Chapter 1: The Ruins.

Ah my back, for how long have I been falling? Seconds or hours I cannot say. What is this soft and comforting soil? It is not rock that is sure. A bed of golden flowers, beautiful but haven't they gone extinct on this world? Damn that hole. I am not going back up there for the time being, rather not at all. There is a task to be done. A thankless task yes, but it is better than the alternative.

There is but one exit to this cavern, straightforward. Where am I? It is very dark, but there is a doorway. Splendid architecture haven't seen this style before and a crest in the middle. I cannot see through this darkness. Forward is my only option. Wait, there is something in the distance.

Interesting, a small spot with light and a golden flower in the middle. Wait, does it have a face? Okay this thing worries me, it does not have a soul. This thing should not exist, It is not born it is created. Are my weapons ready? The bullets have names upon them. 6 bullets, 6 names. The name of the thing is not among them, then the blade has to suffice.

It speaks. "Howdy I am –"

"I know what you are Flowey." Let's stay clear of it. "What do you want and speak quickly."

"Uhm, you haven't been here before have you," it cannot comprehend how I know its name, "but you guessed my name, I am Flowey the flower and since you are new to the underground I guess little old me have to teach you how it goes around here, ready?"

I can feel the vicious grin on my face. "Oh, Flowey I already know how it works around here, it is kill or be killed in your world and you will be my first victim. Sadly enough for you I do not follow the established rules, here or anywhere else." Time to die abomination. Its surprised face still gazing into the abyss. A soulless husk, no satisfaction can I find here.

Its body is, disappearing? Turning into dust? From dust to dust I believe the saying goes but this is a bit extreme. So be it, Forwards we shall go. Another gateway, another room.

This room is not part of a cavern, this look more like a ruin. A flight of stairs on either side going up towards an entrance, or an exit depending on how you look at it. There are leaves lying on the floor, but where are the trees? I only see brickwork, no plants and no animals. Up the stairs and forwards it is. What is this room, 6 raised stones, a lever and a sign next to a closed door? Is this a trap or a puzzle? What does the plaque say? ''Only the fearless may proceed. Brave one, foolish ones. Both do not walk the middle road.'' Well, when I entered there were 3 ''roads'' of 2 stones, so what if I activate them and then pull the lever? Walking over the stones gave a rather satisfying click sound and so did the lever. And thus the door opened, I expected it to be a trap. Onwards.

Another room with levers and, what is that, spikes? Spikes blocking the route, first time I ever have seen that usually the spikes come when you walk over them. Another plaque, what does this one say? "Stay on the path." Well that was helpful, but there are stones here with a lighter tone of colour, is that the path? Well let's try out. 2 levers can be reached without stepping off the path so I might as well pull them. What was that sound, ah the spikes are no longer there, well that solved it.

What a small room. There is a training dummy here. Not very interesting. Although something is off. This dummy, there is something inside it. A sliver of a soul it seems. Is it even aware of its surroundings? This is a strange place. Cutting it in half causes it to turn to dust. Is this place even filled with any living creatures?

How many rooms do this ruin have? And how many puzzles for the same matter, is this place created by an eight year old? Wait what is there? Wait. It seems a frog-like creature has crossed my path. Looking it straight in the eyes, it is just sitting there, waiting, croaking. It is an easy prey, one fluid motion and it is dissolving into dust. Killing never gets any easier. But I must continue onwards. More spikes!? What kind of place is this? Another plaque? "The western room is the eastern room's blueprint." Well okay then. Ah there is a pathway on the ground here, so it is applicable to the spikes? Highly doubt it but I got no other choice. Seems like shuffling my way is the safest option I got. It does work. Well that was easier than thought. Do any sentient creatures wander these halls? I will see.

This is one incredibly long hallway I can hardly see the end, but I can see a pillar just before the next room. This gives me some time to think about what I must do. How much resistance will they have? Am I doing this because I must do it or because it frees me of my petty guilt and conscience? I do not have to interfere, I can just leave them to rot away in the dark or to see the daylight and burn away in a blaze of hatred and ignorance. No, I will do it even if it means sacrificing my own sanity. If only you were so kind to the others. I did what I had to do and was told to do. What a strangely positioned pillar, seems like somebody can hide behind it.

The choice of going left or right. What moved? I see you little, creature? This thing looks like an insect, but why does it have arms and legs? It looks terrified, did it witness me or can it see more ominous things? It can hardly defend itself. If this is what everybody down here is like I am not surprised about their future. Let's go left first.

There is only a pedestal with some candy, at least I hope it candy. Better just leave it alone. Who knows how old that is? The other path it is. Wait, there are cracks in the floor. I can jump this. Just back up to the wall and then run-jump over it. This was at least a bit more challenging than those other puzzles.

A room with a stone, a pad and spikes to block the way. Easy puzzle. Ah, two little frogs. There is strength in numbers. One down, one to go. What are those flies, where did they come from? Ah, it hurts! This is magic, how can this creature perform magic? It need to stop. This world is getting stranger and stranger. It is also getting less crowded, some folk would kill for that. I should get hung for that kind of joke considering the situation, but that would just make it gallows humour. If anybody heard me laughing they would think a maniac was on the loose, in some ways they would be correct. Oh well, next room.

A shaft on the wall, nothing special. What kind of idiotic puzzle is going to be here? The floor is all cracked up, shit. Well how about the middle road? The floor is sinking? Shit, bad idea. Fuck, fuck! "Ah, my back!" I should have known better. You should have. More leaves, but where are the damned trees!? There is a path in the leaves, straight paths. Somebody actually took time to create this? Wait a minute, I fell through a hole. Where is the hole? Interesting, also painful, but interesting. So what is on this path? Those leaves have been here for a while. Another plaque, another bothersome clue of sorts. "Please don't step on the leaves." Well, fuck your leaves. Although maybe they are correct. Fine, I will try this ''path''. Now how to get back up there? Ah, the shaft. Well time to heroic squeeze. This is not meant for my size. For what is this, children? When does my back get a break? At least I am back up here. So it was along this wall. Then a bit here. This is frightening, why is the whole floor cracked? Okay made it.

Ah, how cute. A gathering of frogs and insects. 10 of them. Let's get this over with. 1 down. More damned flies and hopping frogs. If I had more time maybe you could savour this. Oh those souls have a special sensation to them, I will go insane with ecstasy. Indulge my cravings. No, hold yourself together. We must have a clear mind. All perished. Damn it, too much dust I can barely see. Rocks? More rocks and more places to put them. Some hefty rocks. Last one.

"Sir, I would prefer if you put me down."

Wait what. "Who said that, where are you!?"

"I am in your arms numb nut no-, wait, do not throw me awaaay."

A talking stone, why!? How. It's in pieces, but I still need three rocks. How about the second rock on the thirds pad? Heavy. Still opens the way. Poor rocky. At least the dust is almost gone. It is a bit clingy to my clothing, strange.

A nice little hall with a table. Nothing special. Wait, cheese. There is cheese on the table. I do love some good cheese. No. No cheese for me. No. Just move along.

Another hallway, when does stop? Some more leaves and a white blanket upon them. Wait, that isn't a blanket. A blanket doesn't have eyes. Ghost. Of course there needed to be a ghost here.

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Is he gone yet?" It whispers. It continues to say Z out loud, strange.

"I can hear you. So, what is it going to be? Run or fight? Either way you cannot hide nor win." I can see it hesitate. It is running. "There is no escape." The chains should shackle its soul. Destroy it. No, it is part of the plan, it just need a new form in the end. "So tell me about yourself or do I have to collect your thoughts?" No response. "Very well." Common procedures. So this thing is the collective sadness of this place. Sadness because the children of the royal family died. Asriel and Chara. I remember their souls, entwined. Toriel and Asgore. Are they still alive? I will see. Its own family, what a tragedy. "Abandoned by your own family, left on your own to fend for the family business. His hopes and dreams, his promise to you. He left you in the darkness, in this hell. Whilst he went on and became a star amongst the heavens. I do pity you." Maybe this is too cruel.

"No, he would never leave me behind, he, he is just busy." It is crying and it is damaging its shackles.

"Tell that to yourself, but as I said there is no escape." So this is Napstablook. The first victim, the first bullet. "I will see you later Napstablook." BLAM. Should have destroyed it. We are not here to destroy but to restore. You cannot save them. Maybe. But it is not time to lollygag. Continue on. Immer gerade aus. There is another way, but not now.

Spiders and spider webs. A bakery, a spider bakery? This is another thing that I can put on the list of weird things I have seen. There is but one solution. Burn. Luckily I got some matches. That is settled, let's go the other way.

More hallways. What a surprise. A slime. Strange. It lives, has a soul, it qualifies to die. Cutting through like butter. Does this dust ever come off my clothing? A cyclops? It seems nervous, why?

"Please do not pick one." Ah, how cute.

"What do we have here? A malformed mongrel of an unholy combination of a degenerate goblin and a hunchbacked cyclops with a mental handicap?" It is flinching, scared. "Such a monstrosity of nature should be put down." It tried to defend itself. A meagre defence. This is what I know, this is what I taught you. You taught me nothing, I was a murderer before you found me. Claimed me. Only difference is why we kill. Believe a lie and it will become true.

Another room, more spikes. Another plaque. "There is just one switch." Time to fall through the floor. 6 cracks, 6 holes or halls to explore. So, how are we going to do this? Jump down every hole until we find lever. Fine. First hole down. There is nothing but leafs and a carrot here. The carrot is moving. Kill it? Kill it.

"Eat me for a healthy diet!" What a horrible carrot.

"How about you eat my boot for a healthy dose of rubber and plastic!" That is how I like to see it, but from where this sudden aggression? Nothing important, childhood nightmares about talking veggies. I expected something more manly from you.

The lever is not here, let's just move on. Okay. Why do they have made those shafts so strangely? This ruin is the first place I have seen puzzles which are not meant to murder intruders. Maybe they are nice folk, too bad for them then. Too bad indeed. Killing a bad guy is easier than the innocent, it gives you a reason, a motivation. It is never white or black, always a different shade of grey. At least more than 50 shades of grey. There is nothing down this second hole but leaves and, a ribbon? Strange, it colours has faded. I will take this with me. Wait, there is a small cyclops here. Finish it. Fine. Big eye, big target. Done. Next hole. The lever. Two carrots in the way. Quick and easy. It is raining vegetables? Deliciously dangerous. Dead. Click. The way is open. Onwards we go. Shouldn't we explore the other holes? The way is open and there is nothing important there. Very well.

Another room with more levers? Somebody really got a fetish for levers and spikes, like some gothic trapdoor maker. Just find the plaque. Ah, here it is. "The far door is not an exit. It simply marks a rotation in perspective." Well, the way is open. There are coloured switches here, what their purpose?

This room is exactly the same as the last one, except that there are spikes blocking the way. So find the plaque maybe that will give us a hint. "If you can read this, press the blue switch." What am I, an illiterate fool? Anyways, blue switch it is. Click. Spikes are deactivated.

How many more similar rooms will we see? Same process, find the plaque and find the switch. "If you can read this, press the red switch." Okay then. Red switch. Click. Done. Look what we have here, a small cyclops and, a walking ant?

"We are legion." That little bugger seems angry.

Which first? Kill the ant. Very well, done. Is that cyclops even trying to hit me? Get this over with. More souls to be judged. This ruin is emptying. Of course we are killing them all. Not in that way, I can sense them fleeing, running away. I can feel the dread in their souls. Their despair, their hopes vanquished. It seems that they have communicated about what we have done. Seems like they have some resemblance of intelligence and self-preservation after all.

How many rooms are left? I am more worried about how many souls are left. That is also necessary information. "If you can read this, press the green switch." One last switch? I hope so. Click. Let's carry on.

Well let's look at this, this is a change of scenery. A crossroads. Left or straight ahead? Straight ahead. A rather small hallway and a door left. We will see what lies beyond.

A balcony? Wow. That is a rather impressive city, I never expected them to build something like that here. It is abandoned. Abandoned? Why? Maybe it no longer suited their purpose or they moved further into this underground. Both legit reasons. What is that, a toy knife? Meh, it has no purpose to me. I wonder what would this place be filled to the brim with people? We will find out eventually. One road left to walk. Indeed.

Well now I see where the piles of leaves come from. This is a massive tree, but it no longer has leaves. So it must be autumn, interesting. You can hardly see that on the surface. Human folly. A house. So somebody does life here. Maybe a caretaker of this place? I hope they present a challenge. An open door. This will be easy.

Nice wooden floor. The crackling of a fire place. Just like home. But where is this person. You got left, down and right. Let's go the fireplace. Not near the fireplace, big comfy chair I must say. Big table, a bookshelf. "72 facts about snails." Why does anybody want to know facts about snails? I am not going to judge them for their interests. A nice kitchen, but they are not here. Check the other side, there must be bedrooms here. Okay. First room. This looks like a children bedroom. Small bed, lamp near the bed. No sign of life. This room is another bedroom. Damn that is a big bed. A diary. It is not in my right to read this. But it is in your right to murder them? I try to have some common decency okay? But they are still not here. One more room. Under renovation. Okay then. A mirror. A true sign of a civil development. You should shave. I want to have my grandpa beard okay. As I am or was. Time can get confusing. Still, this dust is clingy I can hardly get it off. Such is the price of murder. Still cannot find the resident. Then down is the only way. Indeed.

This is some dark hallway. Wait. Can you hear something echoing? Yes.

"Ohoho, I have another one! I still miss my ex." Muffle behind a wall. "But my aim is getting better! Hee hee hee..." There is somebody else, behind a wall or so. Everybody will miss you, but we will hit the strings of your soul. "Who's there? You. ...You who?"

"You don't have to call me over, I'm already here, old lady."

"OHOHOHO! That is a very good one, friend!" Time to crash there party shall we.

"May I break in, but since I am here I am already a burglar." Old lady, watch out. She is stronger than you might expect.

"O-oh! A human!" She is checking me out. "I... is everything okay, my chi- I mean, friend? You seem... to have come a long way... is the surface world so dirty then?"

"Well the surface world is, dirty yes to say the least. But I may presume your name is Toriel. Correct?" There is somebody else behind the door.

"...Yes, I am Toriel. Caretaker of these Ruins. How... how did you know my name, friend? Did one of my children find you and tell you?"

"Your children, one of them technically yes. But tell me, is this place not a bit basic and poor for a respected queen?" We met Asriel yes.

She seems uncomfortable. "I am no longer queen, though I am still respected. And as for the Ruins being basic and poor, I have no desire for unnecessary pomp and decorations. This place, my home, is all that I require. But do tell, which of my children told you about me? Did you only meet one? I do so hope that they are doing well!" Oh sweet pure soul.

"The only who I meet in person is Asriel, Chara was also there but I discard it. Tell me, do you really not know what happened to the other human children which fell?"

You are scaring her. Excellent. "A-Asriel? You mean you... met my son? And what do you mean, you discarded Chara?" when is she realising we mentioned her other children? 'What... what happened to the other children? MY other children?' Will she be able to handle truth? I do not think so.

"Yes, I met your son and Chara when they were conjoined, one. But that is not the way that souls should work. So I separated them. He was so proud and happy of you and Asgore. He was so sad that he had to leave you two behind. As for your other children I will let them self say it." Let the voices of her children echo in this cavern. They will cry and plea for help, for their mother who left them to fend for themselves. This should break her. "You left them to die. But such is the fate of all who walk this cursed earth."

She is listening, will it work? "N-no... no! Children, I, I did not, I tried, tried to stop you, all of you, No! T-this is all wrong!" She turns to me. "I-it is not fate! It is tragedy! T-those children dying is a travesty! Humans are strong, how, how could they, how could my children die? I was certain they would be fine, I was certain the others would see, I." She is only crying. I think that it only made her angrier. "...Was it Asgore's doing? That whelp! Preying on innocent creatures! All for the sake of his own wounded soul!"

"Death comes for us all Toriel, no matter how strong or experienced we are. But there is something I can do for you. I can bring you to them. I can let you see their faces once again. What do you say?"

She is weary of you, walking away. "You, no. No! You, I do not know what you are, human, but do not dare - do not dare! - To insinuate you have the power to bring my children back to me! If they are truly dead... by the stars, if you have a heart, human, if they are gone from this world you will help me bring them peace! ...My heart aches for them but if what you say is true and death comes for us all, then I know I will see them again. But not now! Not before I right the terrible wrong that has been inflicted on my children!"

"I got a plan, but for my plan to work I need to do something and you will not like it. I am sorry Toriel, but death is here." Try to slash their neck.

Quick reflexes. She is conjuring fire. "So you fancy yourself death, human? You fancy yourself above this world?" She is more likely to burn down this place than to let us pass or surrender with all this fire she is conjuring.

"You think you can kill me?" Narrow dodge. "I offer you a chance of seeing your loved ones again. They have seen the end and so will you! This is mercy, not this entirety of unending existence you are living in. Give up, face the end and meet them again. Or do you want to fight and try to kill me? What a waste of time."

"You call it mercy, then? Hah! You are deluded! Mercy is not given by the edge of a blade, human, but by the grasp of a hand! Mercy is a beginning, not an end! I will not give up as long as my children still need me to fight for them, as long as there are still children to fight for! If that means fighting you, then so be it!"

"So you want to fight for your children, how about you fight against them?" Create the ghosts of her children. Excellent idea. "Here, you can see them again Toriel! Here are your so beloved children!"

I will show a glimpse of me, a mere mirage. "You cannot win Toriel. You cannot survive. I am the end. I am the executioner."

She stopped attacking at their sight, excellent, gives me some breathing room from this fire and smoke. "M-my children?" She looked me straight into my eyes. "N-NO! I will not...! Chara, Asriel..." The ghosts are harming her.

"I have reserved a place up above for you Toriel." Another swipe will wound her, if not kill her.

She is wounded, but still standing. "Y-you... you use sick... sick and twisted distortions of m-my children against me... I will not... be so easily subdued... not again!" She attacks again, but more feebly.

"Ah that burns! You are indeed stronger than I thought. But you are weak now." Shackle her to the door. "There is no escape now. There is no survival, only the sweet and cold embrace of death, of the end."

She is trying to wriggle free, but she is too weak now. "...It still is not mercy, human, but murder. I pity your judgement." She laughs but there is no sign of joy in it. "...If there is anything left to judge, that is..."

"You will see in the end what my mercy is. But that will take a while. If there was another way I would choose it. But it is this or a delayed death. There is no happy ending on this world."

Well that was a unladylike snort. "...What would you know about happy endings, human. How long has it been since you felt happiness? Or anything? ...You are empty. I can see it now. You are empty, a shell, and a tool. And a tool would not know whether it is used for mercy or for murder - or indeed what mercy and murder are."

"The last time I was happy? When I saw my grandchildren for the last time before the war. I am what I am, a murderer. Forgive me." One last strike should do it. He is still here, on the other side.

"However, we still got one observer hearing, listening."

-End of chapter 1.