Crimson Tree – Part XXXIV

Finn was oft accustomed to staying awake into the later hours of night as a child; though his eyes would droop as he tried to keep himself awake as his now-dead uncle told him old legends. Mostly his head would bobble between the bridge of hands he tried to keep steady as he propped his elbows on his knees. As he sat once on his uncle's lap, a life of warriors and myths poured out into the channelling pictures of his imagination. Oh the stories were wondrous and magical. Of imps and pixies, of trolls and thieves, of bandits and villages. Even of the last humans and of demons. All the while he'd listen attentively – lest his drowsiness got the better of him. And soon enough he'd curl into little ball and sleep in the comfort of his uncle's arms.

Tonight, though, he would not sleep. As he had done since his battle training commenced with their vampire master. Rustles of air flew through the stray hairs beneath his adventure hat, tickling his eye lashes and echoing deep swooshes of air through the kingdom gates behind him. Guard duty was the most thrilling experience of his life. Most sentries despite being trained to such a pride as to garner the attention of other nations and even quest around to help – found much displeasure in standing stiff outside with armour weighing down, waiting the approach of a trespasser who never appeared.

But to Finn, it was an adventure in its lowest stage. Nonetheless, an adventure.

A rustle in the bush, maybe a croak from a frog upon a toadstool. The rustle could be a bandit, or it could be the harmless bunny showing the sentry an alternative sneak attack mode. The frog could be a guardian of regions unknown, maybe guarding the passage to another land or even, just an amphibian of growing interest with the flora he had perched himself upon. There was too much to observe, see, learn from. How was it not an exhilarating experience? After all, the queen had asked them to stay alert and he was always ready to obey orders.

It was never boring, no. To make sure none of the victories of observance were only to him, his golden dog Jake, too, spent nights with him. Occasionally sniffing about, giving soft barks to the frog that did not budge and resting his eyes on the deep rooted forestry that lay an acre away at the hem of the sloping hill that lead to the kingdom.

"What's wrong, Jake?" the young human asks, as he kneels down beside his dog. The canine, however, was up on all fours, its ears perked up in alertness and a light growl rumbling from its throat.

The sentry strained his eyes, as little ants seemed to trudge along, or more accurately slide along the hillside. But mere splodges of black in the distance, but then again that was all the lighting and the tricks of his eyes allowed the human to see, in the middle of the grey evening. Though being quite a distance away, Finn could almost swear he heard light bumps and scratches from these 'ants'.

"This does not look good. Come here, Jake". Finn the proceeds to write in squiggly letters of the ancient alphabet onto fresh parchment from his travel sack. Occasionally glancing up, then continuing to write, he notices the dark shapes getting bigger. Simultaneously, dark clouds begin to form in the sky, shading out even the husky gleam of the moon and drowning the air into a strangling, choke of blackness. A click resounds as Finn attaches the letter to his master and gives a light pat to his dog, ushering it to deliver his message. Pulling out a sword he secures the entrance gates shut, perching himself atop of a large stone beside the gateways and scanning the approaching figures.

Bethany had been watching the Princess and her Bodyguard converse, argue even, of the antics of battle and the impending danger this posed to not only people of the land, citizens of the kingdom but to the trio of monarchs as well. Her feet shuffle as she edges closer to the loose fitting glass and glares into the night. Her bow furrows as the darkening skyline and fading light, become all but invisible. She closes her eyes, taking a quick sigh and turning to face the other regal individuals.

Just as she did so, a loud yelp escapes her lips as the all too familiar golden dog of the palace, leaps at her knees. Pulling the material up from the dirty paws the creature had decided to paint onto her dress, she claims with an annoyed tone, "Marceline, your boy's pet is here".

Princess Bubblegum covers her mouth with a hand as her eyes tweak upwards with the sudden giggle she stifles. The emotion stops though, as she watches Marceline's face turns slightly sorrowful, then stern. Next, the vampire makes her way to the window sill and after gazing but a moment out the glassed view, her fingers twist into a tight fist. Lights dimly highlighted the shiny cusps of her thick locks of hair, most of which trailed at her hips.

"Is something wrong, Marceline?" The Princess asks, planting her hands onto the edges of her chair attempting to get up. The dog growls deeply.

Marceline turns in one swift movement, seizing her axe and sighing out an unneeded breath. "Battle is upon us, Bonni. The Lich's army is here".

At that, Bubblegum shoots up right out her chair. "A-army? I thought you said groups of minions!"

Clckt! A wisp of golden fur dashes out the door.

The Ice Queen, crosses her arms over her chest as she declares, "Then, war is upon us, Princess".

Not far off, a thick pool of shadowed blood trickles out and around a certain soldier as he lies at the ground of the hillside. His eyes start to fade as he hears a whimper beside him, and then, the world is but a blackened dimension.