There was a feeling like falling. Slipping away, and into nothing. Then, a flicker of something. The shattered pieces of the soul shining, pulling somewhere. Grasping at something that had been...forgotten.
Exploring the ruins with Clara, soul of patience, had been fairly simple. If not, a bit painful. The girl had accidently activated a trap. Resulting in an untimely death. And subsequent learning of her phantom guides power.
"I can't do it much. So you need to be more careful." Chara requested.
"I'll...try, I'm sorry." Clara apologized.
It was a brutal learning experience, but afterwards she had begun to listen more attentively. And did fairly when, when she followed instructions. Then again, her guide knew what to do, for the largest part. Having done this before a few times, unfortunately.
The puzzles were...different, than her first trip through this place, or the second for that matter. And, at the same times, the ruins had appeared empty. The phantom considering her last trip through this place, with Stephen. There weren't many monsters then, but at least there had been a few. She wondered briefly if they had all finally left.
"I did it!" Clara declared enthusiastically, after completing a puzzle on her own. Involving moving rocks, to match a pattern.
Chara snickered. "You seem proud."
"Am I...should I not be?" Clara asked.
"You did great." Chara sighed, reluctantly being a bit more friendly.
She had been tense since they met. But, then again, Clara...the name of her present ward was the same name she'd once had. It was...an odd reminder of the things she'd worked very hard to forget. Inspiring her to hum along with a soft song, whose origin she'd forgotten.
Failing to notice eyes opening as they passed. Watching from the broken pipes that ran along the ceiling. Or lurked in the lukewarm, gross water that was still present in the place.
Eventually, thankfully, they came to place that was an indication of progress. A large circular room, with a winding staircase, that led up to light above. The living girl staring up for a moment, while looking around.
"Where's...the light come from?" Clara inquired.
"Cracks in the mountain." Chara suggested, floating beside her. "It's not as bright when you're up there. But the stone-"
"Reflects the light?" Clara guessed.
"A little bit, yeah." Chara nodded.
This was the only way out of the ruins anymore. Given the other paths had collapsed over time. She silently hoped that not all of them had been rent asunder yet.
At present, to her knowledge, there was the main exit. It led out towards Golden Grove. A place that was beautiful, certainly, but only had a town in the path. And some distance away at that.
And then another path that led out into the Crimson Forest. There were a few homesteads, villagers, and even a town out that way. Which gave far more chances for Clara to be found by a monster. And they were...going to need ones help to help her make it to the end of this. Preferably someone tough, and strong.
Both, ultimately would lead to their destination, but Chara wagered the Crimson Forest would be safer.
It also had a ferry master at one of the villages. A strong person, who often gave people rides down the river in their boat, and for free no less. Considering how strong the monster was, the creatures of the dark weren't a large concern. Which made them perfect, to help Clara along.
"Okay. So, just head up. There's gonna be four doors. Take the one that goes north." Chara informed her human ward.
"North?" Clara asked, looking around confused.
"It's this way, Clara." The phantom child pointed, just so she knew the direction.
"R-right. Got it." The living child smiled a little, while starting up the stairs. "Thanks again, uhm...for...helping me out. I really appreciate it."
"It's what I do." Chara sighed. "Just...do as I say, and I'll help you get out."
Normally she herself had more patience, and understanding. But the underground had been getting more dangerous as of late. Hell, she and Stephen had been forced to fight several of the creatures of the dark. Horrific creatures, that seemed to thrive on fear and pain.
Things she sadly knew that Clara, this human child, wouldn't be able to handle directly. The girl was a warmer person than not. Someone who seemed to have a sheltered upbringing, and a loving family. Ill prepared for the dangers that were present here.
"Chara?" Clara asked, as they ascended.
"Yeah?" Chara hummed.
"I...when I leave...are you, going to be with me?" The living child inquired.
That had been a question the ghostly girl had asked herself a lot, when she awoke. If she ever...succeeded in protecting one of these humans, what then? Was she...going to be tied to them forever? Would she just...exist with them?
"I mean...maybe?" The phantom girl shrugged. "I don't know, admittedly."
"You said you helped others though." Clara recalled. "But...you're not with them."
Chara hesitated. "Oh uh...there was...a wizard. He uh...helped seperate us. Ya know, so I could...sleep in case someone else needed help."
"You're like...an angel then?" Clara asked.
"Angels are evil things." Chara replied instinctively. "I'm more...I dunno. I guess I'm more like a demon."
"Papa says Demons are bad though." Clara noted.
"That's cuz Angels lie to people." Chara said sagely. "It's uh...propaganda. Ya know, lies." She pondered. "I mean. Did angels come to help you when you fell?"
"No." Clara responded.
"Who did?" Chara asked.
"You?" Clara inquired.
"Mhm." Chara nodded again. "And, I want to keep helping you. Which is why I said you gotta listen to me for now, okay?"
"Alright." Clara managed a smile. "Thanks."
The phantom was pleased at her ability to save her little mishap there. She reasoned she would break the bad news that Clara was never going to get to go home, eventually. With the barrier blocking the way...it simply wasn't possible.
But that would just complicate things. And she needed to keep Clara safe, and happy, if all this was going to work out. Hope was a powerful motivator after all.
It kept the soul strong. And as long as the humans had it, she could pull them back from death. At least...a couple times. As long as nothing complicated the process, that was.
No sooner had she considered this, than her thoughts were interrupted by a noise. A sound hailing from below them. A sound, after all this time of silence.
The phantom child glancing, as the living girl ascended the staircase to the light above. The purple ghosts eyes fell upon something. For a moment...there was a shadow, cast from the direction they came. And then...a pair of eyes in the dark. It looked like...
"Run." Chara ordered.
"What?" Clara asked.
"Clara, run, now, go, go go!" The phantom demanded repeatedly.
"I-" The child was feeling worried. "W-what's going on?"
"Don't talk to me. Don't respond. Just move, go faster, and don't stop." Chara ordered.
Clara did as she was told. She began to run up the staircase to the best of her ability. But she was little, young, probably the youngest child who had fallen down. And her movements, thus, simply weren't as fast.
A voice carried from below, from the shadows at the bottom of the pit. "Poor thing...thinking you can run."
The voice sent a shiver down the girls spine. Prompting a brief glance below, noticing something snuffing out the torches. As dozens of eyes opened, staring up at them. Instilling dread in the child, who moved as fast as she possibly could, stumbling, and struggling at points. Nearly slipping before catching herself.
Clara had nearly gotten near the top, when the sound of static began to fill the air. Along with the distant sounds of...fighting. The spectral child felt a brief hope. Fighting...there was someone here. And they needed to get to that person now.
"Clara, uhm, w-we need to go to-" Chara began.
The static noise grew immediately louder, cutting her off. The noise was a particular kind of creature she knew. And one that presented a very serious, and immediately fatal threat to someone who didn't know how to handle it. She instinctively moved her hand to cover the childs eyes, before realizing what a dumb decision that was, given her phantasmagorical nature.
"W-what is that?" Clara asked in fear.
"Don't look at the tv." Chara ordered. "Don't even glance!"
Clara desperately didn't understand. Reaching the top of the staircase, before hearing something. Turning towards a door that was being knocked open.
One of the four doors in the room had been pushed open, revealing the creature lurching into the room. A strange, alien thing, bearing a television for a head. It had a body made of wires, and seemingly disparate pieces of metal. And the static on the screen immediately began to grab Claras attention.
"CLARA!" Chara shouted in desperation, and anger.
"S-sorry!" Clara snapped from the attempt, and then ran forward towards a door.
The phantom noticed the shifting in the pipe. The little smile of a familiar face. The same one that had spoken at the bottom of the bit. The sound of tearing leather, barely audible, coming from the pipe.
"S-stop!" Chara motioned.
The girl slid to a stop, a massive claw slamming down where she was going. The girl letting out an unintentional scream of fear. A sound that for a moment, made the phantom girl feel like her heart had stopped a second time. Eyes widening at it.
It carried everywhere. Through the open doors. Down into the pit they had come from. Piercing, and flowing, echoed and udible to...anything. Everything, that lay within the infested ruins. And...it got a response.
Dazed, and feeling dread over the action, the phantom girl was briefly unable to think of anything besides what was about to happen. The human sprinted around the side of the pit, whimpering and crying. Heading towards another door. Only for it to burst open. Knocking her back.
Some sickening thing, looking like a soupy dust, mimicking the form of a monster lurched out. Breathing, as bees poured from its lips. Drawn, as the dozens of others behind it were, by the scream.
The fear was palpable in the girl, who raced for the last door available. Avoiding a slash heading towards her by one of the cat-dog creatures, swatting a few of the strange bees aside. Pushing through, it revealed a path forward. One that would eventually lead to another staircase going down. However, there was something there.
A roar of fury saw a trident tear through one of the creatures. Flashing red as it did so. Cleaving the foe in half, revealing a panting figure behind it.
A robed man, bearing the deltarune on his chest, glanced over at her. He had tall horns, and was covered in black, inky blood. Nearly invisible in the dark, save for his glowing red eyes.
"Clara...Clara go, run to-" Chara tried to say.
Clara however, didn't see a monster that could act as her savior. She saw another creature ready to end her short life. And so she tried to turn. To find another avenue of escape. A decision made by the fearful child, that was doomed to end fatally.
The man processed the sight, shaking his head. "W-wait, don't-"
By then it was too late. A clawed hand grasped the girls leg. Dragging her back, as she screamed in fear. Turning to try and dig her hands into the ground, desperate to escape.
In response to this, fire burned at his sides, as a strange device formed before the monster, shining with a rainbow light. It erupted, as the flame surged around the sides of it, burning through a couple of the creatures. Incinerating some of the creatures, including the one that had taken hold of the girl.
In that moment, many of the creatures focus had turned. Surging out towards the attacking force. Pouring past her, towards him. Racing to slaughter the trident bearing man. Who was rushing forward, to catch up. Getting tackled by one monster, stalling his attempt.
"N-no, ugh, get up!" He shouted, placing a hand against one, burning it with a scorching palm.
The phantom gasped, and tried to seize the moment. She needed to do something. She needed control of the girl. She needed to get them out of this.
"Clara, give me control." She demanded quickly. "I can get you out of this, but-"
Unfortunately, Claras ears were ringing. All but frozen in fear, as she was trying to scramble backwards. Only realizing her leg was free after as something, a grinning creature with long hanging hair, and a damaged striped shirt crawled over the side of the pit.
"Poor girl." The voice of Temmie speaking. "You look like you need a hug."
The creature began to laugh, a horrifying laugh, as Clara tried to get up, only to be grabbed by a swinging claw. The claws dug into her chest, causing her to let out a cry of pain, before the the laughing creature fell backwards. Bringing the human with it, unable to respond, or escape the grasp.
A blood covered monster rushed forward. Having torn through more that had gotten in his way. Coming near the edge, while swinging out his hand. Trying to catch the humans in it. Missing by inches, his red eyes widening. The screaming child falling Into the swirling horrors below.
As soon as they hit, pain tore through the phantom child, as it did through the girl. Causing Chara to seize up, and twitch, shaking violently, as her connection began to destabilize. The feeling of it. The pain, it was...she could feel her host being eaten alive.
The muffled screams gradually being drowned out, leaving the area splashed with blood, both red and dark. The monster staring down, breathing hard, before growling. Motioning as a series of the same odd blasters formed, and ignited. Exploding down, erasing everything below.
The light burning away everything, except for a faint blue soul. Cracking, ready to shatter in the aftermath. Before a magic formed around it, sealing it within a rainbowy liquid container. Stabilizing it.
The moment it was sealed, Chara felt her connection failing. "I'm...sorry."
She tried her best, but had failed again, thanks to those things. She faded, as the monster staggered, covered with inky blood. Eyes flooded with regret that matched her own. Fueled by it, and a sense of failure over what had just happened, both had no choice but to...
|Continue|