A/N: This will be the climax of the story. No promises that there will be an epilogue (count on it though), but this is not the end of me. I have several hundred more stories lined up. Now if only I could put in the effort to write them all I would've *babbles of into unintelligible language*

There came a moment for Finn where he wasn't sure of what to do. He just stood there, frozen, in the chilly air for a moment, before he finally broke out of his daze and drew his sword. 'This is it. I'm finishing this once and for all.' Finn thought determined.

Blade didn't notice him until he called out for him. "Blade!" Finn shouted, causing an echo to ripple through the air. Blade turned around, his body motion suggested he was startled. He drew his dagger out of the scabbard in his belt.

"Finn, you have come too far, too late." He said as he pressed a button on the control panel, causing the doors behind Finn to seal shut. "I have already begun the start-up sequence for this great weapon, and all of the known world will-" he was cut off as Finn charged straight at him, sword raised while giving a loud battle cry.

"You! Talk! Too! Much!" Finn said, each word following the clash of his sword as he brought it down over and over again.

Finn used his raw strength and swung his sword as hard and as fast as he could, while Blade constantly tried to redirect or dodge Finn's strikes. In the midst of all the fighting, Blade was able to get one foot under Finn and trip him. Finn tumbled to the ground under his left leg, hitting the ground hard.

Finn tried to get himself up again, but stopped when he felt the end of a crossbow against his head. He looked up to see Blade towering over him, crossbow aimed point-blank at his head. "You think allying yourself with these abominations makes you stronger? Makes you a survivor? Well it does not make you human." He said as he kicked Finn back to the ground. "This is the end, Finn the Human." He said, but while he was talking, Finn was reaching for a Sun Bomb in one of his pouches. He pulled out the Sun Bomb and aimed it right at Blade. The light and force it gave off knocked Blade back, allowing Finn to get back up and get the upper hand in the fight.

Finn was able to eventually knock Blade's dagger out of his hand with a strong backhand strike, the dagger was sent tumbling down the chasm. Finn brought his sword up to bring it down one last time, but Blade jumped over Finn's head and spun around to aim his crossbow right at him.

The bolt flew through the air, but Finn skilfully deflected it with his sword. With another battle-cry, he charged right for Blade. Bringing his sword down, this time he found it lodged in Blade's crossbow. He flung the sword as hard as he could to one side and the crossbow dislodged itself with the motion, joining the dagger down the chasm.

"This is for Princess Bubblegum!" Finn shouted as he was about to bring his sword down on Blade's head, but lost the motion as Blade punched him in the stomach. Blade tried to wrestle the sword out of Finn's grasp, sending the two of them to the ground, tussling for control of the other.

Blade used his hands to twist Finn's right arm in a clockwise motion while pressing down on the gap between his thumb and forefinger, causing Finn unbearable pain whereby he let go of the sword. Blade reached for it, and brought it up to stab Finn. Finn looked for another weapon, but after a split second of seeing none, he used all his body's strength to kick Blade off of him.

Blade, unprepared for the attack, did not have a way to balance his fall, causing him to tumble to the ground in the least graceful manor. The sword clattered out of his reach, and Finn charged for him once more. This time, grabbing him by the cloth around his neck and hoisting him up, only to punch him and throw him back down again.

As Finn approached Blade to finish him off, he heard Blade breathing heavily. Not in the distorted way he had before, but in a clearer way, which made Finn hesitate. He then noticed that Blade's mask was scattered across the walkway. Finn thought that he must have knocked it off in the throw. Finn reached for his sword, eager to finish this. Blade slowly rose to his feet again, turning around slowly with his hand on his face. Finn was shocked beyond breathless when he saw Blade.

Blade's face-which was not the ugly, fiery, red and black face that Finn thought he had, looked very similar to his own, but older. With pale skin and a nose and the slightest trace of a beard with a scar running across his mouth.

"Now you see the truth, Finn the Human." Blade said in a deep, clear voice, bringing his hand down to his side and spitting out a bit of blood.

"You're… you're…" Finn tried to talk, but no words other word, or coherent sentences would come to his mind.

"Yes. I always knew they would never find out with the mask," he said as he crouched down to pick it up. "-but I expected more from you." He spat, before his face relaxed. "I guess that is what spending time with those abominations does to a Human. It makes you forget what you really are."

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Finn asked in a pleading tone, still unable to wrap his head around how Blade was a Human.

Blade just stared at Finn for a few moments, like he was unsure of what Finn was and was trying to decide between classifying him as a mammal or a reptile. "Who raised you, Finn? Who taught you how to survive in this world?" Blade asked, but he looked like he didn't want an answer.

Finn answered anyway, unsure of how to continue with this. "Uh, my mom and dad?" Finn was also unsure of himself at the particular moment, and where the conversation was leading.

"What were they?" Blade asked, not looking directly at Finn, but looking at his mask as he turned it back and forth. "Candy People? Slime people? Breakfast People?"

"Uh, Magical Dogs?" Finn corrected. Blade chuckled to himself.

"Not even close to Humans. You are a joke to have mingled with them." Finn got slightly angry with that statement, but still said nothing. "I also bet you didn't know that this world used to be ruled by Humans."

"Uh, well, yeah I knew." Finn said with greater confidence than before.

"Do you know why Human's went extinct?" Blade asked, turning away from Finn for the first time.

"…Wasn't there some kind of war?" Finn asked, knowing that he wouldn't get the answer right.

"Mostly… But it was those Monsters you protect that killed us all off." Blade almost shouted, which echoed through the cylinder-shaped chamber.

Finn's eyes went wide. He had never heard of that before. He heard that there was a great war that killed a lot of the Human's, but never that. "What?"

"Years ago," Blade said as he slowly turned around to face Finn. "When the war started. We weren't sure who fired first, but we were sure that everyone else fought back. In the ashes of the world we once knew, strange abominations rose up." He pulled out a small flat disc in one hand. "They were able to discover Quantum Physics and develop it faster than we ever could." He said as the disc projected a holograph of Candy people with floating crystals and balls of energy in their hands.

"Some called it magic, some called it science." Finn's thoughts were brought to Bubblegum, who always believed that Quantum whatever was some form of science that Human's had mastery over. "But that is not where the story ends. In this mountain, lies the ancient Human facility whose name is lost in time. Several other bases such as this are situated all over the Earth, as it was once called. In those bases, some Humans were able to escape the calamity, by burying themselves in chambers which froze them in time, waiting to be re-awoken. Something happened to those chambers and no Human has ever woken since. Except for me and my friends." Blade looked down, past the metal grating of the catwalk and down the bottomless pit.

"I was awoken by an expedition team, who travelled into the base thinking it was an ancient burial ground or something, waiting to be plundered for gold or gems or treasures of an ancient past. But what they found, was us. One by one, they broke our chambers open. But the chambers must be unlocked properly, or the inhabitant will die. As they smashed the glass of the chamber, the Human fell out, seizing, in pain. But they did not help us." Blade glared directly at Finn. "They butchered us! As they came flopping out, they rammed their spears and swords into the back of their necks, killing them. They would have done the same to me, but I got lucky." A low rumble resounded through the cavern.

"As they tried to break the glass for my chamber, they unlocked the door and seal to it, letting me out. I came to my senses quickly, and killed them before they could kill me." Blade took of one of his leather gloves to reveal a deep scar all across his forearm. "This was all they got of me. And I swore it would be the last."

"Then why couldn't you just live your life alone and not bother anyone?" Finn asked, taking a step closer to Blade, just remembering that he had his sword in his hands.

"Didn't you think I tried that?" Blade shouted, causing Finn to take a step back. "After I came to my senses, I freed several other Humans. But less than a week after we escaped, one of us was hunted down and killed by a group of the monsters. The ones you call, Pennants."

"The Order of The Pennant?" Finn said, lowering his sword as his arms grew tired from holding it up for a long time. "But, I thought that they were out to defeat demons."

"You truly do not see." Blade said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "But you are still so young, I would not expect you to see past the manipulation of these creatures. They were not out to defeat demons; they were out to kill Humans." Finn froze at that, not sure of what to trust. "They obviously did not tell you out of fear that you would not side with them. How could they have sunken so low as to let another Human do their work for them?"

"No, it's not like that. The Master, he did something to the others. "They didn't know what they were doing. They couldn't remember who they were." Finn said, refusing to believe people like Ariel would do such a thing, or that she would act that way around Finn.

"I guess the only way your 'Master' could get people to do his dirty work was by force. It is likely they were brainwashed and couldn't remember anything beyond their task." Blade explained.

"After they first killed one of our…my people. They saw us as a threat to their people, and so slowly killed us all. I am the last." Blade tensed for an instance. "I am the last because I fought back. Drove them back to their cave under the waterfall. For months, I waited. Yearning the day that I would drive them to their knees."

"But then, I found another way. Though the deadly missiles in the base where I slept were no longer usable, I found out of others." Blade outstretched his arms. "I found this base. Unfortunately, the activations keys were nowhere to be found. So for months more, I searched for them. Then, I found out about the expedition team that came here. A team of four. One from the Candy Kingdom. One from the Stone Kingdom. One from the Ragdoll Kingdom. And a last from a town of Goblins. It was quite simple, until I found out the travelling caravan of Goblins that held the key had sold it to the Food Kingdom. Still, they were all no trouble. Like insects, scurrying for cover." Finn lunged at Blade again in anger, his sword up-though he had the intention just to punch him. However, Blade was ready this time, punching Finn in the stomach and throwing him to the ground. The sharp pain in Finn's gut made it unable for him to get up.

"You care too much about them Finn." He said as he brought Finn's sword down, only to go straight through his shoulder and into the catwalk. The pain causing Finn to scream. "This world has, and always will be, ruled by the humans. If they will not accept us, I will make sure that no more Human lives are lost." Blade said as he put on his mask, approached the control panel and turned something. A low rumbling could be heard throughout the cavern, coming from the top.

Suddenly, the ceiling seemed to crack apart into wedges, letting in the cold air of the dying storm as well as sunlight. The rumbling stopped when the wedges spread apart to form a large, circular hole in the ceiling, where Finn guessed must have been the peak of the mountain.

"What… are… you… going to do?" Finn asked, with whatever wind was left in his lungs.

"I am through explaining myself to you, as you seem to not want to listen." Blade said, not bothering to face Finn. "Finally, after so many years. I will restore the purity of this world."

As Finn slowly rose to his feet, he was brought back down by his sword. He tried desperately to remove it, trying even harder to ignore the pain in his shoulder as he pulled it out. The cold air helped to make it numb, but the blood still pooled out and stained his shirt.

Getting up on his feet was already an agonizing task. "Now to finish you." Blade said as he turned around. He pulled out another knife from his boot and held it defensively. Without hesitation, Finn charged at Blade with his sword pointed forward. Blade easily knocked the sword out of the way and punched Finn. He tried to stab Finn, but wasn't fast enough for Finn as he rolled backwards and sprung upwards again. Finn rushed Blade once more, this time aiming to hit the knife with his sword. He knocked it out of the way as he kicked Blade in the knee. Finn heard something crack as his foot made contact with Blade's knee, and as Blade cried out in pain.

Finn brought his sword up to finish Blade once and for all, but dropped his sword in pain as Blade stuck his knife through Finn's foot. In the moment he was distracted, Blade lunged at him and gripped his throat as hard as he could.

Finn didn't know what else to do as the air wouldn't go into his lungs. All he could think of doing at the moment was breathe again. But he could not, so his only option was to do the next best thing. He tried to choke Blade as well, putting his hands on Blade's neck. But he wasn't strong enough. The pain in his shoulder, foot, combined with the pain of not being able to breathe.

Finn thought that this was the end. This was where the story ended for him.

No.

'Not me. Blade.'

He reached for the closest thing in his pocket as his vision started going blurry and hit Blade as hard as he could with it. It was enough to knock Blade off of him and stagger backwards. In those few precious seconds that Blade slowly pulled himself together, Finn took in the sweet relief of oxygen.

He tried to get his senses straight and decided to look at what had saved him from certain death. He saw in his hand the small bomb that Blade used, the one that Princess Bubblegum had given him. He wasn't sure how it worked, but he didn't see a trigger on it or a button, and the only thing that really stood out was the little hook near the top of it…

While Finn was looking at the bomb, Blade got a punch straight to Finn's left ear, disorienting him and causing him to stagger backwards. Finn wasn't sure what he was feeling or hearing, but he was sure he felt Blade grab him by the shirt and push him against the railing of the catwalk.

Finn had just enough strength left in him to cling to Blade as Blade tried to force him over the railings and into the dark pit below. He clung to Blade's cloth with one arm and used the other to push himself against the railings. But after about two seconds, Finn realised that this wasn't going to save him.

He then remembered the bomb in his hand. He used his thumb to find the little hook while he was pushed further and further over the railings. He eventually found it and pulled on it with his thumb. It came loose easily, but now another problem presented itself. Finn wasn't sure how long the timer on the bomb was going to last, so in a final attempt, he pressed it against Blade as he was pushed over the railings.

Finn felt his entire centre of gravity change as he tumbled. He still had enough sense about him to reach for the railings as he tumbled, causing him to hit his back against the catwalk. The sharp pain in his back vibrated up to his arm and almost caused him to let go of the railings. He saw a quick movement in the corner of his eye as Blade fell over the railings and plummeted into the deep pit. He didn't get far however, as the bomb exploded.

Finn didn't have enough energy to look for himself, but a mixed wave of feelings of satisfaction, angst and confusion washed over him as he put both hands on the railings to try to pull himself back up. There was a blunt pain in his shoulder wound as he used all his remaining strength to pull himself up and over the railings, hitting the catwalk hard.

Finn just sat there for a minute, feeling numb everywhere. He caught his breath and was able to let pain settle in once more, he looked down to a throbbing in his foot where the small knife still was embedded in his foot. He reached to pull it out and grinned his teeth as he did.

He thought it was finally over when he heard the buzzing noises from the control panel. 'I still have to make sure those missiles don't leave here.' He used whatever little strength he had left to get up on his knees, only to fall back down on his face. He pushed himself up with his bloodied arms and crawled for the control panel. He thought he was going to run out of energy when he remembered something he learned a while back.

He said a few words and waved his hand in the air, and in moments he felt lighter on his feet. He began to slowly float up and was gently placed down on his feet. 'That get-upright spell does help for more than getting out of bed.'

Finn was still week in the legs and needed to lean against the control panel. The blaring of the alarm continued to resound as he looked for a way to stop it. His attention was then drawn to the four cards sticking out of the control panel. He grabbed one with one hand and tried to pull it out, but it would not budge. He grabbed it with both hands and pulled on it.

He tried to turn it left, then right, and then felt it turn right. He pulled it out and then the humming started to die down. He looked at it in his hands and turned it back and forth, not sure what he was looking for in it. He looked around the cavern and noticed some of the small lights on the walls that he did not notice before had started to dim. The control panel began blaring silent lights as he heard a low rumbling. He looked up to notice the hole in the ceiling started to slowly close up by the wedges.

In that moment, he heard the doors to the chamber fly apart. He turned around to see Jake standing there with an enormous fist. "Finn!" he shouted as he broke out into a sprint and hugged Finn. "I was looking everywhere for you when I heard the explosions. I found the blocked paths and got so worried."

Finn felt the pressure of the hug on his wounds more than he felt the love behind them. "Aagh, Jake. Stop. It hurts." Finn tried to say as Jake pressed down on the hole in his shoulder.

"Oh. Sorry, Finn." Jake said as he pulled away from the hug, only now realising how bad of a shape Finn was in. "Oh. My. Glob. What happened to you Finn!?" Jake said, stretching to look at the wounds properly.

"Blade got me." Finn said as he felt his shoulder wound going numb slightly.

"Where is he?" Jake said, menacingly. "I'm gonna punch his face in so hard, they won't be able to tell where I punched him." He said as he put his fist in his hand.

Finn just solemnly shook his head. "Blade's gone, Jake." Finn murmured. "He's not coming back."

"Whoa, you got him?" Jake asked, excited. Finn nodded in agreement and Jake gave out a cheer. "Alright, Finn!" he held his hand up to high five, but lowered it slowly as he saw Finn wasn't going to return it. Jake tilted his head slightly. "Are you ok, Finn? You seem a little… shaky." He said, sounding concerned for the Human boy who just went through and experience he couldn't even understand himself.

Finn tried to force a smile, but it wouldn't present itself. "I'll tell you on the way." Finn said as he tried to take a step forward and immediately collapsed on his hands and knees.

Jake slowly and gently picked him up. "Finn, you were stabbed in the foot. I'll carry you." Jake said as he slowly picked up Finn and put him on his back. Finn wouldn't have refused even if he didn't have a hole in his foot. "C'mon, Finn. This place gives me the creeps." Jake murmured. Jake slowly made his way out as Finn remembered something.

"Jake, stop!" he said as he pulled on Jake's ears.

"What's up, Finn?" Jake asked as he slowed to a halt. Finn pulled on one ear, indicating Jake to turn around.

"I left my sword back there." Finn said as Jake turned around and he caught sight of his sword, dangling slightly over the edge of the catwalk.

"I got it." Jake said as he outstretched his arms to grab the sword and hand it to Finn.

"I also wanna take those other cards." Finn said as Jake walked over to the panel and pulled on the cards. After seeing Jake not able to remove the cards, Finn spoke up again. "Jake. You kinda gotta turn them." Jake tried it and they easily came loose. Some more lights on the control panel died down as Jake removed each card. Jake handed all three to Finn.

A little red flashing screen caught Jake's eye. "Hey, Finn. What's that?" he asked.

Finn looked to where Jake was looking. "Huh, I don't know."

"It's saying 'warning.' In big letters." Jake announced.

"Well, I guess we better get out of here then." Finn decided as he pulled on Jake's ears to turn around and head to for the exit.

"Why do you want these back? Aren't they keys to the destructo weapon?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, when they're combined." Finn said as he slipped them in his backpack. "I'm gonna go return them to where Blade stole them."

"Sounds good my man. So long as you get those wounds treated." Jake said. Smiling he jeered, "I know a couple of nice nurses-"

"No way, man!" Finn cut him off, his tone more playful now that the whole ordeal was over and knowing where he was going. "I am not doing that. I'll just go drink some cyclops' tears or something."

Jake just simply shrugged as he began exiting the chamber, on the long, slow journey back home. 'I'm glad this is all over.' Finn thought to himself. 'It's just…I wished I understood what the flop just happened.' Finn gently laid his head down on Jake's back. 'Maybe it's better if I don't understand. This'll all haunt me forever though.'

The duo was, all the while, unaware of the message on the little screen that kept flashing light-blue on the control panel, repeating the same message over and over.

WARNING: INSUFFICIENT POWER

LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM: LOW POWER

HUMAN CRYOGENIC PODS: MALFUNCTIONING

INITIATING THAW CYCLE

...

THAW CYCLE FAILURE

WARNING: INSUFFICIENT POWER

LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM: SHUTTING DOWN