An 'Interlude' to ACT-2 | Glimpses of the 'Restart' Timeline | They are not in any form of order -
In the dark of Waterfall, the sound of dragging metal filled the air.
Heavy steps, and tired breaths marking a path less taken. Echoing in the darkness, with only faded illumination coming from blue flowers blooming along the walls. Pushing through the cracks of the seemingly abandoned road. The distant sound of if raining somewhere else growing gradually closer.
However...the sound of whispers in the shadows brought halted movement. The dragging metal scraping across the ground, rising to be held, aimed at the dark. The gleam of the blade, ever so faintly present in the dim light. An old sword, that showed signs of having been damaged and repaired countless times. It's wielder bearing deep gashes across her being, with bits of mana bleeding out. Converting to dust in the air.
A knight-like figure, wearing damaged set of armor stood defiant. A torn tabard marked with the deltarune, proudly emblazoned across the chest of it. A section of her helmet torn, revealing a deep red eye within. Staring out, fearless of the things moving in the shadows.
Something stirred to block the path, pale eyes burning in the dark, appearing like nothing more than buttons at first. Quickly growing larger, as a sound like tearing leather began to fill the air. The knight glancing, as dozens began to appear across the marshy path, including across the rivers of the icy dark.
The way forward to the next room wasn't that far. The sound of rain close, albeit distant. The end was near.
"My child, when I say go, keep running." She instructed. "I will-"
"B-but-" A tiny voice said from behind her, a monster child crying. "I-I...don't wanna die."
"You will not die. You will endure, and you will be reunited with your family." The woman replied with her statements, her sword igniting with flame, while letting out a breath. "But you must run when I say to. You must not look back."
"But, I-." The child hesitated, before nodding. "Okay...I-I'll try."
"Then...here we go." The knights eye shined briefly. "Run." A spell cast, as her soul manifested, a pale white thing. Like an inverted heart-shaped object. Drawing the attention of the eyes, and the chittering whispers of the darkness.
A creature whispering. "It's her."
The knight made note of this, before the creatures began to screech. Accelerating towards her in alarming fashion. Racing across the floor, and over surfaces, along walls, and with great strides. The light of various trees, flowers, and mushrooms snuffed out by them as they moved.
The child let out a noise of fear and did as they were told. Sprinting forward, even when one of the creatures passed. The sound of flame, and clashing metal filled the air. Accompanied by the screaming of those enraged things.
This youth raced down the path, the sounds of violence echoing after them. Their robes waving as they came dashing around a corner. Sliding to a halt in the process.
There was an armored knight fighting. Attacking many of the creatures with a morningstar. Conjuring a magical moon to rain down bullets. Exploding across the area to stall them. Even in the dim light it was clear, that despite the success...it wasn't enough. The lights getting snuffed out in a wide area around the this royal knight, as the shadows moved in on him.
Flashes of claws, and the horrid sound of tearing metal filled the air. The light fading from around the knight, as something hit him. He swung back, crushing one. Another tackling him down. Muffled cries echoing out as eldritch shapes began mauling. Tearing through the metal, to devour the monster alive.
The child stared on in fear, stepping backwards. A sound echoing, as a rock was knocked into the nearby stream. The eyes in the abyss turning. The torn pieces of armor, and dust being all that remained of the guard, in the tiny bit of light available. The creatures growing ever nearer.
A wall of fire erupted up, to block the horrid things. The limping form of the sword wielding woman stepping near, eyes aglow with magical power, channeling the flame that now stalled the creatures. Her helmet gone, leaving her formally contained hair to spill out. Her armguards mangled, revealing wounds where something had bitten into her.
"T-toriel, a-are you hurt?" The child asked.
"Hurt?" She watched as horrific claws pushed into the fire. "This is...nothing. Come along, we are near the bridge."
Toriel hurried over and to took the childs hand, pulling them along as she began racing towards the bridge in the distance. The flames flickering, failing behind them. Something roaring closer, the light going out behind them. In one grand wave.
Everything that remained of the path before being overwhelmed, and brought to dust. Reaching the corner, they came to face the long bridge across the gap. The abyssal dark of the chasm below. She gripped the childs hand and pushed them ahead. Sliding across the ground, and into that room proper, still a bit before the bridge. Turning, blade burning, to slash out at the approaching creatures.
Shredding apart the flesh of one, leaving smoking, smoldering tissue behind. Another slash cleaving into the next, lopping off and smoldering a head. Power swelling in her eyes, a spell cast. Manifesting a set of flaming blades beside her, she began stepping back, glancing to find the child racing across the bridge.
The creatures in the shadows coming to a gradual stop, before the entrance. Sometimes trying to draw near, only for her to slash again. Giving them some pause from this path, due to the narrowed space before them. The flaming blades still hovering, as she cautiously moved back, feeling the bridge behind her finally.
Toriel looked around at the creatures, and found them inching forward. Feeling...a bit more than tired. She noted internally, she needed a little bit more time.
The constant fighting had lasted hours now. Her body was covered in many small injuries, that had failed to heal properly. The most recent, being her eye, still bleeding mana. Swallowing down the uncertainty, she glared at the creatures.
"It was fascinating to learn that you things can speak." Toriel spoke, as they paused. "At first, I thought you mindless horrors. But...you spent so long trying to draw me out. It's quite impressive." She noted. "So, congratulations. But tell me...why?" She asked. "You must know this path, you cannot win. With this attack, you'll have signed a death warrant."
"Fool. We are exchanging lives. But only you cannot afford to replace them." One whispered. "Did you see how desperate she got? Just protecting that brat? It must feel nice to save a random stranger. Especially when could not even save your own child." Another snickered, causing her to twitch. "Such dramatic words. But will they save you, will they save anyone?"
"I don't know if I can. But I will persevere, until my last breath." She warned. "Do you hear me?" She asked. "Can you even understand?"
They were all quiet. Each set of eyes closing. Until only one remained visible. The eyes of these things were dark in their own right. A pale white glow, with lone black pupils. But this one...was different. Red, it was red in a nice little ring around that black.
"What we understand, Toriel Dreemurr, is that you are exhausted. We understand you are barely holding on." It spoke. "What we understand, is that your 'guard' are dying off. That your people have long since lost hope, even before our arrival. Rebellion swept your lands, and threatens to again." It noted. "All while your King hides away, with the bodies of those you failed, clutched in some desperate believe it will change fate. Alll, while the walls crumble around him." The creature remarked. "We understand that you will die. That we will tear out your soul. That your flesh will be consumed, as you are torn apart, screaming, into dust."
"You foolish creatures." She muttered. "You're unable to see, that you're destined to fail."
"Why?" The creature asked. "Because of your 'Angel,' your mythical savior?" It laughed, as the others began to laugh in a disturbed chorus.
Toriel felt the bridge under her feet properly now. "Angel?" She snickered. "No. Nothing like that." She took a breath. "Honestly, it's just the way of these things. There is always someone like you. Arrogant. Foolish. Proud of your cruelty. Those things alone, are enough."
She noticed the child had reached the other side. And that various guards and sentries had arrived there. Finally. She turned and started to sprint across the bridge. The flaming swords she created slashing out at the creatures. Seeming to catch them off guard, earning furious roars from the dark.
She heard her phone ringing, answering on instinct. "This isn't a good time-"
"yeah you seem to be in a bind." A familiar voice said over the phone. "would it be a bridge too far to help ya out?"
She noticed a drone, flying out, and over to her. Turning, as the creatures raced across the bridge, getting nearer. A blue wave projecting from the little metal craft. It hit various of them, causing their twisted bodies to turn blue. Giving them horrifying silhouettes in the dark. Their advance suddenly halted, by the blue casted light.
"Sans...what is that?" Toriel asked, reaching the other side of the bridge.
"well I saw you were lookin blue-" The voice said. "annnnd, I figured they should be too." The creatures blinked, and were pushed back. "powers a little wonky if you wanna break the bridge now."
The knight gave a little smirk, spinning her sword in her hand. Each movement causing flame to built more intensely around it. Her eyes glowing brighter, steaming with power.
The creatures managed to start moving forward again. The blue light flickering some, as one leapt out. Biting down on the drone, dragging the both of them into the abyss below. The others rushing across the bridge as quick as they could, seeking to close the gap.
The spell prepared, Toriel slamming the blade down. Flame erupting forwards. Incinerating the bindings of the bridge. The eruption of flame consuming several to the creatures as they neared. The bridge giving out, snapping, and burning to ash. Prompting the creatures to begin falling into the abyss below. Unable to get back in time.
She let out a breath she'd held in. Her heart racing some. The sword planted in the ground in front of her. Her movements a little wobbly.
"Thanks." Toriel panted some. "Heh, you...couldn't help but...drone on, could you Sans?"
"you've goat-ta be kiddin me." Another drone floated nearby. "is that a thank you I hear?"
Her legs had many bites, and cuts. And now that she was finally able to stop moving, they were giving out some. Prompting her to stumble, catch herself, and then take a seat. Her remaining eye staring across the abyss at the terrible things there.
"Thank you, Sans." She spoke. "That...admittedly got...a little close."
"Uhm, yeah, of course Tori." He said, sounding initially surprised. "heh. like I'd let those things kill you." He chuckled. "then we'd all be boned."
She plopped back, exhaustion reaching her. "Wow. How humerus." She couldn't help but let out a few laughs at her own bad joke, while thinking about something. "Sans...I know...this may not be a good time, but...uhm." The drone fluttered nearby. "Do you want to go-" She hesitated. "t-to check on everyone?"
The pilot of this drone was quiet for a moment. "uh, yeah. no worries, Tori. you rest up okay?"
"Thank you." The knight watched as it flew off, guided by a skeleton far away.
She felt like an idiot for that, and would end up considering that momentary failure for quite some time. Even as a few of the soldiers hurried over. One or two beginning to apply healing magic to her. The child giving her one last look, before being guided home by one of the sentries.
Unlike the other battles she'd been in, this one had been different. The healing didn't work as it was meant to. Her eye, and the other places she'd been injured didn't mend back to normal. The wounds scarred...serving as permanent reminders to the monsters that had been injured.
Reminders of the creatures in the dark.