Chapter 21

Finn let out a gasp as he snapped back awake. His head was pounding and his lungs were burning. The last thing he remembered was the escape plan, and how it did not work. He moaned as he felt new sensations ripple and pulse through his body. His hand felt cramped, but very cold as well.
"Now where am I?" he asked as he tried to clear the haze from his vision. He couldn't see much of anything for the moment. Whatever was in the gas that Jigsaw had used was still lingering in his body. He could see dark shapes around him and a singular bright orange shape.

"Phoebe, is that you?" he asked as he tried to move towards the glow, only to find that his legs were stuck. He tried to pull his legs free of whatever it was he was stuck to, only to feel a sudden jolt of pain rip through his legs. He let out a gasp as his legs seared in pain.

"Ow, what now!?" he shouted as he tried to feel his legs. He let out a small squeal of pain as something sharp grazed across his skin. His vision unclouded quickly as he held his hand up to his face. His hand was covered in thick layers of duct tape, forcing his hand tightly around a short blade made out of the coldest of ice. Terror rippled through him as his eyes trailed down to his legs. He let out a stifled cry of despair as he saw what had been done to him. Both of his legs had two large metal cylinders held tightly in place by several thick metal cables that cut deeply into his flesh. Both cylinders were attached to two cables that held him in place.

"No, no more!" he cried out as despair washed over him again. "No more games!"

"H-hello, who's there?" a familiar voice asked followed by a weak groan. Finn's eyes darted forward; his vision cleared by the pain. Slumped up in a standing position, held in place by cables that wrapped around her body was Flame Princess. She moaned weakly as she too tried to shake the haze from her eyes. Finn's eyes widened as he saw that attached to her arms were two similar cylinders, held in place by ice coated wires.

"Phoebe, it's me, Finn!" he shouted as he tried to pull away from the cables on his legs. He strained as hard as he could, but the cables would not budge.

"Phoebe, you gotta listen!" he shouted as he tried to warn her of the pain she was about to feel. "Try not to panic, try to-"

Finn was cut off as Flame Princess's senses returned, and with them, all the new pain she was feeling. She let out a scream as she looked over her arms and felt bile rise in her throat. The wires, coated in some magic ice were cutting deep into her flesh, releasing gouts of steam as liquid fire dripped onto the floor. Much like Finn, both her hands were covered. But unlike Finn, her hands were held shut with metal wires. Held firmly in both hands were two scalpels.

"Finn, Finn please, help me!" she sobbed as she tried to reach out to him, only for her arms to be snagged back into place by the wires. Finn bared his teeth as he tried his hardest to pull himself free from the cables holding his legs in place. He needed to get free, he needed to help Phoebe out of whatever this game was going to do to them. There was a loud click, as both victims felt the wires disconnect, and with it, the lights in the room brightened, revealing a large, empty room. Thick metal support beams lined the center of the room and the walls were covered in red painted spirals. The wall closest to the two victims suddenly slide up to reveal a thick window.

Both Finn and Flame Princess both ran and began to slam on the window, trying to break it or at least get the attention of their observer.
"Hey, I know you can see us!" Finn shouted as he banged his shoulder against the window. "I know you can hear us too!"

As if to answer the young hero's shouting, a light flickered behind the window, illuminating the room behind it. Standing before the two was the metal armed figure, their mask covering their face. But Finn knew who they really were now.

"Fionna!" he shouted as he slammed his arm against the window. "Fionna, don't do this to us! You were a hero once, like me!"

"Finn, what are you talking about?!" Flame Princess asked "Do you know her?!"

The figure reached behind their head and undid the straps on their mask before pulling it off. Fionna's cold eyes stared fiercely at two victims, but more so at Finn. She had such high hopes for them both, but they had broken the rules of the game. She even personally warned the young hero not to follow Marceline and Bonnibel's plan to escape. She though that he was smarter than to try to break the rules of the game, but he had proved her wrong.
She pressed a button on a remote and a loud click sounded. A tap player tied to a string fell from the ceiling, startling the two victims.
As always, the words 'Play Me' were written on the tape player.
Finn looked at the player, then to Flame Princess, then back to Fionna. He tried to grab it; the lack of his right arm making it impossible.
Phoebe reached for the tape player and held it between her bound hands, with a loud click, the tape crackled to life, and an all too familiar voice spoke.

"Hello Finn. Hello Princess. I want to play a game. You both were told the rules of the game at the beginning of your rehabilitation. The rules were simple.
And yet you both broke them. You have both taken a huge step backwards from your freedom and your rehabilitation.
Your reluctance to obey the rules given to you is something that must be removed before you can proceed and be free."

A two loud beeps chirped as two yellow lights shown on the side of the cylinders attached to their limbs. Next to the lights, a digital clock began to set itself. Numbers began to flash before the clocks stopped at six minutes.

"Attached to your legs Finn, are two explosive devises. Pipe Bombs.
And for you, Princess, attached to your arms are two fire foam canisters that will be more than enough to extinguish you permanently.
Think of these devises as a malignancy that must be cut out in order for you both to survive.
The blades cannot cut through the galvanized cables, and they will not be able to cut through your own flesh."

Finn looked down at the blade held in his hand and then back up to Phoebe. She did the same as they both began to connect the dots.

"Trust is something that you both lack in each other, but in order for you both to survive, trust is the only thing that can help you.
Win the game, and continue forward on your path to rehabilitation and finally freedom. Or, hesitate and both of you will die here.
Live or die. The choice is yours."

Once the tap stopped playing, another loud beep was heard. Both victims looked at the devices on their limbs with terror. The lights had turned red and the timers were counting down.

"Finn!" Phoebe shouted as panic gripped her heart. "What do we do?!"

Finn shook his head as he tried to press his ice blade into his skin. No matter how hard he pressed, it would not cut him. He looked back to Flame Princess with fear in his eyes.

"Phoebe. You'll have to cut these things off of me." He stated as his heart pounded. "Then I'll have to cut yours off."

Pure terror spread over the young princess's face as she took in the words the young hero had told her.

"N-no. No. I'm not going to do that to you!" she screamed as she tried to cut at her own arms. But, just as the tape had said, the blades would not cut into her. She let out an angry scream as she tried biting at her arms, to no avail. She whimpered as her eyes looked down at Finn's legs. The timers on the devices beeped as each second passed.

"I don't want to…" she whimpered in defeat as she slid to the floor. "I don't want to hurt you. I don't wanna play anymore…"

Finn dropped to his knees and crawled over to the princess. He pressed his forehead against hers gently.

"Look at me, Phoebe." he begged her as he tried to snap her out of her panic. "We have to play; we both die if we don't. I know you don't wanna carve me up, and I don't wanna carve you up. But we have to. You're stronger than this, I know you are!"

Flame Princess whimpered as she looked into Finn's eyes. She could see fear, dread, panic, but despite everything that had been done to him, she could still see the smallest but brightest glimmer of hope. Hope, that they would survive. Hope that they would get to go home. Hope that this was not the end of their road.

Finn sat back and spread his legs out, as he tried to make it easier for the princess to reach the bombs.

"I'll go first, Princess." He stated firmly. "I can take it and you know it."

Flame Princess nodded as she reluctantly crawled over towards Finn. He held his legs up for her and gave her a nervous nod.

"Ready?" the princess asked as she lined up her blades against his right leg.

"Now or never." Finn answered as he braced himself for what was to come. "Start cutting and don't stop no matter what!"

Flame Princess whimpered as she drove the blades into Finn's leg, cutting deep into his flesh. Blood spurted out and spilled onto the floor as Flame Princess tried to cut as fast and as cleanly as she could.

Finn screamed through his teeth as pure agony ripped through him like a bullet. He tried to keep his breathing steady and his voice down to not panic the Princess. But try as he might, the pain forced a scream out of the young hero.

"Finn?!" the princess shouted, startled by his scream.

"Don't stop! Keep going!" he screamed.

The princess cried as she slashed and stabbed at Finn's leg. Finally, the pipe began to loosen. The princess grabbed the bomb with her teeth and gave it a pull. Finn let out a scream as the bomb was slowly ripped away from his leg. Once it was removed, the princess dropped it and kicked it away from the them.

"O-one down…" Finn muttered shakily. "One more to go…"

Flame Princess shook her head as she began to work on his other leg. She sobbed as blood gushed from his leg. The sound of skin cutting and muscle ripping filled the room as the princess sliced and cut away at the young hero's leg. His blood began to pool at around her, which steamed at the touch of her skin. One by one, the cables grew loose as the skin and muscle was removed in chunks. Again, she gripped the bomb with her teeth and began to pull. Skin separated from muscle and muscle from bone as she ripped the bomb from Finn's leg. With a loud clang, she dropped the bomb and kicked it away from them.

Fionna watched the two silently through the window. A second monitor showed the two victims from another angle. She could see that Finn was losing a lot of blood.
A part of her wanted to help, but she quickly silenced that part of herself. They broke the rules, now they were paying for it. She looked over at the timer on her arm. Three minutes had passed. Three minutes remained.

Flame Princess gagged and spat out the blood in her mouth as she tried to stand up.

"Okay, n-now its my turn…" she stammered as her heart pounded harder and harder as dread filled her veins. "I just need a moment to-"

Finn shouted and kicked her leg out from under her, bringing her down to the floor. Before she could protest, Finn pinned her arm to the floor with his mangled legs.

"No time! I'm so sorry Phoebe!"

Without hesitation, Finn plunged the ice blade into the princess's arm. She screamed as hot steam and liquid heat gushed from her arm. Finn stabbed and slashed at her arm, desperate to rid her of the device.

The terrified princess began to smack Finn's back with her other arm, trying to make him stop.

"Finn! Stop! It hurts too much!" she screamed as she struggled to get away from him. Finn didn't respond, he never broke away from the take at hand. He needed to save Flame Princess, even if that meant hurting her to do it. He bared his teeth as he cut deeper into Phoebe's arm. She sobbed and screamed as he smacked Finn and even tried to kick him. All rational though was now replaced with pure, primal fear.

"Finn, you're killing me!" she screamed as she kicked him in the side. "You're killing me!"

Finn gritted his teeth as all of his cutting and slashing began to pay off. The first foam canister had become loose. Hot steam hissed out of the princess's arm as heat escaped her body. Finn pinned her arm with his and leaned down to grab the canister with his teeth. He let out a squeal of pain as the hot steam scorched his mouth and gums. Yet he was undeterred. With a growl, he yanked the canister free from the Princess's arm and tossed it away.

"Last one, I'm sorry Phoebe."

The princess screamed as Finn began to carve and slashing into her other arm. More steam rose and seared the young hero's skin as he slashed at her arm. In the whirlwind of emotions that were flying through her head, one all too familiar one came to the front; Anger.

"I-I-I hate you..." Flame Princess stammered weakly. "Y-y-you've always hated me! Now I see it!"

Finn felt tears roll down his face at her words. They cut deeper than any blade or trap in this horrible place.

"I don't hate you!" Finn screamed as he slashed and cut faster and faster. "I've never hated you!"

"I wish I never met you, Finn!" she screamed. "If I never met you, I wouldn't be here!"

"If you never met me, you'd still be a fancy lamp for your dad!" Finn shouted as he tore more skin from the princess's arm.

"If I never met you, I'd never-!" she paused as she tried to find the right words.

"Never what?!" Finn screamed as his blood began to boil.

"I would have never had my heart broken!" she screamed as she threw her head back in pain.

Finn screamed as he drove the knife deep into Flame Princess's arm. Gouts of steam rose and made the air thick and foggy. The timer beeped faster and faster. Ten seconds remaining. Finn bit down onto the canister, and with a loud roar, tore it free from the princess. He tossed it, then threw himself over her. One after the other, the pipe bombs and the canisters began to explode around them. The last foam canister detonated right behind Finn, covering his back in fire suppressant foam.
They had done it.
They had won.

Both Finn and Flame Princess laid on top of each other, too weak to move. Finn looked into Phoebe's eyes. They were both defeated. Tears ran down both of their faces as pain and heart ache clawed at them.

"Y-you can hate me all you want, Pheobe." He muttered softly as his legs grew numb. "I deserve it."

Flame Princess sobbed as she looked away from him in shame. She never meant to say such horrible things to Finn, but what disgusted her more was that a part of her did. A part of her wanted Finn to feel the pain he put her through, but never like this. This was too much for anyone to bear.

"I-I'm s-so sorry Finn." She whimpered softly, pressing her cheek against his. "I didn't mean what I said. I just…I just…"

Finn tried to move to comfort her, but his limbs were going numb.

"Y-you have to survive." He muttered softly, the strength in his voice fading. "T-tell Jake that I love him…"

Flame Princess tried to answer, but she was so cold. This was it. The end of their journey.

Fionna nodded her head as she turned off the monitor. She gabbed a first aid kit and a bottle of lighter fluid. With a hiss, the wall opened up and she stepped out into the room. She calmly walked up to the two victims.

"N-no…" the Phoebe muttered in fear as she approached them.

Fionna placed the first aid kit down and placed her hands on both of them.

"You're both going to be okay." She said calmly as she opened the first aid kit.

Finn slumped back over as he finally blacked out. Flame Princess tried to crawl to him, but Fionna gently moved her away. She removed the cap from the lighter fluid and gave her a squirt over her legs. With a flash and whoosh of fire, the princess's body began to burn again. Her wounds began to slowly mend as her internal heat grew. Dazed and confused, the princess watched as Fionna cleaned and bandaged Finn's legs. She then pulled out a bag of blood and attached an IV tube and needle to it before pushing it into Finn's arm.

"You both, should consider yourselves very lucky to be alive." Fionna spoke as she held the bag steady as the blood began to flow through the tubing. "Most people don't survive after breaking the rules. Jigsaw must see something in you two to give you one last chance like this."

Flame Princess tried to look at Fionna, but her vision was still too blurry.

"Please…no more." She whimpered. "At least let Finn go. I'll play all the games you want, just let him go."

Fionna shook her head as the blood bag emptied.

"None of you are done yet." She spoke coldly. "There is still one last game to be played."

With that said, Fionna snapped her fingers, and with a hiss a large shadow slithered across the floor and took a humanoid shape.

"Marshall, take her away. Get her ready for the last game." Fionna ordered the shadow figure.

Shadow tendrils snaked and coiled around the half-conscious princess, pulling her into the shadow.

"Of course, Fionna." He said in a velvety voice as he held the princess in his tendrils. "It is finally coming to an end, isn't it? After all this time."

Fionna nodded and looked down to Finn. The young hero would live. He was a fighter, just like her. But the next game would be the deciding game for him. There was no turning back, and no more second chances. She picked him up and held him close to her. It was strange, like holding a long-lost sibling. Finn was everything she should have been. Everything she could have been before her game and before Jigsaw.

"You'll need to be brave, Finn." She spoke softly into his ear as she rubbed his shoulders.

Finn muttered and moaned as fitful dreams were pushed back by the sound of Fionna's voice.

"It is all finally going to end."

I'm still not dead.
I know I've been gone for almost four years.
But I'm back to finish this.
Hope you all will still read it.