We've moved to this place Chara calls The Underground. I don't know where we were before, Chara refuses to talk about it, along with what they destroyed in order to summon me. It makes me angry, but I still continue to follow the red-eyed child as they.. float? forward.

"This is the RUINS of the old kingdom." They say, pointing out the purple ivy-covered walls. "HOME. It was where the monsters first resided when they were forced underground."

There are puzzles everywhere, but Chara simply floats above them. Myself, things are a bit more tricky, since I am sort of physical. I normally just jump over the entire thing, then wait for Chara to catch up. I also see some small monsters once in a while, but they shrink away from me. They don't notice Chara, who takes the time to circle around each monster a few times. After being in such a rush earlier, they definitely seem like they're taking their time now.

It's annoying. And not just them taking their time, it's what they asked me to do. Or at least, help them with. Save all the monsters. I'm a demon of mass destruction and evil, not a savior of an entire species. In fact, I may have even been the one to trap the monsters underground... actually, I doubt that. I would have just killed them all instead.

~What does this have to do with saving the monsters?~ I ask the child, showing my annoyance. We enter another chamber, this one with a tree in the middle. I admire the purple leaves adorning its branches, then look back at Chara.

"You have to know the history of the Underground if you're going to help." Chara says, continuing to float forward.

~Then why does it have to take so long!?~ I insist, getting angry again.

They turn around and face me, their red eyes meeting my gaze. They smile slightly. "The monsters have waited a very long time to be freed from the underground. Don't you think they can wait just a little bit longer?"

Once again my anger melts. Oh this child! Why are they doing this to me!? Why can't I just destroy something and then go back to sleep? I sigh internally. ~Very well, Chara. Lead the way.~ I tell them, defeated again by those red red eyes.

They smile happily and spin around, continuing forward until they reach a small cozy looking house. They stop just outside the doorway, floating above some leaves. I catch up to them, stopping next to them. ~Chara?~ I look at them, surprised to see them staring sadly into the doorway. ~Chara, what's wrong?~ I reach towards them, worried that somehow they might have died even though they're already dead, but they snap out of it, and shove me away angrily.

"Get away from me." They glare at me.

I glare back, all of my worries gone into oblivion. ~You looked like you were dead, I was afraid I was stuck here forever.~

Chara laughs harshly. "Right. Nice joke there. It's not like I'm already dead or anything." They look back into the door frame. "If you're so worried, I was thinking about how we're going to get around my mother."

~Your mother?~ I question, ignoring their earlier comment.

They look at me. "Yes, my mother. She lives here, and she's not an ordinary monster like you've been seeing. She's a Boss monster."

Boss monster? That sounds interesting. ~What's a Boss monster?~ I ask.

Chara leans closer to me. "A Boss monster's SOUL can persist outside of their body for a short time after their death."

I'm confused now. ~What's a SOUL?~

Chara throws their hands into the air, exasperated. "See? This is why you have to know history!"

~How is this history!? This seems like a need to know fact!~ I growl angrily.

Chara sighs. "Fine. A SOUL is the very culmination of someone's being."

The very culmination of your being... interesting. I wonder if it can be destroyed. ~What does it look like?~ I ask.

Chara glares at me. "Does it really matter? We need to figure out how to get past my mother without her noticing."

~Well she can't see you..~ I ruminate. ~And she can see me..~ An idea pops into my head, and I smile. I know what to do.

"You're not allowed to harm her in any way." Chara says, interrupting my thinking.

My smile falls. There goes that plan. ~I got nothing then.~ I say, shrugging.

Chara rolls their eyes. "It figures." They look back at the tree, and their eyes light up with an idea. "I know. We can distract her."

I look at them. ~By we you mean me, don't you?~ I say.

"It's not my fault I'm invisible!" Chara proclaims, glaring at me once again.

I sigh. I really should be used to this by now. The people who summoned me had always said we, but by then, I was keeping them alive so it didn't really matter. And it's not like the child has any choice on this either.

~What's your distraction?~ I ask, looking at the tree.

They point at the tree. "You need to burn it."

~Burn the tree? But what about the pretty leaves?~ I ask. If looks could kill.. and if I could die... then I'd be dead right now from the look the child gave me.

"Since when do you care about pretty leaves?" They ask angrily. "You just wanted to harm my mother!"

~Your mother isn't pretty leaves.~ I retort, really unable to explain myself. Burning this tree..it doesn't seem right. At least not as right as burning down the entire RUINS, and leaving only the tree standing amidst the chaos. I feel the tree is important somehow.

I turn and face the tree again. ~You may want to step back.~ I warn the child. Even if they're already dead, I don't know what my magic could do to them. They scoff at me, but still do as instructed. I'm surprised, but I push it aside, instead focusing my energy on the tree. It bursts into brilliant white flame, but I make sure to leave the trunk alone, and only burn the leaves.

As soon as I'm done, Chara grabs me and pulls me to the side, just before a tall white goat woman rushes past. "The tree! Chara!" The goat woman cries, clearly frantic.

~Chara?~ I question the woman's words, leaning forward, but then I'm yanked back roughly and pulled into the small house. The last I see of the goat woman is the back of her purple robe, as she kneels on the ground beside the now-black tree, crying softly.