AN: Hey guys. So I'm going on a roadtrip with some friends for about a week and a half. That means no updates until like, the week after next.

So in view of this temporary Hiatus, I'm giving you guys this bonus chapter to cut your teeth on. Its not part of the natural story flow, but I thought you guys might enjoy a little intermission. ;)

See ya in two weeks!

The Honest Chap : yeaaah she's kinda slow on the uptake. But from her perspective, Red is just another part of herself. A more disturbing part she didn't know about. I think she's more concerned that she might be secretly sadistic, than thinking she's possessed. Also, as far as harming her goes, as far as Charlotte is aware, the only person who tried to kill her was Sans. Sooo he's kind of the top suspect for physical (spiritual?) damage.

OtakuWhovian1224: I usually answer the questions and comments about the previous chapter a the beginnings of the first. That way, if other readers have a similar question, they can be in on the convo.

Lunar Loon: Thanks, I'm glad someone appreciates the lack of smooching in this story. ^^ Yeah. Alphys is kind of worried. Her knowledge of human frailties is like a garbled mix of health class horror stories and the stuff she picks up from anime.

You'll have to see why the soul is damaged. I can't really comment on that.

Yep. Alphys will tattle to Asgore the moment she gets the chance. He wont like this.

oochya: oh its too funny. You guys keep coming up with such dramatic explainations. I hope you ultimately disappointed by the lack of fairy tale shtick. Haha.

oochya: that is without a doubt the worst pickup line I've ever heard. XD

Ghorix: hey thanks pal. I'm glad you're enjoying the slowest slow burn that ever burned slow people. Hope I don't fall short of the high bar your kind words have set for me. ^^

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Intermission Aster (part 1) Dying with your boots on

A man isn't a man, unless he can die with his boots on.

That's what Ajax's father had said before going off to war. He departed when the peach blossoms were in bloom, and returned before the last leaf even hit the ground.

The soldier nearly died from blood loss. The entire bottom half of his left calf had been snapped like a hazel twig. When they brought him in from the battlefield, he was almost dead. The wound had soaked through all its wrappings and it took cauterizing with a hot iron to finally stop the bleeding. Ajax had been forced from room during this but he'd peeked through a rotting section of the wall and seen everything. The blacksmith heated up a metal poker and used it to sear the flesh shut, all the while the soldier screamed and thrashed. He was strong back then, and it took five men to hold him down.

A long bitter winter followed, and the soldier wilted like a withered leaf. Many months passed away in a cold delirious sweat.

The war was hell. And the denizens thereof were their enemy. Ajax's father told of the roar of battle. And of the demons who had taken his leg.

The battle had raged on for days and days. Morale was low and human victories were few and far between. Yet the soldier fought on, growing numb to the ordeal. One evening he would be singing and sharing a triumph with his comrades. Another evening he'd be piling up their bodies to burn.

Triumph defeat triumph defeat.

It grew monotonous after a while. Second nature.

The soldier said he'd fought the devil himself.—though no one but his son believed this story. The soldier looked into those eyes of blood. The devil had swung and he'd come up to parry the blow. Three blows. Three heartbeats. And then something struck his chest. There were flames—though they were as cold as ice. They burned him inside and out—though it left no mark of entry. A shout had come. But the soldier could not understand the words. He was frozen from the devil's blow.

Men and monsters fought. Men and monsters fell. Victory defeat. Victory defeat. The dong and ding of a bell swinging on. Make a hit and make it count—only to have the weight of your hit fall back upon you after it reached its apex. Victory, defeat. Victory, defeat.

Men took the morning.

Monsters took the night.

Men took lives.

Monsters took lineages.

Victory defeat. Victory defeat.

Again and again, and again.

And it wasn't until that moment, when the soldier felt that cold of a burning in his soul—did he realize the truth.

Men take marshes.

Monsters take valleys.

And on and on and on and on.

And for what?

Men take noonday.

Monsters take midnight.

DEVIL TAKE ALL.

The shout came. A call for aid. And with a single sweep of his arm, the king swatted the soldier aside like a child's poppet as he charged off towards the shouts. The soldier hit the rocks hard, sliding a ways right into the thick of it. And in an instant found himself tangled in the legs of a scaly towering assailant.

The soldier didn't hear the snap. All he heard was the roar of battle as he was trampled into the dirt, feeling his bones shatter. The foot faltered and nearly came down a second time on his chest. But it paused before the full weight of it could crush the human's chest. A pair of yellow eyes fell and locked onto the soldier's.

For whatever reason, the monster didn't smash him. Their eyes widened, and the foot withdrew, stumbling backwards with a gracelessness that had not existed seconds earlier. The demon halted, not taking its eyes off of the broken soldier, its great fanged maw fell open.

Then it was dust.

A spear ruptured through the monster's back and up through its chest. A gag of shock and it began to crumble. But the eyes never left the soldier's shattered leg as it fell upon him.

Then it blew away.

The soldier's health deteriorated. Like an old garment worn, washed and rung until it was paper-thin and blanched of all color and shape. Ajax watched it happen. His father was a strong man. He'd survived the hell of battle, and the sorrow of lost comrades. He could bare anything this damn world could throw at him.

But the one thing he could not handle—was his own uselessness. The realization that he had gone as far as he could go. That his friends still fought and bled and died on the battlefield while he lay on a cushion and ate honey and bread. It ruined him.

But he'd gotten what he wanted in the end. They all had. They'd won. And the soldier got to die the way he'd always intended. Proud. Useful. Meaningful. Noble. And strong.

He died with his boots on.

Two humans stood hand in hand atop a high cliff. A female—young with hair like a wildfire. And a male—gangly; worn down from too many passes. He was missing the lower half of his left leg. The pair embraced, clinging to one another. Then they stood, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder—

And leapt.

Ajax looked away.

He was one of the firsts to jump after his parents. One of the firsts to follow their example. He leapt before he could think about it. Before cowardice could prevent him. Before the horror could set in.

The boy didn't want to linger. Didn't want to see them all die.

Ajax wanted to fall with grace. With his arms spread wide like he a bird. like falling into a bed of leaves, coming up to meet a friend's embrace. He wanted it to be peaceful.

But even then as he stepped off of the cliff and his foot met empty air— he knew. He knew he wasn't brave like his father. He wasn't strong. He was afraid. And worse than that he was selfish.

Selfish because he'd only leapt first so he wouldn't have to watch the others break. Selfish because he was only thirteen winters old and already a coward.

Selfish because he wanted to live.

The wind rushed past his ears and he plummeted. Spiraling end over end towards the earth. A scream escaped his lips. And he found himself grasping and clawing wildly at the empty air. The ground rose up to greet him. His vision blurred. The boy never felt the impact.

Ajax awoke. That was a surprise. He lay face down, blood in his nose. Cold air filling his lungs. His heart trying to escape from his chest. A touch. Someone touched his shoulder. A warm pressure. Ajax was alive. He let out a moan.

Whispers…

Whispers. All around.

Voices. Soft. Deep. Resonating.

Inhuman...

The boy was rolled over onto his back. A large armored head blocked out the sunlight and filled Ajax's view. A pair of tiny white lights floated in the dark empty eyeholes. They grew larger when they met the boy's eyes.

Ajax screamed.

One heartbeat.

The whispers died.

The armored monster drew back instantly, stumbling over themselves to get away from the shrieking human. Ajax heaved, clambering to his feet as a shadow of horror fell over his soul.

Monsters. Hundreds of them. They were everywhere. Each towering nightmare went stock still and gaped as the human stumbled backwards back until his back was pressed against stone.

Oh hell. The boy breathed in fresh revulsion. He was standing before the legion. The whole of the monster army.

And he was alive.

He was alive.

Oh hell.

Why was he alive?

The demons stared. A few shifting closer. The boy heaved, shaky fists coming up.

Die with your boots on.

A voice like grinding stones cut through the silence. Ajax listened, but could not give a name to the tongue.

"GLAC!"

Armored Giants. Immense, inhuman warriors with axes and swords longer than the boy's entire body circled up and began to approach. Ajax pinched his eyes shut. He was going to die. He was going to die. They were going to strike him down where he stood, or worse rip his soul from his body. He was going to die.

But…

Ajax already knew that.

Didn't he?

He'd known that for a while now. No matter what he said, No matter what he did from here on out. It didn't matter.

They would kill him.

Whatever he chose to do... He would die either way.

He was going to die.

The thought was poison.

He was going to die.

The thought was power.

He was going to die.

Okay then.

He'd bow out like a man.

Like his father.

He would die with his boots on.

"HA-HAH!" Ajax cried, slicing through the silence with a sudden flair of bravura. The human struck a pose, mimicking a fighting stance his father once showed him. He threw out his chest, and raised his head to a proud angle.

He must have looked like an idiot. But he didn't care what these beasts thought of him. Everyone he'd ever known and loved was dead because of them.

He would go out fighting like a man. Like high king conn of the hundred battles.

No one could hurt him if he was already dead. It didn't matter anymore.

Ajax spat on the ground, grinding the spittle in with the heel of his foot. Then slapped his chest challengingly with both fists like a roman gladiator.

Nothing mattered anymore…

Impossibly the armored Giants stopped in their tracks. They hesitated, glancing at one another uncertainly. Ajax blinked, eyes widening. Had he really just… intimidated them? He soundly shook himself with a scowl. Certainly not. The devils were probably just stunned that this scrawny barefoot little human boy had the stupid audacity to challenge an entire garrison of monsters by himself. Ajax grimaced.

Too late to back down now.

One of the monsters that had been approaching shouldered their axe. They then turned and cast a questioning gaze back towards the monster that had given the command. They must have been a leader of some kind. He looked vaguely turtle—like. He was beefy, armor plated with a gnarled inhuman face covered in dark scales. The turtle gave Ajax one quick look and snorted.

He made an odd gesture. Some sign language that Ajax wasn't familiar with. The turtle brought his thumb and forefinger together in a pinching motion. He shook his head, then tapped his lower cheek with his pointer finger.

The boy's assailants nodded and to his astonishment, Swords were sheathed. Axes and spears shouldered or placed on the ground and four now unarmed monsters surrounded him. They kept their arms out, knees bent as if to lunge out and catch him if he tried to make a run for it. But other than that they kept their distance. A fifth monster made a rumbling noise to catch the human's attention. When they had it, they began to approach.

Ajax raised his fists. He tossed his head back and scoffed—that's what they did in stories wasn't it? — He had no weapon. He'd left his knife at the house. Not that a broken off carving knife would have done him much good anyway. But it would have been nice to have something to defend himself with. Anything. His eyes darted for a rock, a stick—something he could use as a weapon. There was none to be found.

The looming beast began edging to the boy's left, as if he was trying to slip behind him. Ajax scowled, turning in unison to follow the movement. The beast took a slow step planting their foot towards the boy, bowing into a crouch.

Then it happened.

The boy was grabbed. Snatched up from behind by one of the monsters that had formed the barrier around him in case he ran. And before Ajax could even begin to react, a pair of armored arms shot around him. He let out a shout as he was lifted and pinned back first against a massive armored chest.

"HEY! HEY!" Ajax's shout turned into a garbled battle cry and he writhed thrashing against his captor. But it was no use. Arms bigger around than the boys waist had interlocked around his own much smaller ones- effectively pinning them to his sides.

Ajax heard a snort, and his head shot up. The turtle was watching him, shaking his head dismissively with an amused smirk plastered across his gnarled face. Ajax glared, as the hulking thing carried him towards the smug turtle. The monster actually shifted Ajax so his was pinned with only one arm, freeing the other so he could salute the turtle.

The human's capture seemed to embolden the other monsters. And they drew closer cocking misshapen demon heads as they ogled the helpless boy. Ajax's face heated up and he raised his chin with a huff.

The turtle returned the salute briskly. Then turned his attention towards another figure. A looming shape that hadn't approached with the others. One that stood alone several yards off. Ajax's eyes grew round.

It was him.

The one from his father's stories.

He was real.

There were many names. Many titles that men had given the beast throughout the years. The Northmen called him Curnnunos, the horned god. They worshipped him by firelight offering up the blood of virgins to appease the beast's wrath. And further still in the northern mountains, he was called Herne the hunter, a lesser deity who led the spirits of the damned to crawl out into the world on a wild hunt for the souls of wayward travelers. Those who came from southward, the ancestral Alps of his father- spoke of Pan. God of mountain wiles and sexual pleasure.

And to his mother, the Christ follower, The one who denied the existence of all other gods- who saw their worship as vice and vanity. Even she had a name for the chief of the monsters. He was called Beelzebub. The lord of flies. The Devil.

All eyes turned to the monster king. All went quiet, awaiting his decision. But the horned fiend didn't approach. They just stood by, watching the procession with great blood colored eyes. Those eyes met a smaller violet pair and Aster felt a chill race down his spine. Without a word the monster king inclined a large horned head towards the turtle. The turtle grunted arm crossing his heart in salute. It was as if an order had been given. Every monster snapped to work. The human was taken.

It was a one room stone inlaid house. The house that had once belonged to the stone mason and his wife. That was where the monsters took Ajax. That is where they released him.

Ajax stumbled, legs feeling like jelly but he regained his footing and shot the beasts a glare. He waited there in haughty defiance. Waited for the monsters to look over the building. Waited for them to deem it a satisfactory cage for their little trophy. Waited for them to leave him alone with a jug of water and a stub of candlewax. Ajax waited until he was alone.

Then he let himself fall apart.

Ajax hadn't cried since he was ten and hadn't let anybody see him do it since he was at most eight. For an almost fourteen-year-old—it was humiliating to say the least. He chided himself, forcing down the tears as best he could. He couldn't let them beat him. Not like this. Not with that damnedable smug turtle and his condescending smirk. Not in the home of his friends. Of martyrs. And certainly not in the shadow of the monster king himself. No. He had to be tough. His friends died like heroes. He wouldn't disgrace their memory with his cowardice.

An hour later the wicker door opened. Ajax tense, fists clenching. A familiar armored figure clunked in. The boy raised his chin chest puffing. He recognized this one. It was the monster who'd roused him. The one he'd startled. The monster approach, and Ajax clambered to his feet.

"S-stay back!" the boy spat cursing the squeak in his voice. The monster paused head tipping. Ajax stamped his foot in the monster's direction, earning a satisfying jolt. "You hear me? Back off!"

The monster shook his great head rumbling something in another tongue. Ajax scowled, huffing.

"You" he pointed at the monster. "Go" a shooing gesture. "Away." He waved towards the door. The monster's head dipped the other way as if trying to get a better look at the boy. The monster shrugged, then reached into the sack and produced a large red apple.

"Miannach?" It rumbled holding the fruit up. Ajax stared. What part of go away was this thing not understanding? The human jabbed a finger towards the door more emphatically.

"Brainless— GO!"

The monster drew its axe. And Ajax felt all of his bold words clench and get stuck in his throat. He took several slow steps towards the wall. However, the monster simply plopped down on the ground, with a clank, and began cutting the apple into slices. It rumbled melodically to itself as it worked. Ajax eyed the creature as it pinched one of the slices between its fingers and held it out to him.

Ajax scowled shaking his head. The monster blinked, then its shoulders bounced and it lifted the lower part of his helmet and popped a slice into its mouth, chewed noisily and swallowed, glowing eyes never leaving the boy. Ajax squinted.

The monster nodded to itself then tried a second time to hand an apple slice to the human. Ajax pulled a face.

"Oh shove off…" he muttered, turning away with a scoff.

The monster sighed. A long suffering sound. It places the slices on a handkerchief and placed it before the boy. Then it waited.

The monster tapped its fingers together. The little lights of its eyes studying the human thoughtfully. Ajax bit his lower lip. For a monster, this fellow seemed a lot less…monstrous than Ajax had expected. Of course, he hadn't expected to survive a close up encounter long enough to be able to cast such dispersions. But even so… the longer he—(Ajax was almost certain this one was male)—sat there waiting, the more curious the human grew.

Finally Ajax gave in. He reached down slowly and put a slice of apple into his mouth. The monster perked up eye lights growing bright.

Ajax ate in silence, never taking his eyes the monster. When he was finished the monster eagerly fished another apple from his bag and held it out. Eyes sparkling. Ajax scowled, but this time he didn't hesitate before swiping the apple away.

"Fine…" He grumbled sinking his teeth into the juicy flesh. The monster let out rumbling growl. Not a threatening sound. More like a purr of cognition. A pleasant hum.

Ajax ate two more apples without a fuss. Perhaps if he just gave the fool thing what he wanted he would leave. The monster flopped down onto its belly with a clank. A pair of great arms propped up an equally bulky head beneath the chin. He watched captivated as the human ate. It was such a childish pose that Ajax scoffed, letting a tiny bit of apple fall from his lips.

"What? "Ajax grumbled. The monster scooted a little closer. "What? What do you want?" he repeated. The monster dipped his head, eye lights shining with fascination. Ajax groaned taking another big fierce bite.

"Look at that… wow! The Human is eating a fucking apple…." Ajax groused, mostly to himself. "Unbelievable! Let's stare at him like a fool! Maybe if we're lucky he'll do a trick…"

The monster rumbled out a laugh, shaking his head slowly. He clearly didn't understand a word of what the human had just said, but the sarcasm was clearly not lost on him. The human scowled.

Why would they send such a goofy monster in to guard him? While Ajax didn't know the particulars, he assumed that this guy had been ordered to feed him and—more importantly keep an eye on him so he didn't try to escape. Ajax pulled a face. Come to think of it, this was the same monster that tried to wake him up earlier. Why? Why would someone go around poking corpses to see if they would move? Was he really that dense? The human squinted, taking in the monster's appearance.

They were a lot smaller than the other monsters Ajax had seen. Perhaps only a head and shoulders length taller than Ajax's father had been. Though still many times as broad. Did this mean he was… young? Ajax cocked a brow at the monster, trying to wrap his head around the new thought. Had he really been dealing with a child this whole time? No, likely not a child. A teenager at the youngest. They were sort of awkward looking. All broad and squat with big hands and feet. Like he was stuck in that awkward state right before a growth spurt. Ajax set aside the last apple core, wiping his sticky hands off against his pants. He hesitated before nodded to the monster in thanks.

The monster's eye lights narrowed suddenly, focusing in on the human's forehead. Another thoughtful rumble. Then a large armored hand extended reaching for Ajax's face.

The human drew back instantly. He hissed smacking the hand away. The monster pulled its hand away, eye lights growing wide. It reached again for Ajax's face, this time more timidly.

Ajax made another animalistic hissing noise, making a clawing gesture for good measure. The monster seemed to understand this better than words. His eye lights went round, and leaned away, hands coming up to his chest, chin tucking. The kicked puppy look on an unholy hell spawn was so ridiculous, that the human started laughing.

An armored head came up, and it blinked at the human. Ajax laughed harder, knees drawing in close to his chest. His fingers clawed up into his hair. He laughed so hard that it hurt his chest. So hard that tears began searing down his dirty cheeks. And once they began, they didn't stop coming.

The monster watched him, eye lights darting, fingertips tapping together. After a moment he raised a nervous hand again, reaching for the human's bleeding head.

"Just—LEAVE IT!" the human snarled, between gasps. He shoved the monster hard in the chest. The sudden ferocity started a landslide of violence. Ajax began banging his fists against the monster's armored chest. He ignored the fact that he was bloodying up his own knuckles. He didn't care that the monster simply cocked his head and stared. He just kept banging and swearing in a low hoarse whisper.

On one swing, a large hand caught his fist and held it up for examination. Ajax cursed at the monster, trying to yank away, but he lacked the strength. The monster touched Ajax's battered knuckles.

"L-leonta…" it rumbled. Ajax raised his eyes to the creature and sniffled. Why couldn't he just leave him alone? The monster pointed to their own forehead, repeating the nonsensical word. Ajax let out another hiss. He showed his teeth like an animal. The monster's shoulders sagged, and he letting out a little huff releasing him.

The monster tapped his helmet, rumbling with cognition. After a moment his eyes brightened and he retrieved his battle axe. Aster scooted further into the corner at this, chest puffed, teeth bared. But the monster barely noticed. Instead he laid the weapon across his palms, and held it out to the human.

Ajax flinched back, squinting at the axe as though it was a poisonous serpent. But the monster didn't pull away and it was held closer to him. The monster wiggled the hilt slightly across the palms.

Ajax frowned. The message was clear enough but… why? Was he really offering to let the human hold onto his only weapon? Said human scowled deeply. The monster was giving him something to defend himself with, so that he wouldn't feel so defenseless. And then—maybe calm down and let the monster do what it wanted. Ajax wasn't sure whether he should be annoyed with this revelation or touched.

Slowly—very slowly, the human extended a hand and laid it on the hilt of the axe. The monster nodded giving off an encouraging rumble. Ajax closed both hands around the hilt, eyes locking back onto the monster's. The moment he had a grip the monster released its grip on the axe. Ajax l let out a yip, as the axe clattered to the ground. Heavy…

He hadn't expected it to be so heavy. The human squared his shoulders and tried to lift the axe again. Too heavy… He strained harder, managing to lift it a few inches off the ground before dropping it with a pant. Finally he gave up, shoving the weapon away with a huff and folding his arms.

The monster had the gall to look pleased with himself. He sat with his legs folded and crossed its arms, mimicking the human's posture. Ajax scoffed. For perhaps the fifth time, the monster raised a hand towards Ajax's face. This time the human let it do what it wanted. Too tired and annoyed to fight anymore. The cool metal of the monsters' armored hand brushed back the boy's bangs. They stuck to his forehead, and Ajax assumed it was from blood. The monster's eye lights began glowing a soft green color.

Ajax stiffened, realizing that the monster was using magic. Dread. He tried to jerk away, but the monster had his face held fast as it worked. It let out another comforting rumble. Finally the glowing abated and the monster released him. Ajax drew back, glaring at the monster. He raised a hand to his forehead, but could no longer feel the cut above his eye. The human blinked.

He examined himself with wide eyes. The cuts and bruises that had dotted his arms were healed over. The deep gash on his calf was nothing more than a shiny pink monster tilted its head, at the human, eye lights glowing with delight. Ajax gaped.

That wasn't right.

The monster had he healed him? It made no sense. Monsters couldn't fix things, they could only break things. They had taken so many lives. Destroyed so many homes. They were evil.

"What…just what the hell is wrong with you…?" Ajax breathed. The monster cocked his head to the side, squinting uncomprehendingly. The human tried again. "You." he touched the monster's chest. "Kill" Then he pointed to the axe on the floor. "No?" he shook his head.

The monster touched the axe then pointed to itself, rumbling out some foreign gibberish.

Ajax huffed. He was too exhausted and too annoyed to deal with this. "Demon" he pointed to the monster. "Human" he pointed to himself. The monster hesitated. He rumbled something in his gibberish tongue and shook his head. Ajax narrowed his eyes and repeated himself more emphatically.

"D…daemin…" the monster rumbled pointing to himself. He then reached out and gingerly poked Ajax's nose with a large finger. "H…hyoomin…?"

Ajax drew back with a scowl, but nodded. Then He knelt down on the dirt floor and began drawing with his finger, the monster leaned down close to watch him. The boy drew the shape of the mountains.

"Mountain." Ajax pointed to the shape. The monster repeated more readily this time.

"Mowntin!" he rumbled. Ajax nodded giving a genuine grin at this. He then gestured in the direction of the real mountains.

"Human mountains." He said, then he pointed to the drawing of the mountain and repeated it. The monster seemed to grin as well.

"Hyoomin mowntin"

"Good!" Ajax nodded. He drew a circle in the dirt. "Demons." He said, pointing to the circle and then to the monster for emphasis. The great helmeted head was nodding following the logic. Ajax congratulated himself on making progress. He thinned his eyes and pointed to the circle. "Demons." Then he drew a line from the circle towards his drawing of the mountains. The monster squinted.

"Daemins….hyoomin mowntin…" He rumbled uncertainly. Ajax nodded. He traced the line between them again, then raised his hands and gave the monster a questioning look. The lights in the monster's helmet disappeared. He seemed to shrink in on himself. A soft rumble of understanding.

Ajax bit his lip. The monster ran a hand over its helmet. Then pointed at the base of the mountain.

"h-hyoomin…" he mumbled. The monster reached down and took a handful of loose dirt. He lifted his fist and paid the human a mournful look. "Hyoomin…" he repeated, then let the sandy dirt slip from his fingers like dust in the wind. Ajax felt like someone had just punched him in the gut. He turned his face away.

The monster whined softly. And Ajax felt something gently poke his ribs. Ajax wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "H…ha…hyoomin…?" The monster mumbled.

The human sighed and looked back at the creature. The monster's eye lights were dim. It put a hand onto the hilt of its axe, and raised the other to where its heart would have been. Then it shook its head slowly.

The message was clear. The monsters didn't want to fight. Ajax's lower lip trembled. That was impossible…Yet…at least this monster, seemed like they did not want to hurt anyone. He seemed…. Innocent.

"Why?" Ajax hissed, drawing the monster's attention. "Why do you fight?"

Before the monster could begin rumbling about how he didn't understand, Ajax jabbed a finger at the circle that represented 'demons.'

"Demons. You." he growled, waving at the monster. He drew a square next to it. "Humans. Me." He pointed to the square and to himself. The monster nodded, eyes dimming.

"Humans. Demons." Ajax pointed to each. Then pointed to the axe. "Kill." At the word kill Ajax made a violent gesture to the air, choking and hissing as if someone was attacking him. He finished his performance by flopping dramatically over and sticking out his tongue. The monster leaned over him, eye lights round. He prodded Ajax in the ribs, rumbling something uncertainly.

"DEAD" Ajax said, motioning to himself. "Dead!" he pointed to the base of the mountain. The monster drew back slightly. The human snatched up a handful of dirt. "Kill!" he made a violent stabbing gesture towards himself. "Dead!" he let the sandy dirt slip dramatically through his fingers, locking eyes with the monster.

The monster drew up his shoulders. The lights leaving his eyes.

"K-keel…" he rumbled softly. "D…da…ded…"

Ajax nodded harshly.

"Why?" he demanded. The monster was silent for a moment. Then he knelt down and began drawing in the sand. A large humanoid shape took form. The figure was holding a three pronged spear. A pair of horns coming from the top of their head. Ajax swallowed hard. The monster didn't have to explain. The human immediately recognized the shape for what it was. But even so, the monster poked the figure with a large finger.

"Asgore." He stated, slow and clear. "Asgore."