The last corridor. So many bad memories are floating around this place, filling the air with shadows of the unwanted past, uncertain future and a faint scent of golden flowers, making it highly uncomfortable for everyone gathered in this room. Still, it's too symbolical for you to avoid it.

It's dusk when you reach the last few corridors before the final fight. The end of this journey is at hand.

Well, hopefully that's the case, for it's hard to believe that everything could be solved so easily. It's not like it was easy or is going to be easy, but still, you can't help feeling the wrongness of this situation: fixing centuries worth of mistakes in one single day, of letting a child deal with everything for you and for all of the monsters, as well as not telling Frisk the truth about yourself on top of all that.

As the aforementioned child comes closer you exhale, shoving these thoughts away.

"I'll ask you one last time… Do you really want to go away so badly?"

They nod, their expression full of raw determination.

"Okay. I hate to let you do that, but I won't stand in your way either. Kid…" You look at them, soul heavy in your chest. "You probably already figured that you have to fight with Asgore, didn't you?"

They nod again. Not so assuredly this time.

"Well, I forbade you to fight before, but in this situation... I will not judge you."

They shake their head dismissively.

"Yeah, I know you don't want to hurt anyone. And you know by now that he doesn't want to pick a fight as well. But sometimes there's... no other choice." Your voice trembles at that last line as you ball your hands into fists.

Now Frisk stares down at their feet, sad and thoughtful.

"Hey, don't look so glum, kiddo." Here goes a feeble attempt of cheering them up. "You wanted it, didn't you?"

They nod, still looking down and you reach out to pat their hunched little shoulder. "Good luck over there. And don't forget about the pie," you add as they continue their slow, but firm pace out of the Underground.

Without turning around Frisk shoves their hand into their pocket and waves a triangular slice of pie in a paper wrap. You chuckle and sigh. Worry for this cute, determined warrior is gnawing you from the inside out.

They managed to escape so far, even if just barely. The guards, Undyne, Mettaton. But what if Asgore kills them? He is one of the strongest monsters after all. You'd reset immediately, but the pain Frisk would have to go through again... And then there's Flowey. How will the battle with him go down? You can't tell for sure and not knowing makes you nervous to the point of feeling sick.

'relax, ya worrywart. take it easy. you're not goin' to make a difference by fainting,' Sans remarks calmly, eyes closed. His figure, basked in the bright yellow light, looks so epic that you can't help but stare at him.

'Yeah, I know, but I'm growing attached to the kid, more and more with each moment I spend knowing them. I can't help it...''

He nods thoughtfully in response.

'We can't hold them hostage, but they also can't just get up and leave, so our only hope that things will turn out exactly like in the game with the barrier going down by the hands of Asriel...' you repeat the plan that somehow sounds less and less possible every time you think about it. 'It is a very, very big risk, but it might be the only chance we have. So I'm willing to take it.'

It's exactly what happened in the game so there's should be no reason to worry... right?

Sans breathes out. 'if you're so anxious then… i suggest taking a peek.'

'You think it's possible to do that without getting noticed?'

'i don't think it's possible. i know it's possible. just use a shortcut to the barrier. there should be a fitting spot, but... be careful, ok?'

'Will do.' You nod and add, '...thank you.'

With Sans' guidance you find a hidden switch, press it and a part of wall slides to the side with the deep rumble, revealing a small, practically closet-sized niche, filled with cogs and wirings. You have literally no clue what the purpose of all this is, but there's enough room in there for you to stand and some cracks between the rocks to peek through.

Fairly soon you see Asgore walking in, Frisk following shortly after, slowly treading further. The boss monster perks up, shaking away his pensiveness as he hears their echoing footsteps approaching.

"This is the barrier, " he says, looking up at the giant wall of condensed magic, that shines with the pink evening light coming from the surface. "The seal that hold us here, underground… Are you sure you are ready?" Even his voice draws out for long seconds, sounding almost like he is speaking in a slow motion, attempting to delay what he must do. "If there is anything left that you wish to do before we begin, I will not stop you."

The kid stands and looks at the king, drilling his back with stubborn gaze and the latter is forced to turn around to face his little opponent.

"So be it…"

The distant whirring of some hidden mechanism resonates through the walls. The cogs behind your back start to screech and crunch as well, making you shiver. The reason of all this ruckus is revealed soon, as seven holes slowly open up in the floor, right behind Asgore. From these holes, seven tubes rise, lighting up the room with their multicolored glow.

You finally see them. The six souls that once belonged to the unfortunate fallen humans, now carefully preserved and guarded by the king of the Underground, accompanied by a colorless, empty vial that awaits the last addition to this begrudged collection.

Seven souls to free the monsters from their dark and depressing prison...

In the single moment, your current plan pops like a balloon and flies away with a figurative loud whistling, being replaced with the new one. Or better to say with the old one. For it seems like it's finally your chance to shine.

"Human. It was nice to-" A loud crash of glass forces Asgore to shudder from surprise and throw a quick look behind his back. "Sans…?" The king's eyes widen as he stares down at you. "What is going on?"

"I… I'm…" Not knowing what to say, you attempt to reach for the floating souls that your quick bone attack freed from their containers, but they seem to shy away from your touch. Then you man up and grab the closest soul, the purple one. It beats faintly in your grasp, soft and warm, squirming like a sleepy, grumpy kitten that want to escape, but is too weak to do so. You squeeze it slightly, waiting for the fusion to begin.

…

But nothing happens.

Your gaze darts around: at frowning Asgore, then at Frisk, who emanates confusion with their entire being and then back at the souls. Shaking from adrenaline - or whatever equivalent of it the monsters have - as well from a sudden fit of panic you stand lost, wasting the precious seconds of advantage as one solitary thought pulsates in your mind.

'How do you absorb a soul again…?'

Asgore bows his head down, horns threateningly aiming forward, eyes disappearing in the shadow cast by his blond mane.

'berry!' Sans is the first in your team who had recovered from shock, shouting a warning, but before you know it there's a huge flaming ball flying right into you.

The surprisingly solid magic projectile rams into your chest, knocking the wind out of your ribcage, lifting up your body and slamming it against the barrier. It should be incredibly painful, but you aren't feeling anything.

The lights are dimming.

As you're slowly losing consciousness, you hear a low and quiet voice whispering, "I am very sorry… but I can not allow you to help your friend."

With you lying on the ground, not showing any signs of life, Frisk's determination falters significantly. The battle begins and there's nothing they can do but try to resolve everything peacefully, to show mercy, to talk it out... but it's all useless.

Through the tears of pain and despair they dodge the attacks which are getting progressively harder to escape with every new assault. The red trident makes rapid and tricky moves, changing its color from red to orange to cyan and back, hitting so quickly it turns into a smudged line of color. The huge, searing spheres circle around the child, enclosing them in walls of burning hurricane. Then they spread out, bombarding from each direction, usually going for legs so that Frisk has to play a game of hopscotch with death. Even though none of the attacks are aimed directly at them, it's still so intense that the kid can barely avoid the damage.

As the battle goes on and on Frisk keeps refusing to fight. Not even a single time do they land a hit on the boss monster with the stick that they're clutching tightly in their hand, like holding it lends them some hidden power. Yet, even with this strength, they can't possibly keep dodging forever.

Panting from exhaustion they slip to the floor, the flames die down and slowly, Asgore comes closer to them. His trident aims for a strike as he utters, still looking down at his feet, "I'm so sorry…"

However, the deadly blow didn't follow as the heart-wrenchingly familiar smell reaches the twitching white noise, forcing the raised hand to freeze in the air and turning the king into a statue of himself. Overburdened by memories and emotions, Asgore takes a step back as if he finally received a hit from the child. He stares at the piece of pie that peeks through the hastily torn wrapper, lying in outstretched hands, as if it's being offered to him.

At this moment the skeleton sprawled in the corner twitches and blinks, wincing from pain.

Intense humming consumes the entirety of your skull, coming both from being hit in the back of your head and from the barrier behind you.

Your ability to see returns long before thinking straight and you keep blinking and catching the random frames: the souls slowly drifting away from the battlefield; the child coming closer to the shaken furry monster; the fast blinking of lights on the metal surface; two twisted faces, one with shock and pain, another with tears and guilt.

The king falls onto his knee, holding his chest. The knife falls down from Frisk's hand, clattering against the stone floor and they rush to the defeated monster, locking him in an incomplete hug, as their hands can't possibly go all the way around his huge, armored chest.

And then comes the whisper. Sad and quiet, but loud enough for you to pick up the words, it's Asgore telling about his son, the truth on how the war was declared and how he learned to regret that decision.

"I am so tired of bringing pain to the others. I do not wish for any of this… All I want is to see my family again. Even if just for a moment. Please… young one…" He breathes out faintly, barely holding back the old man's tears. "Take my soul and leave this cursed place."

Frisk clutches to him, shaking their head against his shoulder.

"After everything you've been through… You'd rather stay down here to suffer with us, than return to the surface…?" The king can't seem to believe in his own words, but the kid nods, agreeing with what he just said. "Human… You truly deserve better than this." His lips tremble in an attempt at smiling. "You have met her, haven't you? You have met my wife… I so badly want to see her again, to make up for everything that I've done. Oh how wonderful would that be to laugh together, all three of us, sharing stories, presents, pie and tea…. To be like… like a family. And yet…" His pale face shrouds itself in shadows. "It's nothing, but a mere fantasy. Young one…" The tone of the king's voice suddenly turns firm. "As I look at you I remember the first human whose fate sent them falling down here. You have the same look in your eyes. That hope, that wish to help, that unbendable will… All this time I was doing everything wrong. If there's still a way to free my people it must come not from the inside, but from the outside. It pains me to bring this upon you, but, please… Please take my soul and seek out the truth." Asgore pushes Frisk away from him lightly and the red trident materializes in his hand once again, as the kid scrambles to their feet, running back to him.

"Goat dad… stop… " you mutter weakly, trying to stand up as well. "It's not going to help…"

Three sharp points aim at the armored chest, ready to strike, quickly moving and-

"NO!" A shout came from the entrance to the room and a whirl of white and purple dashes forward the two figures.

The whiff of air brings the faint scent of pie and old books. The queen has returned… Yet she didn't make it in time.

The king of all monsters is slowly dissolving into dust.

"Tori... you... you came back…" Asgore whispers in a fading voice, goofy smile spreading across his face.

"Shut it! And do not dare die on me!" Toriel cuts him off as a flash of magic colors her hands in green. She presses her arms to the cracked armor and the fire roars, coating the whole body of the dying monster in emerald flames.

It's not working. There's nothing she can do and Toriel knows it all too well.

Losing her last bits of hope, she grabs Asgore's cloak and pulls on it, yelling in desperation, "Why did you do this!? WHY, you spineless knave!?"

"It's... for the best... I hope…" A small cloud of dust escapes his mouth as he coughs and closes his eyes. "You are right... I am... spineless…"

The big figure turns grey, lingering like that for a split second. Then gravity takes its hold, dust scattering and leaving only the white, inverted heart to linger. It makes something like a faint attempt to move towards the kid, but they're still too shocked. They just stand there and after few moments the soul breaks, with a quiet sad sound. Snapping in two, bursting into pieces and then it just... disappears.

The monster queen stares blankly at her fingers, ashes pouring through them like ancient sand in an hourglass. Slowly, she pushes her hands to her chest and in the dead silence comes a quiet whisper, "How could I be so late…"

You snap out of your shock, slowly pulling yourself to your feet using the barrier as a support. When you finally waddle closer to the unfolding tragedy you witness Frisk hugging Toriel and whispering something to her, you assume it's something comforting, though it's hardly enough. You don't know what to do, feeling completely out of place.

After a while Frisk stops talking, leaving only the buzzing silence that you can't take anymore more of.

"Can I… Can I help in any way?" you ask, though what can you even offer to them?

Toriel looks up, almost mechanically searching for the source of the voice.

She is so beautiful. Silky smooth white fur, elegant small horns and the dark-red eyes that somehow don't look threatening at all. They look so gentle, wise and so... so sad. With a glint of recognition sparking in them.

After rubbing her face she takes a good look at you, freezing in the middle of the motion as her eyes widen in shock. "Is… Is this…? How... How did you acquire a human soul!?"

You blink, her words slowly processing in your mind.

"How could you…" You take a step back. Things are going south all over the place and you can't seem to keep up with their pace. "How COULD you kill a human!?"

In an instant, the mourning wife has turned into a fierce warrior. Now she stands before you in all of her impressive height, pushing Frisk behind her back while not breaking furious eyes to terrified eye sockets contact.

"I-I-I didn't-!"

"Do not even DARE to lie to me!" She growls, interrupting you, baring her fangs in a scolding grimace. "I have studied auras and souls for ages! That much red… I have only seen it once…" Her voice falls to a whisper and you raise your hand, wishing you could comfort her, yet as soon as she notices your gesture she glares with a disgust on her face. "I trusted you! You promised me! And…and… If you had that soul all this time... it means… That he died for NOTHING!"

You feel that the air around you warms up more and more as she speaks. You're sweating, though it's not from the heat, of course.

"Welp. Looks like you can see right through me. Ahahah..." you let you a nervous chuckle, hoping that pun will at least distract Toriel as she is clearly not in a mood to listen to your excuses.

It only made things worse.

Toriel howls in anger and grief as she throws a blazing fireball, aiming straight into your face. This time you react accordingly, quickly blinking away only to see barrages of seeking fires flying all around the room, while you're still not in a condition to take even one more hit. There are no other options left for you, but to retreat and you use a shortcut to return back home.

Standing in the middle of your room you stare absently in front of you, your mind refusing to believe everything that just happened.

'welp. that sure was... something.' Sans raises his voice and it triggers you to snap like a disturbed mousetrap.

"WHY GOD!? WHY DID ASGORE DO THAT!? WHY DID TORIEL SHOW UP!? WHY DID SHE ATTACK ME!? WHY COULDN'T I JUST TAKE THE DAMN SOULS!? WHY!?"

Every shout is punctuated with a punch to the wall. Not very impressive punches though, as you can barely even stand on your feet. After that outburst, your poor legs can't hold you any longer and you land on the mattress, muttering, "Calm down Berry... breathe... That's just a bad run, we will erase it... OH CRAP, THE KID! The kid is left with Toriel!" You grab your head and whine, "Nonono…"

There's no way you can leave them alone, but you can't just jump in there either. One lucky shot from Toriel and you might just say goodbye to the lovely monster-human hybrid. You still can't get over the fact that you survived that blow from Asgore, though he probably hadn't aimed to actually kill you.

Taking another deep breath, you gather all of your remaining strength to stand up. It's not safe to stay in here any longer.