Look guys, I can explain-

Undyne: YOU WERE GONE FOR EXACTLY A YEAR YOU PUNK!

Alpbys: We we're beginning to think you forgot about us.

Asriel: Burnout kinda sucks. Guess he really needed to take a while to recharge for this story in particular.

Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm not going to excuse anything, I burned out. I admit it. So I stepped away from this story for a year so I could recharge my dedication towards it. It wasn't easy. Im not asking anyone to forgive me, I'm just saying flat out that I burned out and didn't say a word, and that was really crappy of me.

But...I'm back. I'm not going to give up on this one anytime soon.

I refuse.

Frisk: Such determination.

Right. Now, it's been a while, so obviously I'm going to be woozy on some details. I'll have to dip my feet slowly I to this before fully submerging. Then I'll be able to somewhat get back into the swing of things.

Lets start small, then build our way back up.

Chapter Start!

Alvina sighed as she lightly rested her cheek in her hand. She looked outside for a moment as thunder roared, with lightning flashing every now and then.

"I didn't expect a thunderstorm to come play. Ugh, I shoulda paid more attention to the weather forecasts." Alvina grumbled as she buried her head in her hands. She'd more than likely have to deal with walking amidst all that if she stepped outside.

"teA?" Temmie stretched her arm to her to offer a cup of tea to Alvina.

"Thanks, Temmie. You're a true sweetheart." Alvina hummed as she takes the cup and sips a bit of the warm drink from it. She sighed pleasantly, feeling a slight bit calmer from it. "I guess you could tell that I'm still seriously worried about Frisk?"

"obVis!"

"Yeah. But can you really blame me? I'm worried about just about everyone, actually." Alvina sighed as she leaned forward and clasped her hands. "This is a pretty dangerous undertaking they're a part of, and we don't know what might happen when they're so far away. Frisk is so far away..."

"FrI5k iS iN gOod h3nds!"

"I know, I know. I know all this. He's gotten so strong, he has plenty of friends to rely on, he has his family to look after him. I know all of of this, Tem." Alvina shook her head. "And yet still...I can't help but be worried. Extremely worried. Ugh. Just another time to feel like a stressed mother over her children."

Obviously she wasn't Frisk's mother by blood, but that didn't matter. For all that knew the story, he might as well have three mothers. The one that birthed him, Freya. The one that raised him after her death, Alvina. And the one who took him in from there, Toriel.

They all dearly loved him, and that's what ultimately mattered. Alvina wasn't going to make a fuss about who's the 'real' mother. Because loving him was more than enough.

Which is why him being away, so far away where she can't reach him, even if he's in capable hands, felt so frustrating. Yet there was nothing she could do but wait.

"Frisk..."

Temmie stared sadly at Alvina, and moved to cheer her up more, but stopped in place as she slowly turned towards the window, eyes wide. "Alvina...the window."

Alvina immediately turned to Temmie. She knew well by now, having had her by her side for a while. Once Temmie starts speaking normally and not in Tem-speak, she was taking things super seriously. Serious Tem was activated, in a sense.

So when her secretary mentioned the window to her, she turned her head towards the window, and her own eyes widened with shock.

Someone was levitating outside of it, as lighting flashed behind them. The person slowly held up their hand until it was aimed right at them. Alvina has been in more than enough crises at this point to know what this means, and she kinda hated the initial yet necessary reaction to it.

"GET DOWN!"

Adam was downstairs at the moment, thinking of ways to cheer up his distressed sister while Temmie warmed her up for him. Though suddenly, there was a large crash upstairs where she was, which briefly brought him into a panic. Because he sensed something that brought him great alert and distress himself.

Magic.

Alvina coughed slightly as she was on her side, her dress skirt messed from the blast. She opened her eyes as she saw brief surges of lightning filling her office. Lightning Magic. There's was no mistaking it. Normal power outages don't do things like this

"Alvina is your name, right?"

The woman coughed several times as she tried to focus on on the source of the voice, only to see someone levitating in front of her, with Temmie being choked around the next by a single hand.

"My name is Revan. I'm no longer within patience to play games. You're going to take responsibility and prove yourself useful to me." The ancient warlock narrowed his eyes as lightning surged around him. "You are coming with me, and there's no arguing against it."

"What the hell is going on here?! Who-" Alvina began, only to be stunned silent as Revan began relentlessly shocking Temmie, who began to convulse and scream in agony. "TEMMIE! Leave her alone!"

"Use your Beast Magic and I'll exterminate it outright." Revan warned, having sensed the shift in her body already. "You have no right to resist my commands. You're the one who's most responsible for how far they've progressed by giving them the opportunity in the first place. You'll pay the price for your role in all of this."

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Surrender yourself, or I'll destroy it." Revan declared without room for argument. Temmie fell limp, barely breathing heavily and unable to move. Alvina felt utterly stuck. She so much as moved wrong, and he'd kill Temmie outright. There wasn't any time for considerable support to get here, and she had a dangerous feeling that it wouldn't matter to this man. It was just more possible corpses to build upon.

Alvina unclenched her fists and lowered her head. "...Just leave her alone."

Scoffing, Revan tossed Tennis aside, throwing her harshly to the wall. Alvina resisted the urge to rush to her aid lest Revan kills her on the spot anyway for taking too long. Alvina made her way over to the lightning mage, wincing when he painfully grabbed her by the shoulder.

"You've taken too long. I was in no mood for waiting." Revan sneered as he sensed someone coming, looking towards the stairway to see Adam quickly coming up, eyes widened in shock. "That requires...a penalty."

Revan pointed his finger, and a blast of lightning shit forth and pierced through Adam's heart. He didn't have time to gasp before he was thrown back into the wall, blood spilling from his mouth as he slumped to the ground.

"ADAM!" Alvina cried out in utter distress as her brother was just dealt a fatal wound. Before she could wail any more, she was forcibly taken from the entire building, vanishing with Revan in a flash of lightning.

Adam coughed, more blood splattering across the ground as he examined the sizable hole in his chest. Damn...I don't think I'm going to be able to recover from this. Can't even speak. Mind is shutting down. The others won't get in here in time to save me. I need to summon something...one...last...time!

Weakly holding up his hand and channeling the last of his magic, he called forth to a certain soul, begging for it to be reached and for it to respond to him. Surely enough, a bright and radiant soul did indeed emerge before him, nearly blinding him with it's glow. He coughed again, before grunting.

This is my...last gift to my sister. You'll be able to turn the tides...and to give her closure. This isn't how I wanted this to end...I didn't want to just leave her after all this time...but I at least wanted to make use of this. Please, reach her. And tell her that...I'm...sor...

Adam's body stilled as the life left his eyes.

The sound of the shattering of a soul happened soon afterwards.

Toriel blinked, then slowly raised her head to look towards the slightly gray skies above her. Frisk was napping comfortably on her lap, as she was gently caressing his hair. Something just spoke out to her. Something just happened, something quite terrible, she felt. It unfortunately isn't all that rare that she'd have a bad feeling like this, but this time she knew for sure that something wasn't right.

Though she wondered about her ability to act on this gut feeling of hers, due to the fact that she and the others have already been through one crisis ready, then another not soon afterwards. It was becoming quite clear that things probably weren't going to get any smoother for anyone anytime soon. And to be quite honest, that feeling was getting tiresome. It happens so much now that she must always be alert for signs of trouble.

She didn't know how she should feel about how much easier it was getting to sense trouble. She feels like that was becoming the case for everyone, basically. It's both a good and a bad thing, she feels.

"Mom?" Toriel turned her attention to Frisk, who didn't move too much but let her know that he was slightly awake now. "I just...had a horrible feeling, all of a sudden..."

"Yes, my child. As did I." Toriel muttered while looking outwards towards the window to her right. Skies were clear as day, a nice and calming blue, not a cloud in sight, and nothing but the sun. All in all, it was a beautiful day outside.

So why won't this ugly feeling in her chest leave her be? Something must have happened. But what exactly was it,, she wondered.

In another room, Undyne was currently peering over Alphys shoulder, seeing her type away on her phone trying to contact the others. "Any luck, babe?"

"I'm trying to get communications working. I should be close, but there's still something wrong." Alphys muttered throughout her tinkering. "It shouldn't take me too much longer, but I share my concerns with Toriel that something might be wrong. If no one responds by the next time I try to send a signal, then the others might be in some degree of danger, too." Alphys lightly wiped her brow with a sigh. "Honestly, I'm feeling stressed because of it. We're really split up and could be picked apart one by one if we don't reunite quickly." She then rubbed her chin. "Gaster might be able to bring us all together at once with his Void Magic, but we don't know what kind of damage that might do to his body..." She shook her head. "Gah. There's just too many variables to take into account! I have to break them all down to try and see the best way forward, and I have to-Hwah!?"

Undyne had gently kissed her cheek, sliding her arms around her and nibbling with a gentle growl. "Slow down, Al. You're gonna agitate an exhaust that pretty little head of yours. You're gonna run yourself ragged like that. Then you won't be able to help anyone."

Alphys shivered a little bit, before she took a breath and calmed with a sigh. "Whew...you're right, Undyne. I have to take this slowly, one step at a time. I want to reach the others as soon as possible, but I have to be at my best to do so."

"Atta girl."

Faryn soon entered the room, yawning and rubbing her eyes, her tails gently waving about. "Ooohh. What a nap. Now would be a good time to eat. Need to recharge..."

"Faryn, you went into a food nap. Are you trying to send yourself back into one?" Frisk lightly joked.

"Nuh-uh! Okay maybe?"

"Hehe."

Undyne's fin lightly clicked, before she looked towards Toriel. "Oi. I know your worried about Chara, Asriel, and Asgore. It's alright I be. But rest assured, Chara is in good hands. And your son and husband have each other's backs, they'll definitrly get through anything that comes their way."

Toriel sighed, lightly letting Frisk's hair as she closed her eyes. "I suppose you are right. Still, as soon as we are able, we should be on the move she ever we can be allowed to. I would not like to sit around and hope for the best if I can actually do something."

"Yeah I get what you mean. Sitting around ain't exactly my favorite option, either. So I agree, as soon as we get the chance, we need to get out for ourselves. It's the only way we can know for sure, until they return contact."

"Agreed."

"Righty right! So how about we pass the time with some snacks?" Faryn offered with a raise hand. "I'm sure Galen and Danielle will have plenty to offer, right?"

Frisk chuckled at this. The Kingdom was still recovering, but everyone wanted the pace to be gradual, to not wear themselves out. It was obvious, but eventually they would recover back to their former glory.

In the meantime, they could only wait for the proper time to take action.

Asriel and Asgore were leading the group that came with them, as they were in their way to Darkness, Lunar, and Tempest's homeland. Libertas.

From what they heard so far about it, it isn't exactly the kindest place of the world. There's no way it could be, given what it's turned the Dragon Trio into. Though, they also considered the possibility that something was going on within the Kingdom. It wasn't too much to expect some trouble when they get there. They've developed a gut feeling for this kind of thing by now.

Although, it didn't seem like such a risk was going to stop Papyrus. His brother had been taken after all, and he wasn't about to just let that stay the case. Neither would Gaster. He would rescue his son no matter what it took.

He could still feel his connection to him. But something was...wrong. It was scrambled, to an extent. Like he couldn't keep it stable or straight so that he could use it properly. If he were able, he'd simply use Void Magic to bring him directly back, on the spot.

But he's already pushed himself heavily with his brief clash against Revan. He didn't want to risk crippling himself again if he could avoid it. Every use of his Void Magic was not without risk, so he had to make sure that the reward was worth the risk. Admittedly, that was sometimes difficult to calculate, as he has plenty of people who are concerned for his health.

He'd best not overdo it for their sake.

"It seems we are getting closer to our destination." Darkness muttered while keeping his phone nearby. "Although, something feels off for some reason..."

"I think I'm feeling it too." Tempest muttered while walking in-between Darkness and Lunar. "It's too quiet. We're close enough that someone should have reacted to our presence by now."

"They're probably ready for us or something. Trying to catch us off our guard." Lunar growled while bashing her fists together. "I'm not buying for a second that they don't know we're here. Whatever they've got prepared, especially that bastard Toxin, we'd sure as hell better be ready for it."

"No arguments here." Red muttered, keeping a paw on her blade while keeping her eyes and ears vigilant.

"Whatever trouble heads our way, I'll bash it into the ground!" MK changed with a bit of a stomp.

Asgore gazed at the areas around him, noticing that indeed, civilization seems to be feeling closer by the moment. He wondered what exactly they'll encounter when th h actually approach and enter Libertas. He had an inkling that it wouldn't be as simple as he hoped it would be. Given the opposition that they would certainly be encountering, he wasn't expecting any smooth sailing any time soon. It was unfortunate, really. But he was getting a gut feeling about this sort of thing, after having been forced into one situation after another, more than once.

How he wished things weren't this way, but that's simply how it was. No use in denying it, honestly.

Though in the midst of their travels, Darkness's sense of unease grew, and he could tell for a fact that something wasn't right. Once they got to the top of a hill, his eyes slowly widened in surprise. Lunar and Tempest were surprised as well.

"What the hell..."

It appeared that a majority of Libertas has changed ever since they were last there, much more than they expected. What used to be devastated temples and ruins, now looked to be a lot more modern, yet at the same time, mystical. Just like they used to be. The skies were much clearer as well, which used to be filled with smog and dark clouds. The lands have been transformed, now sporting plenty of healthy greenery, which mixed bizarrely but interestingly with the modern feel of things. There was an increased if scientific and mystical elements that have grown immensely ever since they were fine. If there was one thing that Darkness knew...

Alphys would totally geek out if she saw this. This place would be great for a Royal Scientist like herself to explore a great deal. Darkness would gladly introduce her...if he knew what exactly had went down. Because for the moment, he had absolutely no idea what's happened. He's been gone for a while, along with his cousins. Many things could have changed since the last time they've been here. But to this extent? It's certainly a surprise.

But how much has really changed? There's only one way to find-

"Something's coming." Gaster noted.

"WHAT COULD IT BE?" Papyrus also called out, holding a hand over his eye sockets.

Asriel could see what appeared to be a flying screen in front of them. He blinked, curiousness to why it had specifically appeared in front of them. The screen flashed for a moment...

And Toxin appeared in view.

"Hello there! I hope you're enjoying your visit so far!"

"TOXIN!" Papyrus called out with a clenched fist. "WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW?! SHOW YOURSELF RIGHT THIS INSTANT!".

"Ooh, is someone still upset that I stole his treasured brother from him? Perhaps he has a new brother to hang with now, since Darkness decided to turncoat."

"WHY YOU...!"

"In any case, there's not enough time for chit-chat. There's something you cook oughta know." Toxin grinned as he laid a cheek on his fist. "Asgore and Asriel Dreemurr. You've been issued a challenge of sorts. As you're the ones here representing your Kingdom at the moment. This is a challenge to see if you're truly worthy of your crowns. Accept it, and you'll be handsomely rewarded."

Asgore narrowed his eyes. "Why would we accept such a challenge?"

Toxin grinned psychotically. "Pappy, don't you want to see your precious brother again? Your royal majesties aren't willing to take the risk." Papyrus tightened his fists at this. "You'll come. I've already predicted it. Even if it's a trap, which is a very justifiable concern, you can't help yourselves. Because your never leave a friend behind. Especially when he's your brother...and son." Toxin gazed eerily at Gaster, who looked glared right back at him. "You'll see a coliseum over by the far right in the distance. Fixed it up just for the super occasion!"

"You won't get away with this. We'll put a stop to you!" Asriel declared strongly.

"Oh? You're so sure it's going to work out in your favor? Sure, you've had a pretty good streaks but what if it breaks tragically? You won't be able to RESET and try again. You've given that part of your life no for good." Asriel's eyes widened, while Toxin's grin grew. "Oh yes, Azzy. Me and Sans had a little bit of a 'chat'. And boy, did he have a lot of interesting things to say after some creative persuasion." Toxin's tail swayed with delight. "Now you really can't resist coming over here, can ya? See you soon!~"

Red sliced the screen in half, and it fell to the ground in two pieces.

"Taunting jerk." Red grumbled, before she turned towards Asriel and placed a paw on his shoulder. "Asriel...are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Asriel took a breath and sighed. Asgore placed a paw on his shoulder as well, nodding reassuringly, before the group turned towards the coliseum in the distance. "He wants us to meet there?"

"Yo. It really could be a real, guys." MK mumbled. "But, we don't have a choice, do we? We gotta rescue Mr. Sans!"

"Yeah. You're right, MK. Not to mention Terra as well." Asriel turned towards the coliseum, a paw adjusting his scarf as his eyes narrowed strongly.

One thing was absolutely certain. It doesn't matter what trials they threw their way.

They weren't leaving without Sans.

There. Not too grand or anything, but I wanna slowly get used to things again. A year is a long time. I've probably rusted a lot. If it's too obvious, I'll have some fixes to make later.

Asgore: We're just glad you've eventually returned.

Toriel: Indeed.

Although, Alvina isn't having a good time...damn, Revan.

And the other group has begun their task to confront Toxin and save Sans and Terra from him. But what enemies lies in the Coliseum...?

Until next time!