The Pain, The Past and The One's Left Behind
The Trial of Lumen, Marceline, Fionna and Marshall – Pain, Risk and Guilt
The two kept searching for the source of the music ignoring the many winces and cries of pain Lumen gave out as the shade duo held off the girls.
"I know where the source is" Marshall stated.
"Where is it?" Lumen felt extremely glad; they had managed to find the source of the music that was brain washing the girls before it was too late.
"This is like a music box don't you think? The tone at the start and the way Fi was dancing?"
"…I suppose?"
"Well music boxes either have to be turned by hand or you wind it up and let them go, so if we managed to stop the winder then the music will stop" Marshall felt quick proud of this thought, he remembered a music box that Simone had shown him during the mushroom war. She was the reason he got into music she use to sing him these funny little songs and the music box in particular showed him how beautiful music can be.
"We just have to find it, I'll look this side and you look that side, how are your shades doing by the way?" Marshall asked noticing a thin trail of blood coming out of Lumen's mouth.
"They're... holding up... let's get searching." Lumen wandered to the edge and began to focus light on the sides of the box, he saw now that it was decorated with patterns of gold and red colours "If it wasn't a death trap that may even be nice" he thought, moaning as he realised that the handle wasn't on his side. He looked around to the next edge and once again was disappointed when he didn't find the handle.
"Lumen over here" Marshall was leaning over the edge on the far side of the platform pointing downwards. Lumen met up with him, avoiding the fight that was still going on, and peered over the edge. Sure enough there was a winder turning which was causing the hypnotic music to play.
"Now we just have to get down there Lumen and we can save the girls, I don't quite know how we're going to do this there seems to be a-"
"… Marshall"
"Just wait… there seems to be a platform down there and if we lower ourselves down we can stop it, I'll turn into my big vampire form try to stop and break it… now what did you want wolf bait?" Marshall looked up from the edge and looked past Lumen quickly, he's eyes were draw to the girl made of light, Light Lumen, she stood holding onto Fionna's sword that the blonde human had thrust through the back of her chest.
Marshall then watched as the both the light and shadow morph forms disappeared and the shades returned to Lumen's hair. Lumen was gripping at his chest as blood flowed over his fingers and poured from his chest.
"Lumen… Lumen hold on man we'll get you some help" Marshall was growing frantic and almost missed the slither of silver that flew through the air as Fionna had swung at the duo, he kicked her away where she flew into Marceline and knocked the pair over.
"Marshall… go to the winder and stop it… if you don't we'll both die... I'll... I'll try to hold them off" Lumen said starting to cough up blood.
"Lumen the two of us couldn't hold one of them off, the two of your shade people couldn't and now you think you can when you're bleeding out like that?"
"No but I can buy you time, I thought you loved Fionna…"
"I do…"
"Then go…" Marshall didn't need to be told twice; he picked the Prince up and put him on his feet and then headed down to the platform where the winder was. The last he saw of Lumen before his descent was that the Prince had materialised both his swords and stood facing the girls… Marshall felt guilty but sometimes… it was worth the risk.
He descended down and landed on the platform. The winder at least 3 times his humanoid size. The Vampire King grew into his largest bat form making him almost equal with the turning object. From what he remembered if you pulled out the winder the music didn't stop, he had originally broken the music box Simone had given him by winding it the wrong way.
He grabbed at the winder and began to force it the opposite way, the music stopped so he kept going and going till he heard massive crashes and the sound of metal bending out of place from within the box. He let go and was relieved to hear the music had stopped. He went to climb back up to the platform then realised that he had gain back his ability to float. He flew back up as fast as he could…
"Lumen… Lumen no… don't leave me like this" Marceline cried cradling the Human in her arms as she tried to stop the bleeding. Marshall could tell from the edge of the platform that Lumen had bled a lot more after he'd left him from the smell of blood. He looked around and saw Fionna lying down near the other edge and rushed over to her. He lent close as he tried to wake her and heard her voice.
"Bag… Cy… tears… hurry…"
The Trial of Bonnie and Phoenix – Anger and Denial
"You fool… this is why the girl does not love you… to be fooled by a cheap parlour trick like that"
Phoenix lay on the ground shaking as pain exploded through his body, he tried to grab at something but couldn't stop shaking long enough to do so. He winced as pain kept flooding him; he coughed up some blood and tried to fight off the pain. It was like he was being stabbed again and again all over his body. The pain didn't seem to want to stop as it kept him pinned to the ground. The voice from before was mocking him for letting it come to this… Phoenix thought back to a few moments before the pain trying to understand what had happened.
He had listened as Bonnie had poured out her heart apologising for what she had done to Phoebe and what Gumball had done to him. The Flame Prince had almost forgiven the Bubblegum woman when the voice from his matrix had reminded him of the plight that he and his counterpart had to face, he had stormed off in frustration heading to the next clearing… when he saw it.
It was a lantern and inside was a pool of blood. Hanging from the roof of the lantern however, seemingly the source of the blood was a girl whose blonde hair was now stained red.
He had started to run towards the lantern screaming Fionna's name, Bonnie had grabbed at his arm holding him back but he just yelled at her to let go and knocked her back. The last thing he heard was Bonnie calling his name and a cracking noise. His vision was filled with white and blue light as something hit he's body the moment he touched the lantern. He was instantly forced back to the ground and the pain started. It was now starting to get worse and Phoenix succumbed to the pain losing consciousness.
...
...
He drifted the dreamscape flying through his memories, he watched as time literally rewound around him. Meeting the Ooovians… Sitting in his room hoping Fionna would turn up… Spending years training to get his powers back after his mother had poisoned him… the breakup with Fionna… the time with her… the day Cake had come to the fire kingdom pretending that Fionna was the Grassland Princess… The years in the lantern; alone. Phoenix watched himself curled up in a ball as a child in the lantern watching all the other children out of the window play and be free… the memory changed again and now he watched a little baby boy crawling through the woods, he was trying to touch a flower but it kept bursting into flames making the boy sad. He watched as the fire the baby had created spread and Phoenix knew what was coming. Prince Gumball walked into the forest following the trail of flames and spotted the little baby boy.
"You do not want to watch this…" the voice from within spoke again, in the dreamscape it seemed to be louder and more forceful.
Phoenix was getting a bit annoyed with this voice telling him what to do; he continued to watch the memory unfold.
"Why hello little guy, what are you doing so far from home?" Bubba Gumball said sitting down next to the little boy. He pulled out a device and scanned the boy and then pulled out a little bag of charcoal.
"Hmm you seem to be quite hot even for a fire elemental, and judging by your cute little outfit I can only guess you're the heir to the fire kingdom, knowing the Flame Queen she would probably have sent you here just because you burn a bit brighter than she does" The Prince pulled on some gloves and picked up the little boy, the little boy stared at the stranger only just noticing his company. Gumball pulled out some charcoal and put it in baby Phoenix's hand, the baby played with it before watching it burst into flames and create smoke. The baby giggled amused and beckoned for more so the Prince kept giving the baby charcoal till he was empty. Without the charcoal the baby started to cry so Gumball pulled off some of his hair and gave it to the child to make him smile.
"You like that? It'll take a bit longer to burn but the smoke will smell nice, now come on let's get you home" As the baby played with the gum the Prince took stood up and headed towards the fire kingdom with the baby boy.
Phoenix walked beside the memory Gumball and the baby himself, this wasn't what he was told had happened or what he remembered but… it was the truth and he knew it. Gumball got past the guards of the kingdom quite quickly by telling them their laces were untied and soon he had audience with the Queen.
"Flame Queen, I believe this little boy is yours?" holding up the little prince who was still playing with the burnt candy hair. The queen looked at her son surprised.
"What no? That's not mine?" Lied the Queen.
"I know he's yours so please do not insult my intelligence." The prince rather annoyed that the Queen would try to insist he had made a mistake.
"Fine yes it's mine, why did you bring it back? I sent it to the woods to perish, I would have thought you would have liked that given the fact it's a time bomb" the Queen said smugly thinking this would get the Prince on side.
"Time bomb… you mean the fact that he's so hot? I understand that his elemental matrix is a little… excitable but how does that make him a bomb?"
"I'm surprised Prince Gumball, after all you are rumoured to be the smartest of all the royals yet it seems you know nothing. If an elemental matrix is unstable and explodes… it will cause the person to get so hot they burn through the ground and destroy the earth's core" The Princes face showed his shock at the statement. "You can check with your gadgets and do the maths if you don't believe me Gumball but I assure you he is as much a risk to you as he is to me"
"Well He cannot wander the woods Flame Queen, find a way to contain his powers or I will, I will not allow you to harm that child and I expect you as a royal of Aaa to raise up the next generation"
"Yeah... okay..." The Queen suddenly got an idea "Prince Gumball I shall have built a 'special' chamber where he can learn to control his powers and there he can't be a risk to anyone"
"Yes I think that would be acceptable, look after your son Flame Queen he can grow up to be an amazing Prince if you just help him control his power" With that the Prince picked a bit more of his hair off and gave it to the baby before passing him to the Queen and taking his leave.
"Servant… Servant come here at once" the Flame Queen said once Gumball was out of earshot. A servant ran to the Queen's side where she tossed the baby boy into his arms.
"Put him in the lantern and leave him there, feed him at meal times and make sure he doesn't die. If I let him die I'd have to deal with that buffoon of a prince at the next Royal Gathering" the Queen watched the prince be carried away before sitting on her throne and smiling.
Phoenix stared as the memory faded away… he felt like everything he knew was a lie, Gumball had never ordered him to be in that lantern the Prince was just too trusting and believed the Queen when she said she'd make the effort. The Prince had even been kind enough to give the baby him his own hair to play with.
"It matters not… it is still his fault…" tried the voice from within again but this time Phoenix replied.
"No... it is not, it is my own for believing my mother's tale and depending on memories that I could not recall." The dreamscape around him started to fade and he heard a voice come from his pocket.
"If you are hearing this then Phoenix you need your powers to be full sooner than I was able to cure you, there is a danger present nearby that will require your power so with this charm you can be temporary free of your curse." Lumen's voice came from the little fire emblem necklace that Phoenix had been given; he heard the voice within start to scream for him to stop and to toss the necklace away but he put it on anyway and woke up.
Trial of Simone (Ice Queen) and Betty – Loss and Bargaining
"If you are hearing this then you needed to have Simone back sooner than I was able to bring her back, there is a danger nearby that will require her power and so with this necklace you have a temporary cure for her" Lumen's voice came from the white glowing snowflake pendant attached to the necklace. Ice Queen stared at it for a moment, this was her chance if she put this on then she could become someone that people would like… even love. She put the necklace over her head and she looked up. There was another version of her looking back at her with angry red eyes, Ice Queen closed her eyes and tried to block out this bad version of her when she felt a small hand touch hers. She opened her eyes and looked down at a little boy. He smiled at her and began to pull at her hand, she followed him and he led her to a light.
"Go on Simone, Come back to me…" He said smiling at her, she smiled back and walked into the light.
"I remember you…" Simone said out loud. She looked at Betty who was standing there stunned looking at her. Simone looked down and was surprised to see that her big blue ball gown had changed and now decorating her body was a beautiful light blue dress with similar to Betty's however hers was covered with white and silver sequins. It was parted on one side revealing her leg. She now looked a bit like a cross between Betty's beauty and Simon's intellectual look. She was simply a sight to behold.
"Simone… you look… beautiful" was all Betty managed to say staring at the Ice Queen's new form.
"Thank you Betty dear however I don't mean to ruin the moment but I'm back right now for a reason, something is coming." Simone stated seriously remembering the words the necklace had said to her. She looked down at the fragile snowflake wondering just how many hours Lumen had spent on each necklace for the group and how powerful it really was.
"What do you think it is?" Betty asked looking around as if expecting something to happen.
"I don't know Betty dear but we must be ready, our darling Lumen didn't go through all this effort for nothing we need to be ready whatever's coming we shall beat it." The two Ice royals stood back to back in their shelter waiting for their opponent to come. They waited and waited till eventually they heard a noise. They got ready to cast their magic and fight for their lives. One of the walls exploded sending thick ice straight at the women, Simone acted quickly and cast a shield of Ice in front of her but Betty was still inexperienced with Ice magic and was too slow, a thick chuck of ice hurtled towards her colliding with her skull and knocking her unconscious. Simone stared alone at the hole in the wall waiting to see her opponent. What stepped out scarred her… it really put fear into her bones.
It stood as tall as the Lich did, had the same hollow eyes the undead king had had but unlike the Lich this still had flesh and blood clinging to it and dripping down, it's hollow eyes were oozing with blood and it was frankly a disgusting sight to behold.
"Leave this place at once vile beast and I shall spare you"… Simone tried to sound powerful as she said it but one look at this monster and she was disheartened.
The beast opened its jaw to speak but just let out a low stomach churning growl. It ran at Simone not even being affected by her magic as she tried to slow it down.
It threw her through another wall of the shelter and then ran after her.
It started to kick and beat her sending her flying into and through the many trees in the forest. The beast caught up to the woman easily and wrapped its decaying hand round her neck pinning her to a tree. It started to laugh at she squirmed to get free from its grip. Finally the creature leant close to her face and whispered something… "You have lost… everything" and then continued to laugh.
Simone tried to pull its tightening hand from her throat but she was just weak… and started to feel the light disappearing from her eyes when she heard a loud thud and someone scream.
"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER" Betty screamed at the beast firing shards of ice at its disfigured head. They merely shattered and didn't even have enough power to jolt the beast however it heard her voice and turned to her dropping Simone onto the floor, she started to cough up blood and struggled to breath. Through her fading vision she saw the beast approach the Ice Princess she pulled herself up on the tree in time to see the beast backhand Betty sending her into the shelters wall leading to it to collapse on top of her. Simone started to cry, she had got her sanity back only to see someone she cared about die and to feel powerless. What was even the point of it…? The beast heard her sobs and turned and let out another stomach churning laugh before beginning its slow walk towards the fragile Queen. She tried to run but her bruised body wouldn't allow it and she tripped, she rolled down the hill and onto a frozen lake. She stared back and could see the beast still approaching her. She closed her eyes and began to prepare for the inescapable.
"Simone… don't… You promised" she heard had heard the voice before… in the frozen prison of her mind… and 1000 years before… the day she had let the promise of the crown consume her to save the one thing she still held dear… Marshall Lee.
"You can do it Simone… don't leave me again… please remember me" the voice said, Simone then watched in her mind the memory of when her, as the Ice Queen, had gone over to the Vampire Kings house to record a song and remembered the words she had written on the edge of insanity for her former charge. She let the words fill her mind and the memory of Marshall began to fill her, she felt the crowns power fully become her own and she began to sing.
(YOUTUBE – 'Remember You – Ice Queen – Mandi Jayne Strange')
~"Marshall Lee,
Is it just you and me under the mushroom skyyyy,
That must be so confusing for my little guy,
And I know that you're going to need me here with you,
But I'm losing myself and I'm afraid you're going to lose me too,
This magic keeps me alive,
But it's making me crazy,
And I need to save you,
But whose going to save me,
Please forgive me for… whatever I do,
If I don't remember you,
Marshall Lee,
I can feel myself slipping away,
I can't remember what it made me say,
But I remember that I saw you frown,
I swear it wasn't me… It was the crownnnnn,
This magic keeps me alive,
But it's making me crazy,
And I need to save you,
But whose going to save me,
Please forgive me for… whatever I do,
When I don't remember you"~
"I'm so sorry…" the Ice Queen sobbed as she released all of her magic and her emotions at the towering beast, unlike when she attacked it before and when Betty did the beast felt this attack. Every part of the beast began to cool down and freeze, it tried to reach out to her but its body started to break apart and fall with the wind, the glittering dust it left behind sparkled in the moon light as Simone landed back on the Ice and continued to cry.
"Simone…" Betty's voice rang out from the top of the hill, it was clear she was also in pain from the sound of her voice. Simone just continued to cry and didn't move nor answer.
"Simone…" Betty's voice came again, this time a lot closer, she walked over to the tearful Queen and sat down beside her, she rested Simone's head on her lap again and began to stroke her hair. "Simone… it's okay now I'm here… I'm here for you". The two snow women stayed like that until Simone finally spoke.
"It's too late Betty…" cried the Ice Queen.
"What's too late? We survived, you managed to stop that… that thing and we're safe" Betty asked confused.
"It's TOO LATE" The Queen cried out to the Princess, she grabbed at the charm around her neck and showed the Princess. The previously bright white glowing snowflake was now dim, cracked and missing a piece. "I… I used too much of the crowns power… Lumen's a smart boy but he could never have imagined the stress we would face… I can feel the power of his charm failing… I'm going to lose myself again" Simone broke down admitting her fears to Betty who finally grasped the severity of the situation.
"Betty… I don't want to go again" the queen was now distraught; her hair was wild from the battle before riddled with leaves and twigs. Her face was bruised and her dress was covered in dirt, blood and was ripped in place… she looked like a pale copy of herself from the time she had regained her own mind. "I don't want to lose it all… Betty… help me" She was holding onto Betty's dress and just sobbing uncontrollably". After a while it became clear that the magic of Lumen's necklace was wearing off, her teeth started to sharpen and her beauty faded back to the image of the deranged Queen of Ice and Snow. Her mind was the last thing to go back; she looked up at Betty still crying.
"I don't want to go Betty… I want to stay… Please… Save me again" the Queen's old voice said as she started to finally lose her mind again. She and Betty sat in the middle of the frozen lake hugging; the wind and storm had long since died as the sun began to rise.
The Queen continued to speak but it seemed more to herself, bargaining with anything she had to keep her sanity and not be lost to the crowns evil. Betty tried to stop herself crying but watching Simone slowly drift back into her crazy self reminded her too much of Simon and she felt so lost. She had lost her Simon to it and that damn crown had now tightened its grip around Simone. For all that crown's promises all it leads to is hate, pain and loss and Betty was done with it. "I will save you Simone... I will not lose anyone else to the greater evil and his cause I will no longer lose anyone or anything I care about". A voice filled the frozen lands as the sun's rays consumed the two girls as they both rubbed at a weird mark that appeared on both their hands.
"Simone Petrikov of the Ice Kingdom, Trial Complete"
"Betty Grof of the Ice Kingdom, Trial Complete"
Both girls looked up as a blue light began to surround them and suddenly they were gone. A cold wind blew across the frozen lake once again leaving it a frozen and deserted land.
Group Status -
Finn and Phoebe - Water World - Phoebe Complete
Marceline, Marshall, Fionna and Lumen - Music Box - Fionna and Lumen Severely Injured
Bonnie and Phoenix - Enchanted Maze - Phoenix unconscious
Ice Queen and Betty - Snow Forest - Trial Complete
Simon and Bubba - The Last World
Cake and Benny - The Wastelands
Jake - The Future World
3 of the 15 have completed the trial; Phoebe completed her trial as she was willing to sacrafice herself to save Finn, she overcame her fear of pain and water to save the one she loved. Ice Queen completed hers by bargaining her sanity on saving hers and Betty's life, deep down she knew that the necklace couldn't handle the crowns full power but still stopped 'The Beast'. Betty faced her loss to pass her trial, She had lost Simon to the crown and then had to watch Ice Queen cry wanting her old self back, get it and then stay there and watch the Crown/tiara take away her sanity again. She faced her loss and is determined to stop it.
Phoebe overcame Sacrifice
Simone overcame Bargaining
Betty overcame Loss
The other 12 still need to fully get into their trials and complete... just as a bit of a spoiler and an insentive to keep reading... All 15 will NOT complete their trials.