flint down the middle with his strange sword, his turning a cold grey. It startled Finn how easily the sword went through him, meeting no resistance even when he hit his obsidian-crafted chest-plate armor. Though it's not like obsidian is actually a strong material.
The remains of Flint were flung forward, the momentum from his charge caused his split armor and dressings to clamor into the ground along with the last bit of his energy turning into a grey puff of smoke. Immediately, the area around the death quieted down. There were surrounding gasps from Flame soldiers, and faint cheers from what sounded like Wildberry Kingdom vanguards. This was a fatal blow to the opposing army. With a member of the royal line defeated in full view, the Flame Kingdom's army should have little to no morale or will to fight. From here on out, they should be retreating out of the crater and back to whatever base they have.
"Surely," Finn thought, "That's where I'll find Phoebe."
Finn did not, however, immediately pursue. He had been fighting all day, and his body was beginning to feel the weight of all those he had slain. Finn watched as streams of Flame Kingdom foot soldiers retreated around him, the allied armies cheering from behind.
"This is great," Finn thought. "This means we're winning. But.." Finn's inner voiced trailed off. "But.. why am I crying?" Finn shocked himself by what he just thought. He was crying? He lifted a hand to his face and felt the betraying wetness of emotion that had leaked through his facade. His gilded attitude was finally crumbling under the duress.
"But, why? I'm doing the right thing aren't I? Aren't I, Jake?" The warrior was now holding back a torrential downpour and glancing at the armor of the defeated Flint only made it harder. With a sharp inhalation, much like a sob, he walked to the armor and painfully fell to his knees. He looked upon Flint through blurry vision.
"If this is… right.. why do I feel so disgusting. Jake? I don't want to kill her, Jake. I don't… I don't want to kill.. Oh Glob, when did I start killing like it was nothing? Is that what heroes do?" Finn's magic sword dissipated, as if sensing that it's master had lost the will to fight. That's never happened before, but for now, he didn't care. He didn't so much as pay it any heed when it disappeared. Finn sat on his knees for a long time, staring into the sky and letting tears stream down his face. The ash from the volcano still was falling to Ooo, but the large rocks seemed to have stopped falling some time ago.
After the armies had mostly left the crater, leaving just a large and open space, a candy-convoy drove up next to him. In one of the carriages was the ever regal Princess Bubblegum who had taken notice of Finn the Human. A guard opened the door to her carriage, and she walked down the stairs built into it, dressed in some type of military getup. Finn's eyes were red and puffy, the eighteen year-old still had some kid left in him after all. Bubblegum walked over and took a breath as if to say something, but instead knelt beside him and tenderly hugged him.
"I'm sorry, Finn."
Somewhere over the ridge, there stood a grand building that shone with a dark brightness. The dark and glassy material glistened strangely in the afternoon sun. The Flame Princess sat on her throne with an odd look of distaste. She used the throne's armrest to prop up her head with her hand. It was there that she had received the news of Flint's demise, but she only reacted when she heard it was Finn that had killed him. It wasn't a violent reaction, mind you. She showed surprise on her features - and then a look of sadness toward the messenger.
"Thank you... You may leave." Flame Princess' voice was noticeably shaky, but she kept strong.
"Finn's here?" she thought. Her red-amber eyes had come to see much, but this is one thing she wished to not be a witness of.
"He won't get away with this, not again. Not after what he's done to me, and now to my Kingdom." Flame Princess' expression of sadness turned to one of warlike determination.
"If he wants wants to fight me, he'll get that chance." The emblazoned ruler stood up from her throne, "Is the Giant prepared to fire again?" A fire elemental to her right flank stepped forward and bowed slightly, "It's almost ready, your majesty." Obviously satisfied with that news, she nodded and took her leave for her quarters.
"Oh Finn," she sighed, "I don't know what you're trying to do, but it won't work."
The next morning, Finn found himself under one of the tents of the Candy Kingdom. He couldn't remember much of what had happened the previous night, just that he had come back to the base of operations and gone to bed. He was sure that something had happened before that, though. Finn rose and dressed in his usual attire. This consisted of his iconic hat that would cover his now shoulder-length hair. His shirts he had been choosing slightly differently, opting for lighter blue versions of the kind he had when he was fourteen. Finn stopped and clutched at his heart. Thinking of his time when he was fourteen brought back a lot of happy memories, and then a lot of painful ones too. When Jake had died, Finn had shut off. There was no one left in the world that he could communicate on his own level to. It was that day he had to learn to shut it out, all the pain. He couldn't take it anymore. His heart was broken, his best friend was gone, and now today, back to the present, he might have to kill someone he still truly cares for. Finn's life had so many short up's and lots of steep down's. He wondered if things kept going this way, he'll hit what they call "rock bottom." He slipped on his shirt, pulled his hat over, and took one last look at himself in a nearby mirror. It reflected the visage of a young man, tall and fair-skinned. His blue irises were as bright as ever. However, they used to be filled with so much more soul. Now anyone that looked at him could tell he was becoming more and more cold, more empty. He wished this war had never happened.
Don't worry, I'll elaborate on the whole "Jake" thing later on. I'm trying to write this story as if I had pulled it from the middle of a historical event I guess. It's a chronicle, so to speak.