Chapter XXI, Old Heroes, Old Deals

The everlasting dunes shifted constantly, as Death stood idly, gazing right into the well before him. Inside, he saw numerous grains of sand, swirling around in a typical matter. It was a sight that would hardly keep anyone interested. Still, the lord of the dead couldn't be measured by human means of sanity. Not that it would matter what others thought about him. In the end, everyone will met him in person, sooner or later. And just as this pleasing notion appeared in his head, he sensed visitors. Guests in his kingdom, now that was a rare sight. Rare and curious one, since no one came here if he haven't had a business with the reaper himself. It would seem that this time it was a big, bulky man with a beard almost as long as his hair, that carried something. It was humane at some point in the past, now however, it looked like dying animal covered in rags more than anything else. Death appeared before the two and bowed down a little.

"Visitors in my home. Such a... rare sight. Come bearded one." He shrugged. "Many names you bear those days. Any reasons why Hogarth was inappropriate?"

"How do you know such things?" He seemed to be quite surprised. Perhaps he should figure out that the lord of the dead will not easily be deceived. "I thought..."

"I know all the names, that's the part of my job. Snip snap, eh? And I do know those that bring mayhem upon this world." He came closer and looked him in the eyes. "Such as yourself."

"Mayhem? No." The man shook his massive head. "I bring only justice in my way."

"Justice is such a great word." Death started to laugh. There was something bitter in his voice. "For me, it doesn't matter if you kill the good ones or if you kill the bad ones. You kill much however. You kill with passion. You kill with finesse." He shool his head, quite amused apparently. "And I love you for it."

As he moved his hands, sand started to pour around his skeletal frame. Such a curious being appeared before him. Such a useful tool. If he would only use it in the right direction, now that could bring him so much profit. So many ideas spanned in his empty, bone head. So many usages of a knight like the one that stood before him. And it was all within the reach of his hand.

"So..." He finally said. "...what do you desire, bearded one?"

"I need something from you."

"Everyone needs something. But when they need something from me, you know that means trouble. For someone." Death paused, almost like if he wanted to add some meaning to those words. "Speak up, speak up.".

"I need you to do something about him." He raised the wretched thing he hold in his hands so far. It seemed to breathe still, if only barely. "He. Must. Live."

"That thing? Didn't he seek death, in a way?" The skeleton chuckled. He loved situations like that. Those were the moments for which he lingered within this word. All about games and deals. "And you want that to live? Fascinating."

"That I do, yes... Death."

The skeleton almost began to laugh. He adored when he was in control of things. And now, the most powerful being in the land of Ooo stood before him. Will he result to begging, just to get what he needs? Will he gladly proclaim the atrocities that he will be tasked to do? Will he break? So many possibilities. So many choices. Once again he looked at the wretched thing. Despite the chaos it caused, there was nothing interesting in it. Not in the slightest. Monsters always bored him in a way. Too predictable. Too stale. They always kill in the most dull matter. No impact if you slay in large numbers. Impact is made, when you kill someone who's dear to others. Sentimental value always was the most important thing in the world.

"So, I see a being that should bite the dust for a while now." He nonchalantly flicked his hand. "So what?"

"So what? So what?!" His face got somewhat red. "You are Death! You can stop things from deceasing, right?"

"Temper." He clapped his hands and chuckled. "I don't do charity. To gain something from me, you have to give something in return, swordsman."

"And what would that be?"

"There are many ways I could toy with you, knighty."

Death began to circle around. The choices needed to be made. Obviously he will help him in his ways. He always did that. He needed to come up with something special however. Something so cunning that he will laugh at it for the rest of eternity. Something he'll remind himself about with each passing grain of sand.

"Perhaps, I should just tell you to kill as many as you can?" He nodded to himself. Yes, that notion was somewhat tempting. Still, with a prey like that, it would feel like a waste. "Perhaps, the picking between the innocent souls and that... thing you brought, would be a worthy show for me, eh, paladin?"

"Hardly a..."

"Or perhaps..." The dead one wouldn't let him finish. "...you should just bestow me in combat, how does that feel?"

"It would..."

"Fighting with Death." He chuckled. "Poetic matter, isn't it? It brings quite the excitement! To battle such as myself!"

"I..."

"But." The skeleton shook his head. "You strive for battle. I won't grant you that in which you excel at, swordfish. That would be giving you what you want. And I don't like that notion."

He pondered. And the more he did that, the more sand flew by. Suddenly, a sand storm began, covering everything with a thick wall of dust. The host simply stood, as the grains flew through his body. The man on the other hard tried to cover the wretched thing within his hands.

"Hear the murmurs of the dunes?!" Death finally shouted. "They whisper for your friend here! They want to claim him!"

"Then we have no time!"

"They call!" He began to laugh as he hardly listened to his words. "They want him amongst them! They want his end!"

From within the shifting sands, silhouettes began to appear. They looked almost real, yet their surface betrayed their nature. It hardly mattered however if were they real or not, as their faces screamed at him in agony. Each and every single one of them pointed at the little being he carried in his hands. He knew all too well what it meant. And just like that, they charged at him. With his one hand occupied, he began to bash on their loose bodies, as they felt apart with the impact he made. Their faces, twisted in pain were the last thing he wanted to see. Apparently the skeleton wanted to prove him his point. Shame he already knew what he's willing to do. He was a ferocious warrior. No sand being could struck him down. He bashed, smashed, pushed things away. But they just kept coming. No matter how many he slain, more came. And all of them shouted his name. His, and the name of the one he carried. Finally, the waves have stopped, as Death appeared before him. He apparently was quite happy with the show that the hero made.

"What makes him so important." He tapped his fingers. "He is what's wrong with your world. He's a twisted tumor of your place."

"I made a promise." He sighted. "And the one like myself cannot break a promise."

"Is your promise more important than the lives of innocent?"

"He was innocent too." He paused. "Once."

"You raise my curiosity. Even if I know the answers."

He placed his hand on the creature's forehead. The share suffering this gesture caused, made the abomination twitch around in spasm of pain, yet he didn't stopped. Not until he got all the answers he wanted from this hideous thing. He saw numerous things. Destruction of numerous beings, as they decayed within the creature's grasp. He saw cities that perished. He saw lives that ended. Affections that were shattered. Eventually, he let go.

"Very well. I cannot cure him."

"But you just said..."

"I cannot cure him." Death raised his finger and silenced him. "I don't cure things, knight." He snickered. "I kill them. However. I have a different deal to you."

"Which would be?"

"I will turn my sight from him. And for the time I won't be looking, no harm shall came into his way." His hands started to glow slightly with a black, thick flame. "And when your time will slowly come, hero. You will bring him here. Still, I wonder..."

"What?" He was slowly loosing his patience. "What else?!"

"I wonder what will happen when you will fail, swordsman." Once again, the skeleton began to circle around him. "What then? What will happen with your world?"

That made the man ponder. It was clear that before he came here, he thought greatly what should be the fate of this deranged being. It troubled him immensely. That's what made him a curious being. Whatever he will chose, he will loose. Whatever he will pick, he will be doomed.

"I won't fail. "

"Won't. Such a powerful word from your mouth. Won't. Such a strong, decisive matter." Death yawned theatrically. "You are quite sure of yourself, knight."

"I never failed, nor I will fail against... him. And my end will relieve me from my promise. And he will die with it." He almost sounded happy. "He will die..."

"You fascinate me." He shook his head. "You really do. Everything about you just oozes of purity. Even when you sentence your whole world..."

"Just do it!"

"Oh no, no. First the task at hand. I don't give things freely, swordsman."

The skeleton gazed once again into his eyes. Such vigor, such might lied within them. Those were the eyes that looked upon the destruction of creatures that tried to devour the world numerous times. Those eyes looked upon the mighty dragons, as his hands killed them without remorse. Those eyes looked at this wretched thing he hold, and saw something more. But what they saw?

"Before I shall send you off for your bidding, tell me. I want to hear it from you. I want to hear your words. It will please me greatly." He chuckled. "Why he needs to be left alive?"

###

The light breeze smudged the vampire's forehead. Time slipped away quite fast when she was listening to the dead one's tale. She was a curious being after all and she never heard that story before. But just when it got interesting, the skeleton stood up and flicked the dust from his clothes.

"Time for me to go, huh batsy?"

"But you didn't..." She blinked a couple of time. "You cannot just cut it there! Don't be a butt like that!"

"Other day." This time it was he who poked her on the forehead. "The past, while interesting, bears no meaning now cherry cheeks."

He wanted to walk away just like that but as he proceed, a regret started to bite and chew his thoughts. He reminded himself about one certain thing. One certain promise he made to one certain candy. He sighted deeply, still, much like some, he would never break a given word. As he walked by some debris, he leaned towards it, pretending that he just found something.

"Oh my, I see you're on your lucky spree bats."

"Lucky... what?"

"Look here. The exact thing that you two will need on your journey." He raised up little object that he swirled around in his fingers. "The prism, that will open the right lock."

"Lock to where?"

Death looked at her puzzled face and smirked. He passed her a small crystal that glittered in her hands. It's color was purple, perhaps a bit pink at times. At least it matched to one of them, she thought and giggled. Still, she hardly knew the usage of this weird contraption as she looked at the dead one once again.

"You see, my story kind of had a purpose here..." He looked up. Steam was still flowing through his skull. For a brief moment, it was shaped like a humanoid silhouette. A woman, in short hair and much revealing dress. It quickly faded away. "Next thing I need, shall be the hero's body, drifting between the words. Since the Enchiridion was destroyed, you'll need another way in. And you will find it right in the Haunted Swan."

"Hunted Swan?" The vampire pondered. "Well, sounds better than the Fire Kingdom, right?"

"Depends on how you look at it." He grinned. "Sometimes one missing letter will tell you the truth."

"One missing letter, huh?" Marceline shrugged, and a vague smile appeared on her face. "Still, we'll menage. We have to."

"Right you are cherry cheeks."

"A long way before of us then."

"A long one indeed." He chuckled, as he began to fade away. "Of course I cannot help you get there, but at least you managed to find the key, right bats?"

He disappeared with the puff of smoke, like he usually did. The vampire looked at the thing he gave her and pondered. Hunted Swan. There was something within that name that she should recall. Something vile perhaps. Something unsettling. Something that she shouldn't ask about. Still, if that was where they needed to go, so be it. While she thought about it, her lover finally woke up and looked at her. She seemed to be quite surprised.

"Marceline... How long did I..."

"Pretty long. "She smudged her cheek. "Don't worry, I were around to kick anyone's butt if needed to."

"Thanks."

"Feeling better?"

Thoughts spanned throughout her head. Like after every dream with deathless in it, her body shivered and her head hurt immensely. Still, she somewhat learned to live with it for the time being. Not that she would be mad should it changed one day.

"A bit, yes. And Death?"

"He was around. We're going after Billy now."

Bubblegum thought for a while. The one she spoke about was dead long ago. The hero of this land was one of the victims of the one that lingered in her head. A terrifying reminder of what will happen, should she ever fail. And a motivation – not to fail.

"Isn't he dead?"

"He is." She nodded. "We're after the majestic floating corpse."

"Disgusting." She put out her tongue. "Why would we need that?""

She took a glimpse of her lover. The little vampire looked really tired, as her eyes were closing by themselves. Her skin was even more pale than usual, almost white this time around. That was to be expected however, since all that time she had someone to take care off.

"You..." The princess finally said. "...look horrible."

"Thanks for the compliment." She flicked her black hair. "I try my best just for you."

"No, I mean." She blushed a little. "Ugh, scratch that – you look tired."

"Naw, I have lot's of stamina left in me! Wanna see?"

She lied down on the princess and began to caress her delicately. Her movements were short but steady, if a bit clumsy. She kissed her lover's forehead, then smudged her lips. As she progressed lower, she bit on the delightful, sweet neck and remained that way. After a few minutes, Bubblegum got somewhat worried, as she began to poke her lover.

"Marceline?"

The vampire snoozed a little bit in her response. Bubblegum couldn't help herself from smirking, as she caressed her thin, pale wonder. Many things awaited them still. And now they were after Billy's decaying corpse. Things were getting interesting. The question would be, if that was for the better or for the worse.