Meanwhile, on the floor:

"How are you feeling, Asgore?" Toriel asked, surprising her ex-husband, who looked at her completely stunned.

"Hm?"

Had he heard correctly? The King of the Underground wondered, in front of the person who had once been his wife in happier times, and the only love of his long life. She held their child Asriel against her, who had dozed off while stubbornly holding his leaf close, and she delicately caressed his sleeping but strangely tense face.

It had been a while since Papyrus left the house to look for Sans, who still hadn't returned. He feared that his brother had dozed off; With these strange narcolepsy tendencies, it wasn't impossible. Undyne, who accompanied him as a precaution and having nothing else to do, had viewed the cameras to find out where the absent skeleton might have gone. So it was just the two of them upstairs, him and Toriel, not counting their son who was sound asleep.

The big goat was rather agitated inside; It wasn't often that the former royal couple found themselves alone. Under the circumstances, Asgore didn't want to risk upsetting Toriel any more than she probably was, after what had happened. So, when the Boss Monster saw that the former queen of the Underground was sincerely concerned about his condition and was waiting for his response, he was honestly very surprised. Not knowing what to answer, he awkwardly placed a paw behind a long ear. Not really thinking about it too much, he said:

"W-Well... To be completely honest, I can't stop thinking about Frisk. I can't shake what I saw earlier at the embassy..."

The king interrupted himself, remembering perfectly well the horror which had overwhelmed him at that moment, and the memory which had then come back. "When I saw him like that," he continued, his tone low and his gaze haunted by a dark image, "lying on the ground and inert, I... I thought I would relive that awful day again. When we lost Chara and Asriel, where we found the body covered in dust in the garden."

The images and sounds followed one another in his mind: the king could never forget them. That night, Toriel's heartbreaking screams had echoed throughout the castle, the queen on her knees before this nightmarish vision, desperately calling out the name of their lost child. Seeing all this, Asgore believed that his Soul would burn to ashes. No, he had lost it in that moment, drowned in an ocean of sorrow and anger, as he joined his own screams and tears to those of his wife.

Why had this happened? he asked himself. How could fate be so cruel and play with them like this? When their people had finally regained hope, and their family was full of joy...

First Chara, then Asriel and, with them, their dream. Everything was gone overnight. And what he did next, when Asgore discovered those responsible for this atrocity, the words that the king had spoken in anger sealing the fates of many innocent people...

A gentle warmth enveloping his hand awakened the goat monster, which suddenly emerged from the depths of its tormented memory. He held back a surprised gasp: Toriel's soft palm, full of gentleness, held his larger one which was trembling strongly. Her beautiful ruby eyes looked at him, full of compassion; they had bewitched him since their first meeting and, even today, they made his Soul beat. In her gaze, devoid at this moment of the usual coldness whenever they were together, Asgore guessed a slight trace of the warmth that once inhabited them.

"I understand how you feel, Gorey," she reassured him, trying in vain to ignore the emotion Asgore showed at his nickname, before Toriel let go of the hand she was holding and continued: "Me too , I thought the world was falling apart again when you told me what happened. But that didn't justify me attacking you like that just now. I was unfair and my reaction disproportionate. I know you care about Frisk too, and that you would never let anything happen to him. So... I wanted to apologize again, Asgore."

"You... You don't have, Tori-...el," the big monster stammered, before catching himself towards the end.

Half lying on his mother's lap, both parents heard Asriel stirring a little in his sleep, making them look at him gently. Then, when he calmed down and stopped moving, Toriel continued:

"A new chance presented itself to us, when our Asriel and Frisk appeared together at the castle. I remember that Frisk wasn't any longer there, when we woke up. "The former queen had a small laugh, which sounded like a chorus from Heaven to Asgore, "I was so worried, that I was ready to burn these old walls to ashes to find him. We were all upset, but Sans then revealed that Frisk asked us to wait for him, because he had to deal with something important before returning to the Surface with us."

"Who, at this time, would have thought that he would return with our beloved Asriel?" Asgore remembered nostalgically, smiling at the brilliant memory. "I will never forget when, upon Frisk's return, we see them emerging from the shadows, hand in hand. Without believing it, I initially thought I was the victim of an illusion and had definitely gone mad. But when Asriel came shyly to us... when I felt his cheek in my palm... then you took him in your arms."

None of them wanted to question this miracle, when their child had come back alive and real.

Asgore also remembered the family hug that followed, with Frisk standing aside until Toriel demanded that he join them, only to be enveloped in turn by the two Boss Monsters and alongside of Asriel. All the others then came at the invitation of Asgore, with the Skeleton Bros Sans and Papyrus, then the lovers Alphys and Undyne, all united in a concert of tears and only joyful laughter. It had lasted so long, before they disbanded without hurrying and then, together, they set foot outside, where there lay a sunset landscape that no monster had seen in a long time.

"I pray every day that this is not a dream; and, if he really was one, I wish I would never wake up from it," Toriel concluded, while her ex-husband solemnly approved her confession because he thought the same.

But, alas, a dream cannot last forever, Asgore reminded sadly. Now he had to talk about everything that happened at the embassy. The goat couldn't hide the potential threat that Senator Jordan posed, especially after what happened to Frisk. Undyne could be wrong about this man, however, the monarch trust on his apprentice's intuition and the monster already knew how devious this individual was.

He blamed himself for breaking this peaceful atmosphere between them, which would soon be obscured by dark clouds, while Asgore gathered his courage to speak:

"Toriel, I have to tell you something, and you might not like it..."

However, before the King of the Underground could utter another syllable, suddenly, Asriel stirred below and twisted, grimacing.

"Urgh!"

"Asriel!" exclaimed the two parents, panicked as they saw their son clutching his chest, to the point that his claws tore his woolly sweater.

The little monster seemed tormented, uttering uncertain words "F...sk...isk...Fr..." and unmoved by Toriel and Asgore's agitation.

Lost in an endless void in which he had been wandering alone for a while, Asriel was looking for Frisk and calling him since arrival. He didn't remember what made him look for it in the first place, but something within him had guided him here.

"Frisk! Where are you ?" he shouted, hoping the human would eventually hear him, and when he received no call, he started again.

Determined to bring him back at all costs, Asriel went further into the darkness, trying not to pay attention to the tremors in his limbs. The young monster had known worse than that; It wasn't his fear of the dark that was going to stop him! And he forced himself to continue his journey, ever further, until he finally found it.

Floating in the air, lying down, a small figure suddenly appeared further ahead. Squinting to see better, Asriel recognized a blue color and purple lines: Frisk's sweater! The young monster let out a victorious sound.

"Frisk, you're here!"

Overjoyed, the kid hurried to reach him. But, strangely, as much as Asriel tried to go faster, his legs weighed more than lead. It became more and more difficult, to the point that Asriel found himself walking at the speed of a turtle. "What's happening ?" The prince looked under his feet.

A cry escaped him: the ground was swallowing him up little by little. He didn't even realize it! It was almost to his waist, sucking him down with a sickening sucking sound. The more he tried to move forward, the deeper it dug into him. Soon it reached the stomach, then under his armpits. When Asriel was almost to Frisk, he had to raise his muzzle so the rest of his face wasn't submerged. It was frustrating: Frisk was there, less than a meter away, and he couldn't get any closer!

Asriel craned his neck upwards to prevent any material from entering his mouth, and reached out his free arm to grab Frisk's.

"Fr...*cough Frisk! Do you hear me ?" he spat, hoping to get a reaction from him as he scratched a few more inches towards his goal.

He was almost there... still a little closer... His finger brushed a thread... Still a little closer...

When Asriel was only a claw away from his sleeve, which he tried to grab in vain, a ripple disrupted the veil of darkness that surrounded them. Then, out of nowhere, a shapeless shadow appeared right next to Frisk. The little Boss Monster froze, horrified by this figure, who only seemed to notice him for a moment before becoming interested in the human. It seemed to raise an arm, as slimy as the body of the Amalgamates.

Then, to Asriel's horror, it summoned Frisk's damaged Soul, holding it in its grip. Mercilessly, it began to suck the light from the heart where it was cracked, the outlines of the figure slowly becoming more consistent and distinct. Ignoring Asriel's muffled cries, almost entirely swallowed up as he tried to reach his unconscious friend now writhing in pain.

FRISK!

Suddenly, Asriel stood up, his fur bristling and his breathing rapid. Panting, his green eyes were wide with terror. He had crumpled his drawing, becoming a common rag because he had squeezed it so tightly during his vision. Remembering this, the child jumped off the sofa, much to the shock of Toriel and Asgore.

"Frisk!" he cried, too frantic to pay attention to his parents shouting at him to wait for him, as he blindly rushed towards the basement.

His chest... it burned again, and even harder than before! Besides, Asriel had just had this horrible nightmare. Then he woke up, and the pain inside him warned him that Frisk was in real danger.

Hold on, Frisk, I come! Asriel swore to himself, who rushed down the stairs before arriving at the armored door, locked by a electronic code.

That wouldn't be what stops him. Frowning, he easily summoned the Chaos Saber, ready to use it to force his way through. Before he could open it, a terrified scream was heard from behind - Alphys! the young monster realized – then, hearing her shout his brother's name, Asriel prepared to enter. His Soul beating unaware of what he would discover inside. But Frisk needed him!

He raised his magic blade and, letting out a "Hiyaaa!" energetic worthy of Undyne, brought it down on the metal structure which collapsed with a metallic noise, before leaping to attack.

"Asriel, wait!" Toriel shouted, Asgore right behind her and out of breath from the race, as they joined their son who had entered the scientist's laboratory.

When they arrived in turn, Toriel first, an immense and terrible weight assailed them. As she entered the room, Toriel thought a mountain was oppressing her, and a destructive fire was consuming her. It forced her to stumble, then fall, groaning as her own Soul tugged at her, threatening to melt on the spot.

She just had time to see her son in front, seeming less affected but struggling to stand, and Alphys not far away who was collapsed, no longer moving. Then Frisk, who seemed to be in terrible torment in his coma, and the Red Soul above crackling, radiating a fiery, uncontrollable glow.

"TORI! ASRIEL!" exclaimed Asgore who, seeing this scene in turn, rushed forward without thinking about his own safety to get them out of there.

In turn, he became a victim of the same invisible phenomenon. Grunting with effort, the king of monsters tried to resist the pressure around him. But, exhausted by the use of magic earlier, fatigue almost immediately got the better of his resistance and he collapsed not far from Toriel.

Asriel tried to progress, step by step, while his small body resisted as best it could this force that had overcome everyone. Through his chest, an inverted monster heart began to appear.

It had the shape of any of his people, but a red glow surrounded him, and in places this energy held various parts of his Soul in place. As if someone had put the differents pieces together, like a puzzle, then glued it all back together and filled the empty space where there was nothing. This energy - Frisk's Determination that he used before on him - was currently deployed all around Asriel like a protective shield, neutralizing part of the offensive energy that came from the other Soul.

Asriel approached the levitating heart above his brother. As he arrived, his Soul emitted a gentle pulse that cut through the air. In resonance, Frisk's Soul responded to him, like a small, frightened and injured animal crying out for help.

Well, that was what Asriel felt deep within his being.

So that's it, you were just very afraid that we would hurt you both again, the prince understood, before reaching out his hands to catch the distraught heart. "Don't worry. You're safe now, and Frisk is as well."

"N... No, Asriel..." Alphys warned him not far away, expecting an attack to transform him into Amalgamate, when she saw him delicately grab it. "Don't touch it."

"Son..." Asgore yelped back and, beside him, Toriel feared that at any moment their child would disappear.

But there was not the slightest pain.

When Asriel grabbed it, he knew what was going to happen. The same happened with Chara. The familiar wave of sensations washed over him, and for a brief moment, Asriel and Frisk became one inseparable being. Frisk's emotions became his ow ; at first chaotic and full of fear, it seemed to recognize the presence of Asriel who tried to reassure them, knowing that Frisk would never be able to regain consciousness before the Soul calmed down. While he did it, Asriel discovered many aspects of Frisk ; like his unfailing kindness that seemed to know no bounds towards anyone, his immense courage pushing him to sacrifice himself for the happiness of those he loved, the childish but innocent mischief of the young human and, finally, his pure compassion which pushed him to understand others and do anything to help them.

It was warm and light inside, reflecting a colorful rainbow. In the past, Flowey had absorbed many Souls, monsters and humans. Asriel remembered what they looked like, each different from the other. But Frisk's Soul was... beautiful.

With his faults and his qualities, it was absolutely everything that made him the person he was. His character, his personality, his desires, his dreams...

That was what made Frisk... Frisk.

Even this black spot, deep within him, where Asriel discovered with suprise that it contained the darkest and secrets emotions of Frisk. It were tiny, certainly, but it gave Asriel the impression of discovering a stranger; to him, it was incredible that the Frisk he knew could experience such feelings. However, the reasonable part of his mind knew that you couldn't know everything about a person. He must know from experience now. Besides, he thought, I'm in a very bad position to judge that myself.

Maybe one day, Frisk would tell him about the demons that he hid inside him. Asriel could helped him, like Frisk had done for the young monster. But, now, the prince had to return what belonged to him. He had kept it with him too long.

In his hands, Frisk's Soul seemed to have calmed; it still had this disturbing crack, but its beats had become calm again and its color returned to an ordinary peaceful red. All the pressure in the air had vanished, releasing the adult monsters who were slowly recovering.

Asriel brought the Soul closer to Frisk's chest, who, as soon as it returned to normal, stopped struggling. He let go, letting the heart fall to within an inch of its host. Then, naturally, it came back down inside him and disappeared: Frisk let out a long, relieved sigh. When the Soul returned, the young human's cheeks had regained color. After several seconds of waiting, where Asriel watched for his reaction, his eyelids fluttered, before he opened eyes a little.

His mouth opened, lips moving as Frisk tried to recognize this room. It was brighter and more cluttered than at the embassy. Why were there all these cords on him? And all of this machines wich surronded him, displaying for those still intact an increase in his pulse and heart rate...

He groaned: his foggy head prevented him from concentrating.

"Where... Where am I? This isn't the embassy… Wait, is this the Alphys' lab?"

Frisk sat up on the mattress, helped by Asriel who holding him cautiously by the shoulders.

"Are you okay, Frisk ?"

"Az? What- Ouch!" Frisk groaned, touching the back of his head where he had knocked himself unconscious. Immediately, a welcome feeling of relief eased the pain.

During this time, the other adult monsters in the room were able to get back on their feet. Asgore had joined the children, while Toriel took care of healing the seriously injured Alphys by wrapping her in a healing spell. When she had finished taking care of the scientist, brand new again although exhausted, she hurried back to her children, entrusting Asriel to her ex-husband after a quick but necessary inspection, before applying another healing spell to relieve Frisk. With a gentle hand, she placed her palm on Frisk's hair, feeling the bump deflate and shrink, until it completely disappeared - to the happiness of the boy who no longer had headaches.

"Are you better, children ? Both of you ?" Toriel asked, checking other places where Frisk could have hurt, and looked again Asriel.

"Yes, mommy, I'm fine." replied the young prince.

"Same. Thank you. But..." Frisk asked, when a new figure came at them.

"yo, everyone! i was told that my old skeleton was needed so... oh" Sans appeared without warning from the demolished door, before his smile fell when he saw the general haggard look on everyone, and Toriel's frankly annoyed look at his attitude displaced, then the disorder of the place. He rubbed his neck, uncomfortable. "he he he... bad time to make a joke, i guess?"

Behind him, Papyrus almost dislocated his jaw seeing all the damage in the room. But, before him or Sans could say anything, it was Undyne, who arrived at the same moment and, faced with this cataclysm, who let out a huge:

"What the f*ck happened?!"

*End of Arc 1 : Embassy

Hi ! Yes, as you have read, this is the end of the first arc which serves as our introduction ^^ Most of the characters have been presented, at least the most important ones. This is the first fanfiction I've published on this site: before, I was mainly here to read the work of others. I became a fan of Undertale since a friend introduced me to the game and, at my level, I'm trying to present some sort of possible sequel to the game.

I think you've noticed, I'm not English - but French - and it may be that during your reading, you saw a lot of mistakes and sentences that went wrong. I apologize, and thank you for trying to read me :) I am also grateful for those who are following the story, and I promise to make sure to maintain a good rythm - despite my studies - and making corrections as best I can.

The whole story is in my head; here, we are really at the beginning. I have a lot left to explore (like return of a nameless demon, for example) and what just happened.

Maybe in the future, I can publish shorts stories about what happens during return of the monsters to the Surface, and how the characters - mainly based on Frisk and Asriel - adapted.

If you have any questions, an opinion on the story or advices, don't hesitate to tell me: I will answer you as soon as possible.

See you soon ^_^