In my most humble opinion, both the Land of Aaa and the Night-O-Sphere are equally as beautiful.
I suppose I sound crazy, for how could two places existing in such opposition share this common thread? It's actually quite simple, but I can see your confusion.
After all, the land of Aaa is a gorgeous melting pot of mutants, ones who thrive off of a land brimming with terrain after terrain of beautiful gleaming earth. It is so unique: the habitats that grace its plentiful soil, from flickering flames to thick white blankets of snow, and endless waves of salty ocean that seep into sand beds on the outer edges of luscious fields. Not to mention the neat patterned roads of sugary confectionery.
It is not just the land either; it is the inhabitants too. Be it royals or peasants, farmers or artisans, the working class or wizarding magicians - young and old and middle-aged - no two people are alike. Mutants of wondrous colors take up this land and they thrive on it. Never mind the piles of rubbish from another time that dot the nooks and crannies of Aaa's many maps, (never mind remnants of that lost world) because what makes the land truly beautiful is the fact that it was formed on the concept of starting again: turning over a new leaf.
The land of Aaa is means for a better life - hope incarnate.
And down below, we find a sphere overflowing with darkness and eeriness and all around black magic. It too has its share of mutants, but only there will these creatures look so strange, so twisted, so out of tune. Some may say they look flat out wrong: these monsters who are half-baked and unfinished, ones that needed a little more time to set before they graced the sphere's presence.
However, I say that there is beauty in the unconventional, for what is beauty really? In truth it is difference - something that makes your head turn - an adjective used for things which are rare and perhaps unattainable. The Night-O-Sphere really is just that: unattainable. There has not been one soul able to claim the wild beast that is the sphere. Not even the Abadeers, who pride themselves on their ironclad grip and clandestine knowledge of its affairs. The sphere is a mystery. It is alive. It is a force which feeds on darkness and pays back its dues in flaming light.
It is so unique, so strange, so wondrous. So beautiful.
If only the two worlds could be united.
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The dining room was cast in soft yellow light which originated from a large glass chandelier twinkling above the center of the room. Below this was a long and elegant table, beautifully crafted in dark amber wood. Many courses graced its surface: roasted duck, steaming vegetables, a number of soups and stews, seafood, birds stuffed with smaller birds, sugared fruits, and fresh steaming bread. Water, wine, sparkling juices - bottles and bottles spread themselves around the table, begging to be poured in the crystalline goblets lining each plate. There were three plates, white and pristine, flanked on both sides by different pieces of cutlery. Fionna really wasn't sure what they were all for (truly she was a tad bit worried about the number of knives at their disposal) but she hid her discomfort well. Besides, she had more pressing worries to deal with.
She was finally going to meet Marshall's mother.
Sweat clung to her hands terribly, and she found herself wiping them constantly against the fabric of her dress. Her eyes slid to the figure beside her - Marshall Lee stood straight and proper, wearing a well fitting suit and doing a bang up job of hiding his nerves. One might even think he was at ease. Fionna knew better.
"Quit fidgeting," he whispered out of the corner of his mouth. He could tell she was nervous too.
Fionna puffed out her cheeks. "Well how long do we have to stand here waiting for her?" she fired back. In an instant his red eyes met her own, and she felt a rush of blood run to her cheeks. It wasn't fair. She couldn't stop thinking about their kiss. How was she supposed to focus on her mission when he was inches away from her body, his hooded eyes filled with longing and impatience? How was she supposed to stop herself from the sudden urge to kiss him again? Or to hug him? To simply hold his hand even? Glob, she wanted to hold his hand!
"It shouldn't be too much longer," he assured her. She felt him peruse her figure. "You clean up nicely, by the way."
It was true. Fionna had washed away all of the grime and dirt caked on her body from their journey. No more were her fingernails crawl spaces for mud, and no more were her cheeks the resting point for dust. She bad been bathed, perfumed, and powdered - things she remembers Gumball urging her to do before royal parties. She hated it back then and certainly now - she was a royal protector for Glob's sake! A knight. A warrior. A general! Dirt was her armor, and with it she could hide away the soft and squishy parts that made her nothing more than a silly mortal girl. She wanted to be feared; she wanted people to regard her as intimidating.
Because then no one would push her around.
Dirt showed guts. Action. Movement. It showed travel and battles and times of distress. It was a part of her.
Fionna realized, ease and comfort were never options in this realm. Hana would get under her skin no matter what, and maybe by removing all of that dirt, somehow there would be room for Fionna's own demonic self to fester and grow. So clean Fionna up, wipe away any sense of security she had, and dress her in traditional Night-O-Sphere fashion, sooner or later she would fall right?
Wrong.
Fionna wasn't going down without a fight. She bravely locked eyes with Marshall Lee and replied, "Thank you. I suppose I could say the same to you."
Marshall grinned. "My dear, I always look this good." He ran his tongue over his canines and winked. Fionna rolled her eyes.
She found herself clutching the fine fabric of her dress. It was soft, and perhaps beautiful: adjectives Fionna never thought she'd use when within the Night-O-Sphere, but it was true. The dress itself was a deep reddish purple color, similar to a wine, and fell to the floor in waves. The torso was cinched at the waist, not in a way that squeezed, but rather hugged, and matched Fionna's measurements perfectly. There were no straps, and Fionna almost felt exposed with her shoulders so bare, but then again, there was something so very pleasing about the dress. It was a traditional gown, and the servants who had dressed Fionna told her that it carried a sense of importance and purpose within its seams. It was worn for times of diplomacy, talks, and arrangements. The red tones suggested remembrance (alongside authority) and the purple a sense of ease. At the back was an insignia stitched onto the dress with tiny beads: a full moon with open craters. This was for the Night-O-Sphere.
Fionna was wrapped in its embrace.
"Relax," Marshall said. After looking around, he tentatively reached his hand toward her own, undoing the waves of fabric that threaded through her fingertips. "You'll be fine."
"You're the one shaking," she commented, closing her eyes and surrendering to his touch.
"No I'm not."
"I can feel you Marshall." Fionna's voice went softer. "It's okay to be worried about your mother.
"I-I'm not worried."
Fionna squeezed his hand. "You shouldn't lie, Marshall." She felt his hand squeeze back, the pressure sending jolts of trust her way. They could do this. They could face Marshall's mother.
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When Hana made her presence known, pushing open the large double doors that lead into the dining room, her guards trailing diligently behind, Fionna was ready for her. The adventuress pushed her shoulders back and jutted out her chin. She swallowed down any lingering nervousness, and offered a polite bow to the woman before her.
Marshall's mother was demonic looking, there was no mistaking it, and Fionna certainly wasn't surprised at the discovery. She had deep red eyes that flashed with mirth, a lecherous smile and pointed teeth. Her aura screamed authority, demanded the room's full attention, and no matter how hard Fionna tried, she could not bring herself to look away. Hana was enthralling; Hana was dangerous. The former ruler of the Night-O-Sphere seemed to take in her guests, never once breaking her smile. She was wearing a suit, with a striped black and white shirt underneath. Her hair was pinned up in a sensible bun, a few strands of her raven black hair framing her striking features. Hana walked languidly toward Fionna and Marshall Lee, the talons of her high heels echoing against the cool polished floors. Her guards remained next to the doors.
"So," Hana spoke, and the room was encased with the sound of her rich, almost sultry voice, "we finally meet, Fionna the human." Her voice slightly pinched at the word 'human' as if she were forcing it out of her jagged teeth. Fionna felt the malice, despite Hana's diplomatic and amiable appearance. "Shame on Marshall Lee for taking so long to introduce the two of us!" Hana reached out her well-manicured hand for Fionna to take. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine," Fionna replied, accepting the handshake. Hana's hand was as cold as Marshall Lee's.
"Geez mom, there's no need to be so over the top." Marshall muttered. He shook his head. "For once can we have a dinner without the formality?"
Hana's eyes snapped dangerously toward her son. "Marshall, the meeting of a newly instated general is certainly grounds for formality! I understand that the two of you have been, ahem, acquainted for some time, but really at the end of the day she is supposed to be employed here. Let us not let our personal feelings interfere with that." The insinuation was clear, and Fionna noticed the way embarrassment flashed across Marshall's features. He hissed.
"So!" His mother spoke again, her vision once again sliding toward Fionna. "Shall we eat?"
The three of them took their seats, Marshall's mother at the head of the table, and both Fionna and Marshall gracing her sides. It was Hana that served herself first, indulging in a large piece of what Fionna assumed was some kind of roasted bird. She also took a generous amount of wine. Marshall, as expected, filled his plate with all of the red foods he could find. Fionna stuck with the soup. It seemed like the safest option, considering she was in the Night-O-Sphere and all.
"So, Fionna," Hana spoke in between one of her bites, "you come from Aaa, do you?"
Fionna nodded. "Yes ma'am."
The demon gave a small chuckle. "I must say, your country is vastly different from the likes of this sphere. You must find it strange here. Oh, but do give it time. This realm has a way of growing on you, you know." Fionna smiled politely in response, and Hana decided to change the subject. "You're a general, are you not?"
"Well, I am more of a knight really. Er, I guess I should say I was a knight. Head knight of the Righteous Order..." Fionna trailed off, remembering that she was supposed to have pledged her allegiance to Marshall Lee. Bringing up memories of her previous employment - employment to a man that Hana was currently fighting - might not have been the best thing to say. Fionna's eyes flashed toward Marshall Lee whose expression remained neutral despite her mistake.
Hana cut into her meat with her knife slowly. "Knight of the Righteous Order," she repeated, as if tasting the words for their worth. "Well it certainly sounds rather exalted. Tell me, who did you serve under?"
Marshall's eyes snapped to his mother's dangerously. You know that, his expression screamed. Why must you act so innocent!? He didn't want to remind Fionna of what she had given up to help him. Where memories of Gumball surfaced, memories of her sister followed. Marshall didn't want to hurt Fionna in this way.
Hana waited patiently, savoring the uncomfortable look that crossed Fionna's face.
"I served under Prince Gumball," Fionna answered, her tone clipped and professional. She would not give Hana the pleasure of evoking grief from her. She would carry herself with an air of indifference.
"Ah," Hana's eyes flashed, "you really were in an exalted position." Hana put down her silverware and tucked her hands under her chin. She leaned in slowly toward the human girl. "You must realize what is at stake here then? The betrayal of someone of royalty is hardly something to take lightly, and I suppose your former king was devastated, or of course steaming with anger." She laughed. "You must tell me, Fionna, what kind of expression did he wear upon his sugary face when he learned of your treachery?"
"Mother," Marshall hissed.
"What?" Hana asked. "Whatever is the matter? I simply asked my guest a harmless question. Her allegiance is no longer tied to such a weak man, so I see no problem." Her eyes flashed toward Fionna's. "Is there a problem?"
Fionna swallowed the lump that had appeared in her throat. She wasn't worried about Gumball. After all, Marshall Lee had told her the two of them were working together, and that the they had planned her so called "betrayal" long before she had been thrown into the depths of this sphere. Still, Hana had a way with her words, and it was almost as if every sentence she spoke cast a spell on Fionna. It was enough for the human to imagine Gumball in such a situation: the crushed look on his face, the barrage of questions that would run through his mind, the why's he would ask himself. Nothing hurt Fionna more than seeing her loved ones in pain. Nothing. Imagining what would happen to Gumball if she ever did betray him was torture.
There was another worry emerging in Fionna's mind too, one that had only now begin to cross her mind. What would happen after this war was complete? Technically speaking she had given up her title of Knight of the Righteous Order, and with this new relationship forming between Marshall Lee and her, would she really be able to go back to how things were before? There was no doubt in her mind that Aaa was her home. Would Marshall be willing to journey toward the surface with her, or would he still be tied to the lands of the Night-O-Sphere? Could they still be together when their homes were realms apart?
Fionna forced herself to focus. She could not let Hana get in her head - she had to stick to the task at hand. So the human met Hana's gaze with a look of unwavering confidence. Her words filled the room with conviction, "Unfortunately I was not there to witness Gumball's expression." She swallowed. "But I imagine it was filled with pain."
To this, Hana smiled.
"Can we talk about something else?" Marshall asked as he angrily reached for the apple that was in the mouth of a whole roasted pig.
"Like what?" Hana asked. "If you would like to make conversation, do so." The demon rolled her eyes. "Honestly you think the boy would know basic social skills."
"I want to know our next course of action."
Hana's eyes lowered. "Oh, I see." She set down the napkin she had been using to wipe her face. "Fine, I guess we are finished playing around with the small talk." Her eyes moved shiftily toward Fionna. "It is about time we acquainted our guest with our plans anyway. After all, she will be leading our entire army." With that, Hana pressed a button underneath the table. Whirring of machinery could be heard as the many platters of food were suddenly lowered down, replaced by a new table top devoid of any objects. Hana pressed another button and an arrangement of lights on the outer edges of the table converged in the middle revealing what appeared to be a map, one filled with what Fionna assumed were battle plans.
This was it. The key to a war between realms.
"Fionna, feast your eyes," Hana spoke, a smug and self-loving look adorned on her face.
Fionna did. She let her eyes roam over the slopes of terrain, the formations of soldiers and their placement along the battlefield. She took in the two sides, but found it strange: there was a split between the realms, one clear and cut. It was not easy to tell where the bulk of the battle would take place - The Night-O-Sphere or The Candy Kingdom?
"Have we decided our course of attack?" the human girl inquired. "Are we planning on invading The Candy Kingdom, or inviting their army to us? I guess I'm wondering about the location of the actual battle." After all, the prophecy did show scenes taking place in the sphere - how would Gumball's army even get down to the Night-O-Sphere?
Hana laughed. "The location? My dear girl, do you not see what is right before your eyes?" She pointed with one of her long but well-kept fingernails toward the map. "Do you see the clear divide?"
Fionna nodded.
"We are opening a rift - one between the two realms. Only through a portal can you reach this sphere. How do you think you got here?"
"I...a rift?" Fionna fumbled with her words. "You're combining the realms?"
Marshall hovered near his mother. "Fionna," he spoke, "our two armies will collide, and it will be your job to lead our army to victory. The time is near."
"Yes but, mixing the two realms? I've never heard of such a thing."
"Well," Hana cut in, "you have now."
The two realms would cross paths. This was absolute.
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Fionna tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't sleep. At first she figured it must be the new environment, and although the room they gave her was cozy, and the sheets were comfortable, she couldn't shake the memory of the day's events.
Hana was actually combining the two realms - the thought alone seemed absurd. These places weren't meant to cross paths. The Candy Kingdom wasn't meant to be in the presence of such a fiery rotten place, especially when its leaders were out for blood. Fionna knew the people in her old kingdom, knew every banana guard and righteous knight that served Prince Gumball - she didn't want them hurt. They had families. They were her family.
Fionna turned on her side, curling into herself and clutching the sheets like a lifeline. They would see her betraying her country. All of them. Cake too. Fionna's heart suddenly stopped. It hadn't even registered in her mind.
Fionna was going to have to fight her own sister.
No...no...NO! A strangled sob ripped past Fionna's throat; she couldn't control the sudden surge of emotions spilling out from within her. Guilt. Sorrow. Pain. She felt like drowning. Tears spilled down the sides of her face and she buried her head in her pillow, willing herself to stop, but she couldn't. All she could picture was Cake's face: hurt and confused. How could Fionna even begin to make her understand?
A knock suddenly came from the door, and Fionna quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. Her voice was hoarse when she answered, "Yes?"
"It's me," Marshall said. He paused. "Can I come in?" Fionna shakily got to her feet. She made her way to the door and began to unlock it with the key Marshall had given her. When she opened the door, Marshall's face was inches from her own.
"H-hey," she stumbled, suddenly shy.
Marshall frowned. "Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?"
"...No."
Apparently her response was not good enough for Marshall Lee, because he quickly pushed his way into the room, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Don't lie to me. Fionna what's wrong?" His voice softened. "You can tell me." Fionna closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of Marshall's touch. It was so comforting. Feeling brave, Fionna wrapped her arms around Marshall's middle and buried her head into his chest. She breathed in the scent of him.
"I'm scared," she said, her voice slightly muffled. "I don't know how I'm going to be able to face my people. I don't know how I could ever explain this to Cake. I'm scared to fight her." Tears began forming again, so she pushed her face further into his chest.
She felt like such a crybaby, but she had always been like this. Ever since she was little, Fionna had always been emotional. She wouldn't let it get in the way of her fighting, but she was still human and at the end of the day things upset her. She would cry, or get embarrassed, or become incredibly angry, and Fionna really hated it. She hated crying. She hated showing any signs of weakness. Still, things were different with Marshall Lee. It was okay to take down her walls around the vampire, because with Marshall there was nothing but trust flowing between them.
So she buried her head in his chest and cried.
Marshall was patient with her. He smoothed down her hair and rubbed her back, let her release the pent up emotions she always seemed to hold in. He did not speak- did not rub in the fact that she was crying - he simply held her. When she was done, he wiped away her tears and kissed her tenderly on the forehead.
"You know Fionna, when I first left home, it was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. Betraying my mother, I-" Marshall stopped, as if preventing himself from choking on the words spilling from his mouth. "I had to leave Fionna. I knew I had to. It wasn't questionable for me. There were places to see, people to meet, and lands that I had missed - I packed my bags without question. Still, I was scared. I didn't want to leave my mom. I knew the consequences meant breaking up the relationship we had and throwing away all and any signs of trust. I knew it was practically treason. My mother had such high hopes for me too, and to disappoint her like that? I couldn't do it. I had already been separated with her once before.
I thought of going back, but you see Fionna, Aaa has this way of drawing you in. The place has this grip on you. It's as if everyday you spend there, you discover something new...something worth staying for. " Marshall stopped talking and looked her dead in the eyes. He placed his hands on her shoulders, holding her in place. A moment passed.
His voice was stern when he spoke again, "I can't take back the fact that I betrayed my mother. I can't. But Fionna, it wasn't something I could easily choose between. In a lot of ways I had no choice, and neither do you."
Fionna's breaths became less sporadic. The tears in her eyes seemed to stop flowing.
"Fionna," Marshall said, "this is not about saving the feelings of a single person, even if that person happens to be your sister. It's about saving our kingdoms and the thousands of people who live there. Cake will understand."
Fionna sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. As if that single act had erased her sadness, the eyes that now stared into Marshall's own were fierce and sharp. "You're right, Marshall Lee," Fionna agreed. "It's time I remembered what exactly I am fighting for."
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Down below the castle the barracks were humming. This sound was caused by the numerous voices of soldiers who were not at all pleased by the human standing before them. This human, Fionna as she was called, was a short and weak thing with spindly arms and too-bright eyes. Her face was round like a child's, and she wore the stupidest hat they had ever laid eyes upon. What displeased them the most was perhaps the fact that this human wasn't even the slightest bit perturbed by their presence. These soldiers were demons after all, and they wanted to be treated as such. They wanted to be feared. They wanted to eat up whatever worries were racing within the human's head, because if Hana taught them anything, it was that anyone with Aaa blood coursing through their veins was an appetizer in the making. So they bared their fangs and spat in her direction, feeding her scowls and dirty looks, hoping to make that message clear.
As Fionna stood within that dirt covered cavern, facing these soldiers who had every intention of gobbling her up, she felt a little trapped. Compared to the many rooms within the castle, there wasn't much space within the barracks. Wooden tables laid themselves awkwardly around one corner of the room, enough to house maybe half of the ranks. Most of the floor was used for sparring. The only extra space was a passageway toward the back which lead to the sleeping quarters. There, small stacks of hay made for makeshift beds. Everything was lit in dull lantern light.
It had only been a few minutes since one of Marshall's servants lead her down here. Marshall Lee and Hana unfortunately could not accompany her as they had things to discuss, but they did leave her with one single order: she must announce that she is the new general. Simple as that.
Unfortunately with the way the demons were looking at her, she didn't think it would be that easy.
"My name is Fionna," she spoke out, her words as clear as glass. "And I am to be your newest general."
"Say's who?" one of the demon's spat. A rumble of voices chimed in in agreement. Many hissed.
A knot began to form in Fionna's throat. Great, she thought. The demons hated her. She supposed it made sense though. Demons were very receptive to their own kind and not to outsiders. Hana had not even wished to have a separate building for the barracks. She had wanted it to be a part of her castle: another addition to the kingdom's roots. This was a good thing. It made the demons feel part of something, as if their strength and power were needed to keep the Night-O-Sphere afloat. This sense of purpose filled their hearts with pride.
Having some human invade their space with the audacity to claim herself as their general was an insult of the highest order.
"Says Marshall Lee," Fionna replied. The rumbles from the demon's started up again, and Fionna saw that this was not enough to convince them. Despite Marshall's status as king, it was clear that Hana's influence ran deeper. She pushed further, "and Hana." The voices seized immediately. It was as if a record scratched.
One demon stepped forward. He was almost as tall as the ceiling, and as bulky as an ox. His skin was a washed out blue color and there were patches of ridges that grew on random parts of his body, like mini cliffsides. His body glistened with sweat.
"Hana said that did she?" In his hands was a battle axe, chipped from use. Even so, the blade looked sharp enough to cut a person just by looking at it. It must have been enchanted.
Fionna squared her shoulders. "Yes, she did."
Without warning the demon threw his axe toward Fionna. Her eyes went wide.
A prickle of goosebumps rose to Fionna's skin as the air swooshed above her. The axe hit the wall directly above her head, barely missing one of her bunny ears. Her heart almost leapt out of her chest.
"We don't care what Hana says. Even our Queen knows that nobody becomes general by word of mouth alone," the axe-wielding demon declared. The voices around him cheered in agreement. "Ain't no little girl is gonna be telling us what to do. You may act tough but I could easily squash you with one squeeze of my fist."
Fionna's eyes darkened, and she quickly regained her nerves. "Just try it," she challenged.
The demon stepped forward slowly, stopping when the tips of his toes touched her shoes. He leaned downward so his breath ghosted across her smell alone could have knocked her out. Luckily Fionna had been to the slime kingdom on more than one occasion.
"Look little one, the only thing keeping me from bashing your head in right now is that I have a code of honor," the demon spoke, glaring. "I always give my opponents the benefit of the doubt." The demon smiled slowly, tips of his teeth poking through the spaces between his lips. "You wanna be our general? You're gonna have to prove your worth."
"Do you wish to fight?" Fionna was already rolling up her sleeves. She was wearing another Night-O-Sphere dress, only this one was not as intricate as the last and certainly not as restrictive. In her current state, she was ready to kick some demon booty.
As if to confirm, the demon threw the first punch.
Fionna dodged that easily enough, although she was surprised at how fast it came. She didn't know a fight would commence seconds after she asked if they were having one in the first place (she had certainly expected a yes at least). It didn't matter though, because it was clear that the demon was throwing hands, and she'd have to catch them.
Fionna ducked to avoid his fist and positioned herself so that she could sweep his legs with a swift kick. Of course, the demon quickly dodged this. Around them, the others were cheering, without a doubt in favor of their fellow soldier. Fionna would not be winning crowd favorite, that was for sure.
Fionna narrowly avoided another hit, and managed to land one of her own, driving her fist against the demon's stomach. This of course proved to be ineffective. He barely reacted. She tried again, landing another short jab to his ribs, and another to his core. Nothing.
Fionna had to face the facts. The demon was bigger than her, had more mass and muscle strength than she did, heck he had muscles on his muscles for Grob's sake! A mere punch wasn't going to win her anything. She needed a better plan.
Stall stall stall!
Fionna danced around her opponent, trying her best to focus on the fight and not the grating-on-her-nerves insults being thrown her way from the crowd, but was just so hard! Especially as frustration began to sink in.
Fionna set her jaw and dove back into the fight. She gave herself some distance between herself and her opponent, before running at him with full force. Fionna let out a battle cry and raised her fist. The demon made a move to block her strike, but Fionna had different plans, for as she came closer, she transitioned herself to slide under the demon's legs. Caught off guard, the demon didn't have much time to react before Fionna was on her feet behind him, landing a blow on the back of his head. He grunted and stumbled forward. Using this motion to her advantage, Fionna kicked the demon right in his bum, hard enough to send him flying into one of the barrack's stone walls. The other demon's around them booed in anger.
Fionna was breathing heavily, and she felt drops of sweat beading down the sides of her face. She had to wipe her eyes so that they wouldn't blur her vision. Unfortunately for Fionna, when she opened them back up, the demon was back on his feet and running toward her. His eyes were livid.
Fionna felt a tiny surge of fear as he attempted a side jab which she barely had time to dodge. Unfortunately for Fionna, she dodged in the direction of his other fist, which landed against a tiny opening on her side where her blocking arm did not cover. She grunted. Fionna made an attempt to hit the demon back, but he grabbed Fionna's skinny wrist, and tugged it hard enough to send her flying straight into his body. The momentum from her attack did not work in her favor as it sent her reeling. Her nose smashed hard against his chest. Taking the opportunity, the demon took her by her middle, and hoisted her into the air, before promptly hurdling her down onto his knee, stomach first. All of the air inside Fionna's lungs were suddenly vacuumed out of her in one great motion. "Oomf," Fionna sputtered. She couldn't breath. She rolled off of his knee and landed on the ground, coughing. The demon didn't give her time to breathe before he sent a winding kick against her side. She groaned.
The demon took his hand and held her head within his grasp. Ever so slightly he applied pressure. Sneering, he said, "Do you know what requirements are needed to be admitted into Hana's army?" Fionna struggled as he pushed her face harder against the ground. Her face was turning red from rage and exertion. "I ASKED YOU A QUESTION!" he roared.
Fionna groaned, "I don't know, did you audition with a song and dance?" That earned her having her face smashed further into the ground. She could see every speck of dust and dirt and bug residue gracing the not so polished floor.
"Strength," the demon began to list, grabbing one of Fionna's fingers and pulling backward, one for each word, "fortitude, hunger, drive, a taste for blood..." The demon pulled even harder and Fionna let out a strangled gasp. He continued, "Yes, a taste for blood! for having your enemies completely and utterly at your mercy," the demon smiled wide. Fionna whimpered as she felt her fingers on the verge of breaking. Her eyes were tearing up. The demon took hold of her hair and pulled it backward so that her face was on full display for the demons around her. He placed his foot firmly against her back, as if claiming a kill. "And of course, there is another very important requirement." He leaned downward, whispering in her ear, "Heart." In an instant he let her head drop. It slammed hard against the ground, causing Fionna to bite her tongue. The taste of blood instantly filled her mouth.
"You may not believe me, human scum, but here in the Night-O-Sphere we have plenty of heart. We are a proud people, and we fight for the very fire burning underneath this soil. That fire is burning inside us all! We are the very embodiment of that flame." The demon looked at Fionna's twitching fingers, her battered and bloodied face, and her teary eyes. He spat on the ground beside her. "You, Fionna the human, do not possess this fire. You will never be able to lead us." With that, the demon released his hold on her, causing once again the downward plummet of Fionna's face to the cold dirty ground beneath her. The demon turned his back, declaring the fight over.
Fionna could hear the demon's voices around her as they cheered and hollered and laughed. She felt humiliation bloom across her cheeks and the restriction of her throat as she held back her tears.
Then, Fionna felt anger.
With her last remaining strength, Fionna slowly uncurled herself from the ground and rose to her feet. Her body was shaking. She stumbled forward, her legs wobbling in protest, unable to support her weight. She lost her footing and half fell to one knee.
"You think you are the only one fighting for something?" Fionna choked out, her voice trembling with rage. She wiped the blood off of her mouth with the back of her hand. "You may think you're all so very noble, what with all of your declarations of strength and fortitude, and heart - but it's all malarkey! Who do you fight for exactly? Your country? That's BS and you know it!" Fionna screamed. "You don't fight for this sphere, or for yourself - you fight for Hana. And why? Because you're scared. That's right! You have no strength - you all are cowards! You have no taste for blood; you have a taste for not losing your own." Fionna was sucking in ragged breaths as she spoke.
A murmur fell over the crowd and her opponent stepped toward her, baring his teeth.
Fionna wasn't finished though. She spat out blood and uttered another phrase, "Now you cowards better heed my word. Hana declared me general. ME! Disobeying me means disobeying her, and you lot know exactly what will happen if you do that."
The room fell silent.
Fionna, sensing her reasoning skills were starting to take effect, pushed harder. She rose back to her feet. "I have no doubt that there is a fire burning beneath all of you," she said, "but you can't deny Hana's hold on you. If she says a human is leading you, a human is going to lead you!"
"What a great human you are!" roared her opponent sarcastically. "You can barely stand! I kicked the snot out of you and you still claim you're strong enough to be our general?"
"You can fight me all you want," Fionna promised. "You can kick me and throw any punches my way, but I will never give up. I will hold my ground until my final breath!" With that, Fionna shakily walked over to the wall behind her and grabbed the Axe that the demon had previously thrown at her. It was embedded into the wall, but she pulled it out anyway, her body aching in protest. Breathing heavily, Fionna charged at the demon, the axe raised.
She swung it toward him so that it barely missed his head, stopping to where the blade was right underneath his chin. Her eyes were steal. "So? Are you ready to accept me as your general?"
There was a great silence that enveloped the room. The other demons were watching with bated breaths, looking at Fionna's opponent for direction. They were confused. As much as they hated Fionna and her human kind, they couldn't deny the fact that it was Hana who had declared her their general, and if there was one thing they were scared of, it was Hana. Not to mention the fact that there was no denying Fionna's strength. Sure, she had gotten her butt kicked, but she was not giving up. If there was anything that the demon race understood, it was that giving up was for cowards.
They supposed, Fionna was no coward.
Silently, her opponent placed a hand on the tip of her axe. He lowered it so that me might look into her eyes. "Alright human," he spoke on behalf of his fellow soldiers. "You can prove your worth on the battlefield." He paused, tasting the words in his mouth: weighing them out. "As our general."
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hello...i am very sorry for the long wait. Life has been busy. I have had to put my priorities in order and unfortunately writing this story was not on the top of the list. This is a very sad thing to say but nonetheless true. I hope you may all understand. I wanted to make this chapter longer to make up for lost time. I will continue to do my best to give you all the story you deserve. Your reviews and support have kept me going and pushed me to keep this story alive. For that i thank you all. I still love writing. Still love this story. And i hope you will still trust me to see this to the end.
With love and appreciation,
Readytoflyxxx.