The Supreme General fluttered his eyes open as he recovered from his wounds. When his sight began to take in his surroundings, he noticed he was inside a large tent house occupied with hundreds of bed-ridden flame troops. Most of them could be seen covered with cloth bandages scattered across the body while others were seen handicapped from losing an arm or leg, or sometimes both. The general began learn more about the harsh reality of war as he witnessed his comrades groaning and yelling in pain. He then came to the cold realization that his grandeur aspirations of fighting a conflict were far from being glorified. Families were lost as the troops suffered. Every decision SG made as a tactician would inevitably result in hundreds of deaths for his fellow soldiers. He tried to cope with the weight of his actions at times by seeing the losses as a statistic, but his heart couldn't deny the truth. Underneath his hardened demeanor, he had compassion for all members of the Fire Army.
SG closed his eyes as he felt a surge of guilt. He reached for his face with one hand and slowly brushed aside the stray tears that ran down his cheeks. Then he shook his head and took a deep breath to prevent himself from breaking down hysterically.
"General?"
SG turned his head right towards the nearby patient and was shocked to discover who it was. He blinked a couple times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating and asked incredulously, "Garret?! Is that you?"
The neighboring elemental saluted with two fingers and chuckled lightly, "Reporting for duty, sir."
SG smiled as he returned the chuckle, "I don't believe it! You guys were crazy after that last stunt! I was hoping there would be another way out rather than for me to.. you know."
"We all knew you meant well, general," Garret comforted. "In the end, the circumstances were beyond our control and we settled for whatever we had."
SG nodded, "Thanks, I still wish I could I have done something differently, but I'll let it go." He swallowed before asking hesitantly, "And the others?"
Garret's face changed into a serious expression as he recalled the events prior to the Fire Army's third battle. "Gerald made it with the least injuries somehow," he began. "Riggs however, lost his right arm from the shoulder. I heard rumors the doctors gave him a molten rock prosthetic, but it's uncertain if he'll be fit for active service.. He might be lookin' at an honorable discharge from the looks of things."
He closed his eyes and looked away before continuing, "I.. can't say the same for the Hector and Allen I'm afraid."
"I'm sorry," SG replied solemnly.
"We knew the mission offered a minimum chance of survival," Garret said. "But getting our guys closer to the Candy Kingdom was all that mattered. And at the end of the day, the battle was won."
"I value results as much as the next guy, but I try not to be reckless with my decision-making."
"You could only do so much," the subordinate countered. "By that I mean devising a plan to begin with, ordering the infiltration, coordinating the offensive, and single-handledly defeating an entire elite guard! The thing is, if none of those I just mentioned were taken care of, the army would have been in a worse spot for wear."
SG nodded, "I'll take the accomplishments for what they are, but we're still a long way from ending this war. Until we can get to Bubblegum, our people will still live under the constant fear of losing their existence."
As the conversation continued, several doctors and nurses could be seen treating patients with renewed bandages and nourishment. Some patients were asleep soundly from the sedatives the doctors administered, while others yelled from pain and insanity.
"Well," Garret concluded. "I'm getting some shut-eye. I'm only a few days from a full recovery and I doubt I'll have the luxury to ever lie in a bed again."
"Sleep well, soldier," SG said.
The neighboring elemental adjusted himself until he was lying on his side with his back turned.
"I really hope this war ends soon," SG said quietly.
"Don't we all," said a newcomer. The person who approached the two appeared to be a generic trooper with a helmet and faceplate.
"What's your name and rank, solider?" SG asked as he arched an eyebrow. His expression soon changed into surprise when the guard removed the helmet, "Sis?!"
"Good to see you again, brother," Phoebe said as she hugged him lightly before taking a seat nearby.
"What's with the change of uniform?" SG asked with a quizzical expression.
"Since the base has been compromised after Bubblegum's last stunt, I've made the precaution for all high-ranking officers and officials to change out of their respective uniforms," she answered. "Turns out Bonnibel wants to bring a swift end to the war by eliminating the war council."
SG tensed as he looked around, "Shouldn't you put your helmet back on then?"
"I moved our main base closer to the Grasslands where we have a large garrison of troops guarding the area. If they try again, they're gonna have a hard time finding the right people. The outskirts itself is being patrolled routinely with several infantry divisions followed by a constant thermal sweep, so we'll be able to spot anything or anyone that comes out of that kingdom."
Her brother nodded, "I'm impressed, it seems like you've got our bases covered."
"Well, I took these measures based on the latest after-action report, so technically it was you who helped."
"We're all on the same side, sister. It takes a team effort to make anything possible."
Phoebe hummed.
SG moved to the next topic, "What's our next move now?"
"We wait," she replied. "The technology we managed to salvage from the last battle will be used to upgrade our military forces. I've made large investments from our defense budget to speed up production, so we should have our own modern infantry units in three days and mobile artillery in four."
She frowned, "We'll need to throw everything we got at the kingdom when the time comes."
Noticing her pained expression, SG asked in concern, "Something troubles you?"
Phoebe reluctantly admitted, "Yes.. But this isn't the time nor place." She began to get up from her seat and donned her helmet. "The doctors informed me you'll check out tomorrow morning. I'll meet you outside until then."
"Very well, be careful out there."
She smiled tenderly underneath her faceplate, "I will."
At the Candy Kingdom border, a twelve-man patrol group stood atop on one of the walls, observing the Fire Army below. Another cease fire had stemmed apparently from the latest battle, but the defenders knew the peace was only temporary. The war has proven to be costly for them as their city was completely surrounded. It also didn't help their morale for the fact they lost Colonel Candy Corn and Rattleballs, two distinguished heroes who had served Bubblegum faithfully against all her enemies.
The guards were reaching a breaking point, and soon they would eventually rebel against their monarch out of desperation to survive. However, their motives were kept in check from a mysterious protector who would single-handedly pose a major threat to the Fire Army.
Finn was alone in the darkness as he perched himself near the edge of the outer wall. He constantly narrowed his eyes in concentration as he searched for high-ranking officials, only to discover that everyone was dressed like grunts. Cinnamon Bun and the golems were bound to be distinguished from their obvious appearances, but even the pastry guardian was nowhere to be seen. Finn monitored everything from troop transfers to guard rotations, and he still couldn't find any high-value targets.
Bubblegum was displeased with the news as Finn informed her throughout the days, but remained composed nonetheless. If tracking the elemental leader became more of an impossibility, then it was time to change tactics.
"Maintain surveillance for the next twenty-four hours," the monarch instructed. "If she doesn't show, then we must draw her out."
"Understood," Finn acknowledged.
As he ended the call, he returned his gaze towards the surrounding troops before staring towards the Grasslands. Everyone he observed went about their routine, talking, laughing, and sleeping. Some of them ate in groups, while others sang songs about their fiery kingdom. Finn tightened a fist in frustration and muttered, "It's gonna be a long night."
The next day, SG was at the administration desk as he filed the paperwork to check out of the medical tent. Instead of wearing his uniform, he was dressed as one of the grunts to protect his identity. His sister approached him moments later as he stepped through the exit.
"Good morning, brother," Phoebe greeted.
SG was startled before he recognized her voice, "How'd you know it was me?!"
"Heat sense," she stated. "Each elemental gives off a distinct flame to distinguish between one another. Dad told me it could be useful in case we have any more run-ins with spies in the future."
He blinked before asking, "You told him?"
"Didn't have to," she replied as they started walking together. "He's been able to spectate the war since the very beginning. He told me that we possess a unique skill to look through almost any flames scattered around the world, kinda like a crystal ball."
"Seems like a complex technique," SG remarked.
"Indeed," she concurred. "It requires the user to master advanced meditation first and foremost. Then it requires an immense level of focus for the mind to search and observe through a specific flame. I've been able to see expand my vision as far as a mile, but I know I can see even further if I practice long enough."
"I should have known our people had these capabilities," SG said with a sigh. "It would have made a nice advantage from our previous battles, saved a lot of lives."
Phoebe shook her head, lifting her right palm, "It's the past, brother. Neither of us have had any actual experience when it comes to war. The way I see it, we're going to make a lot of mistakes before we become great leaders." She looked down and muttered, "And I already know what awaits me when this over..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing," she said dismissively. "Right now, there's something else we need to discuss."
The two siblings continued their walk through the Grasslands base until they reached Phoebe's personal tent.
"What's on your mind, sister," SG asked as he took a seat.
Phoebe sat down as she pulled a nearby chair. "I have made some changes back at the homeland," she began. "More specifically, the honesty policy."
SG nodded.
Phoebe continued, "As you may know, the law was intended to bring virtue to our society. No one could be deceitful, no one could be manipulated, and no one could be treacherous." She leaned back and spread her palms wide, "You would have a kingdom where all relationships are solidified because they are built from an honest foundation."
She took a breath, "But I was narrow-minded. Trade secrets were compromised, privacy was lost, and our people suffered. The recent demographics showed a steady increase of divorce rates in the recent year as well as unemployment.. All this time, I have neglected our people's concerns as.. petty grievances." The last words were said bitterly.
"Sis, if I may-"
"I have 'renewed' the policy under a new name as the Law of Integrity," she said. "While lying in general is not encouraged, we must be realistic about the information we must keep to ourselves in order to preserve the union and security of our kingdom."
"It sounds like you fixed the problem before it was too late," SG commented for comfort.
She nodded, "Yes, but I cannot undo the damage I have already wrought upon my subjects. Sure, you'll see more citizens enlisting even now but that's because we were brought together from the Cooler incident." Phoebe struggled with the next words as she leaned forward, "But our people are vulnerable, brother. The money invested from this campaign has brought us into a huge debt. If we are to live peacefully in every sense, we MUST win this war."
"We will, Phoebe," he assured. "That's a promise! We'll start making connections with everybody as soon as this ends. The debt will be nothing but a memory!"
She sighed in exhaustion as the conversation drew to close, "I hope so.. And I think that's enough for today, don't you think?"
"I believe so." He stood up from his seat and prepared to leave.
"Your personal quarters is three tents from the right," Phoebe instructed. "I'll send for a messenger sometime later to notify you our next meeting."
"Got it." He was about to walk outside until his sister gestured him to wait.
"There's one last thing," she said.
He looked over his shoulder, "Uh, yes?"
"Have you ever wondered why I enacted the honesty policy in the first place?"
He shook his head smiling tenderly, "Didn't need to. I already knew." He started rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly with one hand, "Although the first battle..."
"It's ok," she returned the smile. "I knew. I'm guessing you would have told me sooner if it were a need-to-know basis."
SG blinked in shock, "Took the words right out of my mouth!" Then he recomposed himself, "And I never thought I would ever say this, but I hope you two work something out."
Her eyes sparkled from her brother's words, "Thanks, it means a lot." The two hugged briefly before SG dismissed himself.
The day quickly transitioned to night as the Fire Army prepared for its next plan of attack. Phoebe and SG have just finished their second meeting and the two have retreated to their personal quarters for a good night's rest. The guards made their daily patrols around the vast base and chatted occasionally to break the silence.
The troops stationed at the outskirts kept a watchful eye of the Candy Kingdom. Most of them felt ecstatic, believing that the war was close to ending in a couple days. Some wished they could end it tonight, but the force field engulfing the civilization was too strong for the artillery to overpower. And even if that were not the case, they needed to wait until they possessed the same level of technology to counter against Bubblegum's modern armies.
"It's a cold night isn't," one fire troop commented.
"Weather forecast predicted we'd be in the low sixties," another said. "But somehow, it just feels colder than usual."
"I'm gonna make a quick run for a cup of joe," a third trooper said. "Do you guys want one too?"
"Sure, okay," the two replied collectively.
As the third guy left, the troops continued another random conversation until they spotted a lone silhouette standing nearby from the Candy Kingdom.
"Hold up," the first guard motioned. "Looks like we got company."
The second elemental squinted his eyes at the distant figure but couldn't distinguish the person's appearance. "It's just one guy," he scoffed. "He can't take all of us!"
"Think he's some sort of negotiator?"
"Doubt it."
The rest of the division focused their gaze towards the shadowy figure moments later.
"Hey," the second guard taunted. "We got a problem here?" He lifted both arms for emphasis.
Finn remained motionless as he returned a menacing gaze.
"What are you doing," the first guard seethed.
His partner retorted, "Makin' him leave before he dies a foolish death. Besides, he doesn't- ack!"
The elemental suddenly floated one foot above the ground as his hands reached for his throat. Something was choking him, but there was nothing he could do to save himself. The other guard beside him could only watch in horror, being absolutely helpless in the situation. A few seconds have passed as the choking guard slowly lost his flames from the lack of air. As they began to dim out, he began to feel his chest tighten until it cracked abruptly. His body became limp instantaneously and was dropped onto the ground with apathy.
The first guard stared at the assailant with wide eyes from the display of power, but stood his ground. He quickly unsheathed his sword and took several deep breaths until he decided to charge with a battle cry.
Finn stood idly as his target closed the distance between them. When the two were in range, the guard threw a heavy swing from the right. Finn ducked and weaved effortlessly as he prepared himself for the counter and swiped the dagger from the opponent's waistline. Then he stabbed the man's neck on the left, using the reverse grip.
"Attention, infantry divisions," a fire dispatcher radioed. "We've got a minor disturbance developing in the eastern sector of the outskirts. Requesting all nearby units to respond, over."
"Any more details to that report?"
"Suspect is approximately six feet tall, medium build."
"Ten-four."
Finn fought with his fists as the fight progressed. Despite being unarmed, the warrior used his speed and agility to steal his enemy's weapons. Swords were blocked and redirected as Finn eliminated guards in threes, sometimes four. Spears were thrusted in his direction only for Finn to pull a nearby elemental as a meat shield. As his next victim became limp, Finn quickly drew the dagger from the same guard's waist and tossed it towards one of his attackers in the face.
A dozen men were lost from this point and the dispatcher radioed, "Attention, ground units. We are now at condition two. Deploy archers on site, over."
More knights responded on scene as Finn threw aside a dead guard with one hand. The bodies surrounding the lone fighter steadily grew until he realized the troops stopped engaging and withdrew altogether. Finn was puzzled at first until he saw two rows of archers lining up before him. The first one in front took a kneeling stance, while the other remained standing.
"Hands behind your head," one of them shouted authoritatively. "Get down on your knees!"
Finn seemed to comply with the motion as he slowly raised his hands in surrender. But just when the knights were about to move and apprehend him, he swiftly drew out a white colored blade with a blue gem on the hilt known as the Finn Sword.
"Open fire!" An archer ordered.
Thirty automatic crossbows went off in unison as Finn resisted. Instead of being riddled with arrows, the human was seen deflecting them with enhanced reflexes. The shooting continued for a few seconds as the troops anticipated one of them would evenutally hit its intended target. Unfortunately for them, Finn remained unscathed and the archers became defenseless without ammo.
Taking the chance, Finn powered his off-hand and delivered a powerful smash towards the ground. The earth gave out a loud, cracking noise from the impact and a small shockwave was formed to stun the nearby elementals. The company nearby, except for Finn lost their footing and soon found themselves thrown on their backs. When they tried to recover. They could hear a set of footsteps rapidly approaching until it ceased near their location.
Finn launched himself in the air as he coiled his blade for a strike. When he landed onto his feet from a somersault, he began to eliminate the archers one by one with each and every swipe. Five men were lost in the process while the others recovered, but were soon met with the same fate. They tried to melee with their empty crossbows to give themselves a fighting chance, only to have them knocked away or sliced in half.
Grunts and shouts of protest were heard among the elementals as Finn dispatched the rest of the group. When the last archer was defeated, the knights nearby became enraged at the growing conflict.
"Multiple units down," a soldier radioed in distress. "Requesting backup!"
"Copy, we are now in condition three, deploying additional reinforcements in your area."
Finn sprinted with his shoulders forward as the rest of the division charged at him. Five men were shoved backwards in midair from the impact and the warrior followed up with a left slash to counter the next combatant. Blood splattered everywhere as Finn gracefully moved from one trooper to another. One moment he was knocking a person out with his elbow, the next moment he slashed another in half across the waist.
Eight minutes have passed since the battle had started. By this point, the Fire Army sustained nearly 200 casualties and counting. The entire eastern division was brought at full attention from the ongoing skirmish and soon the other divisions surrounding the Candy Kingdom began to intervene. Nothing was working in their favor as they continued sending more troops to stop the mysterious warrior. Eventually, the battlegrounds became illuminated with pools of magma blood in contrast to the night sky. Tons of armor and weapons littered the field as Finn continued his ruthless slaughter.
The fiery army was baffled as the news spread towards the Grasslands base. Phoebe and SG were notified of the situation moments later and began to suit up for battle.
"News from the front reports an unidentified ally of the Candy Kingdom," SG said as he and his sister briskly walked together. "The men say he poses a high-level threat with mystical powers."
Phoebe asked, "What's your take on this?"
"It could be Candy propaganda," SG said as he frowned in thought. "Or it could be serious. Units in the outskirts have informed me the battle has escalated to condition four."
She blinked in surprise, "What?!"
"If this guy's able to take on golems singlehandedly without any support, then I'd say we try another angle."
"And what would that be?"
The two arrived at a hill overlooking the outskirts.
"Using excessive force," SG answered. He reached for his pocket until he found his phone. "All teams, this is the Supreme General. We are now at condition five! I want all nearby artillery units deployed in these following coordinates."
"Solid copy," replied a sergeant.
"Can you see him?" Phoebe asked as she squinted at the view.
SG shook his head, "We're too far. But whoever he is, his days are numbered!"
"General, our artillery is in position," an officer radioed.
"Get our guys to pull out now," SG ordered. "But if you see an opportunity beforehand, you take it! Understand?!"
"Yes, sir," he replied grimly.
Finn was seen lifting a rock golem up high with two hands as the troops began to retreat. He felt disappointed that none of his opponents offered a challenge to his liking and proceeded to split the giant in a fit of rage. Once he saw the remaining knights flee from sight, he was left alone in his thoughts.
"Still nothing," his mind said with bitterness. "What will it take to lure the princess out?!"
As if on cue, a chorus of cannons fired towards his general location. Finn merely narrowed his eyes as he stared at the ordinance and made no move to run to safety. The ground shook violently around him and soon he was met with a massive inferno that would surely incinerate him to ashes...
The next morning, Phoebe and SG stepped closer to the outskirts as they surveyed the aftermath. Hundreds of troops were seen covered in blood and dirt with weary expressions as they emerged from the thick smoke the explosions made. A path was made for the two leaders without any verbal signals as the two could only stare in shock and disbelief.
No one felt the desire to celebrate from that moment. Too many troops were lost all because of a single man. Some of the elementals were grateful to see the battle finally reach its end, while others felt guilt and humiliation. They were recognized as Ooo's strongest army, being second only to the Candy Kingdom's because of the advanced technology it wielded.
"Form up and return to base for re-tasking," SG ordered with his throat dry. He then reached out an arm for his sister, "Let's go."
Phoebe stared into the large obscurity and was about to leave until her eyes suddenly widened. She ignored her brother's calls several times until he decided to look in the same direction. Soon, he became silent as his eyes also widened with horror.
A lone figure became distinguished as the smoke gradually subsided around him. He was seen wearing a dark violet trench coat that covered his overall body with tufts of black feathers sown on each of his shoulders. His collar concealed his face from the nose down as a makeshift balaclava, revealing he had short white hair. He also had a pair of boots and gloves of the same color with the fingers sharpened like claws. Wisps of smoke could be seen leaving his head, shoulders and back, but the most disturbing fact was that he showed no actual wounds on his body
"That's impossible," SG said quietly. "He should be dead!"
Finn's eyes were closed ominously as he stood in the same spot. But after a long dreadful minute, they were shot open as he instantly sprung into action...
