I've been a little nervous about this fanfic, 'cause I'm writing off of episodes instead of how I normally write. But fanfiction is my stress reliever, so I hope you guys enjoy it regardless. Please review when you finish reading, I'd really like to hear what you think of it thus far :)
Chapter 3
"What do you think Prince Gumball wanted?" Fiona wondered aloud.
She rode on her cat's back as they headed toward the Candy Kingdom. Cake had stretched to a larger size and was striding over the trees with ease.
"I dunno. Whatever it is, it must be important," Cake said.
"Yeah, but I wish he would've told us what it was."
"Look! I can see the palace."
Beyond the tree line, Fiona glimpsed the bright pinks and whites of the Candy Kingdom. The buildings resembled gingerbread houses and large cupcakes. The Candy Kingdom had always been one of her favorite places to kill time. As Cake stretched over the high walls surrounding the city, many of the candy people hollered and waved. Fiona politely waved back, but it didn't deter them. They made their way to the tall palace in the center of the city. Fiona slid off Cake's back as the cat shrunk down to normal size. She knocked on the door.
The large doors opened with a creak, a short peppermint woman standing in the opening. "Welcome, Fiona," Peppermint Maid said.
Fiona smiled. "Hey! Where's Prince Gumball?"
"Come right in. He's waiting for you."
Cake and Fiona stepped inside and Peppermint Maid closed the doors behind them. She led them down the long corridors to the reception hall.
"Did Gumball tell you why he wanted to see us?" Fiona asked.
"No. He wouldn't say." Peppermint Maid stopped before a pair of large doors and knocked. "Sire, Fiona and Cake have arrived."
"Splendid!" Prince Gumball's muffled voice came the other side of the door. "Send them in."
Peppermint Maid opened the door for them. As Cake and Fiona entered, she closed the door behind them. Inside the room was fairly empty. An old chest that stood against the far wall had been opened and a number of odd objects lay spread across the table beside it. Prince Gumball, dressed in his usual pink and purple clothes, paced back and forth relentlessly.
"Fiona, Cake! Thank you for coming," he said with a smile.
Fiona adjusted the weight of her backpack. "Sure. No problem. What didja want to see us for?"
"The other day, when you rescued me from that horrible snow monster," he said, approaching her. "It hit me like a snowball made of ice!"
She blinked. "Yeah mean an iceball?"
Cake snickered.
"Yes! It hit me like an iceball! Fiona, I've never known someone as brave as you. And then the thought occurred to me." He strode to the table and picked up a small glass sphere. He brought it over to her and lifted the object up so she could see. An old leather-bound book floated beneath the glass surface. "See this book? It's called the Enchirideon. It's meant only for heroes who's hearts are righteous! And I thought, who's heart could be more righteous than Fiona's?"
Fiona's eyes lit up. "Woah!"
"The book lies at the top of Mount Cragdor guarded by a manly minotaur. It's waiting for a truly righteous hero to claim it."
"That sounds awesome!" Fiona shouted excitedly.
"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin', baby?" Cake said.
"Heck yeah, I am! Come on, Cake, let's go!"
"You don't need to tell me twice!"
Cake stretched out the window, Fiona leaping onto her back. Prince Gumball leaned out the open window as they started off toward Mount Cragdor. "Farewell! Good luck, Fiona the human!"
V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V*
As they drew closer to the mountain, the sun was just beginning to set. Mount Cragdor was covered in a thick forest, and surrounded by a high wall with a single gate. Just the sight of the mighty mountain sent chills of anticipation coursing through Fiona's body. She was itching with excitement! Down below she glimpsed a short man standing beside the gate. Cake stretched down to the bridge leading to the doors. Apart from the enormous keyhole, the gate was very plain. The man wore simple robes and a large key-shaped hat. A smaller key dangled from a chain that hung around his neck.
"Greetings young heroes to be," the man said as they approached. "This mountain is called Cragdor. Its purpose is twofold—to protect the Enchirideon and to test the hearts of those who seek to possess it."
"All right!" Fiona was pumped and ready to go.
The old man kept rambling on. "Many noble challengers have entered in attempts to pass the grueling trials that lie behind these walls, but no one has ever left here alive or dead! Only the truest most worthy hero can receive the hero's Enchirideon and walk out these doors again." Fiona and Cake glanced at each other. The little guy sure loved to talk. "If it is you, friend, oh-oh! And I cannot say that I am certain, but you are verily thee welcome to try! However! First you must pass my riddle: My name is Keeper. And dually so, for I carry the key to this door, but all is not how it appears, you see. Or perhaps you don't see at all. Oh-ho-ho-ho! Perhaps! The key is in you, child, but you cannot use your brawn here." Fiona picked up the short man, but he just kept rambling. "The door is magically sealed!" She shoved his head into the keyhole and turned him. There was a loud click. "Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho!" She set him back down again and the gates swung open. "You've unlocked the riddle of the door! Ha ha! Brilliantly done, child!"
Fiona and Cake high-fived each other.
"Not bad, girl," Cake said.
"Please," the Keeper said. "Reveal to me how you unraveled my clue."
Fiona shrugged. "I just thought you might shut up if I shoved your head in the lock."
The man's shoulders slumped slightly. "Oh yes. That's how most people get in."
The two started in, headed down the path leading deep into the forest. Fiona waved back at him. "See you later!"
"You've passed the first trial, young heroes, but prepare yourselves!" he shouted after them as the gates began to close. "For there are many trials ahead of you! And each trial is more treacherous than the last!"
The sun slowly set as they made their way deeper into the forest. The trees grew close together, casting crooked shadows across the path. It felt dark and oppressive. Fiona kept glancing around, prepared for any kind of monsters that might be lurking, waiting to attack.
"So where do you think the book is?" she asked.
"I bet it's up there in that old castle." Cake pointed to an ancient castle high on the mountainside. Many of its spires and towers were crumbling. "Stuff like that always ends up in the creepy old castles."
A dark laugh emanated from the forest, accompanied by screams of terror. Shrill voices cried for help. Fiona froze. Someone was in danger! She glanced around, trying to locate the source of the voices. She darted off in the direction of the noise, Cake not far behind.
"Fiona! Where are you going?!"
"Someone's in danger!" she shouted over her shoulder.
"What about the book?"
"It can wait! First we gotta save whoever it is that's in trouble!"
She leaped over bushes and ploughed through thick foliage. Fiona made her way deep into the forest, all the while the voices growing louder and louder. She pushed aside a low hanging branch. In the clearing was a familiar figure. A teenager in jeans and red and black checkered shirt floated in front of her. A group of pixies flitted about, screaming for help. He snapped his fingers and a group of them froze in place. He caught another by its wings.
"Marshall Lee?" Fiona stepped out of the bushes.
He turned around. "Oh, hey Fiona." He grinned.
Cake stared at him, astonished. "Marshall?! I thought I staked you! Shouldn't you be dead?"
"What, me?" He laughed. "Like you could actually kill me—the Vampire King!"
"What are you doing?!" Fiona asked, annoyed. "Stop picking on those pixies! I thought you were just saying that stuff to mess with my head?"
"What? You mean the other night?" He turned his attention again to the pixies. "I like to come here and mess around. This forest is full of evil stuff, like pixies."
"Pixies aren't evil!" she persisted.
"Oh yeah?" Marshall floated over beside her. "You think so? Watch." He snapped his fingers and the pixies instantly began flitting about.
"We're free! We're free!" they cried.
Fiona put her hands on her hips. "See?"
"Wait for it." He folded his arms.
The pixies darted about, innocently at first. But then they started using magic to uproot plants and burn trees. One of the pixies darted toward Fiona and tugged on her hair.
"Ow! Cut it out!"
Cake hissed, swiping it at the annoying little sprites.
Marshall laughed. "See? I told you." He snapped his fingers and the pixies instantly froze. Fiona slapped the pixie away from her. Cake caught it and batted it between her paws. "So, what's a Goody-two-shoes like you doing here?"
"We're on a mission from Prince Gumball," Cake said.
"What? You're running errands for Gumbutt?"
Fiona blushed, slightly embarrassed. "Well, I wouldn't say errands. We're here to find the hero's handbook—the Enchirideon! And it's somewhere on the top of Mount Cragdor."
"The Enchirideon, huh?" he arched an eyebrow. "Sounds interesting."
Marshall grabbed Fiona's arms and took off into the sky. Cake shouted her name, stretching after her. Fiona squirmed in his grasp, but he held her fast. They flew over the forest, headed straight for the mountaintop.
"Marshall, what gives?!" she cried.
He laughed. "Calm down, doll face! I thought it sounded interesting, so I thought I'd give ya a hand. Problem with that?"
"Oh. Uh, I guess not."
He flew her up to one of the upper balconies. Marshall set her down gently and landed beside her. Cake stretched up to the balcony and shrunk down to her normal size. The balcony door stood open, leading deep into the castle. Up close it looked more rundown than Fiona originally thought.
"Since you come here a lot, do you have any idea where the book is?" Fiona asked, glancing at Marshall.
"Yeah. It's inside, guarded by the Dead King." He point down the dark hall.
"Alright! Let's go!"
Fiona raced inside. The castle smelled rank of mold and decay. The deeper they delved into the castle, the darker it became. There was no light at all. She stumbled as they walked down the dark hallway.
She groaned. "It's so dark! I can't see anything!"
"What're you talking about?" Marshall scoffed.
"I can see just fine," Cake said.
"Yeah, well, I don't have night vision eyes like you guys," she grumbled.
Marshall chuckled. "Calm down, girl. Just follow me." He grabbed her hand and led her though the winding halls. Fiona only stumbled a few more times, but had a considerably easier time thanks to his help. He finally stopped before a pair of large, rotting wooden doors. "The Dead King's in there."
Fiona pulled her chipped, yellow sword from her green backpack. "I'm so ready for this!" She kicked in the door. Her eyes widened. The reception hall was long and dimly lit with flickering torches. A long and tattered, moth-eaten carpet stretched from the door all the way to the crumbling throne at the end of the room. Bones and rocks littered the floor. Parts of the ceiling had caved in and there were holes in the walls. "Woah!" An eerie mist emanated from the end of the room. An evil laugh echoed in the empty room.
"Congratulations, hero," a dark, crackling voice said. A shadowy figure emerged from the mist. A thin person wearing tattered, gray robes appeared. Red eyes glowed beneath his hood. He pointed at her with a bony, crooked hand. "You must be truly righteous to have made it this far."
"Who're you?!" Fiona shouted.
"He's the Dead King, duh," Marshall said.
"Now, enter my domain!" The Dead King's voice echoed. "And receive your final trial!"
Her head started to feel fuzzy. Fiona's vision swam in and out of focus and her mind went numb. Darkness swirled in around her and soon everything disappeared from sight. She found herself in a dark, empty room. A thin blanket of mist hid the ground from view. She glanced around, but there was nothing there. Cake and Marshall had vanished.
"Hello?" She called. "Hellooooooo! Where am I?"
"Welcome to my domain, human girl." The evil voice echoed in the darkness. "Now, hero. For your last trial, SLAY THIS BEAST!"
The ground shook as an enormous monster landed behind her. Its body was coils of interweaving fleshy strings, as if they were intestines. It coiled around to form one large monster, thin legs protruding from its base. One arm was all bone, wrapped in a thick shroud of magic. The other was bulging and muscular. It kind of reminded her of the spaghetti monster Cake had told her about. Sword in hand, Fiona rushed into action. The beast swung its muscled arm, but she ducked beneath it. The creature lashed out at her repeatedly. She managed to avoid its attacks and sneak behind it. Fiona drove her sword into its back. The beast let out an unearthly wail and it seemed to collapse in on itself. Fiona pulled her sword from the goopy mess left behind.
"Very good, child. You have done well," the voice said.
"Thanks."
"And now, as a reward for your great achievement, you shall be trapped here—forever!"
"What?!" she cried. "That's not what you promised! You're supposed to give me the Enchirideon!"
"Oh no, hero. I promised no such thing." He laughed cruelly.
Screaming in frustration, Fiona threw her sword in the direction of the voice. Suddenly there was an odd shriek. The darkness around her began to recede. Familiar scenery swirled around her and it felt as if she was being pulled forward. The reception room all came rushing back. The darkness had melted away, Cake and Marshall standing beside her. Before her was a pile of tattered, old robes, her sword sticking out of the heap.
"Fiona, thank goodness!" Cake sighed in relief. "That was amazing!"
"What?" She blinked, surprised. "What'd I do?"
"You killed the Dead King!" Cake cried, a big grin on her face.
Marshall floated toward her. "That was pretty math, Fiona."
"Really?" Fiona pulled the sword from the heap of rags. "I don't know how I did it, but that was cool!"
There was a deep rumbling laugh from the hallway behind him. "Congratulations, hero!" a deep voice bellowed. Fiona spun around, sword in hand. The clop of hooves echoed in the hall. A large, muscled minotaur appeared in the doorway, flexing his muscles as he walked. "Fiona, Cake! Glad you guys made it!"
"Are you another trial?" Fiona asked.
"What?" The minotaur shook his head. "No! No! I'm Manish Man, the minotaur!" He flexed his large, bulging muscles as he spoke.
Fiona gasped, her eyes sparkling with wonder. "The manly minotaur Prince Gumball told us about!"
"I believe you came here for this." Manish Man strode toward them, pulling a thick leather-bound book from his bag. He handed it to her. Fiona took it carefully, her eyes wide as she stared at the letters reading Enchirideon.
"Oh my glob! Look, Cake!" She held the book out for the cat to see. "The Enchirideon!"
"Woo, baby! I can't wait to read it!"
Marshall leaned over her shoulder. "So that's the Enchirideon, huh?"
"Yeah! Didja wanna read it with us?" Fiona asked.
He shrugged. "Nah. I just thought it'd be interesting to help you. I'm not interested in the book. Besides, it's the hero's handbook, right? I'm evil, remember?"
Fiona laughed. "Whatever, Marshall. You're not evil, I know it! But thanks for helping."
Marshall chuckled. "Whatever you say, doll face." He floated closer to her and smirked. "I'll see ya later."
Fiona watched him float out of the room. Despite what he said about being evil, she didn't buy it. He was a fun guy to hang around with, and she hoped she'd see him around more.
Chapter 4 will be up on Monday!