Xandre

Xandre's goal, Mount Ebott, loomed nearer with every step he took. At this point, he could make out the line where the trees stopped on its side, giving way to bare rock. He had a suspicion he would have to climb up there, and he quietly dreaded the hike up. He had never liked climbing mountains. But it would probably be worth it, if his gut feeling was any type of indication.

Adrian

Toriel was the queen? Adrian thought in disbelief. How is that possible? Why does she live here now?

Adrian looked over at Nyssa. Did she know?

Nyssa

Nyssa sighed sadly. She couldn't believe she was saying this already, after Toriel had just welcomed her and Adrian into her house. But whatever they were meant to discover clearly lay somewhere beyond the Ruins, through who knew how much more dangerous territory. So she told Adrian, "I think we need to leave."

"Leave?"

"Leave. Like… maybe permanently."

"Yeah. I agree."

"So we need to ask her."

"Toriel?"

They looked uncomfortably toward Toriel, who was relaxing in her reading chair and leafing through a book titled 72 uses for snails. At the sound of her name, she looked up. "Yes, dears?"

Nyssa fidgeted. "Toriel, we think it's time for us to leave."

The look on Toriel's face made Nyssa want to stare at the ground in shame. Instead, she pushed on. "Don't get me wrong, Toriel. You've been great to Adrian and I. We love how nice you've been. Thanks for the food, protection and shelter. But Toriel… we need to go. I hope that you understand."

Looking equally uncomfortable, Toriel shifted a bit in indecision before she got up from her chair. "I'll be right back. I need to take care of some business."

Without another word, Toriel headed towards the stairs and whatever they led to. And without a word, Adrian and Nyssa agreed to follow her. They tailed Toriel down the stairs, into a brick hall similar to those in the rest of the Ruins. Toriel stood there and turned just as they approached her, as if she had been expecting them to follow.

"You wish to know how to access the rest of the Underground, do you not?"

Both teenagers nodded, unable to speak.

"Ahead of us lies the end of the Ruins. A one-way exit. I am going to destroy it. Please, be good children and go upstairs." She walked off again. Again, Nyssa and Adrian followed.

"Every human that falls down here meets the same fate," Toriel said, exasperated. This drew a small gasp from Adrian. "I have seen it again and again. They come, they leave, they die. You naive children. If you leave the Ruins, they will kill you. Asgore will kill you. I am only protecting you, do you understand?"

Despite Toriel's words, they still followed her.

This time, when Toriel turned, a different look blazed in her eyes. It was resolute and furious. "This is your final warning."

It frightened Nyssa, but still she and Adrian continued. Finally, they reached a chamber with a single set of double doors at the other side.

"You wish to leave so badly?" Toriel sighed. "Hmph. You are just like the others. There is only one solution to this."

And the world faded to black and white.

Adrian

"No!"

Adrian couldn't believe he and Nyssa would have to fight Toriel. He was terrified, his heart pounding in his chest, and he almost regretted doing all this. The two of them could have just stayed in the Ruins with Toriel forever, until they grew older and memories of their life on the surface faded. They could have. They would have been happy like that–him, Nyssa, and Toriel, a family. Isolated from the rest of the world, but that was okay. They would have each other.

But we have questions, he told himself, that need answers.

Even still, as Adrian looked back into Toriel's eyes, he felt trembles of fear. Her icy glare cut into him like a knife. Was it really just a few minutes ago when she had been treating him like her own child?

Almost immediately, Toriel launched an attack of magical fireballs. These weren't the healing kind, Adrian knew; they were weapons, meant to maim and hurt. Yet these particular fireballs didn't seem made for killing. Even when forced into battle, Toriel would never use the full extent of her powers against children, especially children she had loved and cared for as her own. Adrian's heart ached at the thought and at what Toriel must be feeling.

He and Nyssa dodged the fire, simultaneously fearing for their lives and feeling pangs for Toriel. How many times did Toriel have to do this? Immense guilt built in Adrian's stomach. This certainly wasn't the first time.

Did this happen with Chara?

Is it why she died?
A fireball scorched Adrian's side. It definitely wasn't as red-hot as real fire, but Adrian still felt the pain. He cried out and put his hand against the burned area, expecting blood or blisters but finding none. Nyssa pressed a piece of Monster Candy into his hand, and Adrian was reminded of the time he had helped her in the same way. He thanked her quickly before eating the candy. How, he wondered briefly, does Monster Candy heal like this? It must be the magic that the monsters somehow infused in it.

His thoughts were interrupted by another volley of fireballs. Adrian hurled himself to the side and knocked Nyssa over in the process. "Sorry," he apologized, staggering to his feet.

Nyssa raised her head and met eyes with Toriel. "Toriel, please…

Toriel looked right through her.

Nyssa

Flames swirled, almost like eddies in a pond, around her and Adrian. It had been daunting for them to dodge at first, but as the battle went on they both began to notice a pattern. Toriel's attacks would either form two crescent arcs on either side before honing in on them or fall down in a double helix shape. As long as they stayed in the relatively safe zones, they would be unharmed.

The fighting wore on, and Nyssa could tell that Toriel was tiring. Multiple times she even caught a glimpse of tears in the old monster's eyes. She felt horrible for breaking Toriel's heart so cruelly, but there was no other way to get past her.

The next time Toriel attacked, none of the bullets even came close to Nyssa or Adrian. They came as a focused beam at first, but parted afterwards so they cascaded harmlessly down the sides of the battle rectangle. Toriel couldn't summon up the will to fight the two children.

Nyssa couldn't will herself to fight Toriel anymore, either, and she could tell that Adrian felt the same way.

Everyone stood still.

Toriel's gaze softened. "I know you want to leave, but please… go upstairs now. I promise I will take good care of you here. I know we do not have much, but…" Toriel gave an anguished smile, and Nyssa felt pain deep in her heart. "We can have a good life here. Why are you making this so difficult? Please, go upstairs."

When neither Nyssa nor Adrian moved, the smile on Toriel's face changed. It was mocking, almost. "Ha, ha. Pathetic, is it not? I cannot save even a single child… but… no, I understand. You would just be unhappy trapped down here. My expectations… my loneliness… my fear… for you, my children, I will put them aside. If you truly wish to leave the Ruins, I will not try to stop you anymore. However, when you leave… I beg you, please… do not ever come back. I hope… I hope you understand."

Nyssa's heart broke in two, but somehow she managed to hold herself together long enough to give Toriel a parting hug.

Toriel broke away from them and started to walk away. Before leaving the chamber, she turned and gave the two children one last, long look.

Then she exited. Nyssa waited until she couldn't see Toriel anymore before pushing open the double doors and walking out of them with Adrian close behind, their last footsteps in the Ruins resounding forlornly down the long purple corridor.