I could feel the seconds pass, literally feel them. My being grew heavier, and suddenly it became more and more apparent that I needed to breathe again. I sunk closer to the ground, my floating abilities slowly escaping me. It became harder to move and easier to feel. Even though I was still in the underground cave with The Seeress, I began to feel the cold that encased my body.

"So now she returns to recant what she's learned. She must be patient in the revenge that she yearns," The Seeress chanted, her small, frail voice breaking the silence that sat between us for almost 150 days.

"Thank you, Seeress, for all you've done for me. I'll come back to you, I promise. I hope that, maybe, when all this is over, we can even be friends…" Even my voice began to change. The tone, the sound… it didn't sound like it was constantly fading now. It sounded strong, and healthy, and here.

The Seeress tilted her head towards me, her white eyes shifting ever slightly. "An interesting thought the adventuress brought. We shall see how she handles the blood that she sought. Until then, my friend, I'm a means to an end. I shall await your return when two years has spent."

I smiled and nodded at her, wanting to hug her, but knowing better. Without turning to me, or glancing at me, or even acknowledging my presence, The Seeress held out her small, pale hand so that it was inches from my face. That's odd… she had an eye tattooed on her palm…

Before I could think more on it, I felt myself being pulled… wait, not pulled… dragged. I was being dragged, yanked even, through a mess of color and light. It was rapid and harsh, and if I had any air in my lungs, surely it would have all been sucked out. It felt so similar to the portal I was dragged through to get to Ooo, but this time… this time, it was freezing.

It was dark, with a soft glow reflecting off hundreds of little mirrors around me. And it was cold. I couldn't move, either. There was no air, no space, no movement. The glow of the moon shifted itself into this… this encasing, and as I struggled free, that's all I concentrated on. I tried to scream, but I had no air. I tried to kick and punch, but I couldn't move. And it was so, so cold. So glob damn cold…

CRACK!

What was that?

CRRRAACK!

What's happening?

I heard muffled voices around me, strained voices. Wait a minute… was I… did I come back? Is that where I was now? Trapped in the ice?

Memories came flooding back to me all at once. What The Seeress said about my parents, about the Lich, and about my blood. The curse. The relics I destroyed to cast the curse. The people I saved because of it.

Then, panic set in.

I was trapped in a block of ice! What the hay? So my spirit is kept alive for a year just so my body can die again in the ice? This was so messed up!

And I couldn't breathe!

And I couldn't move!

And the ice! It was so cold! So bitter!

CRRRAAACK!

With that last little crack, a huge, unmelting piece of ice broke away from my head and fell to the ground, shattering. I gasped and gulped for breath, the smile that I had stuck on my face being replaced with all the panic I was feeling. The warm summer air was a shock to my senses, and the smell of the garden and the fire and people… it was… it was overwhelming!

CRRRAAAACCCKK!

Another piece broke off and shattered, and my arm was free. It was still nearly impossible to move or breathe, because the ice still fully encapsulated my body. I tried to calm myself, but there was shouting around me, and panic, and confusion, and all of it frightened me, terrified me. I tried to scream for help, but it was no use. I didn't have enough air.

CCCRRRAAACCCKKK!

That was it. That was the last one. That one last crack split the ice in two, and with a giant CRASH! I was free. I could breathe! And move! And… walk?

No… I couldn't walk… when I tried, my muscles were so stiff, so deeply frozen, that when I took a step, I fell over. The last thing I remember is more yelling, more panic, and then a sharp pain to my head. There was a daze of colors flashing around me, hands on me, pressure here and there, but finally, the pain in my head was too much, and everything went black.

Perfect.

I escaped the ice so I could die by hitting myself in the head.

When I woke up again, there was this bright, blazing light burning and barreling into my eyes. I tried to lift my arm to block it out, but my muscles were still half-frozen. And it felt like… like something was stuck in my arm. When I tried to turn my head away, a searing pain shot through my neck and skull, and I let out a pained gasp and exasperated groan.

"Fionna! Please, be careful!" A familiar voice rang out, and suddenly a bright pink figure appeared in my blurry vision. "We don't know how your body will react to being… alive… again. Please, try to stay still."

There were warm hands on me, on my shoulder and my forehead. I squinted at the pink thing with the soothing, familiar voice, trying to see it clearly. "What… who…" My voice cracked and croaked, and even that was hard to use. "Water," I whispered. "Please, water…"

"Yes! Of course! Right away!" The hands left me as well as the voice and the pink figure, bumping the bright light out of the way. Thank glob! I was afraid I'd lose my eye sight before I could see what was happening.

The figure returned, and I felt something light and thin press against my lips. "Please, drink this. But be careful. Every one of your muscles is probably readjusting to movement again." He didn't have to tell me twice. Wrapping my lips around what I assumed was a straw hurt. Sucking on the straw hurt. Swallowing felt like getting stabbed in the neck. But still, the water tasted… sweet. Did water always taste this way?

"Is she awake? I heard you talking! Did she wake up?" Another familiar voice penetrated the room, but this one was full of panic and anticipation and… and pain.

"Yes, Marshall, she's awake. She just woke up." It felt like the air shifted, like something moved, but I heard no footsteps. "Marshall! Stop! Please, control yourself. Her body has been frozen and unmoving for a year! Even the slightest movement hurts her." I began to notice small details about the pink figure. He was wearing a white coat and glasses, and as the features of his face were coming together, I began to realize who it was.

"Right right, of course. Sorry," the other voice said apologetically. Then, another figure appeared above me, two piercing red dots among a mess of black and blue. I knew who that was, too.

"G—Gumball? Mar—Marshall?" I croaked again, forcing the pain down as I spoke their names.

"Yes, yes! Yes, Fionna! It's us! Oh glob, did you hear that, Marshall? She knows who we are!" Gumball shouted with excitement. Why wouldn't I know them? Things stayed silent for a moment. Marshall continued to stare down at me, though I couldn't make out his expression. Gumball turned his gaze away from Marshall and back to me, and there I could see plainly that he was smiling. "I'm going to go and get Cake and Lord. They would want to know she's awake."

Marshall didn't acknowledge him in the least. He just kept staring down at me. Gumball's figure stood up and walked away, eager to come back as soon as he could.

"I can't believe it… I can't believe you're back…" Marshall whispered in a pained, controlled voice. He had waited until Gumball left the room before speaking.

I tried my best to smile at him, but that was a lot of pain. I grunted and rethought how I would acknowledge him. "Me—ngh—either," I said in my raspy, worn down voice.

More than anything in that moment I wanted to spring out of bed and hug him, and then sprint to wherever Gumball was and hug him too. And then I wanted to hug Cake close to me, and Lord M, and tell them all how sorry I was, and tell them about my adventures and everything I saw.

A cold finger laid itself on my lips. "Shhh, Bubba said not to move too much. It could hurt you."

I wanted to tell him of course it hurt, but it was worth it. The doors burst open, and just by the energy in the air, I knew who it was.

"Oh girl, you got some explainin' to do! You've been gone for a year sugar! A YEAR! We had no idea where you went!" Cake exploded as she marched over to me. In the last year that I watched everyone from that ethereal place, not once did Cake accept that I had died.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her, which sent immense pain throughout my body. "Cake, please, try to refrain from too much… energy. Her body is very, very weak, and probably in a lot of pain," Gumball tried to reason.

"I don't give a rats ass! This girl had us all climbin' up the walls in suspense! She better have a good—"

"Shut it, fur ball. Can't you see her flinch? I'm sure she'll tell us everything when it doesn't nearly kill her to talk." Marshall's voice was dark and commanding, as if Cake had truly offended him.

"No—urgh—wait—" I tried, but the pain was too much.

"Oh girl, I'm so sorry. I just got all worked up. Let's just go for now, Lord. We can come back in the morning, when she's feeling better." Cakes voice sounded sincere and apologetic. Lord tapped his hoof on the floor in agreement. "You boys better take care of her. I am not losing my sister again to a couple of fools."

"Yes, ma'am," Gumball replied.

"Whatever," Marshall breathed out, his eyes fixed on me.

I heard Cake and Lord M leave, the doors slamming behind them. "Marshall, we should leave, too. She needs her rest." Gumball came up behind Marshall and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"You go. She needs someone here to watch over her. You get some sleep, Bubba," Marshall replied, laying his hand on Gumballs hand.

Gumball wanted to protest, I could feel it, but he was a kind and patient person by nature. He bent down and gave Marshall a warm kiss on the cheek, then reached over to move the hair out of my face. "I'll see you in a few hours. Sleep well, my princess." And with that, he turned and left.

My eyes felt enormously heavy with each passing second, and my breathing became lighter and lighter. Marshall gently slipped his hand under mine, causing me an incredible amount of pain. I was far too exhausted to react to it, though, which was perfect. I didn't want him to know he hurt me.

"Marshall—" I tried, but the effort was too much. I just remember him leaning over me, trying to hear my words. It was no use. Within moments, I had passed out.