Ralsei and Darlow were ten minutes away from the town. She was hoping that they didn't cause any trouble. The last thing she wanted was to have such a high reputation in the community just for it be banished by Undyne's attitude and Muffet's obsessive eating habits and creepy demeanor.

She had gotten used to Muffet's creepy back handed death threats, because she had been with her long enough to know she was teasing. However, to everyone else that wasn't herself or Undyne, it would make the person chill to the bone in fear.

"Your friends, the heroes of light, would they be able to beat the Jester if he came back?" Darlow said whipping the leash on the wolves once more. He was eager to converse more with the two other ladies.

Ralsei shook her head.

"Even at their strongest with a full vial of soul reactant, they would be slaughtered in seconds by him. The Jester is armageddon itself, ultimate chaos personified. Even stronger than the King. We'd need more years under our belt of ruthless training if we wanted to stand a chance against it." Ralsei said looking into the book, trying to find more about the Jester. He was scarier than he imagined.

The grin the Jester was depicted to have was the most wicked thing she ever saw. It was most physically ear to ear, it's purple tounge was sharp, his teeth looked like it could cut on a molecular level. It's smile curved in demonic and supernatural ways, just from the depiction on the page, she could feel it's bloodlust.

Darlow nodded.

"I see, we just have to pray he doesn't return. The legend of Deltarune doesn't require we fight him. Hopefully fate will save us." Darlow said stoicly. Ralsei was really liking this guy's moxy.

Over the course of 20 minutes, she had really gotten to care a lot for this man. He had watched his whole battalion die in front of him, watch his home town turn to darkness, and was being told by his saviour that they were almost completely powerless to the enemy. Yet, he still had a grin on his face, he still had hope.

He was placing his faith into these three strangers because a book said so, he was a believer, he was confident and strong enough to be the ambassador of the light and dark. She adored men like that.

"Hey...although that may be the case with the Jester, I'm confident Muffet and Undyne are strong enough to beat the others that the King has to offer!" Ralsei said trying to give the man more hope, he needed to hear atleast something good.

Darlow placed his hand on top of Ralsei's. Ironically, she froze up.

"Heh, you don't need to tell me that princess. I haven't lost a shred of faith on the legends of Deltarune. Nor do I plan to." The man continued to say with a stoic face.

Ralsei felt unnaturally warmer. She wanted to look at him, more than usual. She wanted to make sure this man was real.

She got to see a more glossy picture of him, like she got a new lenses and was observing.

He was dark skin toned, his hair was thick but was slit back, the hair connected to his side burns also trailed to becoming his beard. He had black hair and yellow eyes, quite a husky man too. His winter white wolf attire was strapped perfectly around his burly muscle.

Ralsei just checked off a mental list she never thought she'd use.

"According to the 'Legend of Deltarune', the Chaos King should have a son, a duke, and an army of armed dark creatures." Ralsei said tracing back to the book. Anything to get her mind of this man.

Darlow nodded and whipped the leash.

"Yeah, the duke is a tactician and basically a war general. His puzzles and IQ stems greater than anything this planet holds. His son is depicted to a serious and bloodlust filled tyrant, a perfect heir to his father's throne. The army was said to be so impenetrable that millions would lose to ten of the soldiers in the army with ease." Darlow said.

Ralsei gulped.

"My friends have this! I'm confident that they are going to have a smooth road ahead of them." Ralsei said sitting upright and faced ahead of her.

Darlow smiled at that. He had grown to already be attached to this princess.

(Meanwhile, In the Well)

"Well dearie~ huehuehue, look's like we have a bumpy road ahead of us! Huehuehue~" Muffet said, laughing everytime she hits a stone on the way down the well.

Undyne and Muffet had been falling for almost ten minutes, they were convinced they were in an infinite loop. To the point where they just struck up conversation as they were falling.

"Yeah you know, the longer the fall, the less scary it becomes." Undyne said she was falling straight down while crossed legged and arms folded, her hair flapping furiously of the rushing winds of the fall.

Muffet wasn't falling straight down, for fun she was bouncing along the walls to have fun with the fall atleast. Since her body was rubber, she was able to do this without any repercussions.

"So Undyne, if there is an bottom, how would you land safely?" Muffet said as her continuous bouncing led her to bump into Undyne.

She shrugged.

"If there was a bottom we would've hit it by now, trust me, we're fine. We should start climbing back up and-" Undyne said before smacking hard completely into a side tunnel of the well. She flew into it because of the little push Muffet did when she bumped her.

"OI UNDYNE!" Muffet said as she continuous falling more down the original hole. She was descending so fast that she could stretch her hands up in time to reach the hole. She was forced down the well.

After a few more minutes of continuous bouncing, Muffet also air-rolled into a side tunnel. She was seemingly unphased by the impact, but simultaneously, because of the impact, she was pinballing inside of the tiny sub-tunnel.

"OI! OI! OI!" She screamed as she bounced out of a tunnel into...an open room. It was forest, everything there was pink and magenta. Muffet saw strange creatures patrolling the area, they seemed to look like either slugs or Puzzle pieces that gain sentience.

This place was weird.

She smacked right into the open soil, exploding the dirt and the magenta grass in a large radius.

Muffet had to pry herself off of the dirt, she had sunken deep. When she did, she was greeted with not so happy faces of the monsters she saw patrolling the area. They were readied with spears.

These monsters were weired, they were not just slugs, but everything here seem to be spade themed. The shape of their heads, the clothes they were. Their skin was white to the point it was glowing and translucent. They were only a tad bigger than her.

She had seen magical entities before, but she always thought they weren't real. But these monsters, were made from light that chose the dark side. Ironic.

Muffet had gotten up and dusted herself with her middle and lower set of arms. While using her top set of arms to point finger guns at them. She winked using her left set of eyes and snickered.

"No hard feelings right fellas?" She said playfully as they raised their spears. She knew it wouldn't work but she thought she'd give it a try.

Just then, the monsters get propelled back, a wave of the magenta and broody red petals brush past her. The monsters then proceeded to crawl away and flee the area.

Muffet could now see more of this area, it was honestly beautiful for an underground cave system. However, she wasn't sure this was underground anymore, she had felt like she entered another dimension. The roof and ponds were pitch black, like an abyss. Then where was the light source coming from?

Was this whole area made of magic?!

Muffet felt a hand grasp her upper left shoulder. She turned her head to greet a woman that was around Undyne's height and stature, but it wasn't Undyne.

It was this purple raptor lady, she had Undyne's physique perfectly, but she seemed to be younger, way younger. She seemed to be still a mid teen. Her hair was a darker shade of purple. This girl's hair was also unkempt and long, it covered her eyes and her sharp hair reach to her shoulder blades. She had a black ripped vest, it was ripped around the sleeves. Underneath was a dark purple shirt that perfectly matched her amethyst purple jeans. She had spike collars around her wrist and black and yellow boots.

Muffet was already digging her color pallet, as she too was a fan of purple and black. However, what caught her attention the most was two things.

One, she had an insane murderous intent and aura.

Two, she had a yellow heart belt around her waist. If memory serves her right...

"What the hell are you? If you didn't run you are one ballsy Darkner." The purple raptor lady said.

Muffet didn't exactly know what she meant, why was she called a 'what' and not a 'who'? And what is a Darkner?

She fully turned around to this purple lady, she could see that her arms were more toned than she expected.

She's built like Undyne...that's so cool! And that yellow heart! She's perfect! Muffet thought with glee.

"I don't know what a Darkner is ma'am, but if anything I want to beat these things too!" Muffet said trying to get on her good side.

The woman scoffed and walked off.

"Hey! Ma'am may I get your name?!" Muffet yelled at her way.

The purple lady turned towards her way looking more irritated.

"What?! I'm busy!" She said rudely. Muffet had felt that sass but chose to get by it.

"What's your name?" She said with generosity.

"None of your business freak! Now leave me alone." She said as she rudely turned her should away from Muffet in a hunched stride.

She wasn't going to take that from someone she just met.

Muffet stretched her arm towards the raptor lady, but the instant the hand was close, as if she knew, the raptor lady in one quick fluid motion, swiped her hand away with the back of the axe and tensed herself.

"Sneak attacks don't work on me buddy!" The raptor lady said placing her axe on the soil from it's head. She held it to the ground using her left hand while from the blunt end of the handle. Her other had was used to jab a thumb towards herself, almost boasting.

Muffet giggled.

"Tough one aren't ya?" Muffet said slightly preparing herself to fight. She wasn't entirely convinced this woman truly was this mean.

The girl propped back up her axe.

"You're pretty tough too, not being scared..." the pink girl said as she tilted her head back, showing a huge white dot as her spine chilling pupil. She grinned and her teeth were glowing yellow, not because of bad hygienics, but something was causing it to glow yellow. The heart on her belt was glowing too, glowing a warm yellow.

"Should I try a little harder...!" The girl sad finally prepared for battle, those words would've made anyone back out immediate. However, fear wasn't in Muffet's body.

Muffet got into a grapple stance, she knew there was no way out of this, but this time, she was having fun. She didn't mind fighting this girl.

She wanted to see her strength anyways, this was a good way to show it. However, she could tell the purple girl was liking this too, as if she liked braver people.

"Oh dearie~ I warn you..." Muffet gave her her own flash of her teeth, it was glowing a bright purple from her fangs. Her eyes dilated. "Spider's don't feast until their opponent makes the first move...!" Muffet said with one of her death threats.

The tension was thick, the winds were rustling the grass and petals of this bloody forest. Her opponent and her share the same talent of having natural survival and animalistic instincts.

Baring teeth to another animal was considered a fight indicator, like how two kings of the jungle would greet each other before an active bloody battle for supremacy.

She was already making a good first impression.

The blades of grass and petals and flowers were chanting their name with each wave.

"Some shitty spider you are! Heh! You attacked first...if anything that's self defense! And you already have me in your web, it'd be embarrassing if the bug escaped!" The pink lady said propping the axe over her shoulder.

Muffet giggled a sinister giggle.

"Heh! Doesn't matter huh...? Name's Susie! And I'll be the last thing you'll ever see!" Susie said as her heart on the belt flew brighter.

Knowing that she got her name, all she had to do was demonstrate herself towards this woman. Muffet was more of a hit first, ask questions later type of person. She can tell this woman is too. All she had to do was fight her.

She was filled with...

Perserverance!

Susie was filled with...

Justice!

Muffet jumped at her with her right set of arms cocked back ready for a punch.

Susie swung her axe to cleave her in half the instant she would get too close.

(Meanwhile, With Undyne)

"*gasp* *cough cough*...Fuck! That hurt like hell! My back...imma beat the shit of my Muffet next time I see her!!" Undyne said as she sat upright quickly to look at her surroundings.

She looked around and saw that she was surrounded by cards and poker chips that had really great legs. She was scared, everything here just seemed like a huge casino...and that made her a bit sick just remembering.

Undyne got up and stretched her back out, but her back was really messed up from the fall, she couldn't stand up completely. She just hugged the wall behind her, it was...solid darkness?!

Now that Undyne could get a clearer picture of her surroundings, none of this seemed to make logical sense. Why were this place built just to be monsters that resembled a poker game?

Why was darkness a physical thing?

Was this place made of magic?!

After she had that thought, two of the poker chips caught her sneaking along the wall. She couldn't run, that fall really messed up her back.

Undyne put a finger on her lips as if to tell them to not tell anyone about her presence and not to chase her. She was praying they'd listen to her.

The poker chips with the extravagant legs looked at each other, then they ran at her with vigor.

Undyne couldn't fight back, her broken back permitted her from doing more than just walk awkwardly. She tried to summon a spear but the strain she had to do was making the materalization process incredibly slow.

She widened herself and braced herself for the next impact.

Just then, a person landed infront of her as if he was observing the entire time and decided now was the right time to intervene.

She looked at the person, it was a man. He was shorter than her, but taller than Muffet. Around 5'9. He had smooth and long navy blue hair and sickly light blue skin. He had a thick red sword in his right hand.

She couldn't see any of his front because he faced his back towards her. What she could see was that he seemed to have greaves, gauntlets, and a chestplate on. His pants were just black tights.

With his left hand, he pointed a finger gun at the poker chip, as if that was his way of initiating a fight. He readied his sword.

As if he was a main character, when he did that, wind mystically blew on his little shoulder cape that was then visible to her. His hair flew in the wind too.

With a swing of his sword, both of the chips were rendered immobilized. They collapsed, as both had been cut in half vertically. Although, there was no blood or plastic from inside them. It was just darkness, then they faded away into sparkles and light.

What is this place?! She thought to herself.

The other chips and sentient poker equipment looked his way. He readied his sword.

Undyne felt completely useless in this situation, she hated this feeling. But her back didn't allow her to do anything besides watch.

"Hey dork! I had it under control!" Undyne belted to the man who saved her.

The man turned around as if he was looking at her at a more calm, unrelated note.

"My name...is Kris...yours ma'am" Kris said with anxiety. She could tell that this guy doesn't talk much. She could atleast give him something.

"Hmph...it's Undyne, dont'cha forget it! Now what the hell is this place!" Undyne said growing impatient at the sentient poker pieces getting closer.

Kris just looked at her a nodded. He paused for a while before speaking.

"I'm guessing Lancer sent you down here...?" He said as he refocused his attention to a poker chip that was diving at him. He sliced it in two before looking back at her for a reply.

She was so angry just at the name Lancer that she didn't even want to begin explaining her rage.

"Yeah! That asshat knocked us down a well after singing his stupid dumb theme!" Undyne said trying to stand up straight but failing miserably because the pain in her back was too much. She slouched again, only getting angrier.

"I don't know-" he sliced another poker chip, this one tried a kick this time. "I thought his theme sounded pretty cool..."

Undyne however did have enough energy to facepalm.

"Oh! Of course! He sings it to everyone! Do you know a way out of here, I'm trying to look for my captain-" Undyne grunted before a diamond with wings shot beams of light at her.

Kris intervened and deflected it back to the diamond bird. It blew up instantly.

"...thanks!" Undyne said begrudgingly.

"I'm looking for one too...I don't know who your captain, but I'm kinda looking for my friend...so uh, I don't know...wanna team up...? You don't have to if you want to...I'd understand." Kris said looking down at the ground.

God! He's pathetic! She thought humorously.

"Sure dude, but the fall from the well broke my back, you wouldn't happen to be a chiropractor would you?" Undyne said almost desperately, she really wanted to murder everything right now.

Kris shook his head.

"I'm afraid I'm only 16...I have no experience..." Kris said turning to deflect another diamond shaped bird's attack.

That's what 16 looks like?! Am I that old? I'm only 19! She said to herself before realizing anyways that her question was stupid.

He was a decent swordsman, she hadn't seen feats on his strength, but he was fast enough to react to light, so she knew he was a decent fighter. She'd figure she might as well have this guy help her find Muffet.

"Sure, I'll team up with ya. But I'm not sure how useful I'll be." She said pointing at her back.

Kris looked at her back and held up his finger like he had a plan. He held out his hand, and floating above his palm a red heart symbol appeared.

Wait! This dude is a Determination soul user?! Mr. Antisocial?! She thought furiously.

His Determination brought out her Kindness soul. Her soul was cracked. What did that mean?!

Kris' soul siphoned into hers and the crack dissapeared. Some of his Determination was used up, his heart symbols was only 70% full and Undyne's was 60% full.

What did he just do...? Is this an indicator of our health...? If that's the case then that fall must've been more devastating than I thought. Granted I did land back and head first after a fifteen minute fall when I had my guard down...actually scratch that. I should've died. Must mean my training isn't going to waste! Undyne thought as she fist pumped the air.

Kris looked at her awkwardly.

She blushed.

Kris sharply turned around to the incoming swarm of poker chips, he readied his sword.

"I used up some of my health to restore yours...you're pretty strong Undyne. I would've never guessed that someone like you would bare kindness..." Kris said while still facing the incoming poker chips.

"Hey, thanks kid-! Wait! You calling me mean! I'll kill you!" Undyne said as she too noticed the wave of magic based lifeforms.

Undyne placed her hand widely on his chest, signaling him to step back. He looked at her puzzled.

"You got to do some work, it's my turn!" She said she dashed towards the nearest chip, the chip looked frightened as it tried to halt. Undyne bearhugged and jumped in the air, a couple good meters above ground. She then suplexed the chip back down to the ground, uplifting the terrain below the upcoming wave, launching them in the air.

Kris was in awe, how could someone bare this much incredible base and physical power?

What was her captain like?!

Undyne snapped her fingers and a perfect number of spears appeared in the air infront of each of the enemies present that was still in the air. She snapped again and each of the spears penetrated their intended target, clearing the room instantly.

Kris put away his sword.

Undyne jogged up to him.

"How'd I do?" She said knowing the answer but wanted to hear it.

"Phenomenal." He said giving a thumbs up.

"Now..." She lifted her eyepatch revealing her gaping eye socket. She bent down to reach his height condescendingly and gave a wide smile of suppressed anger.

Kris felt uneased.

"You are going to tell me- E v e r y t h i n g about what is going on here. Starting with what is this place, why is it here, what are you and your friend doing here, what does being in here mean, and what do we do from here. If you don't answer any of these, I will most literally snap on the first thing in front of me...that mean's you." She repositioned the eye-patch back on her eye-socket.

"Now get to speaking, as you can see, from my disposition right now, I don't have any room for Patience." Undyne growled.

Kris gulped. He had seen many things in these depths, but never anything of this women's calibre. He'd hate to fight her so he spoke.

(Meanwhile, At Yetera Town)

"Would you like some tea Mr. Lancer?" Ralsei said giggling.

"Ooh! Yes please Ms. Ralsei!" Lancer said as he immediately chugged the cup she just poured for him despite how hot it was.

Darlow was the third member of this 'tea party'. They had just spotted Lancer writing more lyrics for his song before spotting them. He asked for advice on the lyrics and Ralsei gave him tips. More friendly talk later, now here they were, calmly discussing over tea.

"Um, Princess Ralsei..." Darlow said to his saviour in disbelief.

"Yes Darlin- I mean Darlow?" Ralsei said smoothly.

"Lancer is the uh...King's son." Darlow said trying to get her to get the urgency of Lancer's company and position calmly.

Ralsei nodded.

"Oh? Okay. Yeah, yeah, I got it-" Ralsei said slowly pouring her own cup before surprise attacking Lancer with a splash in the eyes with hot tea.

"Ah pain! It hurts-!" Lancer said as he was rolling around in the snow trying to get the burning sensation off him.

Ralsei stood over him tapping her forearm with newly found Courage.

"You got a lot of nerve showing your face around here-" Ralsei said before Darlow place his hand widely over her chest, telling her to stop.

"I'll do the interrogation from here." He said with confidence, she completely gave in to his words and let him do his thing.

He readied his throat.

"You got a lot of nerve showing your face around here!" Darlow said boldly and stoicly. Ralsei was just behind him being a hype-man.

Lancer was rubbing snow in his face to get the burning to stop.

"I'm never drinking tea again...I'll only drink hot leaf stew." Lancer said muffled into the snow.

Darlow pick him up by his spade shaped head. Lancer could only give him a limp body goofy grin with with blue tongue hanging out.

"Where are the two heroes of light?" Darlow said with a stern and deep voice. Ralsei was just behind him air punching Lancer, she was trying to help be intimidating. Lancer started snorting.

"I'm funny to you aren't I?!" Darlow said cocking back a punch.

"...Funny looking-?" Lancer said before Darlow punched him in the gut. Lancer skidded across the snow like a rock across a lake. He then smacked right on the well.

"Am I funny...n-now..." Darlow said as he heard childlike sobs coming from Lancer. He felt immediate backlash and remorse.

Ralsei stopped her energy too, it was too replaced with remorse and guilt.

Ralsei tugged on Darlow's coat timidly.

"...Go apologize." Ralsei said still tugging his coat. Darlow looked at her flustered.

"P-Princess Ralsei please, this is the Chaos King's son! He was said to be vicious and tyrant-like." He said in a fit of confusion.

"As Princess of Dark, I command you to apologize...!" She said hoping her authority would work. And it did. Darlow swallowed his pride for her and walked towards Lancer begrudgingly.

I can get used to this power. Ralsei thought.

"Look little man, I'm sorry, I just have a lot of pent up aggression against your father..." Darlow said immediately realizing that his apology just felt like more of a self defense statement than a apology.

Lancer was still crying, he was a kid afterall.

Ralsei went up to Lancer and crouched beside him.

"Sorry for my friend, he didn't mean it, he was just trying give you a human style high five...it's okay kiddo, I got some cookies for you!" Ralsei said bringing out her inner mother.

Lancer slowly stopped sobbing.

"Are...a-are they chocolate chip?" Lancer said.

"They're spider cookies?" Ralsei said unsurely, Muffet never told them the ingredients.

"Oven baked or stove top?"

"Oven baked."

"Are the spider fillings shaped like mini spiders with a web in the middle?"

"There's a tiny spider and the web spans the entire cookie."

"*sob* That'll have to do..." finished Lancer as she snatched the cookie from her and devoured it.

Ralsei petted his head.

How did that work?! The princess works in mysterious effective ways! I was a fool to question her... Darlow thought.

Lancer was brought back to his energetic self.

"Do you feel better champ?" Ralsei said giving Lancer a closed eye smile.

"I do!" He said returning the smile.

"I'm glad you feel bett-" Darlow uttered before getting cut off by Lancer.

"Shut it meanie!" Lancer said pouting.

"Where are the heroes of light buddy? They're my friends!" Ralsei said motherly trying to milk information from him.

"Which ones?" Lancer said biting into another cookie.

"Uh...the two that came here. The people capable of traversing the tree of darkness" Ralsei said seemingly being more specific.

Lancer stopped eating the cookies.

"Like I said, which ones? Four people have entered so far." Lancer said nonchalantly.

Darlow and Ralsei flinched in confusion and surprised, they were choking on the air.

"W-what you mean four?! Only three, including me, are said to be able to stop the reign of the Cha...bad guy, of the bad guy!" Ralsei said with her confusion growing in hysteria.

Lancer shrugged.

"I don't know, so far your two friends, and two other people are down there. I don't know what they're doing, haven't seen them in a while. They said that wanted to have a 'talk's with my dad. So I let them down there, my dad probably invited visitors for dinner that day!" Lancer said like a proud little kid.

"Although...I haven't seen my dad in months! He told me that I was a... 'liability'- whatever that means! And that I shouldn't come back until he kicks the bucket! So here I am!" Lancer said more proud than he should.

"What a shitty father..." Darlow said really absorbing his words.

"Wait," Ralsei uttered, "What about the Legend of Deltarune?!" She said still in hysteria.

"I don't know, I couldn't read anything with the letters on them, but on the ones with pictures of the book I saw that there was a part where the people were holding their own hearts! My dad says that he hopes I can do the same some day...I've been practicing, and sometimes he tries to do it himself!" Lancer said, again, a little more proud than he should.

"Damn, I'm getting second hand repressed memories." Darlow said still soaking in his words.

Ralsei got to thinking, if what he said is true, than that means that it only depicted people who can actively control their souls can enter. So the other two people that first came...were the actual legends of Deltarune!

Her brain started to twirl, then that means that Muffet and Undyne were never part of the prophecy, the predictions were out of whack. So if the finally image is true, that a fourth person was supposed to join them...it means that one person...out of the four in the the tree right now...was going to die.

She, herself, was safe cause she was the only defined one making it through. Everyone else, it's a free for all.

Ralsei shook Lancer.

"Take me to your dad! I wish to speak with him!" She said trying to prevent anyone from dying, she wanted everyone down there to live to the end, whoever's the other two people were, they didn't deserve to fight and die doing what's right.

Lancer scratched his chin.

"I kinda forgot where he is currently...but I can give it a try...but I'm not bringing Mr. Meanie...not that he'd be able to come anyways!" He said sticking his tongue out at him.

Ralsei turned to Darlow timidly.

"I'm sorry sir, it looks like this is where we part ways..." She said with actual sadness. She actually like this guy.

"And, I'm not quite sure what power the Choas King brings...but I'll try my best to cut it off at the source...I'll save your town." Ralsei said trying not to be scared.

Darlow got down to her height and held her hands politely.

"I have no doubt that you'll be able to free us all...please come back to me princess." Darlow said stoicly.

Ralsei blushed madly, this guy was hitting everything on her checklist.

Darlow had tilted his head downward to wish her a farewell. Then...he felt a small peck on his head.

Did the princess just...?

He looked up, but Lancer had already drove away with Ralsei on the back of the bike's seat. They were headed for the tree in the middle of the island.

Ralsei covered her face entirely in her hat squealing.

"Why did I do that?! I had only met him for about an hour! Am I really that shallow?!" She shrieked into her hat.

Lancer just hummed his theme along the ride there.

"The dark divides people...but can people of light bring them back together?" Lancer thought out loud.

"What?" Ralsei questioned

"Nothing Ms. 'R'" Lancer chortled as he rode his bike to the tree of darkness. The entrance of the divding darkness.