Chapter Fourteen

This was it. Everything that had happened in the past led up to this. Finn was going to face off against Magic Man. The young hero, his best friend Jake, Marceline the Vampire Queen, Lady Rainicorn, and Princess Bubblegum climbed the steps into the fifth level. Or at least, almost into the fifth level, right as they got to the top of the steps, a barrier of silver light blocked them.

"What do you think the barrier is for?" Lady Rainicorn asked curiously.

Princess Bubblegum studied it. "Hmm, I've seen this in my advanced science books. This is a barrier alright. Except, by the slight hum its creating I'm willing to bet that it will only accept certain people to walk through it, and will remain a block to those who cannot trespass."

"Care to translate to English, nerd?" Marceline huffed.

Bubblegum rolled her eyes. "The barrier will only let through whoever Magic Man intended to be let in." She crossed her arms. "And nerd is an offensive term, we prefer to be called bookworms."

"Well I'm almost positive I'm going to be allowed through," Finn said, "I mean, I'm the one he's challenging, and not even a barrier can hold back this adorable face." Finn smiled. "But what happens if someone who's not supposed to go through it tries to anyway?" he asked Princess Bubblegum.

"Oh, the molecular structure inside their DNA will collapse, and-"

"ENGLISH PLEASE!" Marceline exclaimed angrily.

Bubblegum rolled her eyes. "Dead. Whoever isn't supposed to go through will die."

"Lady, I don't want you to die, because you're my gf, and if you did die that'd suck in all, so can you please not go through the barrier and wait for Finn and I?" Jake asked. Lady Rainicorn nodded, smiled, and wrapped her arms around him, leaning in for a smooch. "Not in front of the boy and his potential lovers!" Jake exclaimed.

Marceline, Finn and Princess Bubblegum eyed Jake with an awkward face.

"I mean… not in front of the soy and its credential mothers," Jake corrected.

"That makes absolutely no sense!" Princess Bubblegum exclaimed.

"Doesn't matter, I love you Jakey!" Lady Rainicorn cooed. "And you shouldn't be by yourself Princess, please wait with me?"

"Oh alright," the princess replied.

Marceline turned to Finn and Jake and smirked. "Well weenies, this leaves us. Ready to step inside and see what challenges lie ahead of us?"

"You're sure we won't die?" Finn asked Bubblegum. "Is there any way to check?"

"Afraid not," Princess Bubblegum answered solemnly.

"Then that means we could die!" Jake shrieked.

"That's a chance I'm willing to take!" Marceline exclaimed. She grabbed Finn and Jake, then leaped head first through the barrier, all three of them disappearing inside!

"Oomph!"

The three landed on their backs, but that didn't even bother them, for they were alive. "We made it!" Finn cheered, fist pumping Jake.

"Uh, Finn?" Marceline asked.

He didn't hear her. "That was so awesome!" he exclaimed.

"Finn?"

The young hero began to jump up and down! "That was even more radical than that time we went penguin sliding! What a rush! That was so math-"

"FINN!" Marceline yelled. She grabbed the young hero's shoulders, turning him around. His eyes grew wide. In front of the three, was a large, hairy, menacing spider, that had eight long legs, red beady eyes, and large fangs jutting from his mouth. He was easily two stories high, and as long and thick as a boat. "Try and step on that sucker," Marceline whispered.

Finn exchanged a look with Jake. Silently, they both decided the best way to deal with a giant spider. Take it head on. So, taking out his slightly rusted, trusted, and golden sword, Finn raised it over his head to prepare for battle. "Let's do this!" he proclaimed.

The three went running towards the spider, head on.

~X~X~X~

With a swift kick to one of the spider's many eyes, Finn back flipped through the air, landing on his feet. He kicked as hard as he could, but the spider seemed unaffected. However it wasn't just Finn the spider had to worry about, for while Finn delivered the kick Jake had also enlarged himself and punched one of his legs, while Marceline flew up and attacked his middle back. Yes, it was three against one, but the spider not only had tough skin, but he had defenses of his own; defenses such as web.

"Whoa!" Jake exclaimed, shrinking to avoid a spinning web flying his way. "Watch out for web dude!" he called.

"Right!" Finn agreed, clutching his sword and swiping at the spider's leg. His sword was like a toothpick against the spider's tough skin.

"Yo, hero! Hit the face! It's the only chance we've got!" Marceline called. She flew towards the spider's head, shoving a karate chop into another one of its eyes. She was glad she made up with her dad, at least enough for him to teach her the karate chops. Things would be much simpler if I had my axe bass, the vampire thought glumly. It was true that Marceline could suck the blood from the spider, but not only was he too huge for her, but he wouldn't stay still long enough for her to make an impression upon him. She was left with nothing but her knowledge of combat.

Finn propelled off of Jake's soft belly, flying through the air with his sword tip pointed, and he managed to stick his sword fully into the spider! The arachnid howled, and Finn slid down his neck, making sure his sword slid down with him. Blood dripped down from his sword to the handle, and Finn lost his grip, landing awkwardly on his hip. He grunted, and as soon as the spider saw he had fallen he turned around, aiming his… um… web slinging thorax towards Finn.

Marceline wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and noticed this. Finn landed a long way, and couldn't move fast enough to avoid the web! She was faster than the web, she knew it! With inhumane strength, Marceline pushed Finn out of the way of the web, however, by doing so that also meant she was entangled up inside the sticky white substance. Marceline was immediately made into a mummy, the web over every inch of her.

"No!" Finn cried. He started to run towards Marceline, but as he did, the spider leaned down and bit into his web-ified prey, and he saw Marceline get bit down by the spider. "NO!" he screamed. Suddenly Jake was the size of the spider, and pushed him down on his back. Marceline was still in the spider's mouth. Finn ran and leaped inside the mouth of the beast, grabbing the vampire, and quickly leaping out. "Finish the spider off!" he called to Jake.

Jake nodded, knowing quite well that Marceline was Finn's first priority at the moment. It was okay, he could take the spider out no problem, now that he had enough energy to make himself the same size of it.

"Come on, come on, Marceline are you okay?" Finn demanded, holding the vampire in his arms. Setting her down gently, he used all of his strength to tear open the web, and after a few desperate claws he finally found her pale face. Her eyes were closed, and she looked unconscious. Or worse. "Come on, say something Marceline," Finn whispered.

Not only was Marceline entangled in a web, but she suffered a fatal bite from the spider.

"You can't die on me," the twelve year old boy murmured sadly. "For one thing, you're already dead." He smiled, just slightly, because Marceline was the most alive person he knew. Her face remained still. "Look," he whispered. "You're really important to me. I love every moment I spend with you, because you make me laugh, I make you laugh, and we fit together. And… you just can't give up on me, Marceline. I need you. I need you, Jake, Princess Bubblegum, Lady Rainicorn, I need all of you there for me. I want you to be here, even when I'm older. Please. Don't go. Stay. Stay for me. Stay… for me… and I'll stay for you."

Hesitantly, Finn leaned down, and pressed his forehead against her cold one. He could feel her soft ebony hair. And then, he felt breath against his nose, and his eyes opened, and he saw her onyx gaze staring straight at him. "Hey weenie," Marceline breathed weakly. Finn was too overjoyed to hear her voice. So overjoyed, that he stopped thinking and out of pure reaction, or at least that was what he decided to be pure reaction, pressed his lips to hers.

Author's Note:

I know what you're thinking. CLIFFHANGER! I'm sorry. It's part of what makes fanfiction fun, you leave cliffhangers and receive cliffhangers. But guess what? If you review, I'll update! Lol! Okay, I'll update anyway. But I'd appreciate a review! I'd like to know how y'all like my work!

Alright, mathematical. ~Luna