Two weeks had passed back in the Realm of Heroes. It was mid afternoon, and Peps and Billy were taking a break on the steps of the building before Peps trained for the first monster, drinking Honey Energy Drinks.

"Billy, who are all those paintings inside this building of? I've never heard of those people."

"Those people," started Billy, taking a sip of his drink. "Are mostly heroes yet to come."

"Oh." Peps thought for a second. "Then how do you know what they look like?"

Billy shrugged. "You just get a feeling. I've had a lot of time to paint since I stopped adventuring."

Peps nodded (sort of – it's hard to nod when your head is your whole body), even though he didn't really know what he was talking about.

Billy stood up. "Stay here." He ordered, and walked inside. When he returned he had a small painting of…a snowman? "This," said Billy. "Is a snow monster. They're pretty easy to defeat. You just cut them in half and mash the snow into the ground so it melts."

Peps looked at the picture. He frowned. "There's a lot of them in the picture."

"Well, they attack in groups." Billy said. "And these are the only one I will tell you how to defeat. It's important that a hero can figure out how to defeat a monster on his own." Billy paused for a moment. "I'm out of this Honey Energy Drink. Shall we start training?"

"Yes," said Peps. He reluctantly followed Billy inside. He really didn't want to do this.

They walked into the training room. Billy tossed Peps' sword to him and got his off the wall. "Now," Billy said. "If I was a snow monster, and I came up to you with my arms up, about to grab you, what would you do?"

"Run," Peps thought in his head. "Umm…side cut your exposed belly," he said out loud.

"Good. I'm going to push several dummies toward you. Remember they always attack in packs. When I do that, side swing at them."

Billy did this, and Peps defended himself pretty well. He went over this a couple of times, and then started practicing what he would do if a snow monster jumped at him. "If you master these techniques by tonight, you can fight real snow monsters in several days rather than a week."

They practiced until nightfall. "Time for bed," Billy said. "We have a long day of training tomorrow." They left the training room. They went to the big hallway where Billy slept on his throne, and Peps curled up on the mattress Billy had gotten out for him. He started thinking about his parents. They didn't even know where he was. And in one year, it's possible they could die. Three months here and he could die! Peps sniffled once, but he refused to let Billy see him cry.

The next three days of training were brutal. Only one break was allowed, and that was lunch break. They usually had sandwiches, and berries they collected from the forest. It wasn't all sword training they did. Some of it was increasing Peps reaction time and some of it was just exercising, as Peps wasn't very in shape.

"I think you are ready to fight the snow monsters," Billy said.

"So do I," Peps said, though he really didn't.

They walked out to the balcony, and climbed down a ladder resting against the railing. Peps took a closer look at everything. The monsters were more horrifying up close. He noticed a small arena in the middle of the ten cages, with a tunnel leading from each cave to it. They walked toward the arena. Peps walked through the door, and Billy shut it behind him. "I'm gonna open the snow monster cage." Billy started walking toward the cage. Peps was about to break down. He couldn't do this. He just couldn't do this.

The cage snapped open, and the snow monsters came running down the tunnel and into the arena. It quickly got colder. Peps gulped.

They started throwing snowballs at him as they closed in. He dodged them. "For Billy," he thought as he ran toward them with his eyes squeezed shut. He cut the first one in half, and sliced the second ones head off. He stomped them into the ground as a flying snow monster leaped at Peps. It spooked him and he jumped back, killing the beast just before it landed on him. "Hey," he thought. "This is kind of easy!"

He jumped on the next one and thrust his sword through its head. He stabbed the next one and kicked its head across the arena. He cut the following one's legs in half and jumped on its chest, stamping it into the ground with the others. There was one more, the biggest and menacing of all. It grabbed Peps and lifted him into the air. He screamed and tried to wriggle out of the thing's grip. Feeling a sudden burst of determination, he cut it's arm with his sword. The monster dropped him in pain, but continued to try to kick him. Peps cut its foot off and the monster toppled to the ground, face first. Peps quickly cut his head off, lifted it in the air, and smashed in on the ground.

"That was amazing!" said Billy. "I haven't seen a newcomer fight like that in years!"

"Thanks," said Peps.

"How do you feel?" asked Billy.

Peps pondered over it. "Empowered." He said. "Like I can do anything."

Just to be clear I will start referring to the Land of the Dead as' The Land' or 'Dead Land.'

Death's brother, Demise, as his spirit is called, floated aimlessly through the Land of the Dead. He had wandered far away from his castle (on the opposite side of the Land from his brother's castle, where he had been exiled to), plotting exactly what he would do after the bomb dropped. The humans would be dead…the people of Mars might come to help, their leader was friends with his brother…he couldn't let that happen. He would go into hiding after the bomb exploded, letting his minions do all the work for him. But first, he would take the Enchiridion from that fool Simon…he was so weak…besides, after he controlled him to buy that crown he wouldn't remember a thing…this why, of course, he choose Simon Petrikov in the first place…

But what was he to do with the other one? The fiery one. He had a crown too. Nothing would be done with him...It was a failed plan. He would be left to rot in his madness.

A spirit floated up to him. "Excuse me," it said. "Do you know how to get to Death's castle? I need to-"

Demise turned to him. "Go away," he spoke directly into the souls mind.

"Sorry man I just wanted to-"

"I said…go…away…" Demise said slowly, creeping toward him. The spirit flew off in a panic.

Back at the Candy Kingdom, Princess Bubblegum was backstage in a temporary theater in front of her castle. She was preparing her speech about getting ready for this war. She worried over how her people would take it. They were delicate little creatures. They couldn't handle terror like this.

A banana guard peeked back stage and said "Princess, you're on stage in one minute. Also, we have news for you as soon as your speech is done."

The princess nodded. She stood up and gathered her papers, checked her face in the mirror one more time and walked out on stage. She set her papers down on the podium, and looked over the candy people. They were all murmuring about what this was.

"CITIZENS OF THE CANDY KINGDOM!" she said loudly through the microphone. The crowd hushed. "On this day, I have treacherous news! Within a year, a terrible war will hit earth and the land of Ooo." She paused and listened as the murmuring started again. "But," she said, and the murmuring died down. "It is unlikely that many of you will be harmed. A bomb will be dropped, sending radiation throughout this planet. Candy people are not affected by radiation. Areas surrounding our precious Candy Kingdom will not be as affected (as we are in the farthest location from the bomb) and will suffer little to no changes, but it might affect some species to evolve into strange creatures. This will not be in our time though – that would take at least a thousand years. Presently, we must defend ourselves. Underground shelters are being built. Take all your friends and relations from surrounding areas and invite them to stay with us during these hard times, there will be plenty of room. Now that I have stated that, I will take several questions from you."

Every hand in the crowd went up. The princess chose a muffin in the front row.

"WHO WILL BE ATTACKING?" He shouted rather loudly. Agreements rose up from the crowd.

"A being that will himself the Lich. He is Death's brother, Demise, from the Dead Land". A look of shock and fear crossed over the candy people's faces. "He will be a mortal version of him. His only purpose is destruction of life. When the bomb is dropped, it will gather so much energy it will create his Well of Power, so he can achieve this mortal self."

"Who's dropping this bomb?" yelled a candy cane from the third row.

A look of worry crossed the Princess' face. "We believe it will be an army of people he mind controls. A barrier is protecting the majority of Ooo from being controlled in this manner."

She took several more questions, and then decided it was a good idea to end the speech. She walked backstage and sat down. The banana guard from earlier said, "Are you ready for that news?"

"Before that, give an order to post instructions of what to do during the next month on everyone's door." She said. The banana guard walked out, yelled the order at a different banana guard, and came back in.

"The news is that one of the other banana guards wasn't acting right this morning," he said. "Right before noon he speared another banana guard. Upon trial he said he didn't remember that happening. He was put in jail, but it's been confirmed he was being…mind controlled. Demise has broken our borders."

Princess Bubblegum took a minute to let it sink in. She sighed. "Go through and question the rest of guards, to make sure they aren't being controlled either. Any visitors that are going to take shelter here will be questioned too."

"Yes ma'am." Replied the banana guard, and he was off.

The princess laid her head down on the table. "Why here?" she thought. "Of all places, why here?"

Death was sitting on his throne, staring at his crystal ball. Images were swirling through, though they weren't clear. Suddenly a spirit burst through the doors. He was panting hard. "Death!" he said. "Look, your brother was mind controlling one of Princess Bubblegum's banana guards. He stabbed me with a spear!" said the ghost of the banana guard.

"Calm yourself, yellow one." Death looked him up and down for a second. "I will talk with her. And you will be avenged. In the meantime, you can't be bursting into my castle,"

"Sorry, sir. I'll be more careful." The banana guard said. He turned to leave.

"Wait. When were you stabbed?"

"Just this morning," banana guard replied.

"Alright. Off you go then."

The banana guard left. Death looked out the window. He could feel an evil power coming from the north, where his brother was. He had tried to talk to him time and time again. He knew if he tried visiting the evil spirits that dwell with Demise would push him back, and there would be no getting into castle.

Death walked outside and sat on the steps of his castle. It was a gloomy place; he could see why his brother wanted to leave. But why did he want the world to perish because of it?