Soo... Petalthorn says that if anyone hasn't read Corrupted File, and gets confused on the following chapter, she can draw out a bit of a sheet explaining the basic principles behind what's brought up here.
Toby Fox owns Undertale and all associated characters
Down, far, far below the kingdom, it moved through the waters. Red claws splashed through the shallows, sending up waves around it as it walked. Crimson eyes glowed harshly as the dragon looked about—it's screen flickering to static, then morphing into the red, smiling face. The dragon might be unable to escape through the exit, but in this place… there were other things it could do.
They wouldn't be trapped down here forever—they would break out eventually, and then…the dragon opened its maw, a broken laugh escaping it. They would find that little Frisk and make them give in.
They halted however, and then turned their head. They could feel it…a new soul coming into the Abyss. They smirked and began to move, their twin tails lashing about. The new soul coughed, getting up on all fours in the water, looking about in confusion.
The odd creature started to move around, not comprehending what had become of them. They turned their head, hearing something large coming their way. They stiffened as they saw the red eyes—and instantly turned tail, running as fast as they were able. However, they were small for a Monster, and thus, their strides didn't carry them far.
It didn't take long for the corruption to catch up, and then lunge down—only for something black to fly past it's face. It grabbed the small Monster, and lunged away. The dragon reared back in rage as they got a face full of water, and then they turned to give chase. However, the black figure vanished—blending in all too well in the surrounding darkness.
The corruption growled, closing their eyes, numbing their other senses to focus on the fleeing souls…but they were gone. The dragon dug its claws in, and then reared its head back with an angry roar, smashing its tails into the water. "Run again and again!" the corruption called—their screen flickering to a look of pure rage. "You can't hide from me forever, you little rebels!"
The dragon stomped around angrily. "Oh, let's play a little game of hide and seek," they spat. "But you can't hide forever—I know your trick. You hide in a vision, cloaked from sight, but…" They gave a soft cackle. "Eventually, I'll tear all the visions apart, and you'll have nowhere to hide…what then, you little rebels?"
They unfurled their wings, stepping forth into the seemingly endless black. "What say we end your pathetic little stand? You don't have a chance, and yet you resist even when it's futile. Honestly…" The screen morphed back into a smile. "Somehow, you little rebels fascinate me…but you're a nuisance all the same, and I plan to eradicate the thorns in my side."
With a huff, they reared their head up, growling a little. "You might have tossed me away for now," they hissed. "But you can't just hide your problems away forever, little Frisk. Either you come to me…or…"
The screen flicked to static, a more terrifying expression appearing upon it. "I'll break free, and come to you, I promise."
With that, the dragon moved on, looking for other souls to prey upon within the dark. The other two got away…for now, but the corruption had all the time in the world. Eventually, they would find the runaways—they were certain.
The newly arrived soul gave a grunt as a blinding light flashed over them. "Gods—what is going on!?" They looked up, pausing as they saw the rabbit guard holding him. "What in the…?"
01 glanced down, and his ears drooped. "Puzzler…?"
The odd creature looked up at him, tilting his head and squinting at the rabbit. "Do I know you?" He flicked his raccoon like tail, eyeing the guard.
"I'm 01—from the Royal Guard," the rabbit reported. "Well—actually, I'm not sure if '01' is official anymore. Someone else probably has the position."
"Are you alright?" the rabbit looked up to see his partner approach. He paused as he saw the new Monster. "…another one saved, at least."
Puzzler looked between them in confusion, quickly losing his patience. "All right, what's going on here!?" he demanded. "Who are the two of you and—" He looked around—finding himself in a wide open field, the grass completely hiding the guards' legs from sight. "Where the hell are we!?"
"…he doesn't understand, does he?" the Monster dragon asked.
"No…" the rabbit replied sheepishly. "He's only been here a few moments though…"
"Sir Puzzler," 02 started. "I know you're confused—I ask that you bear with us for a little while until we get you to our 'camp'."
"Bah…" the Monster growled in irritation, rubbing at his lone horn—the other long gone. "Not like I have a choice."
"Sorry," the rabbit apologized. "Just um…like, hang in there. My Bro and I have this all…um…"
"Mostly under control," 02 replied, a hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Let's move along, we've got a bit of walking to do."
With that, the two guards headed off through the grass, and the Puzzler could see smoke rising in the distance. The small Monster adjusted himself in the rabbit's hold. "Part of the guard?" he muttered. "Hrrmph…"
"A few years ago," the rabbit admitted. "We used to be stationed in Hotlands…"
The grumpy monster shrugged, not recognizing them.
"02, were you able to…?" the rabbit started.
He nodded. "I found another place for us to go to when we split up," he assured. "Our other friends managed to save a few others. Thankfully, the host of this vision has been the most generous."
"Are we really that surprised, Bro? Like…think about it…"
There was a pause, and the rabbit sensed a sad smile. "…no…it doesn't surprise me at all," was the soft response.
"So, Bro…how do we explain this to him gently? He's not like some of the others…"
"Bah, youngsters talking to me like I'm not here."
"Straightforward—once we get to the village."
"…we're not drawing straws again, are we?" 01 questioned.
There was a pause, and 02 suddenly started to laugh.
"Wh—what!?"
"But you had the most endearing look on your face when you drew the short one."
"Well—I—um—Bro!"
Puzzler raised a brow at them, and then shook his head, settling in for the walk.
After what seemed like forever to the elder, a village emerged in the plains, and the Puzzler took note of Mt. Ebott in the distance. The two guards eventually made it to the main road that cut through the center of town. The buildings were old fashioned, made of wood or stone, and the road consisted of nothing but dirt.
Perhaps a medieval aged village, if one had to guess. 02 looked up. "Calida!? Emberno!?" he bellowed.
Blue flames peered out an upstairs window. "You've returned," Calida observed. "And…" Her light dimmed. "…with a guest, I see. …I'll inform Emberno."
"Hey, like um…" 01's ears twitched. "You wouldn't happen to know where our host is at?"
"Where do you think?" Calida questioned.
"Oh…right. Guess he likes that spot, huh, Bro?"
The dragon made no comment, waiting on the elementals to emerge from their residence, and then, they headed further down through the village to a little garden. A garden of golden flowers, and sitting in them, making flower chains, was a little monster child. He turned, and smiled. "Howdy!" he called, waving.
The rabbit adjusted his hold on Puzzler and waved. "We're back!"
The little one jumped up and out of the garden. "Look, I made you a flower crown! See?" Then, he paused, seeing Puzzler, and stepping back shyly. "Oh…" His smile faded a little. A Human, who had been beside him—flickered out of existence. "…another guest?"
01 nodded solemnly. "Can he stay awhile?"
The boy nodded. "Howdy, Mister."
Puzzler gave a grunt of greeting. "Now can someone tell me what's going on?" he demanded. "And put me down!" The rabbit guard consented, and the odd creature rose up fully. Despite running on all fours, he was much like the canines, easily altering to a bipedal stance. "Now, answers. Where am I? Go to sleep in my bed, wake up in the black—and then this place. What magic are you pulling on me?"
The little child darted behind 02, nervous of the loud elder.
"We're not pulling any magic on you," came a new voice, as Emberno finally approached. "Do you want us to sugar coat, or be straight about it?"
"Bah, just stop dawdling and give me your answer."
Calida sighed. "Puzzler, when you went to sleep…to be perfectly clear. You didn't wake up."
He raised a brow. "Telling me I'm dreaming?" he growled in light annoyance.
"Not quite…"
01 fidgeted. "Um, like um, how should we say, uh…like…Bro?"
"Elder Puzzler," 02 stated calmly, gently resting a hand on the child's head. "You have passed on. You are where Monster souls go in death."
The odd creature froze. "I'm what?"
"…deceased," 02 reluctantly clarified, while the child covered his ears, expecting an explosion.
The Monster looked around, frowning, and then huffed. "Well, guess it was about time. I was getting up there in years."
01 visibly relaxed. "We're…not going to have a breakdown?"
The old monster raised a brow. "Were you expecting it?"
The rabbit sheepishly tapped his fingers together. "Well…everyone else freaks out."
"We have a daughter still!" Calida protested, while Emberno rested his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to calm her down.
"But," Puzzler started. "If this is the afterlife…what was that thing that was chasing us?" he asked the rabbit.
"Look…uh…long story."
"Let's sit down," the child Monster insisted softly. "I…I'll go get some tea for everyone! I'll be right back!" Calida and Emberno stayed a short distance from the others.
"We should keep an eye out for trouble," Emberno replied, and then turned, dipping his head, before leaving with his wife.
As the little one ran off, Puzzler paused, watching them go…a sad look reaching him. "…bah. Life was cruel to cut that one short."
"Indeed. T'was a shame," 02 murmured.
"Anyways…how about you tell me what's going on?"
And so the guards explained the tale—initially, they spoke of the fight with the living and the dead, and how that ended…then, the story continued.
"After 01 and I were dragged into the black—the dragon ignored us," 02 continued. "That…gave us a chance to run."
"Bah," Puzzler grumbled as the child handed him some tea. "I thought you were Royal Guards."
"Have you not seen the size of that thing!?" 01 exclaimed.
The Puzzler shrugged, taking a sip of the tea, pausing as he recognized it, and then shook his head. "And so?"
The other guard took a small tea cup from the child, stroking his head gently, before the little one opted to clamber into 01's lap, looking up at the guards as they continued their story.
"We knew we had to hide," 02 muttered. "We had to retreat, and think of what could be done. Facing that thing head on was not the answer…but…we didn't have an alternative. So as we ran…we stumbled into a vision."
"A what?"
"This is a vision," the child explained. "They're made for souls who…aren't ready to go just yet."
The rabbit bobbed his head. "We learned that the dragon can't sense visiting souls. So while they can sense the host, they can't sense us…"
"So you hide in visions while trying to do…what?"
"Build a rebellion," 02 stated. "The dragon has been using the souls of Beast Monsters-destroying other visions in the process-and bending them to their will…if that thing was to ever escape here…it would bring a war upon those beyond."
"But they're dead souls," Puzzler stated. "We shouldn't have to worry, right?"
"This is a creature of a greater power than we can comprehend—give that creature time, and it will find a way to break free—and sustain the dead beyond the Abyss."
"Sounds dandy…but how are you going to make an army?"
"We search for those willing to fight," the dragon stated.
"Bro's right," the rabbit supplied. "We even, like, have a whole bunch, but, they totally stay in their own visions for safety. That way if the dragon finds one of them…"
"They find only one," the Monster dragon stated simply. "This is just the meeting area due to its vastness."
The child dipped their head. "…I wish I could help, but…"
"Then help," the Puzzler stated.
"But…I can't…"
"And why not?" he asked, twitching his tail.
"…I'm just a kid."
"Bah, you're letting that weigh you down? Here of all places?" He shook his head. "Honestly, the new generations…"
"What…?" they asked nervously.
"These 'visions' are like dreams, are they not?"
"I…guess?"
"Then conjure whatever you need to make yourself powerful," Puzzler suggested. "Use that brain of yours."
The child frowned in concentration a moment, but then nodded in understanding.
"So," Puzzler started. "Your big plan is to somehow use what visions remain in operation after the dragon shut most of them off as hiding spots until you find enough people to hopefully outmatch it, and take it down…"
02 dipped his head. "So long as we can separate the machine from the dragon, we should be able to achieve victory."
"Then say," Puzzler muttered. "How powerful are visions?"
"Depends on the person," 01 replied. "This vision is very powerful, and then others…"
"Only have the bare minimum," the other finished.
"So, say, we want something…we can just…imagine it?"
"Pretty much," 01 assured. "That's why we still have our weapons—our forms even."
The Puzzler smirked. "Is that so…?" He chuckled slowly, before laughing out right.
"Mister…what's so funny?" the child asked.
His smile softened, and for once, there was kindness in his features. "Little One, do you know who I am?"
"Not…really?"
"Back in the day, I used to make Puzzles—confusing pathways to lose Humans in. Now…here we are, where I can conjure just what I want…we may be smaller and weaker—and maybe our conjurations are limited to a degree, but…
"I'm free to conjure the items I need, and little one…there's a reason I'm referred to as 'Elder Puzzler'."
"Cause you puzzled Monsters?"
He chuckled. "Catch on quick. Now, little one, the Elder Puzzler is ready to strike one last time. So you sit tight. Once we defeat that mean ole' dragon…we're going to help you onwards, you deserve that much."