Ah, only a short chapter this time, but necessary for plot progression.

(R/R and as always, enjoy)

Chapter thirteen: Three Again

The portal spat out Finn violently back in his home dimension, seconds more and he would have been crushed within its closing. It left no evidence behind other than the scaring on the ground. The next time he set foot on Ooo he thought this whole escapade would be nothing more but history, now it was just another shattered dream crushed by the reality of things. Finn dug himself free from the dirt and franticly got back to his feet in hope of being able to jump back through, it was already too late; he collapsed to his knees with a petrified expression.

"Finn where's Marceline?" Jake asked stood next to Bubblegum. The portal transported them nowhere specific in the open Grasslands. They weren't far from the Candy Kingdom, it was within visible distance peaking over the small bumps, trees and hills. Finn grasped a handful of dust the portal made from dirt, looking down at it, it was the closest remaining link he had with her.

He's body shook furiously. 'No...' He uttered to himself. He refused to mourn her yet, he needed evidence, he needed to know. She had a plan, an idea, surely – surely she was still alive, she had to be. He believed it.

"Finn..." Jake recited to educe a response.

"We have to go back." Finn gave a sharp reply, almost a demand, sounding like a madman seeking a lost mythical treasure.

He wanted to ask why, but Jake already summed up most of the answer himself with the missing member of the group. It was going to be tough breaking it to him, someone had to though or his mind would lead him astray, "Finn, she's gone. There's nothing we can do except used what we've learned to plan a strategic attack." Bubblegum was also quick to realise Marceline's fate, she feared the truth the moment Finn came through alone. But she was stern, kept herself blunt, to the point.

He didn't like her tone; turning to get up, he marched forward towards her in such a provocative manner his younger self would have daren't ever do, "How do you know that, huh? You were the first to jump through, you don't even know what happened! How could you say she's dead? If you want to be a coward and stay here while she is still fighting for her life then be my guest. I'm going!" Waving his pointed finger about her figure as he chanted his accusations. He faced his back towards her and proceeded walking away with no intentions of hanging around.

"Wait Finn hol-" Jake chased after him. He jumped on the spot stifled; also causing Finn to halt, as Bubblegum stamped her foot down on the crusted earth and screeched his way, "Loosing Marceline hurts me just as deeply as it does you!"

Finn pivoted to face her as she stomped her way over to him just as he did moments ago. "I've known her far longer then you ever have, our relationship had never been stable, but I cherished it throughout the decades! However I don't allow my emotions to rip apart the better of me Finn! I didn't make it this far to let my anger and sorrow dictate my decisions, otherwise we'd be dead far earlier before today.

I may sound cold, but I am a leader and I can't cry and shut-down after every incident or loss, my kingdom wouldn't have prospered this far if I did. That doesn't mean I care any less than you do! I will save my sorrow until after I am done avenging her. The fallen cannot be mourn if the ones left alive fall with them!..."

The area fell silent for the moment, Finn couldn't think of what to argue against that as Bubblegum caught her breath. She took a deep breath and spoke again much more softly now with her pent up frustration purged, still with dwindling anger in the back of her voice, "...Now I'm not going to let you run off and do something stupid by yourself. I've just lost another friend today, and I've only recently gotten you back." She wrapped her arms around him for a hug. He was tortured between two feelings but soon gave in as he reluctantly hugged her back.

"It's a cruel world Finn, on the outside it looks wonderful and adventurous, but deep in its roots it was born from cruelty. We're going to go to the castle, we're going prepare that scheißkerl's reckoning." Her grip around him tensed at those last words, he didn't understand German nor even know what it was, he had a feeling though he knew what she meant. Finn didn't speak as she pulled away, he just humbly let her arm behind his back guide him across the fields towards their destination.

The Lich waltzed throughout his newly acclaimed fortress, learning its ins and outs, "For the master of your own realm it sure is empty in here." He criticised to himself. He had calmed since the incident earlier seeing as there was nothing to worry about no longer. Some point in the near future their time would come, he was patient holding together his anticipation; the thought of when and how it will all end between them thrilled him. They were still undoubtedly the main topic on his mind. Priorities: first them, then the world.

Though even in such a god-like form, there was no room for error, his foes are just as persistent and unyielding as he. One mistake and all his centuries of effort leading to this moment would be laid to waste. He wasn't willing to let those mutagenic mortals ruin everything. The tension of the stakes only thrilled him even more.

In the mean time though he strutted and gawked at all what was once Hunsons, wearing the deceased body like a trophy. The fort was enormous, far bigger on the inside than it appeared on the exterior, yet many empty, unused or abandoned rooms. He wondered why Hunson bothered making any of these pointless areas full of space, maybe to make it appear bigger to the unknowing eye. They pestered him in a small way, like forgotten memories or information you try to remember but to no avail as if your brain teases you, hiding away what you wanted to know.

These rooms of emptiness had a connection with Hunson, the whole place did, maybe he was loosing himself over the last decades. He chuckled at the thought, 'And now he has lost himself completely. Ignorant fool.' Speaking his mind outloud.

Enough time had poured into walking around the premise. He was bored. Time to get back to his duties. The Lich could've chose one of the larger open rooms to mould to fit his bidding, but everything that was once Hunson's was now his, it only felt right to build upon the foundations of what Hunson left behind. The Lich chose Hunson's personal chamber as his new lair of operations. All he had to do was meditate on how he wished to see it and it would become a reality before him. The room which possessed Hunson's most cherished sentimental objects was now squandered, it shook unnaturally as newly formed matter emerged to the Lich's desire. They were crushed under the rubble that fell from the ceiling and twisted metal which were almost life-like tendrils rooting their way out of the floor; defiled by toxic waste oozing through cracks in the walls and gathered up in shallow ponds at all four corners of the room, lighting it in a dim green, radioactive glow that only comforted him.

The Lich didn't want to rid the room of Hunson's belongings, he wanted them to stay so he may desecrate them. He saw these quarters as the closest thing Hunson had for a tomb and relished in it. A placement of a battered throne constructed of torn charred concrete, the bent rebars holding it stable, and a well filled to the brim with the acidic concoction the Lich drew essence from, stuck in the rooms centre along with the addition of a new portal gate on the back wall were the throne faced.

'Much better.' It felt much more homely now, welcoming and empowering, he was already absorbing the energy the well was kicking off through its musky aroma. He sat on the hard-bumped surface of the throne, leaning in forward to look down into the radiant green liquid at Hunsons wobbled reflection smiling back up at him. A sigh of joy and accomplishment as one would do enjoying a margarita on a private beach. He outreached his arm down over the pooled liquid and watched it bubble and climb up in the area just below his palm as it streamed up and around his dark-suited arm defying gravity to reach its master, he drank in its soothing replenishment, vigour and power in and around his body. As if he wasn't powerful enough being the new acclaimed demon god.

His eyes shined bright again. He was reborn becoming his former fearful self in which people would speak horror stories about, and now with a few extra perks. He stood from his seat – actually no. He sat back down planning to use this demonic stature to its fullest; he thought for a second on how he planned to summon them, raising his hand, pointing it at a clear space on the ground, he closed his eyes and willed there to be one of Hunson loyal servants in front of him. Hearing a gust of smoke sweep by his ears, slapping of flesh hitting the ground and a yelp he opened his eye to see a squirmy, purple-reptilian-eyed, red scaled demon in decent formal clothing getting up off the floor.

"Y... y-yes my liege?" The small being spoke as if he had a sore throat, he already was submissive enough to Hunson that the Lich needed not to pressure him into further obedient fear.

"I need you to help track down that... uhmm... my daughter," He noticed the creature didn't have any suspicions or doubt that he was talking to Hunson, the Lich used this role even further to his advantage, playing along with it, "-and her three friends, Finn the human, Jake that mutt, and lastly Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum."

"Of course my liege... b-but." The servant stuttered at his questioning.

"But? But! Were my orders not clear enough, what is this 'but' you objectify me with?" He was enjoying this far more than he previously thought as he toyed with the servant.

He stammered out "... It-It's just, I-I-I didn't mean to offend you my lord, but you didn't say what message you wanted me to give them when I've found them?" He didn't speak any more than that in order to keep his soul.

"Because I don't want you to give them a message fool! Right now they're forming a plan against me. Thinking of how to ultimately get rid of me. I want you to find them, watch them, keep me one step ahead of their every move."

He was apprehensive to speak again, "...May I make a suggestion sire?"

"All these 'buts' and questions. Do you object my task I have given to you?" The Lich tested out one of his more passive demon powers inherited, lifting the servant unnaturally from were he stood without any physical contact. He used his hand and fingers to manipulate the servant mid air and draw him closer inches away from his face in order to stare him down.

The servant was stricken with fear, never being so close to his dark-master that he could smell the strong asphyxiating cologne off his suit. He gulped before speaking. "N-No, no. I just have a idea which could aid your plan..."

The Lich was almost playing with the small demon figure in the air, slowly twisting and spinning him about, always keeping visual contact between them however. "Hmm, go on, you better make this worth my time."

The servant couldn't get the words out fast enough, the constant rotations in his levitation along with the smell coming off his master made him want to vomit. "Let me contact an old asset of ours who lives amongst them, he'll be able to keep an eye on them and report back to here without raising suspicion."

The Lich cast him away with a flick of the wrist, the servant hit the ground with a thumb. The thought of an insider betraying their friends in order to fulfil his bidding excited him. Luckily the servant peeked the Lich's interest, "Hmm-" He smiled. "-who is it you have in mind?"

Ah-ha! You thought the cliff-hangers were over - they have only just begun... (Sort-of)