Art of Dreams Chapter 13: Paragham, an adventure time with finn and jake fanfic

Chapter 13: Paragham

If anything, Blayze was thankful that he was made if fire, otherwise the cold winds of the night howling over his and Weimar's heads would no doubt be a great discomfort. He could not say the same for the old blind wizard, however. Despite his cloak, there was no doubt the wind still managed to cool the fabric to a degree where it reached his skin. But if it was indeed bothersome, he never showed it on his face. Or maybe it would have been impossible to tell otherwise with the lack of expression in his eyes.

The Grasslands were beautiful, but it was definitely a place one would want to visit during the hours of the day when the sun shined brightly. Traveling the large grassy fields that were void of any trees to provide protection from the cold would no doubt lead to hypothermia, especially with winter approaching. But Weimar insisted they leave as soon as possible, because the time remaining for Finn and the people accompanying him was short. Blayze only wished he was told where exactly this destination was. Since their departure, Weimar had been very secretive about a lot of things. It made Blayze wonder why he even accepted to come. Taking the wizard's word that Finn and his friends were in trouble was putting a lot of trust in someone he did not know.

Needless to say, Flema was more important to him at the moment. Leaving her behind when he had just gotten back from a busy day made Blayze think she would have hated him. But his little sister always surprised him at every turn, seeming to fully understand the gravity of the situation at hand.

But it was not Flema that drove him to take on the quest. Whoever this strange wizard was, he was no stranger to the art of persuasion. Despite his white gaze, Blayze could see in his eyes that everything he said was true. The entire world was about to change…

(Earlier)

"The human and his companions are in grave danger," the wizard had said after convincing Blayze to allow him to speak. "I sense they don't have much time, but I cannot rescue them on my own. Which is why I am here to seek your assistance."

Blayze had decided to hear the wizard out, seating on the dining table along with him. "What makes you so sure they're in trouble?" he asked.

"My granddaughter is among them. She spoke to me using her powers, and it very much felt like her presence. I highly doubt she would lie about something like this."

"But why me? Surely there are others more qualified for this. Ooo has no shortage of skilled warriors, and I'm not really something that special." He leaned his arms on the table. "I'm sorry, but I feel like you're wasting your time here, sir."

Weimar chuckled. "Do you ever stop speaking politely?"

"I haven't found a reason to yet. Don't give me one tonight. I don't know if you noticed, but I have my own family to worry about."

Weimar leaned forward on his seat, placing both hands on top of the table as well. "Tell me, my boy…What do you know about a place called Windar?"

Blayze was surprised by the random question, but played along anyway. "Just an old story. Heard it from a traveler passing by the kingdom a few years ago. Kinda like you; I thought of him as crazy. He said…it was an old fortress located high in the snowy mountains to the north, deep within the Ice Kingdom. A place where old necromantic rituals were performed on people captured in the night. But the stories also say the castle was sieged once its location was discovered by the public, and its inhabitants were either killed or taken away to be locked up in prison. So what does it matter, exactly?"

Weimar chuckled again. "Indeed there was a siege, but I wouldn't go as far as to say all of the necromancers were dispatched accordingly. A darkness still lurks within that fortress, waiting ever so patiently to be freed so that it may spread its malice upon the realm. It's ruled by the dreaded Witch of Tears. And it just so happens that she is currently in possession of the human in question."

Blayze leaned forward in interest. "But what would she want with him and the others?"

"The others? I do not know. For Finn, however, well…he does wield the sigil of Paragham."

"Paragham? What's that? It sounds familiar…"

"The Great Crow. The ancient mark of the Shadowed One passed down through generations of old lords. But it has not been seen on any living being for decades since the fall of the last warrior who wielded it. And yet somehow the human has it. If it is indeed the Witch of Tears we are talking about, she would have taken his life with great ease the moment she saw him. And yet he still lives; my granddaughter said so. And something tells me it has something to do with that mark. None of this is just coincidence, of that you can be sure."

Now that Blayze thought about it, he remembered seeing Finn's hand bandaged when he first ran into him. But since he was an adventurer, chances are he had just gotten hurt and was covering the wound. Could it have been that he was hiding the sigil? If so, exactly how many people knew about it?

Weimar stood from his seat, balancing himself with his staff.

"Heed this, my boy," he continued. "The world is beginning to change in ways not many are yet to comprehend. Animal migrations are happening quicker than anticipated, Wizard City has entered an uproar, and all magic is acting out of whack. A storm approaches, and it'll be up to not just one person, but every living soul in Ooo to put a stop to it. But we can't do it if we let the best fighters die in vain."

Blayze looked towards the corner of the room, where Flema was sitting and playing with the doll Weimar had given her. "You still haven't answered why you want me to go."

"I have been living on this earth for quite some time, lad. I know plenty. The air is filled with the whispers of people sharing secrets with one another. You hide it, but all of this ties to you as well." Weimar leaned closer so Flema could not hear him. "You know full well who you really are, hiding it even from your sister. But you have spent most of your life trying to believe it false. And now you plan to marry the princess of fire because you want to do some good in this kingdom. A noble gesture, but one that will bring you nothing but misfortune should your heritage be revealed, or the ever more bothersome secret of your terrible crime. Everyone awaits their-"

Blayze stood and angrily slammed both of his hands against the table, causing the furniture to shake and startle Flema. Weimar seemed completely unfazed, however.

"That is not who I am," he said. "And don't you dare bring my sister into it as well. It was nothing but mad ramblings from my father. Everyone…everyone knew his mental health was failing. Nothing of what he said made sense. And it almost drove him too far. I had to-"

Weimar silenced Blayze by bonking him over the head with his staff. "I do not judge you. You did what anyone else would have done in that situation. No need for rambling about your self-pity. But who's to say everyone else will feel the same. Beneath that fiery hide of yours lies a beast ever eager unleash its might upon the world. And no matter how much you try to tame it, every beast leaves its lair in search of food eventually."

The more Weimar spoke, the angrier Blayze grew at the fact that this unknown wizard knew so much about him. Even his greatest secret.

"What's done is done," the elemental spoke, regaining his composure. "Now please leave."

Weimar did not pursue to convince him further. He grabbed his staff and walked to front door, but not before turning his soulless white eyes towards Blayze once more. "Ooo will need a lot more heroes in the coming days, my boy. If you really care about your people, come find me at the local inn. If you aren't there by morning, you will never hear from me again."

Blayze heard Weimar's entire offer without actually looking at him. All he heard was the sound of the door opening and then closing again, followed by receding footsteps from the outside. After being sure he was gone, Blayze sighed in a mix of both relief and frustration.

He had his own sister to worry about, and embarking on some noble crusade would only strengthen the chances of her being left alone with her grandfather, Collen. And the old man had been through too much. His health would only get him so far when dealing with a young child. Even one such as Flema.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt her tug at his arm. When he turned to look, it was none other than Flema, holding the doll close to her chest and staring up into his eyes with a look he had seen too many times to count.

"I'm not going, Flema," he stated firmly.

"But the nice wizard says there are people in danger,"

"And he comes to the most unlikely person in Ooo to ask for help. I know nothing of this man. For all intents and purposes, he could just be some mad job looking to earn a favor from someone who can get close to Flame Princess."

"He seemed to know a lot about you. He mentioned Daddy…"

"Enough, Flema. It's getting late and you should be going to bed." She still did not budge. Blayze sighed at his sibling's persistence and kneeled down to be at level with her. "What would happen if I were to walk out that door and then never come back? Would you want that? Being left here with no one but Grandpa watching over you? Old coot can barely even stand."

Flema smiled; it was look that would melt anyone away at the first sight. "But I know you'll come back. You're the bravest guy in all of Ooo. And also the toughest. I can be too. I could take care of myself."

"I know you could, but toughness and bravery only get you so far, kiddo."

"I'm also smart," she added.

Blayze chuckled. "Indeed. The smartest girl in all of Fire Kingdom; but still a young one. Now, as I said before, get to bed, kiddo."

Flema seemed rather upset but obeyed him nonetheless. Before closing the door to her bedroom, she peeked half of her face around the frame. "The nice wizard said 'Paragham'. Wasn't that written in some of Daddy's old notes?"

"To bed, Flema," Blayze ordered.

He thought she was going to say something else, and for a moment it seemed like she was, but instead she simply proceeded back into the room and closed the door behind her.

Blayze allowed himself to relax and sat back down on one of the chairs. The only sound was the usual crackling of fire that made up nearly the entire environment of the kingdom. It was a sound that was irritating to anyone who was not an elemental trying to catch a good night's sleep, but for the inhabitants, it was like there was no sound at all.

The brief moment of silence was not to last, however, when the door creaked as Collen walked into the house. Special was the occasion when Blayze actually saw his grandfather on his feet and not sleeping. Though from the look on the old elemental's face, he was just about to keel over and fall asleep again. Nevertheless, he managed to reach the table and pulled out a seat, now facing Blayze directly from the opposite side.

"Who was that man I saw leave?" he asked. "Better not have been a telemarketer…"

"Just a crazy old man," Blayze replied. "Nothing to worry about."

Collen coughed several times, covering his mouth with his closed hand. "I heard you talkin' about taking a trip somewhere. Any idea where?"

Blayze gathered his thoughts about the previous conversation with Weimar. "He mentioned something about Windar, the old fortress to the north. There was also several mentions of…Paragham. The same name my father used to say."

Collen grunted. "I always thought your dad was a nice man, even if I was hesitant when your mother decided to marry him. But at the time, I thought it would make my sweet daughter happy. Then, well…everything happened. In any case, why…" He trailed off for a minute but then snapped back to reality. "Why would you go to Windar, anyway? From what I hear, the old place is nothing but a haven for the wild animals that inhabit the frozen wastes."

"Supposedly, Finn the Human is trapped in there with some people."

Collen scratched the back of his head. "Finn, huh? Isn't that the guy who dated the princess once?"

"He's more than just that, Grandpa. He's the Hero of Ooo. Everyone looks to him and his companion, Jake, whenever there's trouble."

Trying not to fall asleep, Collen mumbled a bit before responding. "Relying on a kid for help. Ha! What has this land come to? In any case, if the human is indeed in trouble, what's the harm in checking for yourself?"

"Multiple reasons. But the most important of them is leaving Flema here on her own."

"On her own? I can take care of her."

Blayze sighed. "That's not very comforting."

Looking down at his hands, the elemental felt a hand against his shoulder. He looked back up to see Collen standing next him, with a light smile present on his face.

"You know, Blayze, Flema won't be little forever," he said. "She's growing a lot quicker than you might think. You may see a little girl now, but come a few years and she'll be her own woman. And that time will pass by as fast as a gust of wind. But she needs to learn now that her brother can't always be there. And I'm sure she would understand just fine. Besides, I know you. One way or another, you won't fall dead on the ground at the tip of a sword. You'll come back for your family no matter how hard the struggle. Not many people can say that."

Blayze had to admit, when the old man was right, he was right. Not so much about him not dying, which was still a possibility, but rather his continuing worry of Flema that keeps her from experiencing the world. And if ever was to become king, the presence of him whenever she needed him would be a lot more scarce. Besides, the only times Blayze ever traveled was to hunt, never to fight an enemy he did not know.

"Do you really think I'll come back?" Blayze asked, looking at his grandfather's eyes.

For the next few seconds, there was nothing but silence between them as Collen thought of an answer.

"If I'm being honest…I don't know. But I have faith in you. And so does your sister. Of that, you have my word. So tell me, what will you do?"

(Present)

When Blayze and Weimar reached the forest, the air became more tolerable, but with the moonlight blocked by the rustling leaves of the trees, it became hard to see what lied ahead. Luckily, Blayze's glowing body allowed them to get a better view of where they were going without getting lost in complete darkness.

The elemental had no idea where he was being led. And no matter how many times he asked, Weimar simply said that they were going 'Get a door', whatever that meant. Just in case, he always kept his bow at the ready with an arrow knocked on the string.

"So, what else do you know about Paragham?" Blayze asked, wanting to break the silence.

Weimar stopped for a while and used his staff to scan his surroundings before proceeding. "A god-like being born from the ashes of an ancient war. There are stories that suggest the Shadowed One could use the Great Crow's sigil to summon the spirit Paragham himself on the battlefield. Although, whether this is true or just a myth is unknown to me."

"But what is exactly is the role of a Shadowed One?"

Weimar stumbled when he accidentally scrapped a tree branch but regained his composure quickly. "To protect and serve."

Blayze raised an eyebrow. "Protect and serve who?"

"Ah, now that's the real question, isn't it?"

"You mean you don't know why Finn wields a centuries old mark?"

"Oh, I do. But some things in this world are better off unknown until the person figures it out for themselves. Let's just say there is a long road ahead for the human and his friends, but the payoff will change the world forever."

"For better or worse?"

Weimar scanned the area with his staff once more and then continued. "It depends on the point of view of the person living in such a world. What might seem great to some might seem terrible to others. Only time can tell how things will fall into place. Who knows, maybe my age is making me paranoid and the world will stay exactly as it is now. Maybe all of our struggles are pointless and I really am just turning into a rambling old coot."

Every time Blayze got an answer to one of his questions, he only grew even more confused. He was still debating with himself whether this strange wizard knew so much or if he was really just crazy after all. No matter the case, the elemental continued to follow.

After scanning the area one more time, Weimar's face beamed. "Ah, we're close," he said and waved forward. "Come."

After making their way past several bushes, with Blayze making sure he strayed from setting fire to any of them, they managed to reach a small clearing. In the center was a wooden door, standing up straight despite there being no house around to support it. Even stranger still, the closer they walked to the door, the more the muffled sound of music reached Blayze's ears.

"What are we doing here?" the elemental asked. "And how did you even know how to get here if you're blind?"

Weimar laughed. "They don't call me the Elder of the Woods for nothing. I can make my way around a forest with ease. As for why we are here, well, Windar is located high on the slopes of the Ice Kingdom's mountains. Getting there on foot with the little time we have to rescue Finn, my granddaughter, and his friends is too high of a risk. Therefore, we'll use a shortcut."

"What kind of shortcut?"

Rather than responding immediately, Weimar stopped in front of the door and knocked a few times before turning to face the elemental. "You ask too many questions, you know that?"

As Blayze was about to comment, the door opened and the music coming from inside grew ever louder. Flashing lights of varying colors nearly blinded the elemental and a thick layer of smoke spread across the grass and covered his feet. As impossible as it seemed, on the other side of the door was an entire room where a party was taking place. At least what Blayze hoped was a room because the walls seemed rather…fleshy. Every single attendant was a small bear with varying symbols on their stomachs; all except the one who answered the door to greet him and Weimar, because he was not even a bear.

His skin was a light yellow shade and his torso was wide. His arms and legs were slightly bent in multiple directions and were very skinny compared to the rest of his body. On top of his head was a hat with and ornament resembling a small door, a string carrying multiple colored keys hung from his shoulder, and he carried a large duffle bag on his back. Due to him eating a sandwich, his cheeks were puffy, and when he spoke, it came out as high pitched grunts.

"It's good to see you again too, Door Lord," said Weimar. "How have your crazy squatting sessions been going?"

The Door Lord spoke muffled words several more times in response.

"That's good to hear. Listen, my friend and I need a favor. We need to get to the fortress of Windar. I was hoping you would be able to help us out with your door summoning skills."