The Sol Cult: Chapter 2
The restaurant had been stripped clean and Grillby assessed his supplies. Everything was in fair order for his journey to the surface. He had plenty of dried bark to eat, fresh pressed oil to drink, along with clothes and gold neatly packed into a knapsack.
He stuffed in a frying pan, his favorite; but, anything he couldn't carry would be left behind.
Yet there was one last thing. He had tried so hard to forget about it.
In his room, freshly polished, was his armor. It was plated gold and it glimmered under his flames. He lifted the helm from the stand, eyeing it heistately.
He put it on and to his surprise it still suited him. His flames blazed through the top of the helm, becoming a crown of fire. The enchantment to feed his flames was still strong.
Good. Good.
He would need every bit of strength. Who knew what the surface had in store?
The rest of the armor clasped to his flames easily enough.
He left the restaurant an old person, but with a new mind.
Everything was dead. Snowdin was empty. The place abandoned and things already looked run-down. Monsters had literally ripped up their homes to plopped them up onto the surface.
It was ridiculous!
So many monsters were done with the underground, so quickly! Entire families ran for the surface as soon as King Asgore had made the announcement.
Yet, Grillby couldn't help but to linger.
He shuffled his feet, ashamed he had waited so long.
A bulky knapsack was slung about the pauldrons of his armor.
He walked out of Snowdin and was just a little bit closer to the surface.
He sighed, his flames tinted blue with dread. 'Stop being so silly.' He chided himself.
The surface is great! The sun would be shining, soothing his flames. Wood would be plentiful and suit his needs.
The pleasant imagery came easily; though when he entered the forest and passed by Ice Wolf's dilapidated shack, suddenly things weren't so pleasant.
Ice peered from the rotted boards, a beast on the hunt. He stalked up to Grillby, looking positively pissed.
"Damn, thought I convinced you out of it." Ice mock swiped a paw near Grillby's head. "I guess you're brain is just too cooked to listen to sense, huh?" He sneered.
Obviously Ice expected some reprimand, some attention for that jab; of course, Grillby wasn't one to give that satisfaction.
"Nice of you to see me off."
"Ahh, shove all your niceties up that flaming bum!"
Grillby smiled plainly. He remembered why Ice and him rarely talked.
"Are you sure you won't join me?"
Grillby wasn't expecting silence. Ice was staring at him intently.
"Fine."
"Oh?"
"I'll see you off-until the exit."
Grillby's flames popped in surprise.
"... Excellent."
Ice eerily lagged behind as Grillby walked. They came to an end in the forest, cut off by a river. Grillby half expected Wolf to shove him into the water. At least it would likely be a quick death...
*Tra la la~!*
Suddenly the mood lifted.
It had been far to long since Grillby heard that pleasant melody.
"River~!" Grillby enthusiastically waved his friend over. River floated over on her boat, a modest mahogany beast that leaped out of the water.
"Fire Bee~!"
The two shared a hug. Unlike with Ice, Grillby talked freely with River.
"So you've come? Good good, the current flows fresh today."
Of course, understanding what River was saying sometimes took a bit of effort.
Grillby didn't mind.
"Fire Bee still fears the surface." River loomed over Grillby, as if scrutinizing him. "Bee you need to be free! Soon soon gaze into the sun, yes?"
Grillby chuckled. River's odd enthusiasm was infectious. "Yes...ha, quickly now before I change my mind."
Both Ice and Grillby boarded the boat. Grillby immediately sat down and clutched dearly the sides of the boat.
Ice smirked when he noticed his fear.
Bastard.
'...Trust River. Trust River. Trust River.' The mantra plagued Grillby's thoughts as the boat stepped comfortablely into the water. It worked against the current and so the boat opted to run across the water.
It was always terrifying-water, the ride, and boat-everything.
River was having the time of her life however. She were standing at the edge of the bow, her dark blue robe streamed recklessly behind.
"Tra la la~!"
Grillby shut his eyes for the ride. He felt Ice shake as he laughed, no doubt at his terror-at least he had the decency to hold it in.
Thankfully, like waking from a nightmare, the details of the trauma were swiftly forgotten.
They'd arrived at Hotland and the final stretch of the river gave way into cavernous pits of lava.
It was a shame that River nor the boat were partial towards lava. The ride would have been much better than.
Ice Wolf had ended up sopping wet, his thick pelt having worked against him. Apparently it turned out he wasn't a fan of the ride either.
Grillby moved to get off, but a hand held firm on his shoulder. It was River.
"The ride isn't over yet. "
He looked over at the lava, his brow raised skeptically.
"River, the boat is made of wood."
True enough the boat didn't touch the lava.
Its muzzle growled, before jumping up onto land. It moved forward with its powerful legs.
Ahh, how could he have forgotten the boat traveled anywhere? It did what it pleased.
His cheeks burned white. River hasn't commented, but a dip of her hood signalled she thought him silly.
Ice remained quiet, they all did along the ride. The mood was bitter-sweet, each of them had history they had expected to forget by now.
The time in the underground had made them ancient, but...that meant little. Time had only made them weaker.
The boat left Hotland and entered into New Home, the streets and shops all eerily empty. The three had stalled their venture as much as they could. It had been weeks, a month maybe.
Grillby felt his flames rise involuntarily.
The memories of the past were still so fresh-carefully preserved like fossils, apparently.
"I can smell grass." Ice sniffed.
"Water, yes?" River asked.
"Yeah, that too."
Grillby had little interest in neither grass or water. Each tended to stifle his burning complexion.
He wasn't sure what he wanted, however.
The boat passed the king's throne, the flowers that grew there were wilted and dead. Time too, did the garden no favors.
Then came the barrier room and the entrapping glow of the enchantment was gone.
The boat moved slowly, sensing the group's hesitance.
Like animals that had been caged too long, freedom felt impossible-they feared.
But there it was and they passed through the mouth of the cave. Their fear was unfounded.
The sight was glorious! The sun burned brightly and Grillby ran up to great it.
"The sun! Look upon it! I've missed you so much friend!"
Grillby's flames burned higher than ever before, no longer mindful of a cavernous ceiling.
It was euphoric, the sun, plain and simple.
Ice and River stood off to the side politely. Both glanced at the other. Grillby had never looked happier.
How baffling.