Its been 84 years...
Yep I'm still writing this. My apologies to those who have actually been waiting.
(R/R and as always, enjoy)
Chapter Twelve: Not Dead Yet
Something felt different... off. There was no trace of time, things were just constant with no beginning and seem of end. There was something, a hiccup in that past moment, a subtle change. This whole time it just dawned on him, the silence. It never occurred to him before, it just, was. But with this new found thought it brought others along. He was sure it never used to be this way, however this is how it's always been: dark, alone, quiet.
Inside some part of him knew, had suppressed away a secret. It wasn't always this way. There was more, part of him but felt so alien. He recalls there being sound, as it accompanied him everywhere, was with him every waking moment. A friend? That title didn't feel right for this... imposter - that felt a more justifying label.
Having only vivid memories as clues to piece together its persona, he hated it; now with it gone and with him all alone, part of him felt empty, wanting it back. The need was like a withdrawal to a bad drug habit, a grown addiction, he was torn between the need and knowing of what it could and would do.
Coming full circle, he came back to what triggered this train of thought, that 'off' feeling. It made him think, actually think about where he was. This isn't death, nor limbo. It did have a familiar atmosphere, like he been here before. And then it clocked.
'I thINkhE's WaKIng uP...'
He was right at home, (Figuratively speaking) trapped in the confines of his own mind he had regain control over, just forgotten how to use it. The blank slate he sat on lit up with vibrant colour, a strangely startling sight for him, his reaction could be compared to one of a caveman discovering fire. Up until now this... place had nothing but blots of eerie black distances and grey streaks encircling the slab he has been on since. And now fresh light breathed into the darkness revealing and bridging itself to other distant floating platforms identical to the one he was on. It was like flicking on a power switch to an old factory, watching all the machinery come back to life.
Then it stopped, the growth of light cutting through the dark. As if their fuses broke the outermost lit up slabs too dimmed out giving the darkness back its territory. The dark swarmed in, bringing unintelligible whispers, as the light fell back to its point of origin. Expecting the worst he shielded his head in his arms before everything went back to black.
'GEt rEAdy. HoLd HIm StILl. He'LL be iN sHoCk...'
"GaaAh-huo-Huogh!" Finn involuntarily juggled a mixture of a scream and a gasp for air to fuel his expiring lungs resulting into a choke from the crossroads of air going every which way. He thrashed himself forward to latch onto nearest object his distorted, jumping, unadjusted vision could make out. Shivering into to it, burrowing his face, muttering gibberish, nipping his bottom lip a few accidental times in his jitters; he clung onto whatever it was he now had locked him his arms to shield him from the terrors scratching at his back. It was soft, cold, yet comforting to him, had a distinguishable form to it that he couldn't place – and it hugged back?
It was too surreal, he couldn't make out which delusions were real or fake, he pushed himself off the frisky object that once sheltered him, tripping onto his back, concussing himself slightly. A ringing in his ear chimed down and flattened out into the sound of a voice. "Darnit I told you to hold him, now look. He isn't hurt is he?"
His eyes were still sorely adjusting, slowly making it back between every blink. Brightest saturated colours acknowledged first. "Finn it's us." A blob of pink leaning above his face, soon the details and outline was made out. "P-Princess?..." The first notable word he made since consciousness past his lips. Soon to also perceive from the backdrop to his right, "Marceline?..." She also knelt down, holding his hand in of both hers.
"Good, he can at least tell its us." Bubblegum analysed his well-being. "Lets get him up off the floor back on the bed... ready. Nice and slow, he's still getting adjusted. Head racing through a thousand things." The two girls lifted him, with his arms slung over their shoulders, he was unsuspectingly heavy for Bubblegum, she managed on her side. It didn't help that he was incapable of walking in sync with their steps, instead they both dragged him, boots getting hitched and bumped along the outlined indents of the bricked flooring, to the royal-purple bed.
At the bedside they turned facing away in order to sit down, dragging Finn down along with them. They let his arms free, not expecting him to be so loose, he fell backwards, sinking into the covers.
His body felt too heavy, not worth wasting the effort to move it, allowing himself to succumb to the beds comforts, all his body wished to do was rest, feeling as though he ran a marathon around the Fire Kingdom.
Bubblegum rallied against it. "Finn I know you want to rest, but you have to get up." He mumbled back in a dazed protest; not even knowing rightly himself what he said, he just argued with animalistic noises.
"Should we just let him sleep a little more, he's been through more than allot." Marceline defended his primal needs.
"I would let him, but he has been like this far too long now. He needs more nutrients, exercise and junk, otherwise he won't get any better." Marceline couldn't argue with that, she knew it had already been far too long.
Bubblegum shuffled his leg next to her to and fro, grabbing his attention ever so slightly, mostly it just relaxed him ever more. "Finn come on, you have to get up now. I promise you can have all the rest you want later when we get home to Ooo."
He mumbled through his cheeks once again in a unscripted argument.
Marceline fell back down beside him, she wanted to clamp his nose, tickle and toy with him with playful torture until he obeyed Bubblegums orders. Though being so direct so soon probably wasn't such a great idea. Instead she approached much more delicately, saving those other ideas for later. Gently turning his face towards hers. "C'mon hero, get up, for me." Hearing her purposely sweet tone of voice in such close proximity lit him up allot more.
Again it took him a second to recognise her dim-lit skin amidst the surroundings. "Marceline..." His voice breached his lips, meaning to sound more excited.
His voice sounded haggard, deprived of something. "Yes, is everything all right? Do you need something?" She rose to attention like a devote bodyguard awaiting an order. Bubblegum felt she was still acting overly cautious, protective. It especially weirded her out to see the Vampire Queen, the woman who once had her hands around her throat, acting all snuggly towards another living being.
"...Is it... over?" He worryingly clung to the sheets in wait of her answer.
She puffed in relief, a smile back on her face. Holding his face still, hands cupping both cheeks, (again she fought against jiggling them) approaching forward to kiss him softly, then tilting her head towards his ear, whispering with a light giggle of joy, "Yes... it's all over. We did it – you did it."
All the tension Finn held in his body dropped loose to the point where Marceline was almost holding him up, the news breathed new life into him. He sat up groggily still, with Marceline joining. Bubblegum already off the bed while the two had their moment as she watched feeling like the third wheel. Finn noticed, and thought to question, "Where's Jake?"
"Don't worry, his on the other room with Hunson. He'll be relieved to see you finally up." Bubblegum reassured. Hunson, that name didn't comfort him all too much.
"How long exactly have I been out?" He wondered.
"Um- eleven days..." He seemed surprised, as she expected him to be. "I know that might seem... a little off to you. Hell it probably only felt like a long dream I bet."
'You could say that' he thought to himself. Taking a second to process it all in, Marceline comforted him with her arm around his back leaning in. "You okay?" She hated showing herself like this in front of company, like Bubblegum she had a reputation to uphold. She couldn't help but follow her instincts, managing to shrug off Bubblegums presence and peering eyes this once.
"Yeah, I'm okay." He shook out of his reminiscence and perked himself up a bit, he knew that chapter of his life was closed now, and had to move on as soon as possible. "I am starving though."
"Well that's on cue; don't worry we will have that covered in the next ten minuets or so." Bubblegum informed, walking across to the door. "Shall we go see the other two?"
Marceline got off the bed, extending her hand down to him. Finn looked up and smiled, ready to get back in action he took her gesture in hand and lifted himself from the bed. They exited the room at a slow steady pace, Finn walking with a small limp after being bed-bound for so long; with a short walk down-hall into another. As she opened the door Bubblegum announced, "Guess who's back?" swinging it fourth, fully open to reveal Finn still hand in hand with Marceline.
"FINN!" Jake jumped up from his seat, breaking away from the intense card game the two were having, he ran over to collide his arms around him, before Finn quickly heeded, "Whoa! Steady down there, I'm still a bit ti-umph!-" Regardless Jake flung his arms around his brother, only taking the caution into a small consideration.
"So you feeling good?" Jake wondered.
"Yeah, feeling much better, thanks." Finn breathed out through Jakes squeezing.
Jake at last let go of Finn to let them actually enter the room. Hunson looked over the rear of his armchair, "Oh hey, looking good kiddo." Finn didn't feel entirely welcoming to Hunson's presence, he understood why Hunson did what he did, and tried moving on past that, still, it was hard to just drop everything so suddenly. He did overall have a mutual understanding that Hunson is likely the reason he's standing right now.
"So back in the land of the living-"
"Dad!" Marceline barked over to stop him, too late.
"Oh yeah, sorry slip of the tongue." Hunson tried to excuse his blunder.
"What's he mean 'back'? So I did die?" Finn stood, looking at them in question.
Hunson intervened, "Yeah that whole vampirism thing my daughter gave you, ended up saving your life. I thought he tasted a bit off. Tangy.. Ugheh..." He retched, trying to disguise it as something else. Marceline brought her hand up to hide her face, ashamed, pondering how she managed to come from that, shaking her head at her fathers indecency.
"Well... now you're aware. I didn't really want you finding that out, at least not so soon." She gave a sour look at Hunson, who smiled childishly back for his mishap of words.
"Wait - so you guys know?" He turned to Jake and Bubblegum, "You know that I'm a vampire?"
"We found out soon after that whole ordeal was over." Bubblegum spoke for the both of them, with Jake nodding his head in agreement.
"-You're not mad?" He asked meekly.
"Daw Finn, come here." Jake stretched his arms around him from where he stood, reeling himself in for a hug. "Of course we're not mad at you, how could we be?" Finn pushed away from him slightly to talk face-to-face.
"You're not mad at Marceline either. You have to understand-"
"Bro, you're worrying too much, no worries needed. She saved you're life – twice. How could we be mad at one of you.?"
"Right, well now that this reunion is finished, shall we all get ready to eat? I can't let my daughter and her guests leave on empty stomachs." Hunson stood from his chair, folding his cards, tidying the creases from his suit. "Come-come this way to the dining hall." He hand signalled them to flock and follow as he walked past through the open door back into the halls.
Hunson wasn't feeling so great, he did a good job hiding the fact. He felt a bit dizzy 'strange' he thought. 'Maybe I got up too fast - nah probably just the drink.' He didn't fool himself, this wasn't the first time, this was happening more often recently: the sudden feeling which could best be described as loosing himself, as if every time he took another step he was leaving part of himself behind, trimming away at his being.
He didn't want to make a scene with his daughter and guest at his heels, he wore his poker-face even though they could only see the back of his head, focussing only on his walking and where they were going. 'It'll pass soon, like all the others.' he guaranteed to himself, tolerating it hopefully a little longer.
'...Hh..unson...' A slight wave of disorientation, too caught up in his own thinking, he stumbled to a stop and turned to look back at them. "Mmn, yes?" His eyes jumped between the three of them, he wasn't sure who in particular called him. Apparently no one when Marceline addressed to him, "Dad, what's the matter? None of us said anything."
It was just his imagination, yet it seemed so real, he was sure the sound of his name being called came from behind. "...Oh – sorry; I thought I heard... Must be me getting old." He shrugged off his mishearing as common error and moved on.
They arrived at the dining room moments later, it was suitably situated at the very end of the lengthy passage; the room was extensive and prestigious enough to be fitted with a reasonably sized double arched-wooden doors. Hunson swung the doors open inward, unveiling the room inside. Upon first glance it was easily distinguishable that this was among the most well kept rooms of his aged fortress; either most of the furniture was new, or highly maintained. He stood a moment before proceeding inwards, glancing through the room almost proudly, while judging it accordingly to spot any errors his servants could've possible made among set-up. It was clear that this was one of his most sentimental areas.
A single large dining-table - dark, almost burnt-black wood, polished and treated with strokes and stripes of patternless ember red with long royal purple tablecloth outstretched upon its top - at the rooms centre. Closely matching the walls length, the table averaged about four meters with the room being close to six, allowing a substantial amount of leeway to move around the tables ends and chairs. The room was small compared to, say, the Candy castles dining hall, though this particular dining room wasn't meant for parties or royal dinners, it was far more enclosed, personal.
On top the praised table were sets of pre-laid dining equipment: polished steel (opposed to silver) plates, goblets, dessert bowls and cutlery. Along with small candelabras, three in total, placed along the middle of the table. Above hung another three chandeliers which emitted most of the rooms general lighting.
"Right, come along." He strolled inside to the other end of the room at his favoured chair, none of the chairs were indifferent, Hunson did take preference however to the furthermost one at the very end of the table. "Choose a seat – preferably close to each other, don't want to be shouting across now do we." Marceline and Finn both sat on one side (Marceline on the corner between her father and Finn) with Jake and Bubblegum on their opposite.
"I hope y'all enjoy steak as well as I do. Don't worry Finn, I got you and Marcy covered, I told the chef to make it extra rare, the way she's liked it since a kid." He said delightfully, with his fingers interlocked on the table in wait for the food to be served.
Marceline nudged him in the side to turn his attention. "If you thought just the general colour red tasted good, then you'll adore the taste of this, it's down to getting the quality and texture right." She assured.
Over on Jake and Bubblegums side of the table, keeping his tone down and looking inconspicuously ahead as Marceline talked, "So do you think he and her... well, you know – tier-"
"Hush!" She burst quietly at the corner of her mouth, shunting the side of his leg with the back of her hand, having no time for such gossip. At least not now sitting besides her demon parent.
"Ow - okay." He obliged.
"-I'm sure I will." Finn agreed. "Right now I could eat anything, I'm starved."
"Not long now, they should have it ready any minuet. I told them to be of haste, I know how you vampire kids get when you are hungry." Hunson apprised. He turned to the princess, not finding much time to talk with her stay here, even though she had been here for little over a week. Bubblegum was always busy keeping check on Finn with Marceline, while Hunson had other business to attend. He questioned, "So you are a being of royal stature, hmm?"
Caught of guard by his inquiry, however she welcomed it, "Ah-um, well yes. I'm not sure if my title has ventured this far so I guess proper introductions are accorded. I am Princess Bubblegum, ruler of the Candy kingdom at your service." She stood from her seat the perform a short curtsy in his wake before sitting back down again.
"Ah, I thought you looked familiar. Yes, the pink squishy gum princess – Marceline has told me much about you on past visits."
Bubblegum tone lowered, "Has she really?..." Interjecting disapproval to her response. Cocking her head enough to glimpse Marceline in the corner of her view grinning bashfully, not expecting her father to blurt out their confidential conversations. She wondered what exactly Marceline told him of herself, she held of from asking that now, in fact her questioning would preferably be more directed to Marceline on her own.
Hunson saw the clash between them, he pivoted on to a knew topic. "I'm sure you are wondering why my dining hall is such a small size compared to what you likely have at your castle."
"The thought did cross my mind." Admittedly.
"I had it built for my wife – well before she was my wife. When we were dating, testing the waters; I wanted to impress her over diner, so I summoned this room for us two." Hunson's set of servants begun bringing in their meals on platers and dishes. They took off the lid uncovering the steaks – with Marceline and Finn's extra rare left exclusively on the side away from the further cooked ones.
Amongst the showcase of the diner, half a dozen other side dishes of some noticeable foods from Ooo, and other more native to the Night-O-sphere.
"That's quite.. romantic." The Hunson Abadeer she had heard of in legends, she'd never have expected him to be so charming.
"I do try, Mrs Bonnibel. Mmmm, shade pepper's. You gotta try these with steak, mmn. Marcy never like them as a youngster, she'd always want the red ones instead, said they were 'too black and tasteless', I assure you they're fantastic."
"Because you always made me eat them and they were always shrivelled and gross." His daughter retorted.
He offered her over the dish. "Um, thank you." Marceline must have mentioned her first name in their conversations, she didn't mind though, Hunson calling her by her first, in fact she approved of it. "Oh, and I'm not married, you can just call me Bonnie." She added.
"Hmhm," He mumbled a laugh with his mouth currently full before swallowing. "Even better..." He smiled devilishly to himself.
"You never let us call you 'Bonnie'." Jake mentioned, oblivious to the inexplicit flirts.
"Jake please, this is a formal occasion." She muttered back to him.
Marceline, catching on to her fathers intentions, "Ew, Glob dad, no!"
"What? I'm just having a simple conversation over diner. You're the one who told me to get out more, meet knew people."
"Marceline it's quite all right." Bubblegum added in his defence.
"Yeah, I said meet new people, not one of my friends. Besides the age difference is... ugh!"
"I could say the same about you two." He darted a finger back and forth between her and Finn, he grinned, knowing he had her at that.
"But that's... we at least look the same age physically."
"Aw c'mon, I'm not too far off, wouldn't you agree, Bonnie?" Waggling his eyebrows. The princess was speechless, and did a bad job at hiding her blush.
"Dad, No." She stated with finality.
"Fine. We'll talk more later in private princess..." He left his endeavour for now. Bubblegum – red-faced, lowered her head down to her plate, swatting some of her fringe down to help cover the coy smirk stapled to her face. Marceline hawked her eyes at the both of them, rolling her eyes up at Bubblegums expression.
Hunson taking another mouthful of his scrumptious food, '...Y... ou.. r... t.. ei-m...i..z.. uph...' Hunson choked, experiencing the wave of dizziness again come over him.
"Are you all right?" Bubblegum was quick to the question.
"I told you those peppers were no good." She expressed self-righteously.
"I'm-cough.. I'm fine." He cleared his throat. "Excuse me for a moment, I'm just going to get some water."
He left the table heading towards the kitchen, keeping his composure together while still in the room; he didn't want them to worry, he felt dreadful. Entering the kitchen, he threw himself at the door to open it, staggering over to the closest sink, splashing water upon his face to recollect himself. A servant walked up from behind, "Are you all right my lord?" He asked in a sore reptilian voice.
"Gugh... umn-yes... yes Gremmeck, I'll be fine in a seco..."
'...Mine.Mine.Mine!...'
"...Ugh!" Hunson fell nauseous against the sink.
"My lord, you don't look too well, maybe you should rest." Gremmeck advised, not being too pushy about it, knowing what his lord could do if angered.
Hunson took a second in order to control his breathing before he spoke to get his message out clearly. "G-Gremmeck, I need you.. to... tooo..." He slurred off his words for a second before realising, "Gah! To escort my daughter and her friends to the portal. If they ask, tell them I've got something important to do."
"Yes my lord." The demon servant complied. He knew not to ask his lord's intentions.
'Hehehe... Hunson...' A muttering, soft yet intimidating, like a wisp inside his skull, bringing a comprehension of demise at each syllable. '...You know what this is. What's about to happen. Don't you? I could smell your worry from the start. After so long, looks like I win, my friend.'
"Not you... No! I won't let you-"
'Oh but you already have. Let me remind you: there is one thing you knew never to do, Ever. You let me in. You gave me the key to your body and soul and realm – all for your precious brat demon spawn. You're a pathetic joke! Letting emotions get in the way. Growing soft. Now I'm just taking what you have given to me. Don't threat – you won't be losing much, in fact you should thank me, I'll be taking on your burden: a forgotten squabble of a realm. A disobedient, disease filled runt of a daughter. The eternal binding to the Chaos amulet. I'm freeing you Hunson, don't you see? Stop being so stubborn and open your foolish eyes!'
Marceline stomped through the kitchen door making her presence known. "Dad, what's up? One of your minions just told us you want us gone, that you had- um... uh-are you feeling okay.?"
'Ah, speaking of the pest...' The Lich's voice began to settle in Hunsons head, he was slowly migrating comfortably into his new habitat.
"...Mmugh, sorry sweetie. Just not feeling too peachy; didn't want to worry you." He talked with strain he tried to cover up in his voice.
"Well then we shouldn't go. We should stay until you feel better."
"Guhah! L-look darling, it'd just be better if- ughh-" Hearing the second voice over made it too hard to focus, breakig up his speech.
'Oh Hunson, you'll always be her little thrall. Here, relax, let me persuade her...'
"No!" Shouting like a madman to those unknowing. He could feel it beginning, the numbness and sharp pain of his body being taken, it was as if walls were closing in around him, restricting him. He kept warding it at bay for now, he had to get Marceline out of here first before he'd let the Lich take what it wanted.
Marceline was far past concerned now. She went to go over to calm him down, till he objected, "No, Marceline... Guh! P-please stay away from me..." As pathetic as it sounds, it was more than a challenge to focus on standing and talking at the same time.
She ignored his order, "Stop being so stubborn, you don't know what you are saying. You're not looking too good, Bonnie can help you." Supporting his mild weight on her shoulder, bringing him back to his feet and heading back to the dining room. As infinitely strong he is, could easily overpower his daughter, he was too paralysed trying to fight for control of his own being.
Shoving open the doors with her other shoulder, "Bonnie, help me out here..." She dragged him into the room planning to rest him in his seat before he fell limp from her grip onto the floor.
The princess sprung from her seat. "What's wrong with him?"
"I don't know, he just said he wasn't feeling too good."
Bubblegum crouched down next to them, "Help me get this off him." Marcline lifted her fathers back off the floor whilst Bubblegum freed him from the heated confines of his blazer and tore open his buttoned vest and shirt. She laid him back down with his head cushioned on his folded upper suit, he continued to moan winded breathes.
"Does your dad have any conditions or illnesses?" She directed at Marceline.
"No, his never been sick since - well since I can remember. He could always make himself better here." Saying that out-loud only worried her more, she'd never seen him in such a vulnerable state. Finn and Jake stood at bay, waiting on either of the girls to order something to fetch as they wouldn't be any use on the medical side of things.
Hunson began to fill the same dreaded sensation Finn withstood for so long, it was happening whether he fought it or not, he knew this. He looked up staring sincerely into her eyes, trembling his hand into hers, trying his best the push back the agony, mask over it for a few precious seconds to say his final words. "Marcy... I need you to listen to me- umff... very carefully. You know I love you, and I don't want you to start thinking any of this was your fault."
This wasn't sounding right, she could see he was afraid of something, this had never been her fathers attitude, he'd always find some way to smile even in the darkest times. "Dad?" Was all her brittle voice shook out, now grasping how sinister this was becoming.
"Shhh-shhh, c'mere honey, please, cough, don't cry, you've always been my brave little girl." Hunson reached up to pull her down with little strength he had left to hold her tightly one last time in his arms. He murmured beside her ear, "Hehe, cough. We never did this whole fatherly-daughter thing enough, I'm so... ugh! So sorry I was hardly around for you, I should have made more time..." His speech trailed off.
"D-dad, please. Please don't t-talk like that... Make a lame joke or-or something. Or-or tell me what's wrong. Bonnie can make you better, right?" She look up at the princess for reassurance, only to receive a hauntingly rare-baffled expression that sunk down into her chest and chilled her nerves.
He placed a kiss on her cheek before lifting her away to talk with her as he felt his end rapidly approaching. "Sweetie... sweetie look. Promise me... promise your dad that if I can't – can't stop him from getting what he wants... you understand what you have to do right?... It won't be me any more... Agh-gah! He might try and twist my words, it won't really be me! You know what need to be done... okay?"
"Who? Dad? What's happening to you!" She almost wanted to shake the answers out of him due to frustration and desperation, feeling like right now there was nothing she could do but watch.
"Ugh-No-ghah! This is it... I can't... he's coming... run." Hunson dropped limp, his heavy pain filled breath came to a stop.
"Dad?..." She grabbed his forearm and shook, trying to elicit some response. "No... no-no-no! Dad! Please don't-" Sobbing cut through her words.
Finn comforted her placing his grip on her shoulders, carefully attempting to ease her away from her lost father. Noticing his intentions, she resistantly pulled back to be beside him. "No! In need to be with him, he's not dead, he can't die. He's just..." She didn't know what words to say even to convince herself.
Finn squatted beside her. "You may be right, but you should give Bubblegum some space to check on him. Besides you shouldn't have to see this."
"I should! I should stay right next to him; what if he wakes up and I'm not there?"
"...I just think you shouldn't watch... in case..." He dodged around being upfront saying it, "...He'll be fine in Bubblegums care. We should head next-door, wait for things to settle down."
"How can I 'settle down' knowing he's in here like this?" She stood to confront him.
"...Marcy..." Finn went on to reason with her; Bubblegum grabbed both their attention, "Marceline! He's responding, breathing a bit erratic but I think he's okay now. Maybe he had a panic attack?"
"Dad!" She skidded down beside Hunson once again. "I thought I lost you." She awaited patiently for his response.
"Cough, ah-hehe." A strange pause, he appeared to be amused."Don't worry, you'll never be able to get rid of me." His eyes blinked open. A sickening set of familiar green irises amongst the backdrop of shrouded black eyeballs stared up at her to see her relieved excitement crumble to horror and disbelief. It was one atrocity after another, it surely couldn't be real; what omnipotent being did she oppose to deserve this? For a second Marceline contemplated whether this was a hallucination due to over taxed stress of her father's state. It became evident in the tone of the room this was no play of the mind.
"Marceline get back!" Finn yelled, his hand grasped for his commonly holstered weapon at his back only to close on a handful of air. He was unarmed, left to wonder where they kept his sword, how he was going to defend himself, defend them?
"No, darling..." The Lich reinvigorating himself in this new form grabbed her wrist before she could process the events unfolding, sparking a flame between his palm and her skin, "Stay with me – your father. Keep me company, wont you?" He trifled. The pain only just hit her, senses off guard. Jake, fists at the the ready made clean contact across the Lich's lower jaw with enough force to launch the possessed along the floor with Marceline out of his reach.
He lumbered to his feet, rubbing his sore cheek, "Ah-I missed you too, mutt-" Giving him a wide smirk; spotting Bubblegum taking refuge behind the irregularly fisted dog with her deprivation of equipment, "-and you too, pink pile of mutated mucus. Why so apprehensive? I wasn't going to hurt you, yet." He remarked.
Finn grabbed Marceline by her shoulders now with the Lich some distance away, getting her to move whether she cooperated or not, though her stubborn body sat still in place with him hardly even getting her to nudge. "Marcy please we have to go!"
It was happening again, she thought this was all buried in the past. Yet again the past came back to haunt her, hurting the ones she loved. A cruel cycle she became more acquainted with than any over being, far more than she could tolerate. A cruel cycle stalking her shadow far too long, she had enough. She tensed up her fist. Those words were the last thing she wanted to hear from Finn. "I'm not leaving. That's my father he has! That monster is going to die right now!"
Quicker to the words before Finn, the Lich chimed, "Not any more, Hunson's gone. His flesh. His realm. His power. All mine! Your father – on a literal sense, made the biggest mistake of his life. Truth be told, I would have taken him far earlier; discovering the boy was going to live however, I remained patient, I couldn't let him miss out on this momentous occasion."
She stood, enough with the infuriating idle chit-chat, "Every second you speak is a sickening waste of valuable air!" Marceline wanted this vermin out of her life once and for all with her father back. She utilised her swelling anger to her benefit, preparing to undergo her transformation into her beastly persona. Finn grabbed her around the waist midway. "Jake grab her!" He called out for assistance.
"Let go of me!" Trying to swat Finn away so she could complete her reform. Jake managed to restrict her before she grew too strong for either of them. He dragged her with haste towards the exit of the room into the halls.
"Fight you cowards! Come back here and hit me! Indulge in your anger!" The Lich snarled to evoke them into coming back as he pursued behind.
It was hard to keep a safe distance between them running through the halls, being that Marceline was opposing them in order to run in the opposite direction, trying to struggle and stall them at every turn. With the Lich's constant chants and accusations of their cowardice as they ran only made Jake want to turn back and shut him up as much as she did. He knew himself alone, even with Marceline at his side, or the whole group even, he would be no match for the Lich in Hunson's form, only a mere insignificance. He did as he was told and ran with Marceline tangled up as tight as possible, this was for her own good.
"What's the plan now?" Jake yelled through orchestra of panting and clapping footsteps.
"There is No plan! We fight or we die! Now let me go!" Marceline continued to defy against them to fulfil her short-sighted needs.
"Marcy we can still save your dad, not like this. Not only will it get us killed here and now but we will forfeit Hunson to him. We need to escape back to Ooo, to the Candy Kingdom castle and actually make a proper plan to end this. Facing him now would be us giving up; that's what he wants." Finn tried once more to talk sense into her.
Marceline took a moment, her instinct and reasoning conflicting. She had to trust him, it was all she had left. "...I know where to get us out." She tried hard to tell herself upon saying that she was not giving up, though it sure felt like it.
Pointing out the way down the maze of corridors and rooms, the Lich still on their heels Marceline suddenly announced, "In here." they bashed through the door into the room slamming it shut behind them. Jake further blockaded it with any and all miscellaneous furniture laying around. Before long the Lich begun tearing it down from the outside in a berserk thrilling laughter.
"You can't hide in there forever! Why wallow in fear in your final moments? Just let this happen; I'll promise to be quick..." Little did he know the castles infrastructure, there was a portal gate on the other side.
"Let's not stand around." Bubblegum spoke before diving through first, she had no intentions of waiting for him to bust in. Jake followed second, Finn went to go next holding onto Marceline's hand. He stopped hard in his steps, the tension of his arm almost pulling him over backwards as Marceline didn't move, staring at the vibrating door. "Marcy hurry, he'll get in any second now, we have to go!"
She didn't look at him directly, knowing her deceit. "...Finn, you have to go, I'm staying."
His body shattered upon hearing. "W-what are talking about? Y-you can't-" The rest came out as suppressed muffles below her hand over his mouth. This was already hard enough for her, she didn't need reminding the odds were vastly outweighed from her favour. But she couldn't just take off. An acute smile on her trembling lips and a single tear she tried to hold back escaping the eyelid and made it's way down her cheek. "I have to save him." Meekly spoken, afraid, "If I... don't make it, you'll still be here; my little ace in the hole." She chuckled, a small hint of happiness cracking through her dastardly looming horizon.
She tugged him closer, lifting her hand from his waiting mouth to speak some sense into her. Before he got any of his words out it was covered again as she bound them into kiss. Trying to make it hasty while savouring every last second she could before bringing herself to stop and pull away, hearing the Lich's attempts to break in becoming more fierce and impatient.
She turned back to Finn, him still catching his breath. "I love you..." She pecked him one last time holding onto the collar almost supporting the entirety of his weight.
It was no use. He couldn't take it any longer, giving up trying to convince her, he chose to stand beside her facing almost certain death instead. He finally found an opening to speak, "I'll stay! I'll stay with you! We'll fight him togeth-" A shove to the chest, gusting out the air for his vocals. Before he knew it he was pushed into the maw of the portal, his hand tried to grab out and grasped hers or anything for that matter; he was already too far deep inside the swirling interdimensional tube, out of reach. The portal swallowed him through. Marceline collapsed the opening on her end, cutting out his echoing shouts of her name.
Meep...