Undertale: Long Road
Chapter: 31
Special Guest Author: Sophtopus
"I promised I'd protect you, didn't I!?"
Alphys couldn't believe what she had just heard. Not for a single bit. How could she? It was just too bizarre to be real.
Those words belonged to Undyne. Her strong and capable Undyne. Not to this petite kitty cat…
Nevertheless, Tilin's oath of confidence served as a stark reminder that the world had more would-be heroes than her beloved fish.
But, could she count on her word?
What this feline lacked in height and muscle was made up by her spirit: a snarky daredevil whose tongue was as sharp as her blade. Too bad mere promises alone won't nearly be enough to deflect the deadly reality of battle.
Tilin was but a single cat monster trying to take on the merger of a human mage with a volcanic primordial. By all logic, the odds overwhelmed her.
"N-no!" Alphys cried out. "Tilin, you can't fight THAT alone!"
In response, the cat snapped back: "I can, and I will! This guy's mine! You take Undyne and the human somewhere safe. Go!"
"But-"
Before Alphys could so much as finish her sentence, a fuzzy tail swiped her across the face. A pair of feet then planted themselves firmly on her chest, primed for a great leap.
"Oof!" The kick was hard enough to send Alphys tumbling across the floor.
She pushed herself off the ground and dusted her coat.
"What the heck was that for?!" Her exclamation was one part shock and one part indignance, followed by another part gratefulness. The kick, however rude it seemed, had put her further away from the battlefield.
In the distance, Tilin drew her blade. The glow of magic shone bright against the burning city as she sliced into the beast, causing him to cry out in pain.
"Argh!" Nigel reeled back. "You damned furry brat! That STINGS!"
The enemy's complaints, ignored. The cat continued her assault, putting up a swift display of dazzling grace. Contrary to expectations, she wasn't all talk: this monster can and will fight!
Alphys watched in awe. Was Tilin always this skilled? This fast and agile? She knew that the swift feline tended to rely on throwing knives and non-lethal explosives, but this was the first time she had witnessed her prowess in close combat.
The lizard slapped both hands on her face to bring herself back to reality. "Focus. I-I-I need to get Undyne and the bus driver. Take them to safety. A-and… And…"
Such was easier said than done. She had already gone through all the reasons why it was an impossible task.
Tears welled up in her eyes. "It… it's no use…" she whimpered, "I can't do anything…"
The roars of battle intensified. Not knowing what else to do, Alphys observed the battlefield from the safety of the bus. It was like the Underground all over again. All she could do was watch from her private shelter as the world crumbled around her.
Windows shattered, roads ripped, cars swatted aside, public property destroyed… Nigel's giant paws swiped at anything within his reach. By each mighty blow, the earth rumbled and craters formed along the landscape.
But for all of Nigel's power, Tilin was never there to receive an attack. And the more Tilin dodged and harassed him, the more aggravated he became.
"-Ngghh, stay still you! You!... You cat!"
While zipping around, she taunted the enemy's childishness. "Wow. Not only are you a kid, you're a stupid kid."
"I'm NOT!" The mage protested.
"You sure? Seriously, did you really think I'd just stop and let you murder me? Ridiculous! Kalkirrinth or not, a moron's a moron."
Tilin spawned a type of bomb that Alphys had never seen before. They resembled black orbs, starting out at the size of a marble before expanding to the size of her paw. Lobbing them towards Nigel, they exploded with a bang, cracking his rock-hard hide. The victim grunted and threshed about in pain and irritation.
"ENOUGH! You pointless, mangy, flea-ridden feline!" Nigel nearly spat that last bit. "Do you have any idea who you're messing with? I'm a mage! A summoner! I command the all-powerful Kalkirrinth! I don't NEED to play this game of yours!"
He bared his teeth. Great billowing plumes of fire erupted from the elemental's mane.
They roared.
They raged.
They burned with violent animosity.
The flames of his demon-sized temper tantrum soon latched onto the streets, climbed onto walls and spread into buildings. The space that Tilin could land on grew less and less.
In response, the heroic feline dug into her bag and pulled out a fire extinguisher. She sprayed a path on the burning road to quench the flames, slid on the foam, then emptied the remaining content right in Nigel's face. Tossed a couple more bombs at him for good measure too.
Alphys felt a strange sense of calm. One could even call it hope. Tilin appeared to be in complete control of the situation. In fact, she was toying with him. As ferocious as Nigel may be, he was still an amateur: inexperienced, low pain tolerance, and lacking in self control.
Maybe, just maybe… she will win this fight.
A booming voice then interrupted her thoughts.
"You disappoint me, impudent summoner."
The SOUL in her chest jolted. She muttered, "W-who was that?"
"I thought you would have the mind to match your potential. And yet from the time you had called upon my name, I have seen nothing but waste."
The beast stopped rampaging. His overall stance changed: feet grounded, tail raised.
"Watch."
The cat darted around. She hopped, flipped, dashed…
Feints failed. Taunts fell on deaf ears.
His reaction was a complete 180 of how Nigel would usually react.
Tilin hopped up against the wall of a building and kicked herself high. Her shining blade pointed straight down, aiming to at least blind the beast.
But Nigel - no - Kalkirrinth simply looked up and opened his great maw. The insides of his mouth flowed with the blinding radiance of pyroclastic rock and molten metal.
A miniature sun had charged within. In a snap, a condensed beam of pure white flames engulfed Tilin in mid-air. It did not stop at its victim either; it punched a hole through the clouds, sending shockwaves outwards. A circle of clear sky remained in its wake.
In one breath, Tilin was no more. One. Single. Breath.
Alphys covered her mouth, trying her hardest to not scream.
Nigel's voice returned. "Holy smokes… I could do THAT?! Really? Ha! So much for that stupid confidence of hers! This body is AWESOME! Kalkirrinth, I knew it! You're the best!"
"Save your praise. You need the puny lizard alive, do you not? She should still be in that bus. Weaklings never flee far from their loved ones."
"Yes, yes! Then I - we! We will finally get the recognition we deserve."
She sank down to the floor of the bus, along with her morale, quivering from head to toe. "No no no no no no no no this can't be real this can't be real…"
It's over. It's all over. What folly it was for her to believe in the impossible dream. Monsters are weak: that was a fact. And it always will be.
In the middle of her breakdown, she heard something or someone scurry onto the bus.
That startled her. "W-w-w-w-w-w-who's t-t-there…? P-please don't hurt me…"
To her astonishment, it was none other than a heavily panting Tilin. She looked like she had just completed a hundred meter dash.
"T-Tilin?"
Alphys' first reaction was to pinch her own cheek. Did she faint and fall into a dream? The immediate sting indicated otherwise. She's still conscious, and very much in the real world.
Upon that realization, she scrambled straight up to Tilin to deliver an Undyne-worthy hug. Words drowned into a sobbing babble as she squeezed the feline tight.
"Tilinnnnnnn! I thought… I thought you're dust and it's all my fault and and and and-"
Poor Tilin squealed. "Can't. Breathe. Stop. Before I. Really die."
Hearing that, Alphys quickly let go. Tilin gasped and coughed a few times from the release.
"O-oh! I-I-I-I'm so sorry." Alphys apologized. "But. Y-you're alive? How?"
Tilin scratched the back of her head, avoiding eye contact. "Uh… about that…. That, um, wasn't the 'real' me. Think of it as more of a projection. A copy. A clone. Y'know... like that thing that cartoon ninjas do. "
"You mean the Kage Bunshin?" The details clicked in Alphys' mind. "Oh my god! YOU DID AN ACTUAL KAGE BUNSHIN!"
"Shh shh! Pipe down! But, uh, yeah, something like that. It's a type of SOUL manifestation that I invented myself. Just remember: it's called 'Nine Lives Marionette'. 'Cause I got nine lives like a cat. Get it? None of that Kage whatever."
The cat spawned more magic clones. They proceeded to lift the unconscious Undyne and bus driver to the best of their abilities.
Alphys exclaimed, "Wait! I thought we couldn't move them. S-something about injuries-"
The cat glared. "Didn't you hear that guy?! That volcanic chimera moron is coming to get ya. If we don't get these two outta here, he's gonna wreck this bus to make it happen. You want them to get thrown around like a ragdoll?"
"T-true…"
Three Tilins each carried a downed person, while the original commanded one other clone to head out as a decoy.
Nigel exclaimed: "What the hell?! She's still alive? Get back here!"
That was their cue to escape. Out of the back of the bus they went.
Alphys didn't know where they were going. She just followed Tilin's lead. If she turned left, it was left. If she turned right, it was right.
The cat beckoned her to enter an alleyway. It's one of the few places not completely destroyed by Nigel's prior rampage. The clones laid down the injured there and proceeded to protect the tiny safe place.
At last, they had a moment to breathe. After catching their breath, Alphys asked: "When did you switch places with your bunshin?"
"I told you, it's Nine Lives Marionette!" Tilin barked back. "Argh, nevermind that. I wanted to confuse that moron with multiple clones from the start, then finish him off with every me stabbing him at once. And it would have worked too… if it weren't for that other dude's meddling."
"Oh. I see." It seemed that Tilin was reluctant to answer her real question. Alphys decided to drop the subject.
Meanwhile, Nigel's frustration echoed in the distance. He was led away so far, she could no longer comprehend his words except for a whole busload of swearing. Something about an absentee cat and lizard. Apparently, his search was fruitless.
On the other hand, Kalkirrinth's voice was loud and clear. The true primordial's voice boomed over the city. "Again, more waste. Calm down. Focus your senses. Her presence is strong."
The smashing stopped. Judging from Tilin's troubled expression… the other clone had bit the dust too. The moment Kalkirrinth took over, he regained control of the situation.
"As for the other vermin… they must have used this distraction to seek refuge. Alas, the air has grown too dense with magic to track them down. Very well then, we shall claim this land as our domain."
Domain? What did he mean?
Alphys had an awful feeling about it. She hurried to the corner to take a peek.
Lava. A growing pool of lava emerged in the distance. Wherever Kalkirrinth walked, buildings tilted and toppled into the molten rock behind him.
Horror dawned upon her. This was the 'domain' Kalkirrinth spoke of. The longer they waited, the more the lava lake's superheated edge would expand outward.
"Puny lizard," he said, "Continue to flee. Continue to hide. My domain will not cease until I command so. If it means engulfing the whole city, then so be it."
"If you care for lives beyond your own, surrender. My summoner's task is to retrieve you, alive."
Alphys slipped back into the alley. She clutched her head, hyperventilating.
"It's all my fault," she said. "This city is doomed because of me. I-i-if only I did something. Anything. Anything but run. I…"
All the while, she thought her choices were limited either to running or hiding. Such was not the case; a third option did indeed exist.
"I should surrender," she proclaimed. "If I go with them, they will stop."
Hearing that, Tilin charged straight at Alphys and lifted her by the collar.
"No," The cat hissed. "Never! If you turn yourself in, all my efforts will have been for nothing!"
Alphys wondered why Tilin had to keep treating her in such a rough manner. She had finally resolved to do the right thing, yet this crass cat insisted on denying her.
Pissed off and frustrated, fury burst forth from Alphys' SOUL. She grabbed Tilin by the arms. And she held them tight, so tight her claws threatened to scratch under the cat's fur.
"OF COURSE your efforts will have been for nothing!" Alphys retorted. "I AM nothing! I'm a weak, useless, cowardly, spineless, sorry excuse of a monster who can't even use MAGIC properly! I've ALWAYS been that way!"
Spent of her energy and emotion, Alphys loosened her grip. "So please... just let me go. Take care of Undyne. And tell her I'm sorry."
Awkward moments of silence passed. Despite the pressure, Tilin kept her head down and refused to let go.
At long last, Tilin said: "Bad guys don't try to kidnap useless people."
"Huh?" Alphys blurted. She was not expecting the ever-snarky cat to sound so… vulnerable.
"You heard me. Who the hell wants to steal worthless trash? The whole reason they're going to these lengths is BECAUSE you are their most valuable target!"
When Tilin raised her head, gone was her bravado. Her yellow feline eyes watered, tears staining her fur.
"You… you're a scientist. I don't get it, but you're doing some revolutionary stuff. Now compare that with me. I've trained in the Royal Guard since I was a kitten. We're talking decades here. Decades! And for what? When the war was called off, my purpose in life vanished along with it. I had nowhere to go and nothing to do. To make matters worse, my skills are useless. I can't even hold a respectable job."
"I thought today would be the day. My chance to shine! My chance to be the hero! I get to defeat that stupid kid and rescue everyone all by myself." Tilin's voice cracked under the pressure of guilt. "But the truth is… I'm not Undyne. I can't fill her shoes. I'm the real reason why we're in trouble. Me and my stupid dreams."
It was then Alphys realised that the cat was not so different after all. Underneath all that bravado was just a girl seeking meaning and validation.
Slowly, Tilin placed Alphys back on solid ground. She took a few steps back, then bowed deep.
"Alphys… No.. 'Doctor' Alphys. Use that smart brain of yours to think of something. Please."
Tilin - the once proud and snarky cat - pleaded for her help. Alphys could tell how determined she was to make a miracle happen. Still, it hadn't been enough.
She told herself to think. Channel every ounce of knowledge she could think of. Maybe there was something that could turn the tides with a bit of creativity. But first, she needs more data to work with.
"How does it feel to fight Kalkirrinth?" Alphys asked. "I-I mean, does he have any fur? I noticed that you focused only on the head, and even then it looks like you're hitting rock."
Tilin replied, "That's because he's a walking lava sculpture, crusted in an obsidian shell."
"Excuse me?"
"It's exactly as I said. When I tried cutting through anywhere, my blade felt like it's trying to drag through something super hot, thick, and strangely supple. Whatever damage I did just melded back together, despite actually hurting him. Judging from Nigel's reaction, his face is the most sensitive."
"That does sound a lot like lava. Interesting..."
Alphys knew everything about lava. She had lived in Hotland after all. If Tilin's intel was right… a sudden drop of surface temperature could trap Kalkirrinth in his own skin.
Furthermore, Nigel's ability to feel pain meant that Kalkirrinth somehow possessed a central nervous system.
"Other than the face, are there other common weak points between four-legged mammals?"
"Your best bet would be at the base of the neck. Here. Between the shoulders." Tilin tapped her paw at the exact location to exemplify. "A lot of nerves go through there. If you cut those, the forearms become useless. My sword lacks the reach, though."
"We're probably not going to use your sword." said Alphys. Pointing towards the bag, she asked: "What's in there anyway?"
"See it for yourself."
The owner turned the bag upside down, pouring out all manners of objects and tools. It was almost cartoony.
Alphys pushed her glasses up her nose in amazement. "What in the stars? It's a whole mountain of stuff! Wait. I recognize this. And this. And this!"
So far she found the following of note:
A limited edition Mew Mew rubber duck.
A replica of the Holy Grail.
Numerous bishounen anime figurines.
Custom motivational wall scrolls of Rocky Balboa.
Collectable Saturn games.
Bootleg merchandise.
Raunchy doujins.
And then, the geekiest of geek possessions. This? In Tilin's possession? The impossible had happened. "Is this a fully functional sonic screwdriver?!"
Grimacing, the cat defended her dignity. "H-hey, that's a gift from my sister, okay? I don't even know what that doohickey is! C'mon quit nerding out, we're running out of time."
"Right, right. Sorry about that."
While she dug through the pile, a thousand and one sparks set off in her mind: piecing together potential items into tools of destruction.
Alphys asked, "Do we have a fire hydrant nearby?"
"Yeah. There's one at the other end of the alley." Tilin pointed to the back. "Don't worry, it's working. I thought that if he finds us, I can use the water as a distraction to escape."
"Excellent! That will help a lot."
While Alphys rummaged, she pulled out a giant net. Next was a firehose. There was a camping chair. And then a handful of wires and pipes. There's also a pile driver of sorts, powered by an electric motor.
This bag was a godsend: it contained everything she needed one way or another.
She got right to work. The object that needed the most time to craft involved the camping chair. With a bit of electric magic, she began the reinforcement.
"Tilin, here's the plan. I'll have to make a sturdy tripod to mount the firehose. Connect that to the hydrant and we're going to spray this straight at Kalkirrinth's face. That's the most sensitive part right?"
"Ahuh." Tilin smirked. "He's gonna snort at least. Water on hot stuff produces a lot of steam too. Always makes for a good smokescreen."
"Not only that," Alphys added, "If he really is anything like lava, the rapid influx of cold water will instantly harden anywhere it touches. This includes his joints. When that happens, he'll lose his nimbleness and become a sitting duck. At least for a moment anyway."
"Huh… What do we do next?"
"Well, we've gotta use your bombs."
Tilin scrunched her brows in skepticism. "I already tried that."
"Yes, you tried throwing bombs. Wee chibi bombs. But the bomb needs to be waaaaay bigger. Motto chikara da! Can't you like... make a single big one?"
"Do you want to kill everyone?" The cat objected. "Because that's how you kill everyone. The bigger I make these bombs, the less stable they become."
"Then we shall make many smaller secondaries and ignite them with our bigger primary."
What followed after was a blank stare from Tilin.
Glaring a squint of disbelief, a baffled Alphys said: "You can make magical bombs, but you don't know anything about primary and secondary explosives?"
"Magic is magic, alright?" Grumbled Tilin. "I don't need to know complicated science to do any of that! Ugh, whatever. How does this relate to your plan?"
"Did you know you can actually melt TNT? You can even pour the heated material without risk."
"W-what?!" the cat exclaimed. "We're talking about that TNT right? Won't it explode?!"
"Nope, it won't. Explosives are categorized based on their sensitivity to stimuli. The most sensitive are called primary explosives. TNT, on the other hand, requires much more energy to start the chain reaction. That's why it's called a secondary explosive. There's also even more stable materials under the tertiary explosives category that require a secondary explosive to ignite. We're going to do something similar."
Alphys showed the net to Tilin: "You will make clusters of small bombs and stuff them in here. Have your clones plant them on the weakest parts of Kalkirrinth's body. Then, once they're in position,you will all have to work together to generate the bigger unstable bomb to detonate those clusters. This will give us both the stability and power we need to defeat him in one strike. Of course, the real you will have to grab me ASAP to escape the blast unscathed."
"Wait…" said Tilin. "That… that means I could lose all of my lives! Do you know how much effort it takes to make them?"
"I understand. But, this is our only chance."
Tilin tensed up, dreading the loss. But she conceded after swallowing her pride. "…Alright. What about Undyne and the human? Glass shards from the broken windows are gonna fly literally everywhere."
She had pondered about that from the beginning. But, none of the ideas she could cobble together were ideal. The best she could do was to grab a tarp from Tilin's pile of stuff and lay them over the injured.
Thankfully, several large garbage bins stood nearby. "Weigh down the tarp's horizontal edges with the trash. That should work."
Tilin managed to squeeze a wry grin. "Oh hey, Undyne is gonna be in her natural element."
Of all the time to smacktalk. "Not now, soldier! Lives are depending on this. I still have details to brief." There was a time and place for everything, and now was not the moment to get self-conscious.
While Tilin weighed down the tarp, Alphys resumed her explanation. "To give your clones a chance to get into position, I will stall Kalkirrinth with a chat. Let's just say my genre savvy senses are tingling."
Putting down the last trash bag, Tilin commented: "Pulling a Frisk now? And I thought my day couldn't get any weirder, but okay. Let's roll with that. "
"Is everything clear, Tilin?"
"Yes, ma'am!" The cat saluted.
"Good. In the meantime, keep track of Kalkirrinth's location. Tell me if he's getting closer."
'Time is of the essence', as the saying goes. The longer she took, the closer Kalkirrinth approached. Having the hydrant water boiling away would be the least of her issues: the heat will cook everyone alive first.
The cat returned with bad news. "He's turning towards us from 12 o'clock. It's a straight road from here."
The air began to grow warmer, hotter.
The primordial Kalkirrinth's domain encroached ever closer…
"I see." Good thing Alphys worked fast. She was already at the finishing touches.
Tarp, applied.
Tripod, made.
Hose, connected.
Nozzle, mounted.
Water, flowing.
And ready! Alphys took one last look at Undyne under the tarp before starting the plan.
"Stay safe, alright? I'll come back for you when all of this is over... I hope."
It's time to put the plan into motion. Except when Alphys tried to lift the tripod… it was way too darn heavy! Had she made it any lighter, it might topple over from the water pressure.
"Um, Tilin. I'm gonna need your help with this."
Unsurprised, the cat smirked. "Figures."
While the two girls carried their secret weapon out together. Tilin commanded the clones to go where they were needed.
Hot winds blew down the road. It reminded Alphys of the height of summer noon. The air smelled arcid from the fumes of molten plastic, baking tar, and goodness knows what else.
They set the tripod at the middle of the road. She then released an electrical charge into the motor, making the pile driver spike straight through the asphalt.
Once it was secured, Alphys yelled loud and clear: "Kalkirrinth! I have questions for you!"
The primordial beast walked on the surface of the lava. Indeed, this was his territory. That display of power would be nothing to him.
In Nigel's voice, he said: "Hey, you thinking to pull that whole talk-no-jutsu crap? Think again! I'm gonna just grab you and leave."
Just a little more. Alphys asked: "Kalkirrinth, you are a Kirin, aren't you?"
The beast stopped walking. For a moment, there was a struggle between the two souls.
"No!" Nigel exclaimed, "It's a trap! I'm SURE it's a trap!"
"Silence."
"Who cares if you're a Kirin or whatever?"
"Silence!"
"Listen to me dammit! I AM YOUR MASTER!"
"SILENCE!"
In the end, the spirit's will prevailed. Kalkirrinth approached Alphys as himself, not Nigel.
He stopped midway between the lava and Alphys. Even from there, he emitted an oppressive wave of heat.
"Puny lizard," So the elemental spoke. "You seem knowledgeable. A Kirin, you say. That is correct."
"Aren't… aren't Kirins the nurturer of all things good? Benevolent? The tender of heaven's gardens, who punishes only the wicked? I imagined your kind to be more cloudlike. Quiet. Peaceful."
"Do you think I am evil?"
Alphys furrowed her brows. "You just melted the whole of downtown. That's the homes and livelihoods of so many people! They may even be trapped in there, dying!"
"When a volcano erupts, is it evil too?"
"A volcano can't talk or think. You can."
Alphys cringed inside. She knew that she had gone off-script, and she had chosen the most confrontational lines. Yet, her SOUL screamed for justice for the victims.
Kalkirrinth lifted his tail. Upon a swish and a flick, the lava behind him rose into pillars. The tops split into branches, and the branches split into twigs. Leaves and flowers of crystal bloomed, shimmering from where they hung.
In just one wave of a tail - not even his paws - the primordial one formed a stone forest.
Both Alphys and Tilin gazed slack-jawed at the display.
"…Wow," the lizard muttered. "I… I didn't know you could do that. W-what are you, exactly?"
"I am Kalkirrinth, the Kirin of Creation and Destruction. My garden lies beneath the planet's crust. As long as the mantle moves, so too shall I exist. What standards you mortals hold… it matters not. They are like the shifting desert sands, ephemeral and ever changing."
She needed a moment to wrap her brain around that data. If what he says held true, that made him one of the most ancient beings the universe could possibly conceive.
What should she say?
Should she insist that good and evil never change? What were Kalkirrinth's core values anyway? How much did he know about mortal life in general? What had he witnessed throughout his existence?
From the subtext it seemed that the primordial god never had a positive view about the human world. And he would have every right to be bitter. Civilizations - new and old - exploited and neglected his creation. She knew from experience how much it hurts to see your work vandalized.
"You must have been through much," said Alphys. "Just as I have. And because of that, I can't let Nigel have his way. I still… I still have a life to live. My own life."
The god crouched, ready for battle. "Mortal, you have chosen to fight. What will be the weapon of your will?"
"The power of science!"
Upon that declaration, Alphys switched on the hose. Pressurized water sprayed on Kalkirrinth. As she expected, he's so hot that the blast immediately vaporized into steam.
Try as he may to move, Kalkirrinth couldn't. His joints had already fused from the sudden drop in temperature.
All of Tilin's remaining clones swiftly leapt out of their hiding spot with a net full of small bombs. They landed near the base of his neck and planted them there. The bunshin then raised their collective paws high to summon one, big, giant bomb.
"Nine Lives Marionette!" they yelled in unison.
Tilin grabbed Alphys and dove straight into the alley together.
This is it. The big moment.
In the one great boom, the earth quaked and the winds roared. So great was the force of detonation, Alphys lost consciousness.
Did she succeed?
Did she fail?
Did she faint?
Did she miscalculate something and die from the blast?
She couldn't tell anymore. Only darkness and silence remained.
"Alphys… Alphys…!"
Someone tried to massage her back to the waking world.
Alphys woke up with a gasp. Tilin looked over her head. Her first thought after that was Undyne and the human bus driver. The moment Alphys sat up, she looked for the tarp. Other than the bits of broken window glass, the two of them were safe.
But what about Kalkirrinth?
"D-did we win?" asked Alphys.
Tilin replied, "I don't know yet..."
Would it be wise to check? What if Kalkirrinth lay in wait behind the corner, waiting to pounce on them? Then again… if he had escaped, he could ambush them unaware. It would be the same result.
It's better to be safe than sorry. Alphys beckoned Tilin to follow her. "Please be my bodyguard."
So the cat and lizard inched towards the entrance of the alley. Vapour and dust hung in the air, creating a veil of smog over the scene.
A downward breeze blew the mist away. Sunlight shone on the black, cracked, extinguished god. There was neither flame nor light on Kalkirrinth's body. No movement either.
Tilin whispered, "Is he dead? He looks dead."
"I dunno," Alphys replied, "I'm not sure if primordials leave corpses like humans, or turn to dust like monsters."
Then… he started to move. The fire in his eyes flickered like a broken headlight.
"…It hurts…" Nigel muttered, "…It hurts…so much… My respect… my reputation… shattered forever..."
A piece of rock fell off his body.
Two pieces
Four pieces.
Eight pieces.
"No… No…! …Damn you, Alphys… Damn you, cat… Damn you, Kalkirrinth… Damn you… it's all your fault… Every… single… one… of… you…!"
He tried to take a step forward. But the moment he put any weight, the great beast collapsed on the ground, struggling upon the last remnants of his strength.
The shift of personalities happened again. Down to the last moment, the summoned refused to let the summoner have his way.
"…My own powers… used against me… Ha… ha ha ha ha… Such a… magnificent explosion."
…The collapse continued to cascade in the midst of his laughing. Whole pieces of him shattered, flaked, and scattered.
"…Rejoice, young lady… You are victorious… I look forward to your future endeavours… Doctor Alphys…"
Kalkirrinth, the Kirin of Creation and Destruction, became dust in the wind.
Alphys blinked a few times. She needed a moment there. Did she just get praise and respect from an ancient being? It was a prospect so surreal, she still can't believe she's not dreaming.
A furry hug snapped Alphys out of her daze. She could feel the quivers of gladness, excitement, and unsettlement. Could this be the high of a hard earned victory?
Tilin said, "Doctor Alphys. He's dead. He's really, really dead. I can't believe we did it!"
"Y-yeah. We did." She smiled, albeit awkwardly. "We won."
Beyond the road, the forest of volcanic rock and crystal had survived the explosion. Their gemstone 'leaves' and 'flowers' shimmered under the sun. What a strange beauty to come forth from such destruction. This city might have a new park attraction for the next couple of decades.
But… that's a thought for later. They don't have the luxury of resting on their laurels.
Since it didn't look like any help would be able to arrive at their part of the city anytime soon, they still had to transport Undyne and the bus driver to someplace accessible. Maybe she could build a makeshift cart or stretcher?
Whichever it will be, Alphys rolled up her sleeves in preparation for the task ahead.