p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"uspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Chapter 6- The Choice/span/u/em/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Within the hour, us frightened refugees successfully made it to the castle. Alphys had received notification on her mobile monitor that Mettaton had been killed. He'd stayed behind and bravely stood his ground, hoping to buy us some time. Despite his sacrifice, according to the network of security cameras around Hotlands, the human was actually emgaining/em on us./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"It was horribly surreal, knowing that we likely wouldn't live to see tomorrow. Everything we'd toiled to build over our years of banishment was being eradicated, like it was nothing, in the space of two days—while, apparently, the human had all the time in the world./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"According to Alphys, the kid was driven by a force called "Determination." It was a soul quality, a red energy unique to humans. Alphys had extracted trace amounts of DT from the other human souls contained at the capitol and studied it extensively. She had been hoping the limitless energy source could be wielded to break the barrier and save us all. Instead, it had sealed our doom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Determination could elicit hysterical strength in its host, bring dying souls back from the brink, and at its strongest, manipulate time itself. The human had learned how to use their immense power like a rewind button. They manifested pockets of energy throughout their journey, called "save stars," to mark their progress in the timeline. Whenever they died, they would revert backwards to the star and try again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Based on the tense silence, I guessed I wasn't the only one sensing the hitches, the strangely familiar actions looping four, five, even ten times over. Now, the repeats were growing less frequent. With every act of cruelty, with each increase of their Execution Points and Levels of Violence, the brat grew stronger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"No one could hope to stand against the human, now. Even if we could, it didn't matter. That cursed Determination would drag their soul back through the timeline again and again until they finally succeeded. Until they'd destroyed us all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"I heard the whispers. People were saying the prophecy was true. An angel from above had indeed arrived. An angel of death had descended to empty the Underground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"I pondered over what I knew was coming, over what I had to do. I'd spent so many years hiding my abilities. With Undyne protecting the Underground, I'd believed I would never have to use them. But now, I couldn't help but wonder if my skillset had been pointing towards my destiny all along./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"As we rushed through the corridors and terraces of the castle, the finality settled over me. Though I was completely surrounded by people, suddenly, I felt lonelier than I ever had in my life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Finally, we came to the grand, golden hall leading to the throne room. It was the last stretch before we reached the barrier. The furthest edge of the caverns. The stained-glass windows in the towering corridor glowed brightly. The patterns cast crimson, violet, and blazing yellow mosaics of light across the tiled floor. It was beautiful, in some forlorn, bittersweet way./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"As the group of fugitives hurried past the majestic columns, I slowed and stopped. When Grillby noticed I was no longer trailing him, he paused and turned inquisitively. He saw my solemn face, and hesitantly asked—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""… Sans?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Alphys must have overheard the concern in Grillby's voice, and who it was directed at, because she came to an abrupt halt and whirled. Now, the entire group stopped, though most remained oblivious as to why./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""go," I said softly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""W-what are you doing, Sans?" Alphys stammered, though her expression proved she already knew./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""staying," I answered simply. Grillby's flames dimmed straight from marigold to a dark indigo, exhibiting his intense distress. Alphys's tail swished anxiously, her face twisting fearfully. But before they could start pleading with me, I stated— "if you're going to waste time trying to talk me out of this, at least send the others on their way. every second counts."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"When I made no indication of budging, thus proving my sincerity, Alphys motioned for the group to continue without us. I stared down at my borrowed sneakers scuffing at the floor. Soon, the patter of feet died away, and I looked up to assess my audience. Alphys, Grillby, and Fuku. I should have realized Fuku wouldn't want to leave her father. I wished she had gone with the others, but soon, it wouldn't matter what she thought of me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""there's no time to be anything but blunt. i'm going to make the human pay, and buy you some time," I said flatly. Acute alarm filled the gaze of all present./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""Sans, you'll be k-killed!" Alphys exclaimed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""perhaps," I lied, knowing full well I was going to die, and continued— "but if i get dusted, maybe you won't." Grillby shook his head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""Sans, your stats are incredibly low. You can only deal 1 Damage and that's all it takes to dust you. I respect your bravery; we all do. But you'd only buy us a few minutes. Your life is worth far more than that!" I couldn't hold down the grateful smile that flickered across my face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""it's okay," I promised. "please, just trust me. go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""N-no, Sans! You're n-not thinking clearly about all this," Alphys tried to reason, somewhat frantic. "Come with us. We're all going to be f-f-fine!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""you're right," I agreed. "everyone will be fine—but only if i do this. now, emgo/em," I ordered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWhen no one budged, I sighed. span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"I'd had a hunch they wouldn't leave. /spanAfter carefully adjusting Papyrus's scarf around my neck, I glanced up and down each of the three monsters. My eyes came to rest on Fuku./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""fuku?" I asked. "do you care about that red bow clip on your uniform?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""No, not really," she answered, confused. "Why?" I took a couple steps back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""throw it in the air between us, would you?" After a puzzled glance at her dad—and a nod—Fuku unhooked the ribbon, balled it up, and tossed it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI snapped my glowing hand up. A screaming barrage of sharp bone attacks shot from the ground, ripping the fabric to shreds and splitting the metal clasp. The onlookers leapt back in surprise. Hundreds of sharp splinters bombarded the scraps, tearing them even smaller. I grabbed at the remains with my telekinetic pinging magic. Forcing the scraps together in a little heap, I flung them higher. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Summoning a ring of enormous Gaster Blasters, bone-dragon maws, I watched as they unhinged their jaws and the room flashed with blinding light as they blasted pure, white-hot beams of photon energy. The onslaught only lasted a few seconds. But in the end, all that was left of Fuku's bow was a tiny spot of ash and molten aluminum on the tile at my feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThere was a heavy, shocked silence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""go," I insisted, voice surprisingly calm. "if you get the chance, take the fugitives, backtrack, and run for the ruins. you all need to get as far away from the barrier as you can. the human won't come back for a few mere monsters. you can escape." Any opportunity for disagreement was cut off by a chime from Alphys' monitor. She didn't need to say what it meant. I already knew. "the human's almost here," I warned. "now, go." Another moment was lost in stunned silence. "go!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Reluctantly, fearfully, my friends turned and ran. Once they were out of sight, I moved to the center of the hall to guard the entrance. This was it. This was the end, for me. But perhaps the others would live. And I would give the human the torment they deserved./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWords filled my mind, the script for the coming drama. I felt a half smile tug at my face. Damaging as the compulsive blips of control had been, I decided to obey these mysterious directives; I liked some of the lines./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Then, after a minute of silence, I remembered. With a sad smile, I raised my hand, summoned a blaster, and incinerated the security camera tucked behind one of the pillars. Smoking fragments of circuitry skittered across the pristine tiles, and I went back to watching the entryway. Neither Alphys nor anyone else needed to see what was going to happen next. Absolutely no one./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Within the hour, us frightened refugees successfully made it to the castle. Alphys had received notification on her mobile monitor that Mettaton had been killed. He'd stayed behind and bravely stood his ground, hoping to buy us some time. Despite his sacrifice, according to the network of security cameras around Hotlands, the human was actually emgaining/em on us./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"It was horribly surreal, knowing that we likely wouldn't live to see tomorrow. Everything we'd toiled to build over our years of banishment was being eradicated, like it was nothing, in the space of two days—while, apparently, the human had all the time in the world./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"According to Alphys, the kid was driven by a force called "Determination." It was a soul quality, a red energy unique to humans. Alphys had extracted trace amounts of DT from the other human souls contained at the capitol and studied it extensively. She had been hoping the limitless energy source could be wielded to break the barrier and save us all. Instead, it had sealed our doom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Determination could elicit hysterical strength in its host, bring dying souls back from the brink, and at its strongest, manipulate time itself. The human had learned how to use their immense power like a rewind button. They manifested pockets of energy throughout their journey, called "save stars," to mark their progress in the timeline. Whenever they died, they would revert backwards to the star and try again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Based on the tense silence, I guessed I wasn't the only one sensing the hitches, the strangely familiar actions looping four, five, even ten times over. Now, the repeats were growing less frequent. With every act of cruelty, with each increase of their Execution Points and Levels of Violence, the brat grew stronger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"No one could hope to stand against the human, now. Even if we could, it didn't matter. That cursed Determination would drag their soul back through the timeline again and again until they finally succeeded. Until they'd destroyed us all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"I heard the whispers. People were saying the prophecy was true. An angel from above had indeed arrived. An angel of death had descended to empty the Underground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"I pondered over what I knew was coming, over what I had to do. I'd spent so many years hiding my abilities. With Undyne protecting the Underground, I'd believed I would never have to use them. But now, I couldn't help but wonder if my skillset had been pointing towards my destiny all along./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"As we rushed through the corridors and terraces of the castle, the finality settled over me. Though I was completely surrounded by people, suddenly, I felt lonelier than I ever had in my life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Finally, we came to the grand, golden hall leading to the throne room. It was the last stretch before we reached the barrier. The furthest edge of the caverns. The stained-glass windows in the towering corridor glowed brightly. The patterns cast crimson, violet, and blazing yellow mosaics of light across the tiled floor. It was beautiful, in some forlorn, bittersweet way./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"As the group of fugitives hurried past the majestic columns, I slowed and stopped. When Grillby noticed I was no longer trailing him, he paused and turned inquisitively. He saw my solemn face, and hesitantly asked—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""… Sans?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Alphys must have overheard the concern in Grillby's voice, and who it was directed at, because she came to an abrupt halt and whirled. Now, the entire group stopped, though most remained oblivious as to why./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""go," I said softly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""W-what are you doing, Sans?" Alphys stammered, though her expression proved she already knew./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""staying," I answered simply. Grillby's flames dimmed straight from marigold to a dark indigo, exhibiting his intense distress. Alphys's tail swished anxiously, her face twisting fearfully. But before they could start pleading with me, I stated— "if you're going to waste time trying to talk me out of this, at least send the others on their way. every second counts."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"When I made no indication of budging, thus proving my sincerity, Alphys motioned for the group to continue without us. I stared down at my borrowed sneakers scuffing at the floor. Soon, the patter of feet died away, and I looked up to assess my audience. Alphys, Grillby, and Fuku. I should have realized Fuku wouldn't want to leave her father. I wished she had gone with the others, but soon, it wouldn't matter what she thought of me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""there's no time to be anything but blunt. i'm going to make the human pay, and buy you some time," I said flatly. Acute alarm filled the gaze of all present./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""Sans, you'll be k-killed!" Alphys exclaimed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""perhaps," I lied, knowing full well I was going to die, and continued— "but if i get dusted, maybe you won't." Grillby shook his head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""Sans, your stats are incredibly low. You can only deal 1 Damage and that's all it takes to dust you. I respect your bravery; we all do. But you'd only buy us a few minutes. Your life is worth far more than that!" I couldn't hold down the grateful smile that flickered across my face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""it's okay," I promised. "please, just trust me. go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""N-no, Sans! You're n-not thinking clearly about all this," Alphys tried to reason, somewhat frantic. "Come with us. We're all going to be f-f-fine!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""you're right," I agreed. "everyone will be fine—but only if i do this. now, emgo/em," I ordered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWhen no one budged, I sighed. span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"I'd had a hunch they wouldn't leave. /spanAfter carefully adjusting Papyrus's scarf around my neck, I glanced up and down each of the three monsters. My eyes came to rest on Fuku./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""fuku?" I asked. "do you care about that red bow clip on your uniform?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""No, not really," she answered, confused. "Why?" I took a couple steps back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""throw it in the air between us, would you?" After a puzzled glance at her dad—and a nod—Fuku unhooked the ribbon, balled it up, and tossed it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI snapped my glowing hand up. A screaming barrage of sharp bone attacks shot from the ground, ripping the fabric to shreds and splitting the metal clasp. The onlookers leapt back in surprise. Hundreds of sharp splinters bombarded the scraps, tearing them even smaller. I grabbed at the remains with my telekinetic pinging magic. Forcing the scraps together in a little heap, I flung them higher. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Summoning a ring of enormous Gaster Blasters, bone-dragon maws, I watched as they unhinged their jaws and the room flashed with blinding light as they blasted pure, white-hot beams of photon energy. The onslaught only lasted a few seconds. But in the end, all that was left of Fuku's bow was a tiny spot of ash and molten aluminum on the tile at my feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThere was a heavy, shocked silence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""go," I insisted, voice surprisingly calm. "if you get the chance, take the fugitives, backtrack, and run for the ruins. you all need to get as far away from the barrier as you can. the human won't come back for a few mere monsters. you can escape." Any opportunity for disagreement was cut off by a chime from Alphys' monitor. She didn't need to say what it meant. I already knew. "the human's almost here," I warned. "now, go." Another moment was lost in stunned silence. "go!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Reluctantly, fearfully, my friends turned and ran. Once they were out of sight, I moved to the center of the hall to guard the entrance. This was it. This was the end, for me. But perhaps the others would live. And I would give the human the torment they deserved./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWords filled my mind, the script for the coming drama. I felt a half smile tug at my face. Damaging as the compulsive blips of control had been, I decided to obey these mysterious directives; I liked some of the lines./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 115%;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Then, after a minute of silence, I remembered. With a sad smile, I raised my hand, summoned a blaster, and incinerated the security camera tucked behind one of the pillars. Smoking fragments of circuitry skittered across the pristine tiles, and I went back to watching the entryway. Neither Alphys nor anyone else needed to see what was going to happen next. Absolutely no one./span/p