Chapter XXXII, Wretched

When Bubblegum and Marceline emerged from the rift she quickly closed after her, the only thing they saw were shadows and despair. Unnatural green clouds covered the sky, blocking out the sun completely. The soil seemed to be corrupted to it's very core, as the trees emerging from the ground were vile and wicked, once again looking at both of them with their empty hollows. Just like in her dreams. Their shadows seemed to be alive, twisting in everlasting agony. The princess remembered it all. Just like she remembered the piles of bodies left on the ground to rot. Some of them were covered in rags, rest just lied loose as their parts were scattered all around the place. In the distance, smoke rose from the Candy Palace.

"What a mess. Where are we?" She said, as she came closer to one of the skeletons impaled on a bale of wood. "Far from home, that's for sure but..."

"It's Ooo again. I can only assume that the Lich did his work here." She shook her head. "I've seen it before."

"That you did." She looked around as well. "Not a nice sight, yuck. So now what?"

"Nothing. We cannot change what's been done in here. We're simply passing by. We're the trespassers around. So we need to sneak through as fast as we can." She looked at the skulls. "And try not to die while doing so." She scratched her chin. "Hope our little host from the other world is fine at least..."

They ventured forth, through what once was their home. The Ooo they knew and loved however was long gone, as even the very ground before them seemed to be made of rotting flesh. Each step was like placing a foot on the back of a corpse. A long forgotten and diseased corpse. Finally they reached the kingdom. Their footsteps echoed through the demolished buildings as they walked down the empty, deserted streets. It wasn't unnoticed by the remains of what left from the city inhabitants, getting out from their murky hideouts. Or graves, one couldn't tell. Perhaps they were both and the same, not like it bare any difference for the girls. They weren't really dead, nor they seemed to be alive anymore. At first, they just stared the two down, almost as if they judged which part of the them will taste the best. Then, they began to scream at the girls, sprouting words and phrases from their previous lives, connected in sentences that hardly made any kind of sense. One could say that was hardly a new thing – when they were alive, they hardly made any sense as well. And then, they charged. Obviously the princess hardly wanted to hurt her loyal subjects, even in their current form. She always hesitated to harm any of them, since in a way, she loved every single one of them. She would do anything for them. So she did the only logical thing - she simply stood behind Marceline, as the little vampire hardly had any kind of remorse for this shambling mass. The first one that approached, happened to be Cinnamon Bun, or rather the vile creature he was shaped into. His mouth drooled with something beyond recognition, as his two black eyes were fixated at the girl, gazing at her with much hardly hidden hatred. The fiend swung her instrument and chopped him in half, leaving his grotesque body lying and twitching on the ground.

"Bfarrr bad person, bad, bad person..."

The upper part of the body screamed, as he waved his short hands in a vague attempt to catch her. She was long gone from his reach however, chopping the next bunch almost like trees. And her vampire dance began once again. Banana Guards splatted under her heels and the sound of the strings cutting something that looked like a candy cane echoed through the abandoned city. She hardly had any remorse for them and actually deep inside, felt kind of glad. Kind of refreshing. It was this bunch of weirdos that always kept her away from her loved one. Duties, duties for them. Duties because they were always too stupid to handle themselves. So it was a form of repay, she figured. Still, putting them out of their misery, seemed more like a reward than anything. Oh well, at lest she felt good about it. As her guitar crushed the last one, she simply asked, breathing heavily.

"So what exactly is that Bonnie? A vision to come?" She looked at the dead monstrosity. "Or just like you said, a world that is beyond saving? Since you know..."

"I do not know." She shrugged. "Could be both. Could be neither."

"Thought you're the smart one."

"Psh. It 'could' be explained, numerous ways, it's just..." She shook her head. "I don't really know what I want it to be. Since it's all because of me, in a way."

"I guess that's true. Specially since, in this world..." She scratched her chin, as she once again gazed at all the corpses and smoke. "...I apparently failed you. So, where to?"

"The palace. Different world, but the same place. Always the same place..."

They both sighted and rushed towards their goal. On the courtyard, a huge, fancy birdcage stood with someone apparently locked inside. A slick silhouette, almost dead by the looks of it. The flames pouring from it's fragile and weak body would indicate, that it was in fact Flame King himself. Or rather, what was left of him. He was alive, if just barely, as the embers constantly disappeared inside his armor, that seemed to serve as his little form of shelter. As soon as he saw them however, especially the princess, the fires emerged once again. Hatred always fueled him the most. His whole family ran on emotions. He was no different.

"YOU LITTLE WENCH, YOU PROMISED ME, YOU PROMISED!" He tried to reach her from behind the thick bars, as his hands almost caught her neck. His copper armor grind over the metal, he was unable to do anything beyond that however. That very notion made him even more furious it would seem. "MY DAUGHTER IS DEAD. EVERYTHING PERISHED! My daughter..." For this little brief moment, his thoughts ventured beyond this place, beyond this cage, beyond this petty, wicked world. He recalled his little treasure, his little gem, shining with a bright, little flame. But that notion quickly disappeared, as he quickly remembered what happened to his charming little child. "AND YOU ARE ALIVE!" He pointed his slim, flaming finger straight at her. "HOW COULD YOU BE ALIVE IF YOU FAILED?!"

The princess remained silent, as she came closer towards the cage. He looked at her, as she placed her little hands on the bars. This time around, he hardly had the strength to try to do anything to her. Deep inside, he knew that it was futile – some things are beyond changing. Still, even if they are, some things would be satisfying.

"How could you fail..." He sighted. "I saw as he extinguished her flames with his..." He blinked a couple of times, as once again his thoughts ventured beyond this world. There was something sad in that sight. Something sad in seeing the great ember broken, torn apart. "...filthy hands..."

The flame on his head got smaller and smaller, to the point that he looked more like a fragile candle, that was about to be blown away by the slightest gust of wind. His eyes were barely visible in all that. Bubblegum knew however what she would see in them. And it was hardly a pleasing notion.

"He just killed her on my eyes. And then locked me up in here." The flames burst from within his armor once again. "AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!" Once again he tried to reach her, hardly remembering that his last attempt was futile, hardly realizing that this would change nothing. He strove for something, yet he was beyond the point, where he could realize what exactly it was. Revenge? No, revenge tastes sweet, but hardly brings back the dead. "RELEASE ME!... Release me so I can KILL YOU!"

"Flame King..." She took a step back. "...it's not my fault..."

"He took her in her claws." His hands slide down on the bars, as he began to look somewhere in the distance. "Impaled her little, fragile body on his claws. And just stood there. He killed that boy first. Almost felt sorry for him. He made her watch. She tried to run. She tried to break free... She SCREAMED FOR MY HELP. AND I WAS HERE, LOOKING. I TRIED TO BREAK FREE. I TRIED TO SAVE HER!" The flames poured through the cage. That was hardly enough to set him free however. "...I tried to reach her hand. Almost managed and then..." His face went missing for a second, only to reappear again from within the clutches of his hard armor. "But the chill from his body was enough to put her out... To blow out the candle..." Once again, fury rose in him, as his emotions swirled inside, hardly giving him rest, hardly giving him peace. What was in his mind, it was hard to tell. Mostly pain, one could figure. "FREE ME YOU LITTLE BITCH! FREE ME SO I CAN AT LEAST KILL YOU AND DIE LIKE MY CHILD!" He felt on the bottom of his prison. "Like my child..."

She gazed at him one last time, thinking deeply what to do. Solution seemed to be simple, despite the thing that her eyes saw. It wasn't her world. Not yet. She hardly had the reason to interfere in what happened here. As she swirled around and moved towards the palace, a cold hand landed on her shoulder.

"We cannot just leave him like that Bonnie."

"You know what he will do when he'll break free..."

"Yes, still..."

She pondered and looked at the flaming body. He seemed to gush with anger. Her lover was right however. It was hardly her way of dealing with things. All the calculations, all the plans and whatnot, all were futile, if she would just leave him here. She wouldn't be better than the one that captured him here if she did just that. She wouldn't be better than the thing in her head.

"It's my responsibility, isn't it?" The princess sighted. "Alright."

She grabbed her lover's guitar, and with a numerous swings, she finally managed to break the bars. When his cage opened, he could barely believe it happened. He jumped out and charged right at the princess, but ultimately, all he managed to do was to trip over, as his flaming limbs were barely capable of doing anything. Bonnibel reached for his hand once again. He just looked her in the eyes.

"Do not mock me..." His voice got more and more silent. "...I will kill you..."

"I won't..."

"Yes. You won't. You like to deal with 'wont's'." He sighted, as the flames on his face hissed loudly. "And that's why it ended like that. Leave me." The King shook his head. " Leave me or kill me. I don't want your pity." He rose his hand up in the air, as the embers swirled around his fingers. "But if I'll be able to. I will kill you."

This time Marceline did not oppose, so they went straight inside, leaving the burning one on the ground, as he looked after them. The flames on his head got larger and larger, burning the field surrounding him. Meantime, as the two ventured forth, they felt the chilling presence of the new host. Bubblegum's beautiful throne room was changed completely, now looking more like a tomb. No, not looking like – it was just that, with the stench of rot emanating from each and every corner, as the numerous bodies lied everywhere. Her throne remained in it's place however, if only to mock her, as the new ruler hardly matched it's looks.

"You are..." He murmured silently. "...alive."

For some reason, the Lich looked tired, almost as if he was bound to the place he sat on. His empty eyes looked at her patiently, as his gray hair, now set loose, felt over his shoulders. The princess hardly underestimated him however. She knew that despite his looks, he was still dangerous. Dangerous and disgusting.

"Curious." He said to himself. "Astonishing." He started o clap his hands, as every sound echoed deeply in his chamber. And then, he smiled a little. "Another deal with Death? Another ace in your sleeve, Bonnibel Bubblegum? Shame it failed, since you were stupid enough to come here." He stopped clapping and started to stare blankly at his two uninvited guests. "So what did you had to do this time? Sleep with him?" He grinned, as he clicked with his yellow teeth. "He would like that, don't he? Oh he would, Bonnibel Bubblegum, he would..."

"What is your purpose, Lich?" She said, interrupting him almost instantly. That hardly could be considered a smart move, since he could destroy the two with ease. But, come to think of it, he could do that at any given time. "Why you did all... this?"

"My purpose? My purpose was fulfilled once this place died." He tangled his fingers around his head. "I hear no pesky sounds in myself now. Can you imagine? Living ones do such a charade of symphony. Only one lingers in my cage." It seemed that this thought gave him much pleasure. "And that voice I can hear for millenniums to come. And I will rebuild this world. Reshape it." He chuckled once again, and almost instantly turned towards her. "But you are another one that should be silenced. The one with you as well. Even if I'm pretty sure I killed her already. I enjoyed her suffering Bubblegum." He tapped with his slim fingers. "I will enjoy it once again." He clapped his hands. "Come, my pet. Kill them." A grin once again appeared on his rotten face. "Entertain me."

Somewhere above, a screech could be heard. Almost instantly, a large creature landed between them and the Lich. It was somewhat familiar. Four legs, bleached out pink color, once humanoid face now replaced with a rotting skull with empty hollows. And wings, once beautiful, now looking like old, twisted branches with reminiscence of feathers. The princess obviously knew the creature's name. Goliad. Marceline, without asking any kind of questions came forth, pointing her guitar right at this abomination. Bubblegum however quickly intervened, tapping her on the shoulder and moving away. The vampire looked rather surprised.

"Bonnie?"

"This is personal."

The thing flapped it's wings and charged right at her. She knew that this day will come eventually. That she will face off her creation. The one with such power, made to rule when she'll perish. But she was prepared for that. Each day and each night, she thought what will happen when this being will break free. And each day and night brought different types of solutions and plans. Now it was the time to figure it all out. As the fiend stopped it's charge and shoot her with it's pink beam, she simply reflected it with a mirror that was always deep inside her pocket. Just in case, always a backup plan. Goliad seemed to be surprised by this turn of events, but tried restlessly again and again, as his jaw clicked back and forth in a grotesque matter. Finally, seeing as it was futile, it tried to reach her thoughts with it's powers, yet it proved to be useless once again. The princess mind was like a maze, with more questions than answers. That, and she also was prepared for that. With each attack he attempted, he deflected it with even more questions. With more pictures of nonsense. With more things that hardly mattered. She learned a thing or two from Finn, even if he himself was a rather poor teacher. The creature could not find her weak spot. He could not breach her thoughts, beyond the silly pictures connected to noodles and lemons. So it decided to speak. It was like a battle of sounds, that made the princess cover her ears. But with one screeching voice, another one reached her mind. More soothing one, more familiar one. The one she made. Eventually one of them was victorious. It was the one she hoped for.

"Kill me." The voice echoed in her head. It was calm, yet in pain. "Kill me."

"Goliad?"

"I suffer." The voice vibrated. "The vessel will try to kill you. I do not. I want you to kill me. To end it"

"I don't want to."

"Then the vessel will kill you. And I will suffer more."

And the voice in her head stopped, at least the pleasing one. She quickly gazed at the creature. It seemed to be dazzled for some reason. Perhaps the part of it gave her this opportunity. This opportunity to end it all. On this occasion, she jumped on it's back as the monster finally woke up from it's vivid dream and tried to throw her away, moving rapidly with it's horrid wings. The princess knew a thing or two about close combat however. As she clutched her hands around it's neck, Goliad screeched. It hardly was that soothing, smooth voice she heard just seconds ago.

"I love you." The princess said silently towards it's ear. The thing hardly listened, as it tried to break free from her grasp. Her hands were simply too strong however, as her fingers drove deeply into it's skin. "I'm sorry."

She whispered, as she snapped it's neck and jumped from it's back. The lifeless body felt on the ground, decomposing almost instantly, leaving just a fragile skeleton that quickly turned into dust. This being was created from dreams and promises – it was only natural that eventually it became one. The Lich seemed to be amused, as he finally stood up from his throne. He began to slowly clap once again, as dust felt from his skeletal hands.

"You are something. Yes you are, Bonnibel Bubblegum. To kill someone made from you. To kill your creation." He grinned and smooched the air. "But alas. Every toy has it's limits. And I have no more use for you..." He flicked with his hand. "...time to end this charade..."

Before he could finish however, the doors to his chambers opened wide once again, as yet another guest came to visit him. The one that he hardly expected. Flames poured in, almost like a wild river, and from within them - Flame King emerged. He seemed to regain some of his strength, as his blazing head grew thicker. His eyes were full of sparks as well.

"YOU WILL ALL BURN. ALL WILL BURN." He faced the Lich. "FIRST YOU. THEN THE REST!" He let out numerous embers from within his maw that felt on the ground. "FIRST YOU, CORPSE!"

He threw a ball of flame right at the head of the undead being, lifting his empty face on fire. As his gray hair started to burn, as he almost choked on all the heat that got into his body, he hissed and began his own incantations, defiling the room with his foul magic. Soon he had the army of dead at his disposal, summoned by his vile screech. He also began to hurl balls of his venomous embers at his adversary, but they were quickly disposed by the fiery aura surrounding the King. Every minion that came too close was also set on fire, and soon, the whole hall was full of living torches. That hardly stopped the two from battling however, as the beams of sheer force roamed through the walls and ceiling, creating a true cacophony of colors. They both seemed to forget about the girls however, as they hid behind one of the pillars, trying to get out of their way. Bonnibel quickly took a glimpse around the room, as she saw the exact spot where they needed to go.

"Marceline!" She shouted and pointed her finger right behind the throne. "There!"
"Right on it!"

She grabbed her and flew around, dodging the flames, as the King still battled the Lich, which was now clutched in the ring of fire. The girls looked at the fighters and then at one another, almost as if they actually considered helping the flaming one. Still, they had hardly any choice, they hardly had the ability to end it all. As they landed near the rift, Bonnibel quickly swirled with her little crystal, as they disappeared, venturing in yet another world. The mixed flames swirled around for a long time that day however, until only one remained.