Chapter 14

Angel's Gift

Kris and Susie were dressed and ready to go when Ralsei finally came down the stairs. He was fluffy, fuzzy, and refreshed. When he looked at his friends, he blinked, wondering why they looked haggard but happy and wide awake. The storm had died down and the two Lightners were edging towards the door. Ralsei said he was going to check the tree one last time, make a perfect mental image of his first Christmas tree and their time decorating it together. It was also an excuse to check out the area around the couches and chairs.

Tucking his chin into his scarf, he laughed to himself. These kids had a lot to learn.

"Hey! Can you check to see how the snow is?" he called.

Susie wrenched the door open and fresh snow tumbled into the cottage, burying Kris. Ralsei took the opportunity to flip around one of the cushions. He felt sorry for whoever might come here next, but this was the best he could do. It would be more considerate to clean, but those two awkward love birds would probably have heart attacks if they saw what he was up to.

Assuming a more innocent demeanor, Ralsei yipped and raced to the door to help save Kris. With a tug on both of their hands, he and Susie hauled Kris back to their feet.

"There's only a few snowflakes coming down, but that storm must have left four feet of snow!" Susie complained. She kicked at the hill of snow that slid inside the cottage, knocking it back outside.

There wasn't a shovel for any of them to use, so they resorted to attacking the snowbank to break their way through to the road. Susie was already grumbling about having to shovel their way up to the final level when the snowbank gave way and toppled back onto the road. A curious sizzling sound greeted their ears. Looking down, they all saw that despite the thick blanket of snow weighing down the Angel's Tree, Jolly's magic that super-heated and sealed the sappy wounds in the road had also warmed it enough to melt the snow and ice.

"Wow… That guy is super helpful!" Susie declared.

"I know it wasn't pleasant to get beaten by the Krankpus, but it looks like he did a real favor by throwing us down to Darkville!" Ralsei said.

"Naaaah, I don't think that bastard was trying to help us, Ralsei," Susie snorted. "But that doesn't mean I'm complaining about this!"

Kris agreed, still sweeping ice and chunks of snow drift off themselves and out of their tangled hair. Ralsei noticed a few nibble marks on their neck. They turned away, trying not to blush and didn't comment on what he saw.

Susie leaped down onto the road and helped both him and Kris over the remains of the snowbank. Sinching up their warm clothes and closing the door, the three friends and heroes set off once again. It was nice having a far more peaceful level of tree branches to traverse. Ralsei preferred not having a bunch of people to fight in order to befriend them. True, they did have to untangle an eldritch knot, but it came with the benefit of not having to battle a bunch of corrupted Darkners!

They followed the road cutting through the branches until it reunited with the Lantern Road and led them up to the fifth and final level. Blocking their way was another one of the Dreemurr family ornaments.

A small angel with a face just like Ralsei's.

"Hey there, Asriel!" Susie shouted, waving.

Kris approached cautiously while Ralsei walked ahead more confidently.

"It's nice to meet another Ralsei! Though, I don't think you're exactly like me. You look slightly younger."

"You can tell a difference?" Susie said quietly, glancing back to Kris. They nodded; this was indeed a younger version of Asriel.

A smaller, squeakier voice emitted from the angel. The younger Asriel said, "This is pretty much the end of the road for your adventure, dear heroes! I am the last obstacle before you must face two more bosses." He shot Kris a meaningful look that made Kris' mouth become thin, sharp line. "But I'm not going to fight you guys. This is Christmas after all, and there shouldn't be any violence or fighting on Christmas!

"But there are times when you need to fight. When that happens, good must prevail! Especially since right now, there is a false angel watching over all of us right now. You need to defeat him in order to restore order and peace to the tree and this Dark World."

"I knew it!" Susie said, slamming one fist into her other open palm. "There's always some twist at the end. Some big bad who might have looked good at first! We just didn't get all the hints like usual that point us to something big coming up or trying to misdirect us. This Dark World is really strange. And that's saying something!"

Angel Asriel laughed, and it was musical. "This place was shaped by the memories and personal touches of many people, but the will and purpose driving it is far different from anything else you've encountered before Susie. There's selfishness behind it. Greed. It's very un-Christmassy…"

Kris mused about how so much of Christmas was commercialism and greed, but the message was still there. Just as the Keeper said, we buy gifts to give physical meaning to the relationships we share with others. Christmas is a time to love and serve others. It is a time to move on from the pains of the past and embrace a brighter and better future as the new year dawns. Christmas was about bringing people together and strengthening the bonds that were there. Kris, Susie, and Ralsei had experienced all of that to one extent or another on this adventure.

Gerson's warning came back clearly to Kris' mind. There were people out there who wanted the gift, the story, that he had left with Toriel and Asgore. A manuscript with such terrible secrets that it could endanger all worlds. A gift that was not meant for someone else.

Ralsei kept approaching the small, angelic Asriel until they were nearly nose-to-nose. He gave Asriel a hug and said, "It's good to see you like this. While it's not perfect, the circumstances are much better."

Asriel returned the hug and said, "Yes. I like this." He then pulled back, smiling and added, "I said I was your last obstacle, because I cannot allow you three to pass by me without giving you a great gift of power! Something that will help you defeat the Krankpus and restore order to the Angel's Tree."

He kneeled and began praying. The freshly fallen snow around them began drifting upwards, falling in a reverse blizzard. The snowflakes rushed and flowed around Asriel, forming a pure white, sparkling vortex. Light began coalescing, forming a sword. It shimmered in the air between Asriel and Ralsei.

"TAKE UP THIS SWORD, RALSEI."

"B-But, I don't use weapons like these!" Ralsei sputtered. "This is something for Kris!"

"NO, KRIS NEEDS HELP. SUSIE NEEDS HELP."

"I think you should take it," Susie encouraged. "We'll all look badass with our own weapons!"

"KRIS WILL NEED HELP FACING THEIR ORNAMENT. IT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS OF ALL THE ONES HUNG ON THE ANGEL'S TREE."

That was not what Kris wanted to hear, and it began to confirm some of the fears that had brewing in their heart since they first met Asgore. It was nice not needing to fight Asriel, but that was because their brother, when he was younger, was the kindest, most selfless soul. That's why everyone loved Asriel. However, the younger Kris, even current Kris, was definitely someone who would cause all kinds of problems and mischief for others.

They clenched their fists as Susie pestered Ralsei to take the sword. The Dark Prince sighed but finally grabbed ahold of the hilt. A glorious flash of light washed over them, blasting all the surrounding snow away. As the light dimmed, the sky was no longer black with eerie purple glows against the clouds. It felt like day was somewhere above the snowstorm. Susie and Kris could see everything more clearly, including the swirling clouds above. The great, snow-covered woods surrounding them no longer appeared ominous, but deep and beautiful.

"Wow… I can feel its power," Ralsei said reverently.

"It's my gift to you as the one who is supposed to protect Kris," Asriel said, returning to his normal, squeaky voice. He beamed tiredly and said, "When all three of you can fight and guard each other, you will win! So, I just need to give two more gifts."

He waddled cutely over Susie and gave her an unexpected hug.

"Woah! Woah! What's going on here?" she asked, blushing.

"I'm giving you a gift! Your axe will now shine brightly with the love that beats in your heart. Each attack, especially your charged ones, will release holy energy that will burn away the wickedness that seeks to corrupt the Dark World."

"That sounds cool," Susie said, coughing into her fist. "But did it really need a hug?"

"Yes."

Susie looked away and whistled as Asriel made his way over to Kris. Even though this was not their brother, Kris still felt a little apprehensive. There was so much muddled and painful history there. So many emotions and thoughts. They had reconciled with Asriel and began the process of healing. That was part of what this Christmas was all about! Still, this was catching them off guard.

If Kris wanted to move on and embrace the spirit of the season, they knew what they needed to do. Kris broke their chains of anxiety and grinned goofily back at their younger brother. They got down to Asriel's level and hugged him.

Asriel nuzzled into Kris' shoulder and sighed contently. "Kris, I am giving you the same gift as Susie. The love that beats in your heart will charge all of your attacks. You will deal cleansing, holy damage with each hit. This will be necessary for your final fights. And just remember Kris, we are what our past choices have made us, but we define ourselves and become who want to be by acting now. Your friends and family have already forgiven you for everything you've done. You need to forgive yourself."

With that, Asriel broke the hug and took three steps back. He clapped his hands once and transformed into a simple tree ornament. It sat there in the road. Kris carefully picked it up and tucked the decoration away in their Inventory.

"What was that about?" Susie asked.

"If we have to get rid of a false angel," Ralsei reasoned, "We'll probably want to have a replacement. Otherwise, it won't be an Angel's Tree, will it?"

"Huh, that makes sense." She looked up the road and her mouth became grim. "Two more bosses, right? I am willing to be all of our Dark Dollars who is next up there. And he's someone I've been wanting to take a crack at since getting here! Or, er, well since we found out he was here!"

The Krankpus. The second-to-last boss and the fight Kris was certain would their final trial.