Succumbing to Magical Madness and Sadness, Huntress Wizard hunts down the Lich. Can she defeat Lich alone?

Chapter Text

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Huntress Wizard's Point of View - Wizard Madness

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NyahAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

It feels...IT FEELS SO GOOD to be RUSHING through the trees, LEAPING from branch to branch in pursuit of my MOST FOUL, MOST HATED HATED HATED PREY!

This thing, THIS DIRTY, WRETCHED BEAST...hurt my most beloved FINN! My pack-mate! This, THIS WAS UNFORGIVABLE! No rest, NO REST for Artemis until THE LICH was a PINCUSHION for my arrows!

I connected my legs to the tree branch I was on, turning them to wood, feeling the roots of the forest. It felt AMAZING to be connected to NATURE after being CRAMPED IN THAT AWFUL CASTLE!

Or...maybe it was a nice castle. Who knows?! Hahahahaha. It doesn't matter! IT DOESN'T MATTER! Nothing matters! Nothing except Finn and VENGEANCE. FINNGEANCE! FINNGEANCE WILL ME FINE! From the tree roots, I could feel the evil presence of the Lich fleeing into the forest to the west.

I grinned as I ripped some bark from the tree I was on, magically turning it into a flurry of arrows. The Lich was mine. My hunt. My kill.

I dashed from branch to branch, the trees telling me I was close, whispering the secrets of nature and the forest to me.

I crouched from a tall tree, looking down at the form of STAR'S POSSESSED, FOUL, WRETCHED GRANDMOTHER under me on the beaten path.

"Such dark power," The Lich said, examining Eclipsa's wand. "Surely there is a better way to channel such destructive power."

The Lich lurched forward unexpectedly, momentarily her eyes returning to normal, the goat horns shrinking slightly.

"No!" Cried what I could only assume was Eclipsa?! NOT THE LICH? WHERE IS MY KILL? "I won't let you into my memories!"

Was she RESISTING THE FOUL BEAST?! Surely the LICH NEEDED TO PERISH!

Eclipsa's eyes reverted back to the SICKLY GREEN, NOT LIKE ANYTHING IN MY PURE FOREST. She cackled ominously. "You are strong, Queen of Darkness. But I will unlock your secrets in time. I will need a true form."

"YOU'LL UNLOCK ONLY DEATH!" I screamed to the heavens as I pelted the Lich with a volley of arrows, knocking her to the ground. I landed in front of the BEAST, and laughed, "Looks like you're as crazy as me! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The Lich's eyes, THE LYING EYES, turned back to Eclipsa's, but I used an arrow to break a horn off the Lich's head. He yelled in pain, the deep, evil yell of a beast that WAS TAINTING MY FOREST.

"That won't work on ME!" I screeched, arrows floating around my head, "My love, my Finn, may be that trusting... neeheheheHAHAHAHAHA," I cackled, "But I'M OUT FOR BLOOD, LICH!"

The Lich blasted at me with the wand, but I flipped over the beam and shot more arrows at the Lich. She opened a portal with the wand, and the arrows flew through them. Suddenly a portal opened behind me, so I spun in the air to avoid the arrows, but one lodged itself in my shoulder. As I landed, I saw the confident smirk of the Lich vanished as she looked upon my own psychotic smile. I pulled the arrows out of my shoulder and licked the blood off it, smiling widely

"This one," I breathed, holding the arrow, "this is the one I'll kill you with."

The Lich scowled, turned and took off through the trees, hovering above the ground for speed.

"YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME, CREATURE OF DARKNESS!" I howled as I ripped open the grass and traveled beneath it at high speed.

Once I had gotten myself far enough in front of the Lich, I morphed into a tree, hiding in plain sight. As the Lich approached, a I readied myself for an attack, by they blasted me before I could even transform. I skid across the forest floor, rolling onto all fours, hissing.

"You think you're the only one who can see the truth, Wizard?" The Lich growled, wand pointed at me.

"GOOD," I screamed, "DON'T MAKE THIS TOO EASY!"

I charged forward flinging arrows, but like before the FOUL CREATURE used her wand to deflect them. I tried to stab the Lich with my blood-soaked arrow, but she just caught me, levitated me in a flip, and slammed me onto my back. But I FLUNG the arrow at the Lich's face. She jerked her head back, but not in time, and I laughed.

"HAHAHAHA, THE ARROW! IT'S UP YOUR NOSE!" I cried in glee. "I FINALLY GOT TO DO IT."

Blood gushing from the Lich's nose, she grabbed me with her magic and threw me as hard as she could through the canopy of trees. But before she could, I grabbed the Lich's horn; a trophy for my collection. IT FEELS LIKE FLYING, THE ADRENALINE OF FALLING TO MY DEATH! IT'S SO ADDICTING! I COULD GET USED TO SUCH A RUSH!

Of course, I easily survive just the same way I did last time. I turned into a log before hitting the ground, bouncing and rolling along the forest until I crashed into a tree. I then snapped back into my normal form, cracking my neck. I grabbed the Lich's horn and sniffed. A LITTLE FALL WON'T DO ME IN!

I grinned. I HAD THE SCENT! I laughed to myself. "You can't escape me, my prey!"

I took back to the trees, following my nose until I closed in on the Lich. To my UTTER AND COMPLETE RAGE, I could see that the Lich had used Eclipsa's wand to heal the wounds I had given her while I was away, but she could not fix the hole in her nose, nor the horn. PROOF OF MY BATTLE WITH HER! THE MARKS OF MY FURY! I had to kill her at once for the damage to stick. THIS COURSE OF EVENTS IS TRULY UNACCEPTABLE!

THIS CALLS FOR ULTIMATE STEEEAAAAAAALLLTH, I realized, crouching down to the branch and sneaking closer towards them. I approached, the smile on my face growing, and I held in my ecstatic giggles of the hunt.

"Show yourself, Forest Hunter," the Lich commanded.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh they're going to get it! HOW DOES HE KNOW I'M HERE?!

I produced arrows from all the surrounding trees, and rocketed them to the Lich. She produced a green, translucent barrier, blocking all the arrows, then dispersed them across the forest. WHAT A PARTY POOPER!

"Cheap tricks will not fell me, child of the forest."

Cheap tricks? DID HE JUST CALL MY HUNTING PROWESS CHEAP?!

Enraged, I summoned some vines and roots from the depth of the earth, and called on them burst forth and wrap themselves around the legs of the Lich. The Lich grunted in frustration and I dove from the tree, BOOTING THE FOUL CREATURE ACROSS THE JAW. Finally, the beast dropped its wand, and I snatched it off the ground. In my hand, it transformed into a wooden dagger with a rounded end.

S-s-such POWER! My eyes widened in ecstasy as a surge of magical energy flowed through EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING! I've never felt such POWER! I COULD HUNT ANYTHING LIKE THIS!

"Dear, you are making a horrible mistake!" Came a voice that was vaguely familiar. I looked over and saw the Eclipsa woman seemed to be in possession of her body, clutching her cut nose in pain.

"No, YOUR MISTAKE WAS THINKING I'D FALL FOR THAT ACT, LICH!" I roared, as I prepared more arrows.

"No, please listen!" Eclipsa begged, "The Lich isn't possessing me, it's possessing THE WAND!"

I snapped out of my madness as her words hit me. Oh dang. Oh dang. I looked at the wand in my hand to see the green gas of the Lich oozing out. From the gas, the Lich's skeletal fist appeared and smashed me across the face. I was thrown across the woods, dropping the wand and crashing into a tree, snapping it in half.

I groaned in pain. Not only was I acting like a dingus, I almost killed Star's not-grandma. I painfully pulled myself out from under the fallen tree, to see the wand had already flown back into Eclipsa's hands, taken control of her again, blasted her free from the roots, and had taken off deeper into the forest.

Ugh. I can't believe I let myself succumb to wizard madness. Still, not being bat-crud insane made me worry for Finn all over again. But if anyone can fix him, it's Princess Bubblegum. Moreso, now that I had my senses, I realized the Lich seemed to know where she was going. Was I being tricked, or led somewhere? This required real hunting. Not this...mad bloodlust.

I leapt back to a tree and inhaled deeply, getting the scent of the Lich. Good; now I had a trail. Time to do this the right way.

I rushed along the branches, making sure to be silent as the scent grew stronger. Hidden in the leaves, I regained sight of the Lich, floating through the woods, looking left for something in particular. I couldn't tell you what, though.

I wasn't quite sure how to attack this. If the wand is made of Mithril, attacking it will do no good, only magic or items made of Mithril can destroy it. Even if I break it, Lich could just move into Eclipsa. And killing Eclipsa won't solve anything. Especially if wand-Lich can just snap back to someone else.

But being an inanimate object doesn't seem like something Lich would want to do, he'd need a carrier. Whatever his plan is - this elaborate plan of possessing Star, then the wand and her not-grandma...what could his endgame be?

Maybe his own body? One more sturdy than a skeleton man?

I contemplated this as I crept through the trees; however, the forest was beginning to thin out a little. I may need to travel through the grass to continue in stealth. I landed silently on the forest floor, sneaking through the bushes, maintaining my line of sight with the Lich. Man, this is just like the times I would follow Finn around for awhile. Watching him fight that evil bear really made my -

Er...focus, Artemis. The Lich finally came to a stop at the edge of a murky pond. My eyes widened - that was the Wellspring of the Forest - a center of magical energy, and rather well-hidden from the knowledge of Ooo. Not even Bubblegum knew about it. Good thing too, she'd probably drain it for research.

"Wh-what are you going to do to me?" Eclipsa asked. She was feigning confidence, but the Lich terrified even the Queen of Darkness.

I could hear the Lich answer her from the wand. "I did not need all your knowledge, your highness. In all your spells, all I needed, was just one. And I found it before you could even resist me."

Eclipsa dipped her wand into the water and chanted, "In blackest night, in foulest day, I aim to raise the one of decay. I give my life to raise another, to tear this broken world asunder. To end all life, I am the witch who will rebirth the ominous Lich."

The pond burst into a sickly green glow, and the wand began to float above it. Eclipsa herself turned, back to the pond, and held her arms out to fall backwards into it, in tears.

"Nope!" I yelled, sprinting from my hiding spot, scooping the queen into my arms, and dashing back towards the entrance of the forest. "Nope, nope, nope."

"Cutting it close on that rescue, dear," Eclipsa muttered into my neck.

As I sprinted, I managed to reply, "Finn says I have a flair for the dramatic. I don't see it."

Blasts of green energy came shooting from every direction of the forest after us.

"You should have let him take me, darling," Eclipsa said, sadly.

I shook my head. "You have someone who wants to see you."

"You don't understand," she objected, "he's more powerful this way! Let him take control of me, and you may have a chance!"

Her plea caused me to slow, just for a moment, but it was all the Lich needed to blast me in the back, sending both of us to the ground. I was taking a beating today.

I struggled to get back to my feet, the events of the day catching up to me, but the Lich spoke, low-voiced, and commanded, "Fall."

I collapsed to the ground at the sound of Lich's voice. "Ugh..."

Finn...Finn warned me about this. I opened my eyes, but only saw darkness. The Lich's outline surrounded the wand in a silhouette.

"You could take form any time..." I grumbled, "Why do this?"

"This body of bones is frail, wizard of the forest," the Lich replied, approaching me. "I need a body of magic power to fully eliminate life in this land. The Queen of Darkness can provide that power."

He stepped closer to me, and I shivered. He made the air around me cold, and the leaves on the tree began to shrivel. "But you, forest wizard...you are a being of immense power and magic. Perhaps...you would do."

"No..." I replied crawling away.

"Lich!" Yelled a a voice from not far. The forest came back to view. I looked up to see Eclipsa back at the pond. "Leave her be. I'm who you want."

With that, Eclipsa jumped back into the green pond water. "NO!" I shouted, trying to get back to my feet, but the wand-Lich smacked me back down before flying into the pond with Eclipsa.

The pond exploded with green energy, and I covered my eyes. This was bad. This was way bad.

I pulled myself to my feet. I had failed. I leaned against a tree to catch my breath. But it looks like that was a mistake too, because the Lich began to pull himself ashore from the pond. But instead of an arm of bones or Eclipsa's arm, a muscled, veiny black arm pulled itself onto shore. The Lich stood, a vaguely humanoid outline of shining, black skin, with glowing green eyes, and the goat horns...although one was still broken off by my earlier arrow. Ten feet tall, and bulging with muscles, he looked like a demon statue come to life.

He gave me a crooked grin and looked at the magic wand in his hands, now a sickly green, dagger-like instrument with an arb at the end. He touched the ground with it, and in an instant, all the trees within a hundreds of yards died, sapping me of my energy, and I dropped to my knees.

"Does this hurt, forest child?" He asked, tauntingly. "You draw your power from these trees, don't you?"

I tried to fling some arrows at him, but they just bounced off, harmlessly.

"You can not hurt me now, child. You put up an admirable fight, so I commend you." The Lich gloated, drawing near to me.

"I'm sorry, Finn." I whispered.

But as Lich drew near, his face twitched upwards, and I heard a familiar voice shout, "Narwhal Blast!" A ray of blue light and...narwhals? The ray came from behind me, and hit the Lich, though he was only pushed back a few feet as he stumbled. However, while he was unbalanced, Marco landed in front of me, and leapt off the ground, kicking the Lich in the face and knocking him down. He turned back to me and helped me up.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Just a bit winded, thanks." I replied. I grabbed him and dove out of the way into a gang of dead trees as the Lich blasted at us.

"He's fast," Marco muttered.

I nodded, gathering my strength and leaping into a branch, but before I landed, he blasted if off the tree. I shifted, and attached myself to the tree itself, hurling arrows, hoping to knock the wand out of Lich's hands. But with a wave of his hand my arrows disintegrated. Star flew in close range and unleashed a, "Rainbow Fist Punch," however, the Lich barely flinched at the impact before blasting her back into Marco.

"Look around you, and tell me what you really see." The Lich said, voice raised, gesturing to the green lighting clouds and dead trees. "I am never ending. I am eternal. That is the difference between us. There is no one to save you now."

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In the heart of the Candy Kingdom, deep in the castle's walls, the eyes of Finn Mertens shot open, and he gasped. Jake, who had been in a trance next to him, snapped to attention.

"Finn, are you okay?!" Jake asked.

Finn sprang out of the bed and grabbed his sword and backpack from the table next to him.

"We need to get to the forest, Jake," He answered, running for the door, "now."