Hey everyone, as promised I'm uploading my next chapter on the same night of the premier of my story. I hope that everyone is enjoying this so far and I am thankful for your comments and reviews. You guys are awesome. Please, if there are any suggestions comment and I will read before starting a new chapter. This chapter is a little darker than the first, so please, if you don't like fighting scenes and or dramatic twists, maybe this isn't the chapter for you. Without further ado, I give you, Darkness.
P.S I was listening to a song when I wrote a certain part of the story. If you'd like to listen to it, it's called Center of the Sun by Conjure One, you'll know when to play it when you see ** off to the side.
*** EverReady123
Darkness
His head hurt and he reached up to rub the sore spot but found it impossible to move any part of his body. His eyes opened and adjusted to the synthetic lighting in the room. His arms were tied down with recognizable white thread. Webbing. He groaned and looked around the room. He couldn't see Fionna but somehow he knew she was near. He heard something screech, it sounded like one of those high pitched banshees from the movie they watched last night. He tugged at his arms but it was no use. Spider thread was tough as diamonds and could be used to shield from bullets and blades. The only thing that cut through was actual diamonds or carbonated steel, such as his umbrella. Umbrella. He cursed to himself. He had left it on the floor somewhere after finding Fi.
There was this sound. It was the music box. The mechanical notes played beautifully and if it weren't for their current predicament, he would have fallen asleep instantly. "What do you want!" He screamed into the darkness. The only light coming from the overhead swinging lamp. This wasn't good. He tried to listen for Fionna but he couldn't hear anything over that damned music box. He growled in anger. This was confusing enough why the hell would there be a music box too? What did that have to do with anything?
"Marshall?" He heard Fionna. She sounded so distant. "Fi! I'm over here!" The music box suddenly stopped and in the darkness he could hear her screaming. "Fionna!" His eyes turned red and the pupils turned into catlike slits. "Marshall they're everywhere!" He growled and managed, with sheer adrenaline to pull one arm free.
It hurt immensely, but he would deal with that later. He clawed away at the other, the thread becoming looser and open, enough for him to slip his hand free. Next his feet. The music box played once more and her screaming subsided. "Fi, what's happening?" He dug his hands into the binding around his feet and cut them away with a great amount of effort. "They're gone!" He heard her, she sounded further away.
"Fionna come towards my voice. Keep walking, just follow my voice." He had to scream this over the music playing. He could hear her getting louder. "That's it, keep walking." He encouraged her, trying to get her as close as possible so he could smell her scent and find her. Then the music shut off and the sound of swarms filled the air. "Marshall!" She screamed, he could hear her footsteps now. He ran in her direction, his bladed guitar now in his hands. He could see her figure in the darkness.
"Fi, get behind me." She did as she was told and felt around the dark hallway for him. She felt his arm and grasped it tightly. "Marshall what are those things?" Her voice was shaky and he could smell her blood, it smelled sweet. He licked his lips and then shook his head. He had not had anything to eat since last night. "I don't know, we need to get back to Gumball and tell him what's going on." He grabbed her hand and ran back towards the light.
He swooped her up, once he was able to see properly and flew towards the hole at the top of the ceiling. They must have fallen into the basement when the earthquake started and he was going to be harvested for food, judging by the way he was held by the webbing. He flew as quickly as possible, dodging furniture and webbing along the walls. He could smell the fresh air and it was close. He held Fionna tightly and floated quickly through the web covered entrance.
"Marshall, we need that music box." He looked down at the young woman in his arms and then growled. "Are you kidding? Those things are trying to kill us! We have no idea what we are getting ourselves into." He hovered just outside of the castle, his back to the ill-omened structure. "We need to get back to the candy kingdom and warn Gumball about this." He could feel her stare on his face. She wasn't going to stop harping without a good reason.
"Fi, if we get stuck out here, no one will know and more and more will vanish inside this place. Let's be reasonable for like once in our lives and tell gumball and Lollypop before it's too late." She hated when he was the voice of logic. They did need to go back and tell, but it seemed like they needed something first. "Okay, we can go, but only if you promise we can come back as soon as possible. I don't like leaving something so evil alone for too long."
He smiled and kissed her forehead. "It'll be alright for one more day. Odds are, it's been going on for a lot longer than what was believed anyways." She didn't blush anymore. She knew his feelings now, there was no reason to be embarrassed when he showed affection.
"Right, if you say so. Come on, let's go back and tell the others before Gumball retires for the night." Fionna began walking, Marshalls sleeve still wrapped securely around her throbbing limb. "Come 'ere." He smirked and floated behind her, picking her up by slipping his hands underneath her arms and carrying her out of the desolate fortress.
The ride back was smooth and quiet. There were rainacorns dancing in the moonlight, their colors sparking in the shimmer of the moon. She sighed and closed her eyes, the warm breeze calming her anxious mind. What was she going to tell Gumball? Should she mention Marshall Lee and their newly found relationship? No, she couldn't risk having Gumballs mind unfocused or fogged by the thoughts of her love life. Love life. It seems so strange to have someone now. She thought it would be different.
When she was younger and still carried a fondness for the pink haired prince, she dreamt that she would think of nothing but him. She thought that he would consume her whole world and she'd give up adventuring so that she could always be by his side because, let's face it, Gumball was not the adventuring type. She glanced up at the dark headed king that had a very wide grin as he flew through the night.
It was different than what she had expected yet somehow it felt right. She smiled and closed her eyes again. She could smell the sweetness of sugar and roasted tarts. She recognized that scent from anywhere. They were closing in on the candy kingdom. She opened her eyes and saw the bright light from its closed in walls shine against the darkness of the night. She felt Marshall grip her underarms a little tighter as they neared the ground. He tossed her into the vast flower garden right before the main entrance of Gumballs estate.
She laughed and smelled the delicate fragrances. He leaned down and smirked, picking one of the more bloomed and beautiful roses. "For my lady." He bowed dramatically and slide the red rose between his teeth, sipping the redness ever so delicately from its fragile petals. She wondered just how delicate and gentle he could be on other surfaces. Her body shivered and he took notice. "As much as I'd like to ravage you in the flower patch right now…"He came close, his breath tickling her cheeks.
"We need to talk to that questionable queen and her prissy king." She felt her cheeks warm and he extended his hand to her. "Come on my princess of the night; let's pay Gum-wad a visit, shall we?" He smirked as she grabbed his hand. "Let's my king of darkness." He chuckled and ruffled her blonde hair, leaving it disheveled more so than before, if that were possible.
He banged against the large white doors. It didn't take long for peppermint maid to open and greet them with a smile. "Ah, the young adventuress and her companion, please, come inside. I'm sure Gumball is eager to hear from you." They stepped in, hand in hand as peppermint maid closed the doors behind them. "I'll go fetch lord Gumball, please have a seat and I'll have gumdrop serve you some tea.
"Gumdrop?" Fionna questioned as peppermint maid giggled. "Oh yes, where are my manners, oh Gumdrop!" Out came a small piece of what looked to be a cream-cycled colored candy, perfectly round and impeccably adorable. She wore a large pink bow and it fit her like an apron. "Oh sorry! Coming!" She tripped on the trail of the bow and fell, face first onto the red carpet. "Oh!" Fionna jogged over and picked the small balloon sized candy up and sat her down on her stubby orange legs. "Thank you." She whispered, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
"She came from Lady Lollypop's kingdom not too long ago." Peppermint maid sighed and watched the odd piece of candy struggle to pour the tea. "She's very nice, but…" There was a crash and Marshall turned to look over at the laboring little thing and sighed, floating over to help her pour the tea into the cups. "I'll go fetch master Gumball, please make yourself at home." Peppermint maid laughed awkwardly and ran up the many steps as fast as her stubby legs could take her.
Gumdrop looked down as peppermint maid disappeared. "She tries to help me out, but I think she's growing tired of me always messing up." Her squeaky little voice make Fionna gush with affection. The candy sighed and kicked at the air. "I'm just a screw up; I couldn't even do anything right in lollypop kingdom either." Marshall watched Fionna as she bent down and tilted Gumdrops head upwards to look at her.
"You're not a screw up Gumdrop, everyone has a purpose. Yours is just hidden. You'll find it one day." The Gumdrop smiled and wrapped her small stubby arms around Fionnas wrist, hugging it gently. "Thank you. I haven't heard a kind word in a long time." Marshall's eyes softened as he watched the small tenderness of the scene playing out before him.
A soft warm smile graced his face. She was something else. She knew exactly what to say sometimes, and it made such an impact in one's life. It then dawned on him. "Gumdrop, you're from the lollypop kingdom?" The candy detached itself from Fionnas arm and nodded. "Yes, I was rescued by lord Monochromacorn not too long ago. He was flying to the kingdom to deliver a message from queen Lollypop." Marshall looked over at Fionna who was thinking the exact same thing.
Gumball said that Queen Lollypop had visited the Lollypop kingdom not too long ago. If Monochromacorn rescued the Gumdrop then why would Lollypop go there if she knew what was going on? Why wouldn't she send a fleet of banana guards or order an army of goblins to find other survivors.
** "It's kind of weird that…" both turned towards Gumdrop as she spoke. "That she ordered Lord Monochromacorn never to go back, not even to look for others." There was a scream and both Marshall Lee and Fionna turned to look up the stairs. Gumball stood at the top of the stairs, his hand clutching his chest, a look of pain masking his face. "Gumball!" Fionna ran up the steps and Marshall saw it all happen as though it were in slow motion. Lollypop, with her shimmering blue cotton candy hair stood in her long silk robe beside Gumball, a smirk on her painted cherry red lips. She narrowed her eyes at the blonde headed young woman and sneered, her hand rising.
"Fionna!" Marshall moved but it was too late. There was a loud gunshot and it rung in his ears. He saw the blood seep from her stomach as her hands instinctively covered her stomach, her legs giving out as she dropped to the floor, her blonde locks draping over her wincing face. "Fionna!" Marshall caught the falling girl and held her against his chest.
"You got too close vampire king." Lollypop lowered her weapon, the shiny black metal shimmering under her covered silk sleeve. "My dear husband suspected I was up to something and sent you two to check it out. He caused her demise, and yours." She grinned wickedly and licked her cherry lips.
Marshall felt warm liquid flow from his eyes and drip from his cold chin. He could still hear her pulse but it was faint and draining fast. He laid her gently on the marble floor and turned to the malicious woman at the top of the stairs. "You will never pass these walls alive." His voice was deep and dark. "Oh I won't? We shall see about that, vampire king." She turned her back to the infuriated young man who was now shaking with rage.
She threw the gun down onto the ground and laughed. The room shook and her silk robe fell from her naked body. "You will witness the power of utopia!" He could hear the music box play, the sound fueling his anger. "If she dies you bitch, I will have your head mounted on my mantel and I will raise your soul from the nightosphere only to kill you once more." She a stopped her laughing and turned her head to look over her naked shoulder, her back becoming scarred and blackened.
"Young king, do not tempt me to cut our battle short. You're insulting me with your talk of winning." Her back turned dark blue and she growled lowly, shards of glass spreading down her spine at an alarming rate. "I will show you what the kingdom of Aaa is capable of." Her legs became crystal and for a moment he just stared at the beast before him. Her body was now the color of snow, her eyes black and cold. She extended her hand and the room shook once more.
"Come fight, king." He glared at the creature in front of him and balled his fists. Fionna would die if he didn't act fast. He saw Gumball's eyes close, his mouth moving, mouthing something to him before he passed out. 'The Enchiridion?' He looked around the room and noticed the fabled book sticking out from the green backpack on Fionnas back. He grabbed the book and saw the expression change on the beasts face. She growled and flew down the marble steps. "If you want this, it has to be important!" He sped around the room, dodging her advances effortlessly as he flipped through the book. There were spells everywhere, some it different languages others in symbols. He called upon his demonic powers and threw a ball of flame to through her off. She glowered and advanced on foot, her hand extended, pulling him close.
The book dropped and he cringed as she grabbed his collar. "You anger me vampire." There was a voice, small but steady. The creature dropped the young man and looked down at the small piece of candy. "You!" She screamed. Gumdrop stuttered and kept reading the incantation. Marshall brought his knee up towards her face and kneed her in the face, causing her to stumble back and growl. She picked up the orange coated sweet and tossed it against the wall, its candy shell cracking. Marshall grabbed the book that Gumdrop had dropped and finished the incantation.
Her skin shined and she screamed the howl of a banshee. She broke apart into millions of fragments and rained down inside the candy kingdoms domain. Marshall gathered Fionna into his arms and noticed she was cold. "Fi? Wake up please." He held her chin and rested his forehead against hers. The only sounds audible where his soft whispers and tears as they dropped onto the floor with a silent thud.