Disclaimer: I don't' own AT, if I did then The Lich would not have had a cop out by being turned into a baby of all things.

Chapter 22: Power

The Lich POV

I stood in a graveyard absorbing the small bits of power that I could from this place. I needed as much power as I could obtain before my coming battle.

"Now to just finish drawing the symbol and I wi..."

Suddenly I sensed a new presence here, one that thought they could control me. Most likely someone meant to capture me and make me Princess Bubblegum's prisoner again.

"That's not going to work on me," I growled.

I could feel that someone was using telekinesis on me, powerful but still not powerful enough to capture me.

"Impressive telekinetic power you have, but nowhere near powerful enough to control me. Come out so that I can kill you and add your impressive power to my own."

"Greetings Lich," said some sort of pink sphinx stepping out from its hiding spot and now walking towards me. "I am Goliad and I have come to bring you back to The Candy Kingdom."

"So you're the one who thinks that you can control me."

"I tried, but it seems that method didn't work. So I'll just have to resort to more forceful methods."

With that she sent out a wave of telekinetic energy at me that I easily blocked, only to be then knocked across the field by a physical attack. Looking up I saw she was flying at me for another blow. Counter attacking I sent out a blast of green fire at the sphinx. She dodged it by making the mistake of dropping to the ground. It was then that I reanimated the dead of this place to lunge up and grab her.

"Squeeze the life out of her," I commanded. Only instead of doing as I told them, they all collapsed back into a useless pile of bones.

"To can play at reanimation Lich," she said mocking me. "I was made by Princess Bubblegum to serve as the ultimate heir to her Kingdom and I was given powers to specifically meant to deal with you. Her encounter with you that almost ended her life scared her greatly and I was a result of that fear. So thanks for unintentionally creating me," she said her voice practically dripping nothing but arrogance.

Finn POV

"Do you see those lights Marceline," I said pointing at the displays of power going on in the distance.

"Yes I do Finn and it looks like a powerful battle is going on by the looks if it."

"Indeed. I can only imagine who The Lich could be fighting over there."

Before we could reach the area to find out a new figure suddenly dropped right in front of us. Looking at the newcomer who crashed right I front of me, I saw that it was no other then Stormo. He was badly hurt and I was amazed that he was even alive based upon how bad his wounds looked.

"Stormo! What happened to you," I asked worried.

"N-not imp-ortant. Go-Goliad set f- free. S-sent to cap-ture The Lich.

"Please slow down," I pleaded. "You must rest to recover from your wounds."

"N- No time," he said as he took in huge gulps of air and his breathing worsened.

"J-just please li-listen."

Hearing the desperation in his voice, I stayed quiet and listened to what he had to say. Everything he told me from how his battle with Goliad had been ended by him being shot and to the disturbing conversation between Goliad and Bubblegum, all added to what I had been told by others. That she was the one responsible for all this, everything thing was because of her. I couldn't deny it anymore, not from the mouth of one who was like a son to me. Bending down I tried to help Stormo, but he shoved me away.

"I-I'm d-done Finn. S-stop this ma-madness. B-be safe fa-father, he said just before the light from his eyes faded. He was gone.

"He's gone," I said bent on down on my knees. "HE'S GONE," I shouted out in utter despair.

Few things made me cry, one was when my heart has been broken and the other is death. This was the worse of the two.

"SHE DID THIS," I said no longer lying to myself. "Why did she have to do this? I'll kill her."

Marceline POV

"Finn," I cried out horrified at the killer intent radiating in his eyes. "Don't do this. Don't become someone driven by vengeance."

"Why not," he said with clenched fists, teeth, and his body giving off sparks of rage.

"Because this isn't who you are Finn. You're not some rage filled person, despite all the times you claimed to be. You are human with a noble heart who delivers justice not vengeance. Don't let yourself become someone unrecognizable, what would Flame Princess think of you."

"Flame Princess," he said temporally regained his former self, only for it to vanish just as quickly as it appeared. "She was poisoned by her; she must pay for trying to kill her. She can't be allowed to live; she can't be allowed to hurt anyone else close to me."

"That's not the answer Finn that will only cause more pain. Not everyone knows the things she has done and if you do this, you will only look like the bad guy. You will cause more suffering as people who don't know the truth fight you claiming vengeance for killing their beloved leader. You will be starting an endless cycle of vengeance if you do this. Is this really what you want?"

"No," he said. "Then what is the answer Marceline."

"The truth must be exposed Finn, she must be brought down by the people of OOO. Not by one single person."

The response I got from his was a maniacal fit of laughter. It sounded like he lost and it scared me.

"Please get control of yourself Finn; we still have The Lich to deal with to remember."

"The Lich, I had forgotten about him, but your right. We need to deal with him first. Let's go Marceline."

I couldn't tell if Finn was going to be able to handle all of this, but for now he seemed to have regained control of himself.

Back to Finn

So much hatred, I felt like I was going to burst and I needed a way to vent this rage. Luckily I had someone to vent it on, The Lich. He has been another source of suffering for me and those I hold dear. No one would miss him if I destroyed him.

Finally reaching the place where the displays of power had been going on, I saw it was indeed him and Goliad locked in combat. The surprising thing I saw was it was "Cinnamon Bun" who he had possessed. In the past I wouldn't have been able to tell that he was possessing someone, but after having dealt with him possessing someone multiple times. I could now tell when he was trying to hide his presence in someone else's body. Besides Cinnamon Bun displaying this type of power was more than enough of a giveaway.

"So the cloning story I was told is true as well it seems," I thought suddenly remembering my conversation in the Fire Kingdom with that other Cinnamon Bun.

Getting back to the present, I saw I would need to dispose of Goliad first before I could deal with The Lich. No one would interrupt my fight with him.

They were so focused on each other that Goliad didn't even see me coming when I lunged at her and sliced her stupid third eye off. Screaming out in pain, Goliad clutched the place where her third eye used to be.

"Finn you fool," he cried out though gritted teeth. "Do you realize what you ju- was the last thing he got in before a skeletal hand went right through his head, ending her life.

"Thanks for the save Finn," The Lich said as he drained Goliad's corpse of all its power, turning it into nothing more than a dried up husk. "And I didn't even have to disguise myself as Billy to get you to help me. I owe you one Finn."

"Enough with the mocking appreciation Lich, fight me."

"As much as I would love to end you once and for all, I can't afford to waste my temporary boost in power on you. I have someone more important to fight right now. We can have our final battle afterwards," he said getting away.

Chasing him I saw him get away through a portal. I tried to jump after him, but it closed right as he got through.

"Dammit," I cried out. "He's escaped.

"Finn," said Marceline finally catching up with me. "Did you stop him?"

"No. He got away Marceline," I said pointing at where the portal stood without really bothering to look.

"Finn," she said with a great amount if fear in her voice.

"Why do you sound so afraid Marceline?"

"Don't you recognize this symbol Finn?"

Taking a look I saw that the symbol that now stood where to portal was did look familiar. Then it hit me, it was the symbol needed to get to The Nightosphere. That's where he went.

"He wouldn't," I said as I now realized what he intended to do.

"Finn," Marceline said grabbing me. "He's after the Nightosphere amulet; he's going to kill my father."

"We can't allow him to obtain that kind of power." Quickly I pulled out some bug milk and splashed it on the symbol, restoring the portal.

Before I even said anything, Marceline shoved me aside and jumped right through the portal. I quickly followed her, intent on not letting The Lich obtain such power.

I think I'm losing touch with this story. When you write more than one story, you start losing touch with one story over the other. That and I have only a few ideas for this story left, I think I'm going to take a break from this story. I need to think of some more ideas and get back my feeling for this story. I'll be focusing on Purpose for a bit so that I don't write this just to write this. We want quality right, not quantity. Check out Purpose if you haven't and never stop reviewing and giving me ideas.