I do not own Adventure Time. But I'd like a drink with Pen Ward. The title pertains to the song of the same name, particularly the Emily Browning version. And I think I'm in love with Emily Browning. Oh Glob. And Chloë Grace Moretz! I'm still hoping for a Kick-Ass 3!

Just to inform you, this chapter would be Sawyer-centric despite of the title pointing towards Finn. It seemed fitting since the previous chapter has a title that points to Sawyer, but had more Finn feels.

~~o~~

Chapter 22 - Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

"Jake, listen up."

"What is it, Marcy?"

"Why didn't you told me?"

"Told you what?"

The vampire let out a long and deep sigh. "...that Finn never moved on completely?"

"What? The boy's perfectly fine! Finn got over FP quite a long time ago...said she's already seeing Cinnamon Bun."

Marceline sighed again, but finished it with a snap of a finger. "That is NOT moving on. If anything, she's even enamored at her."

"How did you got into that conclusion?"

Shawn, who was busy pretending to draw shapes on the forest floor with a twig, looked up at her as if asking for an explanation too.

"I was in his dreams last night, right? Finn's not doing so good. He keeps some kind of mind-dream version of Flame Princess deep within the recesses of his mind, enhanced by his memories and assumptions of her."

"I don't see anything wrong with that."

"Finn's making himself vulnerable to outside forces. His dreams are easily corruptible...fragile. Last night, I saw him murdering FP in one of his more messed up snippets of dreams."

"Woah...I never had an inkling of an idea. He seems totes cool nowadays. Marceline? I've been meaning to ask you..."

"Hunh? What?"

"When did you become an expert on dreams?"

"Since I became a vampire? Our kind sometimes used dreams to befriend our potential victim, so that if we meet them in person -"

Shawn cut her off and finished her sentence. "...he or she will feel familiarity and be more comfortable around you. Trusting."

Jake's eyes enlarged and his hands quivered a bit. "That is not awesome."

Marceline indignantly puffed her chest. "Don't look at me like that! I'm not gonna suck Finn...well, no."

"Hey Marcy, I can't help but wonder...how did you got your mitts on The Enchiridion?"

"What? No!"

Shawn looked at her carefully. "Uh...Blimey, the cover kinda says it's the Enchiridion, alright."

They were almost done packing up and were about to leave the safety of the canopy of trees when the Enchiridion suddenly appeared in her hands. The heavy book would have probably toppled over others who do not possess her vampiric strength.

"What the hay?" Jake scooted closer and traced the intricate figures at the cover. "Enchiridion."

"Blimmin' blueberry! What is that thing?"

Out from nowhere, a grueling voice spoke with poisonous vindication. "Something you won't get to know."

"Oh, crumbs."

Marceline was taken aback, there were not that many creatures that could sneak up with a vampire. She did not felt the presence of the stranger at all. "I'm not saying 'show yourself', because 'go away and get lost' would be more appropriate."

The stranger did show himself, slowly emerging from the darkest corners of the forest. Shawn visibly tensed. "Lindell?! You're alright! Bloody bits, you're mighty fine!"

"Everything will be alright."

"Waddayamean?"

"As long as you do not leave this place, everything will be alright."

Shawn looked puzzled. "Oh, double crumbs."

"Is this kid a friend of yours, Shawn?"

"Positive."

Jake tugged at the frills of her blouse. "I don't know about you, Marcy, but I don't like the tone of this kiddo. I say let's bust away from here."

The so-called Lindell spoke hurriedly. "You won't do such thing."

There came the thundering footsteps of numerous feet clamoring to reach them. Trees toppled over as a deluge of toxic creatures converge on them, trapping the three in a circle.

"Who are you?" Marceline contemplated on a plan. "You can't hold us here, I'll fly ourselves out!"

"Oh yes, you can do that. You seem happy to see kingdoms get flattened by the Eradicator." Lindell smiled like someone on a hallucinogen trip. "That beautiful mountain dragon...Any place you go, he will."

Jake and Marceline exchanged a nervous look.

"You're not making a bloody sense! What happened to you, Lindell? Where is Angie and Hamma?"

"Keep quiet, insignificant clout."

Marceline immediately formulated a new plan. "I'll sleep and connect my dream to my friend! He'll know we're here!"

Lindell ordered, how he did it was a mystery, a toxic creature to attack. Having a swarm mentality, that one monster was instantly followed by few more others. Jake reacted a moment too late, and he was pinned down by numerous toxic creatures.

"I doubt sleep is in your top priority right now."

"Jake!" Marceline raised her axe and hacked her way through the mountain of bodies. "Hang in there!"

A wet, ripping sound followed by halting scream notified the vampire of the bodily harm done to the poor dog. Shawn warily stood nearby, unsure of how to help, a tree branch in his hand.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, Jake!"

"Shh...everything will be alright."

~~o~~

"Felix...we left them...we frocking left them!"

"There's nothing we could do! Let's not waste their sacrifice for us! To your left!"

He was relieved when Isaac managed to dodge a halberd aimed at his head. The Banana Guard grunted in confusion as his target moved away out of his line of sight, swerving to his side to run him through with a sharp broadsword.

"Die, you deepsheet!" His friend looked positively angry, blinding him from another attack from behind. Felix quickly stepped in and threw the scabbard of his blade, hitting the fat Banana Guard straight in the face. He swiftly jumped and hacked down the stunned adversary. "Thanks, Lix."

"Don't get careless, you moron!"

"Sorry, General!"

Delivering a few more swipes at the advancing troops of rather incompetent Banana Guards, he pulled Isaac and ran farther into the Candy Market. Their only viable escape was the Kingdom's main entrance, which would be a few paces away from them.

"Run, Sac! Let's split for a while, might confuse these fools even more."

"Affirmative, Sir!" The blonde smiled mischievously, the smile never quite reached his eyes, for they would play a violent version of tag and hide and seek combined.

Felix found himself mantling over deserted stalls as he tore through the marketplace. Wooden planks made his task easier, while various clutter made it much difficult than it already was. Felix strove to maintain a non-linear path, deciding to cut corners than follow designated passages between stores and stalls. Climbing over a large wooden chopping table, he yelled as he slipped on a slice of watermelon. Felix fell on his backside, cursing quietly as a throbbing pain on his arse shooted up his spine.

"That's mighty stupid...who put this Globdome watermelon here?"

His ears picked up faint conversations back from the direction he came from. Felix assumed they were the Banana Guards, and had probably encountered difficulties in navigating the maze-like market.

A tarpaulin overhead caught his attention and Felix traced the ropes that held it up. He unsheated his broadsword as he saw the pole that in turn held the ropes.

"Hey! Banana Breaches! Over here! Come and get me, you spawns of Nightosphere!"

Felix waited for any guard that would come his way, fearing that he underestimated his enemies too much and were probably flanking him as he stood nervously near the tarpaulin.

"Sir! I found the perp! Wee-woo wee-woo!" A lone Banana Guard came lumbering towards him, halberd in tow.

"Eat this!" Felix picked up a piece of wood lying nearby and threw it will all his might, precisely hitting his enemy straight in the face and stunning him. He deftly pounced and bash the head of the guard with the pommel of his broadsword, further disorienting the inexperienced cop. "Don't worry, my handkerchief was washed...uh, a few days ago anyway."

He gagged the guard with his smelly hanky and kicked him down on the ground. Checking that the tarp was directly overhead, Felix cut away the rope that held it up. The plan was successful for the first part.

With all his might, he shouted for everyone to hear. "Argh! You got me! I can't see in this tarpaulin that fell over my head! Someone might catch me, oh no!"

Moments later, as he ran away, Felix heard a snippet of conversation.

"Uhh...Sir, I think I killed one of our perps. My halberd got stuck in the tarpaulin though."

"Did you made sure it was one of the perps?"

"No, Sir. Just struck him down. Break time is in five minutes. Not in the mood to do some extra work."

"Hmmm...yeah, I'm hungry too from all this running."

Felix could not believe his crazy plan worked at all, and he was even amazed at how dumb the Banana Guards are. Eyeing the path ahead, he finally saw the Kingdom's towering entrance.

Isaac waved stupidly at him as he smiled his trademark toothy grin. "Slowpoke oldie!"

"26 ain't old, boy!"

"24 ain't young, either!"

"Whatevs, Private." That stopped his friend from further retorts.

"I say, you're still unfair."

"Shut up, and let's get out of this Glob forsaken place..."

Deep inside, Felix felt really guilty for abandoning the Breakfast people - who were rather complacent with the idea of them being tagged for a couple of food and blanket - and the fellow soldiers - who did not managed to escape the ensuing chaos at the Castle's Gates. He did knew though that if they were planning to help their people, him and Isaac need to find outside help.

"Where to now, General Lix?"

"Don't you ever call me that again. That sounded like a name from some corny Saturday morning cartoon. What the hay?"

"Well...it sounded better than Private Sac. It's like I'm named after my rounded private male pa-"

"Too much information, Sac."

"So, how about it? Where to now?"

"Let's hit the fields, hide in the forest." He pointed at the canopy of trees outside the outskirts of Candy Kingdom. "The nearest allied kingdom would be..."

"...Matrimony Kingdom. Good luck with them helping us. Not after you tried to elope with Engagement Ring Princess."

Felix blushed almost instantly. "Well...we were younger then! And-and-and-and-!"

"And what?"

"At least I wasn't the one who flirted with Wedding Ring Queen. Dude she's like twice your age at that time."

Isaac almost tripped on a jutted rock as they neared the forest. "She...caught me off-guard, okay? We had drank too much dragonsbane...and she's still friggin hawt."

"Your sick, dude."

"Age doesn't matter, Lix."

"But her marriage with the King does matter."

"With all due respect, Sir, shut up."

They stared hard at one another for a few seconds, then broke into a series of uncontrollable laughs. Snorting along, for a moment they forgot their grave predicament. After the last chuckle died out, Isaac settled himself at the base of an apple tree. The forest was dense enough, but not too thick to obstruct any points of ambush. Felix could not say the same for the parts deeper into the forest though.

"Seriously, we'll head to Matrimony Kingdom?"

"It's not like we got other choice. Breakfast Kingdom wasn't really friendly with all other sovereignties."

"...I don't want to die, Felix."

"Neither I."

"Maybe we should have just accepted the subservience to Candy Kingdom..."

"It's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees."

"But...Lix. The way things are going, we might die on our knees instead."

He grabbed the younger man's shoulder and gripped him quite hard. "I won't let that happen."

"Sorry...I'm just not feeling up to the task."

"We'll get through this. We'll save them all, and we'll be the heroes we always wanted to be."

"Is that suppose to reasure me or are you reasurring yourself?"

"Hm. Not hardly." Felix averted his gaze.

"You sure give all the most vague answers."

"Can't help it, Private."

A rustling of leaves behind them alerted the two into action. He felt someone was watching them right from the moment they stepped foot in the forest. Felix had an idea that his suspicion would be confirmed any moment. Another leaves rustled behind the apple tree closest to them.

He signaled Isaac to go to left while he take the right, hoping his buddy still remembered military commands. Nightosphere, maybe it was him who probably forgot the right positioning of fingers and stuff.

Isaac nodded, much to his relief.

Felix felt his heartbeat rise as he stalked near the tree, carefully avoiding stepping on the leaves scattered everywhere. He mentally cursed when he accidentally dislodged a rubble of rocks and caused noise. Isaac looked at him bewilderedly. Felix, in turn, looked at him apologetically.

A sniffing sound came from behind the tree, which Felix took as a signal to quickly flank the target. He immediately lowered his weapon when he saw who was the person making all the noises behind the apple tree.

"Jenna!" Isaac stuttered in surprise, kneeling down swiftly near the redheaded Breakfast soldier. "You got away! Thank Glob!"

"There is no Glob..."

"Shh...don't say that. Of course there is Glob."

The petite soldier continued to cry softly, as if not totally aware who were the people talking to her. "Say that to Garet and the others!"

Snot dribbled down the nose of the poor woman, she looked too far gone. From what Felix remembered, she never really wanted to be part of the military of Breakfast Kingdom. Jenna just enrolled at Fastbreakers Military Academy the moment she heard Isaac enrolled. He suspected that that decision involved love somehow. He cannot even fathom how she passed the entrance exam at the academy, what with her having a victim mentality back in their grade school.

Isaac looked crestfallen at the mention of those names. He and Felix were childhood friends with those people. Only the two of them were good enough to be part of the Charlie Team, while the rest of their friends were designated at the Delta Team. Felix was thankful for that since that team was tasked only with the evac of the surviving citizens - he doubt they would last long at the battlefield. Only few of the Delta Team died during their duty.

He had no idea that his friends would probably die at Candy Kingdom anyway. "I'm sorry, Jenna...I know it's my idea to seek help from Candy Kingdom but -"

"Yes! It's all your fault, you insensitive smorgasboard!"

He averted the crazed glare of Jenna, taking interest at the rocks he dislodged earlier. "Please keep your voice down."

"Frock you!"

Isaac just looked down, probably unable to decide who to defend. "Please calm down, Jenna...were not sure if they're dead already."

"Don't you frocking know? Candy Kingdom is in heightened security!"

Felix was alarmed by that. "What do you mean?"

"...take no Globdome prisoners!" It was at that point where the woman broke down and clung tightly to Isaac. "You deepsheet left us for dead!"

Felix felt like a grand piano just found its way to his stomach, playing incorrigible tunes as it crash around his tummy with all its weight.

"I'm sorry... Look, I saw them tie up our friends, not outright killed them."

Jenna just wailed louder. Isaac tried his best to induce calm at the hapless soldier. "Felix, we need to get away from here. Someone might hear her."

"Let's go deeper into the forest, then continue eastward to Matrimony Kingdom." With heavy heart and empty hands, Felix led the group into the unknown.

They were not a few more meters deeper into the forest when they heard screams and numerous footfalls coming from farther inside the dense woodlands.

Felix urged the two to run after him, directly pinpointing the exact source of the noises they heard. Upon reaching a clearing, he immediately ducked down a thick grouping of bushes and peeked at the scene unfolding in front of him.

"What on Ooo...is happening here, Lix?"

"What the...that's Shawn over there!"

"Oh yeah, the kid's alive!"

Jenna hindered any reply he had in mind. "Not for long though. Those are the same toxic creatures...that..."

"I won't allow it! I won't friggin' watch him die in there!"

"But...Felix! I know we're both handy in a fight but look! There're are probably around fifty or sixty Tango Charlies in there!"

He looked at Isaac directly in the eyes. "Have you ever watched I Am Legend?"

Isaac's eyes enlarged instantly at the mention of the movie. "No! No, no, no, no, Felix! You don't even have a grenade in you, do you?"

"Listen, Sac, because I'm not gonna tell you twice, if Shawn survives this, I want you to look after him. Jenna too...and the other Breakfast people we left behind."

"You're crazy, Felix! That won't-"

Too late, as he was already plunging directly into action. His eyes were deadset at Shawn, hacking away at the menacingly slow approaching Tango Charlies. The handle of his broadsword was already glistening with viscera and goo.

"SHAWN! In there! RUN!"

"Felix? You're alive!"

Shawn was too busy to notice a wad of toxic goo hurtling towards his face and Felix felt the time slow down as he threw himself right directly in to the way of the offensive substance.

He barely heard his little sibling's hoarse shout when the green gunk hit him squarely in his exposed shoulder. The pain was instant. The flesh on his left shoulder felt like it was on fire. Felix almost lost grip on his weapon because of the burning sensation. Was he becoming deaf? Or he got some splash on his ear too?

He saw a beautiful woman ferociously swiping away at a mountain of toxic creatures with a peculiarly shaped red axe with strings.

"Glob...It hurt!"

Looking warily, he received a direct punch in the face by a rabid Tango Charlie. The monster was a former Muscle Kingdom citizen, evident with the sickly-looking flesh and muscle hanging on its biceps. He retaliated by kicking it repeatedly on its knees, bringing the monster down. His triumph was shortlived as three horribly mutated Tangos pounced on him, biting on the exposed wound on his shoulder.

"I said run, Shawn! I can't - aaaargh! - fight them forever!"

"I won't leave you here, brother! I've already lost too much!"

"Shut up and run! Please! Don't let me die in vain, for Glob's sake!"

Then, Felix saw the familiar steely gaze of his brother. He did it. His resolve was now clear and he calmed down slightly as the boy swiftly ran into the direction he pointed.

"Ge'off me you sons' a breaches!"

With a mighty push, Felix managed to detach himself from the monster biting into him. He raised his blade and brought it down, decapitating it. Five more enemies made a wild grab at him, but Felix ignored them and took down the two Tangos who had their attentions at his fleeing sibling.

The other commotion at the darker part of the forest clearing seemed to have subsided too. Felix did not paid much attention to that though as he desperately fended off attacks unsuccessfully. He was getting dizzy, his wounds getting worse and worse, and his blood was spilling everywhere. The mess of stinking bodies made the air unbreathable.

No regrets...no regrets. At least I get to see my brother again. I hope he made through... Can you hear me, Grod?

A blow to the back of his knee forced him down. Felix laughed and cried at the same time, but the noise were drowned out by the approaching horde.

~~o~~

One swipe, an image of three or four Breakfast children playing in a cornfield permeated his mind. One forceful strike, a moving image of the soldier kissing goodbye to her parents was etched in his mind.

A sickening crunch told Sawyer that the 'necessities' were done. The last of the captured Breakfast soldiers lay bloody beneath his foot, the back of neck completely hacked open. The breath of the woman became erratic, then rattled, and then she stayed still.

"The deed is done, Your Highness."

"Is your resolve finally clear?"

"Crystal."

"Yes...the point of no return."

"Point of no return. I'm ready for Lemongrab."

"I know."

Sawyer turned his gaze at the Princess and was about to embrace her when the two swords in his hands suddenly became heavy, easily weighing several kilos. He let go and the two weapons immediately dropped to the floor with a heavy thud.

"What the...?"

Bonnie looked on as he tried to pick up the two objects. Sawyer cannot lift both so he opted to raise the Truthsayer first and coaxed it back to his sleeves. During the process, a small nick appeared on his palm.

...worthy no more.

At that moment, he knew, the longsword told him mentally, that he was no longer worthy to wield it. Somewhere, someway, somehow, at what he did, was the sole reason for their rejection by the powerful artifact. The Flamberge did not even talk to him at all, as usual.

"They are innocent..."

"Of course not. These are traitors and usurpers, Say."

"The Truthsayer says otherwise. God knows what I had seen in their minds...none of them were bad people. None of them."

"But you still executed them."

He hung his head in shame. Sawyer knew why; his determination to prove himself to the Princess outweighed what his conscience and the sword told him.

"It was all for you."

"I know."

"You always know."

Bonnie cracked a smile at him which he did not returned. Instead, Sawyer averted her gaze and picked up the knapsack he temporarily propped against the wall next to the door. He immediately noticed it was lighter. He unzipped it and peered inside.

"The Enchiridion is gone..."

"That is alright. You already know what you ought to know."

Sawyer perfectly knew the reason for its disappearance - his worthiness. The bloodsplatters on his face, clothes, hands, and weapons signified his guilt. What frightened him the most was that he no longer cared, and he was reminded by the numerous immoral survivors he met a millennium ago. Hardened killers, and heartless individuals, they would have probably killed their own mothers for a pack of bottled water.

Maybe nothing would hurt him inside now.

"Tomorrow at midnight, you will be fully armed."

He nodded and hurriedly went outside the room. In the familiar hallway, he was hit by deja vu again. Sawyer shrugged off the feeling and dashed away from the accursed place.

He did not slept properly that night. Memories not his own kept mixing with his own nightmares. Sawyer cannot wake up either, as if he was forced to relive the lives and the horrifying deaths of the soldiers. He felt what they felt, every pain and fear they experienced.

The end result, his nightmares, were not different.

One moment, he was an orphan playing with a stick, the next, he was a girl cowering in the corner while the crack of a whip kept repeating itself. What jolted him awake was a memory of one of the soldiers seeing his comrade get mauled to death by mutants.

"What the..."

He never paid much attention to the news, so that was why he was not interested on what was happening in their neighboring kingdoms. Nobody told him the incidents involved mutants. Sawyer did recall hearing about toxic creatures though.

"I'm too dumb to live...of course they are one and the same."

Just by the thought of them sent shivers down his spine. The horrors those things would be forever ingrained in him. God knows how many people he knew died because of them, some he was responsible for.

"I wish I don't have to face them soon."

The next morning, Sawyer was awakened by a creepy feeling of someone watching him sleep. When he opened his eyes, a person, about his height, stood silent at the foot of his bed staring at him. That was what he thought anyway because the person had his whole face concealed by a black and form-fitting helmet, which looked impossible to remove for it certainly hugged the frame of his head.

"Who the fuck are you?"

The person just stood as silent as ever, unmoving. Sawyer eyed the clothing the person doned. It was a one piece black garb that looked a lot like a wetsuit, paired with an even darker body armor.

"Speak up or I'll strangle your neck with my bedsheets!"

He gave the person a few seconds to reply, but none came whatsoever. Sawyer rolled to the side of the bed and quickly stood up, fists raised. He was naked from waist up.

"I'm warning you!"

He decided to just give the unwanted visitor a direct punch in the face with his right fist. Sawyer felt all his bones shook with pain when his closed fist collided with the side of the head of his enemy. The silent person did not even budged a little.

"What the hell are you wearing...?"

"That is reinforced steel made from Fire Giants' hide. Even the Truthsayer would have a hard time putting a dent there." Bonnie suddenly appeared near the doorway, hands folded on her chest. "I see you've already met Twain."

"Who's this creep, Bonnie?"

"He will accompany you tonight at the Wizard City. His skills would serve you well, Say."

Sawyer blinked and was amazed on how fast Twain had brandished out a gleaming sword that was apparently made of light. It was connected to his left wrist guards, an extension. The blade dissipated into a small spectacle of flickering electric blue lights.

"Okay, that was impressive, I guess. He doesn't talk though."

"Don't worry, he could understand you well."

Twain was plain creepy. He stood there as if nothing in the conversation concerned him. Sawyer wondered who is this person behind the helmet. "What about me, Your Highness? I'm not sufficiently trained and now I lost both of my swords."

The Princess motioned something at Twain and the mysterious dude reached behind him and handed Sawyer an axe and a machete.

"Do you remember them?"

The two objects felt right beneath his hands, the familiar weight comforting. These were the same, or good replicas of the two weapons he wielded a millennium ago. "These were mine...?"

"There were many restorations involved and some parts had to be made from scratch, but those are the genuine things, with certain modifications."

Sawyer felt a groove along the handle of the two weapons. There was a button on both grooves, which he pressed. He nearly dropped the two weapons when the axe head and the blade of the machete shone with the same electric blue light he saw on Twain's peculiar energy sword. "What the?"

"Careful. You could put a dent on almost anything with that, and the resulting electric surge could harm even the wielder." Bonnie backed away on instinct.

He turned it off and rested the weapons. "Thank you."

"I presume you are ready for what would go down tonight?"

"Ready as I can be."

~~o~~

"Talk is pointless between us, I guess." Sawyer pulled down his black hoodie further down his face. Twain was an excellent companion. He or she or it never needed constant conversations and it offered him more time to think. Talking to him wasn't difficult either because he never expected replies.

The machete was strapped to his waist, safely fitted inside a scabbard. Sawyer decided to wield the axe as his primary weapon, and as they neared their destination, the dark skies barely announcing the towering structures of Wizard City, he feigned a small swipe with the weapon, awed at the ease of wielding it.

Twain stopped the engine of the van and got out, his feet making no audible footfalls on the dusty pathway of the City. Sawyer got out too and studied the surroundings. Even in the dark midnight backdrop, Wizard City looked majestic. Only in pictures before he had seen anything like this, and those pictures Bonnie showed him did the place no justice. They were a few hundred feet above the domed Wizard City, the barrier visible with an ethereal glow, and looking from the cliff, Sawyer cannot tell where the city stops and the nothing begins.

The high structures set at impossible angles and basically defied laws of physics was jarring with the dead nothingness of the desert that surrounded the city. "Damn. This is absolutely something."

Twain gestured at his arm, where a tiny screen showed a countdown flashing angrily in red neon. When the numbers struck down zero, the barrier flickered and then faded altogether. The enigmatic helmeted warrior broke into a furious run and jumped clean off the the cliff and directly into the City below. They have approximately a minute before the barrier comes up again, as the next shift of magic users prepared whatever they were doing to sustain this kind of defense.

Sawyer followed suit and relished the open air, the feeling of weightlessness, and the sense of being pulled down. The sound of his hoodie flapping in the wind accompanied him all the way down. A few meters above the ground, he pulled the rope that activated the parachute, halting his descend and nasty death. Sawyer landed with a grunt next to Twain who was already free from the parachute he used. Overhead, the barrier came back with full force.

While freeing himself from the parachute, Sawyer went through the plan again. Twain would go down the chambers of the Wizard Palace and locate the source of the barrier, neutralize it and catch up to him while he try to find Lemongrab. Suicidal at best, but the Princess had faith in him that he will see through it. "I'm good."

Twain responded by dashing towards the nearest hiding spot, a corner street with no light whatsoever. It was if someone actually enchanted the light out of the street. Knowing the place, it would be likely to be the case. Sawyer huddled closer and got a glimpse of the palace. The lack of guards worried him. Survival experiences dictated that that was never a good sign.

"They know we're here." Twain nodded, and urged him to follow closely. He whistled at the athleticism Twain showed, easily running up and vaulting over the castle walls. He copied him and came up short, but before he could fall back down, Twain grabbed his hands and easily turned him over to the other side of the wall.

"Thanks, you could have lowered me down more properly though." Sawyer rubbed his aching bum, the fall caught him off guard.

Twain just shrugged and dropped down, picking Sawyer up on his feet. The castle gardens looked more ominous, a strange humming hang in the air. A faint tremor in the atmosphere, but it was enough to fully send him on edge. He spotted the nearest entrance, a glass window, which he pointed to Twain, who nodded and ran without further ado, Sawyer fast on his heels.

"Wait!" He watched in horror as Twain summoned his isosceles-shaped energy sword and sliced clean through the opening, grabbing the pieces of glass before they could shatter on the floor. This guy have balls of steel, that much was certain. "Damnit, you're giving me a heart attack!"

Inside, Sawyer found himself standing in a dirty kitchen. Dirty in a sense that it was not foul or stinky. Shelves upon shelves of food and ingredients lined the walls and the ceiling was high enough to accommodate at least twice of his height. Twain was already outside the kitchen, beckoning him to hurry up. The hallway was dark, the only light was from the occasional candle stand. Three doors down, they came upon two sets of stairs. One led downstairs, the other, up.

"I know. No need to boss me around." Sawyer sped up as Twain went down. His heart beat spiked up as he realized he was finally alone. The stairs circled up and up the tower, the highest peak of the castle where Lemongrab would have been nesting. His knuckles were white, gripping hard on the handle of his axe.

Just when he felt his lungs would burst, he saw a large oaken double doors. There was something really wrong with here. He met no resistance at all, and here he was, standing right outside of the throne room.

I am screwed? I am screwed.

Sawyer raised his axe, fired up its electric current, and brought it down on the heavy doors, the force enough to prise it open in a brilliant explosion of burning wood and sparkling metal locks. He dashed through and strained his senses for any movement. "Lemongrab!"

He looked around and found himself in the center of a room large enough to hold a grand ball, the ceiling too high to clearly see, and it seemed to have a mural. Sawyer stared in awe, the echo of his voice reverberating throughout. It send chills down his spine, and as his eyes adjusted to the gloom, he realized the numerous eyes looking at him.

"I am screwed."

Light suddenly shone down, blinding Sawyer. He instinctively placed the axe in front if him, anticipating surprise attacks. "HMMMM! Who is this rigamarole?!"

"C'mon, Lemongrab, we told you already, this is the new hero of Princess Bubblegum." A booming voice answered from behind. He squinted and saw numerous malformed Lemon creatures staring intently at him, and the front was Lemongrab himself, muscled and heavily-built. That was a huge departure from the thin Lemongrab Bonnie showed him. "You are Sawyer the Human, I presume."

He turned and saw himself face to face with the Wizard King, bushy white beard combining with his hair to cover his whole body. Bonnie warned him that the King may be in cohorts with Lemongrab, but he never expected to face them at the same time. "Damn straight."

"Before we begin, may I ask you a question?"

"You already have."

"What would you gain from killing us?"

"Redemption, a piece of myself." He was already high in the air and brought down his axe on the Lemon ruler, who easily swat him away with the famous Soundsword. The moment he touched the ground, the Lemon folk latched on him, pinning Sawyer down with their estranged limbs. Some tried to bite him. Yellow juice sprang forth upon giving them a whack of his axe. He fired it up and smash few more, their bodies exploding upon coming in contact with the electric current.

"Curse yoooouuuuuu! My children!" The electricity travelled in the sea of bodies, obliterating every single Lemon folk in the room and draining the axe of its power source. Lemongrab raised his Soundsword and aimed it at Sawyer. "She had forsaken me and my children! Defiled my kingdom! And now she had them killed! Evil! She's evil!"

Of course, the hood blocked the sound waves as Bonnie told him. The vast improvements with his favored gear afforded him the upperhand. Sawyer had to jump out of the direct path of the waves though. He was thankful that the Wizard King just stood motionless. But then it struck him as odd so he threw the axe at the king.

The effect was instantaneous, snapping him off his trance as the axe buried itself on his fleshy torso. The spell he was readying was broken. But it costed Sawyer a nick at the cheek, unable to react in time for Lemongrab's attack. He unsheathed the machete, fired it up and thrusted it upward, spearing the Lemon ruler's ropey left arm. His success was short lived though as the other arm found its mark on Sawyer's face.

"I surrendered! I fled! I never wanted any more trouble!"

Pain exploded in his senses as he got pummeled again and again. Sawyer backed away and was dismayed to realize he was protected from the electric current by the Wizard King, who was already recovering. He spat out a tooth and wiped the blood from his nose. His yellow adversary was agile despite his physique, already boring down on him with a dropkick to the face.

"Fuck!" He managed to mutter before his feet collided, sending him hurtling away, tumbling and rolling across the room, the machete spiraling out of his grip as he skidded to a grinding halt facedown on the floor. He never expected things to go this badly, what with him lying face first, left arm at an impossible angle, and right ankle twisted, his nose broken.

Somewhere below, a loud rumbling echoed throughout the castle. Twain seemed to be fighting every single soldier guarding the wizards who were conjuring the Dome of Sentinels. "You are skilled, Human. But you fought alone against us. Skilled but naive."

The king was right about that. Sawyer would die not as a hero, but an overconfident fool.

The Wizard King summoned large bubbles and encased him in one, snuffing the air he was breathing. The bubble steadily shrank, threatening to crush him inside. He prayed Twain would come in time to help him. This was a terrible way to go, painful and slow. Lemongrab continued to wail after his fallen children, their flesh and blood splatters on the floor and walls a grim reminder of what Sawyer had done.

White spots appeared in his vision as the oxygen in his body dwindled. He had to act fast or else he risked of losing his motor skills. With his good arm, he reached for the little knob on the neckline of his hoodie, activating the overhauled invisibility feature.

"A magic user?" The king removed the bubble prison, thinking he teleported away. He tried to get up but he slipped on a puddle of lemon juice, making him yell in pain as he landed on his bad arm. Lemongrab was already upon him, grabbing his head like a ball in his big hand. His grip was strong, probably enough to crush his head like a grape. He popped him in the face with his closed fist, the strike barely registering.

"Unaaaaaccceeeptable!"

Lemongrab was absolutely terrifying as his eyes bulged and his mouth gaped open, showing rows of sharp teeth akin to a shark. He raised the Soundsword and brought it down, slicing his good arm directly off his shoulder, the wet ripping sound and snapped bones accompanying the colossal pain. His eyes rolled back, Sawyer shouted and cried hard. His screams were cut short when the Lemon ruler drove his face to the floor, shattering his cheekbone and probably part of his jaw.

He saw his arm laying mangled and bloody as his bladder failed him. Sawyer was openly crying from the pain, and humiliation. The difference when he wielded the twin swords was vast, the axe and the machete just didn't made the cut. What happened to him?

His enemy kicked him down hard and fast, shattering his ribs too. "Filthy piece of patchwork!"

The glint of the Soundsword, the whooping sound it made as it was raised in the air, the smell of rust and iron, and the beautiful illumination outside the window as the Dome of Sentinels exploded and the pieces rained down like meteorites.

Then the darkness claimed him.

~~o~~

A/N

I know! I know! I've been gone a long time and here I am bearing more bad news. This chapter, this half-assed and thoroughly rushed weak chapter, might be the last one for a long period of time. I am currently on a hiatus.

The main reason would be the nagging feeling of my debut novel begging to be finished. Until I came to close finishing it, I fear I would just continue churning out the same piss-poor quality chapters for The Line That Divides, which I don't want to do at all.

All I'm asking you is to hang in there and continue supporting other authors I collaborated with.

This is not a farewell, I tell you. And I assure you I would announce when I am finished with my novel.

The Nephilim King Michael: Shit went down indeed! Just not what you've been expecting though, dude!

Ooobserver: Inception holds a special place in my list of all time favorite movies. I really love its complexity and I'm glad you found my take in its lore as deep as the original!

andrethefavorite16: In actuality, I've never really thought of it that way. It's just the notion that no two realtionships would be exactly the same. The situations would always be different from person to another person, I guess. All I can say is you've analysed the story way more than me. I never realised the story was THAT deep.

Thanks for the reviews!

P.S. I'm currently internally debating whether to get an author to adopt this story, but nothing's definite at this point. I'm still 100% sure I would finish this story in the name of my most favorite Fanfiction author who retired already.

Have a good day!