AN: Welcome to Arc 1. It has sunshine, kindness and happiness. Oh wait, we're entering the Darkness. And that is the opposite of what I said before. Enjoy. (Before this chapter there was no Arc).

Chapter Nine: Into The Dark

(Chara POV)

I could barely see as I walked through the dark caverns. I could barely see outlines of the walls of the cavern and used my knives as light. They barely provided extra light, but it would have to do for now. But I have never felt as afraid of the dark as I do now. But I need to carry on. I refuse to go back.

Suddenly I hear footsteps in front of me and see a robed figure. What was that symbol on their robes? I could barely process what it was before they saw me.

"Halt! No one is allowed at the edges of the kingdom, on decree of Great Queen Naia. Go home and I'll let you off easily." The robed figure informed me and I roll my eyes. Did he think I would listen to him.

"Why aren't 'we' allowed in the outer edges?" I question, pretending to be a confused civilian.

"The five prisoners have escaped and we need to prevent them from fleeing to the Dreemurr Kingdom. Why do you not know this, every monster was informed of this yesterday? Unless… You don't look like a monster from our kingdom. You must have come from the Dreemurr Kingdom. Prepare to die scum." The figure told me yanking off his robe to reveal a humanoid lion monster with a scar on his left eye.

"I'm not here to hurt anyone. I'm just a scientist who was curious about this area." I try to convince him not to fight me but he looks unconvinced.

"No one cares for your excuses. Now prepare to die to my swords." The lion pulls out two swords and launches himself at me and I barely dodge. He is at an advantage, he knows how to navigate the dark and I don't. Fuck.

I deflect his attacks with my knife and feel his attacks start to increase in speed. How the fuck is this guy so fast? I jump away from him and shoot orange and blue lasers at him and he dodges them easily. I start varying the colors more and throw some knives at the same time. He still dodges it easily. Then he lunges at me and slams me into the rock wall. Fuck, that hurt.

"Scum. You think you can take down me, captain of the Queen's Knights, Hearth." He taunts me and I take deep breaths.

"Sure I can, Scar." I tell him, purposely messing up his name and his face grows made with rage.

"That is not my name!" He yells at me and I laugh. So gullible.

"Sure it isn't, Scar. Just like the claws in your stomach aren't yours either." I tell him as I use my claws and stab him in his stomach. He lets go of me and grabs his wound instead. Yep, that did a lot of damage. Now I grab him and slam him into the wall with my claws on his neck. He gasps in pain.

"Now that you are at my mercy, you will go to your so called queen and tell her that the Dreemurr Kingdom is off limits. So says their Royal Scientist and Princess." I tell him, with disgust at the word princess. I always hated that word to describe me as I was not born royalty. I put him down and he crawls away, still clutching his wound.

Hah, captain of their knights. That was a joke. He had more speed and attack than he did defensive capabilities and health. He must run by the idea that the best defense is the best offense.

I continue walking into the dark down a different path than the 'captain' did. I hope I get out of the edge of the kingdom soon so I'll have less pressure from the knights on me.

(Clover POV)

I sigh as I hear Azzy and Mom yell at Dad. Apparently he made Chara very upset that she ran away to a place that Dad hated. I sat outside near Adam, who was practice fighting a dummy. Apparently all the noise didn't wake Artemis up. Adam woke up to it, but not her. We haven't even ate breakfast yet. I was texting Snowdrake about hanging out later after school. He said his mom was okay with it, so I would head over later. Suddenly the yelling stops and Mom comes outside.

"Come inside children. I'm sorry you had to hear that." Mom told us and I followed her inside with Adam behind me.

"Oh is Artemis still asleep? How she managed that with all the yelling that happened I won't understand. Adam can you go wake your sister up for breakfast?" Mom asks Adam who nods before heading back the hallway to their room, while me and Mom go into the dining room for breakfast. Azzy is sitting across from Dad and is glaring at him. Azzy must be really upset. Mom heads into the kitchen as a mad looking Artemis comes in followed by a sheepish Adam. Artemis looked soaked, so I am guessing that Adam threw a water balloon at her to wake her up. He knew she hated that, but still did it all the time.

Artemis sits down and glares at her brother. Apparently everyone is glaring at each other today. Mom comes back with bacon and eggs and sees Artemis soaked and sets the food down and dries her off with her fire magic. Nonlethal fire, of course. I get a plate and start eating breakfast. As I am eating I notice Dad on the phone and Artemis is darting her eyes at everyone. That water balloon must have interrupted a good dream of hers. After breakfast Dad and Azzy head out fairly quickly whilst Mom ushers us to get ready for school. It's just another day at our house.

(Asriel POV)

Right now I was really mad at Dad. He said he tried to order her to stay away. He should know that Chara hates direct orders. Ugh! He also had the brilliant idea to send Red after Chara instead of me. Nothing against my girlfriend, but I would rather myself find my sibling and best friend. Dad called her during breakfast and I was to only lead her to the cavern. Yeah, like I'll listen to that. I'll go after Chara, no matter what Dad says.

I waited outside where Red was staying. She always moved around the Underground and could never find a place she could stick with. Dad said he didn't want me to try to convince Red against the mission.. If he had just kept his mouth fucking shut, then Chara wouldn't have run off.

Wait, I just had an idea. If I could get Undyne and Alphys to make me a map of their region so I could use it to navigate to find Chara. But before that. I write down a quick note before running off.

It reads:

Sorry Dad. Had to run off to do some things. Oh by the way. I'm moving out. Chara moved out to her Lab and now it's my turn. Don't expect to see me everyday now. Chara running off was what made me decide to move out. See you later.

Signed, Asriel Dreemurr

I sighed as I exited the Housing Office. I purchased a house near Napstablook in Waterfall. It apparently changed shape to reflect to owner. The example they gave was say a Froggit lived there, then the house would become the shape of a Froggit's head. I ducked behind a corner as I saw Dad enter the office with Red beside him. He was probably looking for me. So I quickly fled. I did not want to deal with him right now. I get on an elevator and click the button to go down to the CORE as Red jumps in right as the door closes without Dad.

"You know you aren't sneaky at all. Except with your Dad. He did not see you hide behind a building and he just told me where to go and headed home. So… you're moving out." Red stated and I nod. She was stating it as a matter of fact and not a question.

"In Waterfall. Next to Napstablook." I tell her and she laughs and snorts at the same time at that.

"Of course you move in near one of your friends. Well, I guess you know I'm headed after Chara. I wish you could come as well, but King's orders. Sorry Az." Red tells me and I shrug. I already knew that Dad wouldn't let me come and Red wouldn't either as she always listened to Dad's orders.

"I already knew. Wait, you said Dad knew where to send you? A cavern that you can't see into on the outskirts of Hotland, correct?" I ask her and she nods. Dad knew exactly where the Outsiders were. Why didn't he just seal them off to prevent them from attacking then? I know that they were once his people, but if he wanted to keep his people safe and was scared of Outsiders, then why not seal them away? Well, if that was the case then Undyne and Alphys wouldn't have escaped. Oh well.

"Well, I hope you find Chara soon." I tell her and she smiles at me.

"I'll do my best." Red says and kisses my cheek as the elevator reaches the bottom and she gets out and heads off the same direction that I had before. If she wasn't back within a week, I was heading after her. I sigh as I head off to my new house. I planned on calling Mom to have her help me move my stuff out of New Home when Dad would be out of the house. I won't abandon hope that Red will bring my best friend home, but I don't know if the same hold of hope will apply to Dad.

(Chara POV)

I sigh as I sit down on a rock in the darkness. I was walking around for a while and couldn't find anything of interest. I should have brought supplies with me as I was thirsty and hungry. I should have listened and stayed away from here. But now I didn't know where I was and I didn't know my way back. But I won't head back yet. That will just prove Dad right.

Suddenly I hear a branch snap and I jump up with knife in hand.

"Who's there?!" I shout into the darkness and suddenly I see a hyena looking monster on two feet with a scar under his left eye. Even in the almost complete dark besides the light from my knife, I still somehow noticed small details that others could overlook.

"Don't attack." The monster quickly says and puts his hands in the air.

"Who are you and why should I trust you?" I question him not even wanting to put my weapon away.

"I am Saff. And I am a member of the RAQ. Rebellion against the Queen." He tells me and bows in greeting and I stare him down.

"And how do I know that's an actual thing and not just a fake thing to catch those against the Queen?" I question him considering all the worst case scenarios of believing him.

"You aren't from the Cavern aren't you? I always see wanted posters for our group. They are everywhere, so how haven't you seen them?" He questions me.

"So you call this place the Cavern? A bit generic of a name, but it's not my place to rename it. Also I haven't seen them as, one I was too worried about being attacked by the Knights again, and two I can barely see in the dark without my knives." I inform him.

"So, are you from the Dreemurr Kingdom?" Saff asks me but I hear heavy footsteps approaching and he pulls me behind a large boulder. He puts his claw to his lip to tell me to stay silent. We stay silent for around ten or twenty minutes before the footsteps are all gone. I sigh in relief as I relax on the wall.

"That was nearly half of all the Knights. Why are they all together in a formation like that?" He wonders.

"How did you know they were Knights when they hadn't got here yet?" I ask him.

"I could see them as they turned the corner. And I have been hearing those foots stepsteps for years. I am able to distinguish different people's footsteps. The Knights have very heavy footsteps. The RAQ has mainly light and fast footsteps. The Queen has slow and menacing footsteps…" Saff starts on about footsteps and I drown him out as I look to the direction the Knights were headed. Saff was right for one thing. Why was there a huge group of them heading this way?

"Anyways, I'll bring you to the RAQ headquarters now." Saff finishes talking and I spare a glance to him before walking off after the Knights to find out what they were up to. He quickly tackles me to the ground.

"What are you doing? They'll kill you. The Queen and her Knights hate anyone from the Dreemurr Kingdom." Saff informs me and I unsheath my claws.

"I'm a curious person and are trying to find out what they are doing. Now get the fuck off." I warn him but he doesn't budge. Oh well, I'll just brute force through him. As I try to slash him in his chest I feel a prick in my neck. I push him off and feel my neck and find a dart. I look at it as I feel sleepy. A sleep da… I fall to the ground without finishing my thought.

(Saff POV)

As I am pushed to the ground I notice the dart in the girl's neck. She never told me her name before she fell on the ground unconscious.

"Hello Saff. Was this girl threatening you?" I hear my best friend's voice come up behind me. I turn to see Espa, an anthropomorphic tiger monster.

"I was trying to prevent her from chasing after a large group of Knights." I tell Espa who shakes her head.

"So she's suicidal or idiotic? What kind of monster is she even?" Espa asks me and I glance at the girl's unconscious body. She had unnatural amber hair, sharp claws and a fox tail, but besides that she looked human.

"Maybe…" I wonder aloud and Espa glares at me.

"You are still hung up over that? There is no heroes coming to save us and this girl looks too weak to be a hero. Just help me bring her to base to interrogate her." Espa tells me and I sigh in defeat. I knew that the Prophecy of Heroes might be false, but I would rather have some hope than none.

I pick up the girl's legs and Espa picks up her arms as we start heading back to our base. It was an hour's walk from where we were, but we don't run across anyone as we keep away from the usual Knight paths. I let Espa hold the girl when we get to the small shack that disguised the entrance to our base.

"Password?" Nya, the guard at the moment, asks me.

"Regina Placeam." I tell the password and the door opens to let me and Nya in.

Nya, a grey bat monster that refused to ever touch the ground, and the guard at the door, pulled out a shuriken and put it at the girl's neck.

"Who is this?" Espa asks while holding the shuriken with her teeth.

"A prisoner. We'll be taking her down to the cells." Espa responds and Nya nods and lets us pass before slamming the door shut and locking it as we were the last two out. Only we had even left the base today. Everyone else was trying to find where the Queen's daughter and our Leader's daughter ran off to and how we could get the Queen's daughter on our side. But I didn't know anything that was happening beyond that. This new girl might be a key to understanding the chaos that was arising in the Cavern lately. And she might also be the key to stop it.

(Red POV)

I was almost out of breath as I reached the cavern that the King told me about. I had food and water for around a week as long as I ration it sufficiently. I bid goodbye to near complete light with the lava of Hotland and false stars of Waterfall when I enter the darkness and can barely see back out where I had came from.

In and out. Get Chara and leave. Don't succumb to fear. Don't let yourself get lost. I… I… Fuck! I can't see and I hate the dark!

I hear footsteps approach and I pull out my twin swords and am confronted by a fish lady monster with a crown. I guess this is who Asgore told me to avoid by all means necessary. Naia, I believe. Of course I run into her right away.

"Ah. Another from the Dreemurr Kingdom has entered my kingdom. And I was looking for the princess. Knights! Capture her and bring her to the Royal Prison!" She ordered and a bunch of armored and hooded monsters run at me. Some stay back and fire magic attacks at me, which makes it easier for me to see.

I take a deep breath and move at sonic speeds. I dodge every attack and get behind a bunch of troops, one at a time and knock them out. Some attacks barely manage to scrape me but I brush them off and keep dodging and knocking people out when I can. And after ten minutes of dodging I manage to knock out almost everyone. I gasp for air as I am very low on energy. The rest of my magical reserves lied in my swords and my one bomb I had summoned.

I notice Naia clap her hands and kicks aside the unconscious monsters. She doesn't care for them! She doesn't deserve to be a queen.

"Hahaha. Magnificent. Now after I bring you to your cell, I'll dispose of these weaklings and replace them. I have my other half of my army left still. And you. You're an elven monster. Those are extinct, except for you apparently. I should know. I killed the last ones with my bare hands. But I'll have uses for you." Naia laughed and I felt anger rise within me. The last elven monsters were my parents, who were killed when I was three. I was told they were traitors and were pushed into the lava of Hotland.

I let my anger control my actions and launch myself at her, which she seems to expect. Naia quickly jumps back and my swords crack the ground. A crack that extends back to her. Which is to say I created a 3 yard crack. She looks at me curiously as I glare up at her and throw my bomb at her. She deflects it and is blinded by the light of the explosion as I jump up and grab the roof of the cave. I look down and can barely make out Naia and some remaining troops.

"Idiots! Why did no one attack her while she was distracted by me?! Light up the room. She's still in here, we have all the exits surrounded." Naia commands her knights, who proceed to light up the room and Naia stares straight up at me.

"There you are!" She says before I am hit with a mace connected to a chain. I feel myself fall on the floor and get picked up and am forced to stare Naia in the face. I spit at her and she slaps me for it. She deserved it.

"Idiotic elf. Hearth, put her to sleep. I don't want her to try and memorize a way to escape." Naia tells the monster holding me who proceeds to stab me with a dagger in the stomach and I fall to sleep almost instantly.

(Leya POV)

The start of a journey for every in the Cavern, as they call it. I wish I could interfere, but my brother's hold over this place is much too strong. The only power I have there is a cave of gemstones that fill any room with light.

"So, Leya. Will you return those five to their universe? Along with the parasite in young Artemis." Gaster asks appearing next to me. I groan in anger at his question.

"I can't do anything to them. The five are in a place that my brother watches very closely and the 'parasite' is too powerful for me to remove without severely harming the host. I can not interfere at this moment in time." I explain to the skeleton who stares at me in disbelief. I wasn't lying. Although I have been around since the beginnings of our universe, I was not omnipotent. I may have held the powers of a god, but I wasn't all powerful. I don't think Gaster knew that and thought me omnipotent.

"Then I will take my leave. And if you are lying and putting the world that my sons live in in danger, well. YOU'RE GONNA BE IN FOR ONE HELL OF A TIME!" Gaster threatens me before melting into the void. I was scared. Gaster was now powered by the void and out of all the non-godlike beings that existed, he was probably the most powerful of them. I knew that I couldn't do anything to him or his sons.

Right now, I just watched the events unfold in the Cavern. I am praying for Red and Chara and I spend a little bit of time with an eye on Asriel as well. Red and Chara were both unconscious in unknown territory. I couldn't help those two, but perhaps Asriel. I could help him before he walks into the unknown. Before the Second was lost to the Cavern. I couldn't save the First or Red. But him, I could. I make up my mind and decide to help Asriel bring back his sibling and girlfriend. I hope he will listen to me.

(? POV)

I was shaking as I climbed the mountain. I don't know if I am still being followed. I run up the mountain as fast as possible. My life was not like this two years ago. I didn't have abusive parents or siblings, I wasn't sold to the DAMC, I had people I could trust. Now I didn't know what was happening.

Soon enough I reach a cave near the top of the mountain. I think the coast is clear to keep climbing, but I hear voices get closer and closer. I hid in the cave near a hole in the ground.

"If I fell down that, I'd probably die." I think to myself. And then again that fate might be better than the DAMC.

"Her locator is showing she's around this area. I don't care if the rumors are true and none of us return. We need to find her." I hear a voice shout and hear some responses like "Yes sir" and such. After I stand in silence for a few moments a group of DAMC cultists enter the cave I am in.

"There you are!" One shouts and lunges at me and I dance out of the way. I was so glad I took ballerina classes as they really helped me dodge attacks.

More and more cultists enter the room and lunge for me. Somehow no one falls into the hole in the center of the room. I am pushed near the hole and am only holding on because a cultist wouldn't let me fall.

"Young Penny. You should have known you can't escape. What is this the fourth time?" The cultist holding me mocks me. I look up and see one of the cultist leaders on the other side of the hole just staring at me.

"Ms. Penny. Four strikes means you will be forced to obey the DAMC." The leader tells me and fear fills me. I knew that they put a chip in me to force me to listen, so I decide death is better than submission. I kick the cultist between the legs and he lets go of my already torn shirt and I fall down the hole. I laugh as the leader looks down with the button held down on the remote that could control me.

I feel myself hit the ground and pass out as the chip takes over my body. My last thought was wondering why I didn't die. Then I lose consciousness and feel my thoughts get replaced with the mantra of the DAMC. "Monsters destroyed. Sic Fata Dignetur."

As I am asleep all that fills my dreams is that mantra and I start believing it. I would destroy the horrid creatures sealed below the earth. I love that thought.

(Third Person POV)

The cultist leader smiled as he saw that the chip was active and that the host wasn't destroyed. And if legends had served correctly, the leader knew that this was were monsters were sealed.

"Leader, what should I do with the failure that let the girl fall?" One cultist member asked the smiling leader, who had a mask on so no one saw his face of glee.

"Mr. Valentine, I believe you should let your son and daughter get rid of his first victim when we return. You and your wife can carry him back to the base." The leader told the member who nodded and him and another cultist grabbed the man, who was crying due to him knowing his fate.

"Oh and Mr. Valentine." The leader calls after the cultist who proceeds to stop and let his wife hold the man still while he looked at his leader.

"If you keep listening to orders correctly you'll soon be promoted. But one other thing needs to happen before that." The leader starts and the man tilts his head in confusion.

"Yes sir?" Mr. Valentine asks his leader.

"Within a year and a half, have your last child be converted. What was her name again? Frisk was it?" The leader asks the man who shakes his head.

"Freya, but she always uses that dumb nickname of Frisk. I will try my best." Mr. Valentine said before continuing to help his wife drag the man down the mountain.

Meanwhile, at the Valentine Manor at the edge of town lay a 12 year old girl asleep in bed. She knew not of the happenings at the top of the mountain or below it. All she was worried about was school and the situation her best friend was in. And she was filled with determination to do her best in school and to do her best to help her friend.

AN: So... I think some stuff needs explaining for this chapter, but that won't happen in this AN. You'll just have to wait for the next chaper to explain some things.

Leya: I thought you were gonna end the chapter at my part.

Angel: Nope. I was gonna end it at several different parts. Because I had nothing planned besides Red entering the Cavern, Chara stuff and Artemis acting a slight bit differently. Also please excuse me if the two latin phrases I used were inaccurate. I don't study Latin so I am not 100% that those are accurate. Anyways let's move on to other stuff.

Ateno: So Penny is the Integrity Soul? Because of that ballerina comment.

Angel: Fuck off Ateno! I hate that you two spoil stuff I was gonna do for the next chapter. But you know what, I am going to have her soul revealed in the next chapter anyways. And now.

I snap my fingers and a cage appears around Ateno and Leya. It is made to shut them up so you can't hear Ateno's profanities right now.

QOTD: Who thinks that Undertale would make a good anime? I think it would and the idea just makes me want it more. I would also be fine with an Undertale movie as long as it doesn't look like the Sonic the Hedgehog movie looks like.

Anyways I am going to do some reading and then start writibg the next chapter of this. Have a great day.