THE LAST HOPE
Haward parried another swipe from his father with the sword, thrusting with his spear, but Volos easily avoided the strike. He conjured a fireball and flung his son back with it. Haward managed to recover, standing up from the blow and retaliating with his own fire, but Volos used his staff to block it.
"Face it, Haward, you're not as powerful as I am," Volos taunted.
"I don't need to be," Haward insisted. Red lightning came from the tip of his spear. His father once more used his staff to block it. He charged with his father's sword, but Volos easily deflected it, hitting his son in the chest with his staff, once more pushing him back, then fired his own lighting at his son, red bolts shocking the teen.
Haward tentatively raised the sword. "I won't let you get past me," he said weakly.
Volos stretched out his free hand and the sword flew from Haward's grasp to Volos, the red blade turning black when he grasped it. "Looks like you don't have a choice." He raised his sword over his head.
"He's not the only one."
Volos turned to see Frisk standing there.
"Frisk, run!" Haward insisted.
"No can do. Things just got really personal," Frisk denied.
"So what are you going to do? Challenge me to a duel?" Volos snidely asked.
"If that's what it takes, yes," Frisk said.
"How about I just kill you outright?" Volos raised his sword, a much more powerful fireball erupting from the tip. Frisk raised their hand and dispersed it. Frustrated, Volos pointed his staff at loose debris, then flung it at Frisk, who raised their own hands to stop it and tossesd it aside. Volos pointed his sword at the ceiling and several cracks moved across the stones before several boulders fell toward Frisk. But the smaller human raised their hands again and stopped the boulders in mid air then tossed them aside.
"You certainly are powerful," Frisk said.
"I'm the most powerful wizard who ever lived," Volos bragged. "Even you can't match me." He raised his sword with more red lighting coming from it to shock Frisk, but Frisk caught it in their hand and sent it back. Volos raised his staff in surprise, deflecting the lighting away to the wall. Mad, he tried again, but once more, Frisk caught it and sent the blast back and Volos deflected it away to the walls.
"Looks like you still have much to learn," Frisk said.
"Seems this won't be a simple fight," Volos decided. "Very well. Let's see what kind of wizard you are." He brandished both his sword and staff. Frisk took a stance with Flowey's head visible behind theirs. Volos charged, swinging his sword with the intent to bisect Frisk, but their trident flew from their belt to their hands, extending out and blocking the red wizard's strike. Frisk then shoved Volos back with surprising strength.
The older man recuperated. He leapt into the air with his staff ready to strike, but Frisk leapt as well and swung their trident, nearly getting their opponent with the tines of their weapon. For a while, the two dueled with their weapons, battling and parrying each other's blows, until Frisk conjured a sword in their other hand. The red blade clashed against Volos' black. the move startled the wizard who was mystified at how Frisk managed that.
Eventually, Volos leapt back to create some distance, sending a wave of fire at Frisk who split it easily with their trident. They retaliated with fireballs in patterns but Volos managed to avoid the strikes. He ran forward and swung his sword, but once more, Frisk parried the blow, holding him back with one arm. Then several white pellets emerged from the air and Volos was forced to block them with his staff. Frisk swung their sword while he was distracted and cut his shirt.
Volos once more stepped back, realizing he was going to need extra space to fight. He had many more powerful spells that might work but the confined hallways limited him. He sent a fireball at the wall, blasting it and creating a hole. He leapt through it, landing on a roof and running across it.
Frisk ran to the hole and leapt through as well, landing on the same roof and pursued Volos. Haward stared in shock at the feat, as the roof was twenty feet down and ten feet away. He pondered doing the same, before deciding to just run through the halls.
Undyne and Gerson fought their opponents, parrying every blow and trading a few of their own. Alphys helped by occasionally firing off a blast from her hand or a bolt of white lightning. Eventually, the two wizards realized they were outmatched and decided to retreat, especially when they saw one of the walls explode.
The fish woman and the turtle followed their foes. Alphys stayed behind to free the trapped wizards.
"Hold still," she advised, fiddling with her hand.
"Volos isn't here for the king. He's here for the kid," the yellow wizard said.
"But why?" the teal wizard wondered.
"Because Frisk is a threat to the war," Alphys said. "Their mere existence swayed you guys to our side. If Frisk's story became public, it would get the Monsters so much sympathy that the people wouldn't stand for this war." She finished her adjustments. "Okay, now keep calm. This shouldn't hurt. Hopefully."
"What are you doing?" the yellow wizard asked fearfully as Alphys aimed at him. A moment later, a blast destroyed the bricks holding him to the wall. Alphys turned and freed the other two.
"If Frisk dies, Volos might be able to keep it secret," the blue wizard realized. "He could brand us as traitors and the war would continue unaided."
"I don't think it works like that," the teal wizard said. "He's already been seen trying to execute Frisk and we have plenty of credibility amongst our kind. We could spread Frisk's story just as easily. Surely, he realizes that?"
"He must be insane," Alphys said. "If he doesn't realize you guys could counter his efforts now, then he must be crazy."
"We still have to stop him," the yellow wizard decided. "It will make it easier for him to cover it up if Frisk dies."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Alphys asked, running after her friends.
MK was running through the halls, trying to locate Frisk. He needed to protect them, especially since they were dying. He couldn't bear to lose them now. He heard some kind of explosion outside and went to the nearest window to see two figures leap onto the roof of a nearby building. He figured that it was Frisk and Volos.
MK ran. Frisk was fighting Volos and that was going to make their condition worse. He had to stop them before it was too late.
Frisk ran across the roof in pursuit of Volos. Flowey aided by wrapping his vines around their legs, taking on some of the work of running. The red wizard slid to the side, grabbing onto the ledge before going from window to window and landed on the ground. Frisk didn't bother with such a slow method. They leapt off the roof, falling, then thrust their hand down, their fall slowing enough that they could safely land on their feet.
Volos was already swinging his sword, but Frisk raised their trident, parrying the blow. They leapt back, conjuring another wave of fireballs that Volos had to dodge. It was then Frisk realized they were in the courtyard. That would allow both of them to use spells that require open space.
Volos started off by driving his sword into the ground, producing a crack that headed for Frisk. They drove their trident into the ground which produced an identical crack that stopped the first.
Volos growled. Frisk knew many spells that they shouldn't and were countering his easily. But then he realized there was one that they most likely didn't know. He pulled his sword out, then thrust it forward, the ground starting to glow. He then swung both his staff and sword to the side, the rock turning to lava when he did. Then he thrust it forward and the lava headed for Frisk.
The younger human ran when the pool of molten rock headed for them. Just as Volos thought, they didn't know how to liquify rock. Frisk sent a wave of fireballs at Volos, but he swung his staff to counter. He controlled the liquifying rock, sending it to Frisk.
"Any suggestions?" Frisk asked Flowey.
"Try freezing it," the flower said.
"That won't stop it."
"No, but it'll give you a moment to breathe."
Frisk turned and pointed their trident at the pool of molten rock and a blast of freezing energy came from the weapon. The lava was iced over, but Frisk could see the ice melting even as they spread it over the rest.
"Looks like you can't stop lava, kid," Volos taunted.
"No, but I can stop you." Frisk skidded across the frozen lava and ran to Volos with their trident ready. Volos raised his sword to parry a blow, but before Frisk swung, their eyes flashed teal, then orange. They swung, the trident turning teal as they did, leaving a cyan swipe in their wake. Volos tried to parry, but strangely, the trident just phased through him. Frisk swung again, the weapon turning orange, and this time Volos was sent flying from the strike.
He managed to land on his feet, stunned from the display. No human knew how to do that, so how did this kid manage to use blue and orange attacks?
Frisk conjured more fire and Volos parted it with his staff. He then pointed it to the lava, liquifying more rock and this time creating a wave of the stuff, hoping to swallow Frisk with it. Frisk tried to keep it away with mental might but that didn't work, so Flowey shot out a couple vines, wrapped them around two trees, and pulled Frisk back before the lava could hit them.
Volos sent another blast of lightning at Frisk, who once more caught it with their free hand before sending it back.
"Huh. Every single spell he's done was with that staff or sword," Flowey muttered. "I wonder why."
"I think one of the other wizards said they need something to channel magic and they were puzzled why I didn't have anything to do that when they captured me," Frisk said, dodging another fireball.
"Wait, that's it!" Flowey realized. "Those weapons! He needs those to use magic whereas you don't. Destroy them and he's powerless."
"Sound advice," Frisk said. They fired a blast of lightning at Volos who deflected it with his staff. "Most of what he does is with that staff."
"Destroy that first," Flowey recommended.
Frisk charged, conjuring their sword. They dueled Volos with weapons for a while before the wizard leapt back. He pointed his staff at a cart then sent it hurtling toward Frisk. They used their trident to cleave it in two. Volos then pointed his staff at another cart and flung it at Frisk but they slashed it with their sword and destroyed it as well. Volos then ripped a tree out of the ground and sent it at Frisk but they slashed it to pieces with both their weapons.
Irritated, Volos turned more of the ground to lava and sent a stream of the stuff at Frisk but they froze it, halting it in its tracks.
Enraged, Volos charged up a more powerful blast of lightning, hoping that this time Frisk wouldn't be able to counter it. He fired it but Frisk raised their trident. The lightning was absorbed by the weapon. The trident was now crackling with electricity.
Frisk charged with the weapon raised, igniting their weapon as well. Volos raised his staff to block it but when the two weapons met, the trident's blades sliced through the enchanted wood.
The staff exploded in a blast of rainbow light, flinging both participants backwards. They landed roughly on the ground, dazed from the explosion, Volos' staff now in several pieces.
Everyone in the castle felt the ground shake when Volos' staff exploded though none knew the reason for it. Alphys almost lost her footing in the shake as did the wizards behind her. "What was that?" she wondered.
"I'm not sure but I get the feeling that something was destroyed," the blue wizard observed.
"Wait. There's an abundance of magic in the air all of a sudden," Alphys said. "That wasn't there before."
"That explosion? Could one of Volos' weapons have been destroyed?" the yellow wizard asked.
"Is that what happens when a wizard's tools are destroyed?" Alphys asked.
"They are enchanted objects with a massive amount of magic in them," the teal wizard explained. "It's why we can cast spells. If they're damaged in a significant way all that energy is released at once."
"But anyone who's nearby is going to be hurt by the blast," the yellow wizard realized.
"Frisk," Alphys muttered, resuming her run, this time heading for the courtyard.
MK kept one hand on the wall as he felt the floor shake. He felt the sudden increase in magic in the air, which didn't bode well. He hoped Frisk was alright. He continued running, trying to find a way to the courtyard when he ran into Toriel.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. "The castle is on lockdown."
"My friend is in trouble," MK explained. "I'm going to help them. Can you show me the most direct route to the courtyard?"
"But you should be getting somewhere safe. Humans can be dangerous," she advised.
"My friend is in trouble and any day could be their last," MK reminded. "Show me where to go or I'll just fling myself out a window and get down there."
Toriel could see he wouldn't be deterred and decided to escort him there herself to make sure he would be alright.
Frisk shook their head as their senses came back to them. They hadn't expected Volos' staff to explode when they sliced it. They tried to sit up but they suddenly felt a tightness in their chest as their heart started to seize. A hand flew to their chest as they tried to get it under control, gasping for breath.
"Not… yet…" they panted. Their heart was still beating erratically, seizing up on occasion. "Not… yet…" they grunted. They tried to take fuller breaths to get air into their lungs. "Not… yet." They took a huge gulp of air and forced their heart to beat regularly. They slowly sat up, panting heavily as their heart started to calm down.
They looked forward and saw Volos slowly recovering. They tried to force themself up, using their trident for support. Flowey was swaying from side to side, clearly not with it. They had to get to Volos while he was vulnerable. They had to end him now, but their body refused to cooperate, their limbs feeling like lead weights.
Volos managed to recover and stood up. He looked at the piece of his staff still in his hand before discarding it, whisps of rainbow energy leaking from the ends.
"You bitch," he cursed.
Frisk managed to steady themself. Flowey had recovered as well and his vines tightened on Frisk's limbs once again. "Looks like you're down a weapon," they taunted. "Surrender and we might show mercy."
"You think you've won?" Volos mocked. "Think again. I still have one last trick up my sleeve." He brandished his sword, a sickly light now coming from it. "I didn't want to have to use this spell but it seems I have no choice."
"Something's wrong with that weapon," Flowey warned.
"Have you ever heard of Death Touch?" Volos asked. "It's forbidden magic because it can kill any living thing. Just a cut and you're dead in moments. Usually, such a spell requires a lot more magic than what a single human can muster. Luckily, many Monsters have died upon this blade." He brandished his black blade. "The power of the people you defend will now be your undoing."
When Frisk realized what he meant, their eyes widened.
"Run," Flowey said. Frisk heeded his advice, turning and running for it, but Volos conjured a circle of lava, surrounding them both.
"You're not escaping this time," Volos menaced. He marched towards them with sword ready. Frisk raised their trident, ready to defend themself. He swung his sword and Frisk used their trident to catch the blade. They tried to pull it from his grasp, but Volos held fast. He pulled his weapon free and swung again. Flowey aided Frisk in parrying it again.
Frisk sent another blast of lightning at Volos, but he deflected it with his sword. They shot fireballs at him, but he bat them aside. Flowey launched his pellets, but Volos slashed them. They continued to battle while Frisk kept him back as best they could. They managed to push him back so they could take a moment to freeze a patch of the lava for them to run across. They got out of the circle and tried to freeze Volos with a blast of ice, but he used his sword to block it.
Frisk got an idea and pushed forward with the ice spell to encase Volos' sword in ice. The wizard growled, swinging his weapon at Frisk, who avoided the strikes. Frisk kept trying to strike Volos with fireballs, but the red wizard blocked them with his frozen sword, partially melting the ice.
Flowey summoned more of his pellets and flung them at Volos, who dodged them. Frisk got an idea and froze the ground at Volos' feet, causing him to slip and fall on the ice. Frisk tried to strike him with their trident, but he managed to parry with his sword, some of the ice chipping off. He forced Frisk back then pointed his sword at the ice, the rock underneath turning to lava. He slid off the ice and back to solid ground before it completely melted. He then held his sword over the lava long enough for the ice to melt off.
Frisk sent a blast of lightning at him, but once more he deflected it with his sword. He then spun around and swiped Frisk's feet from out under them, knocking them onto their back. He raised his blade and swung and Frisk just barely blocked it with their trident. The older man pressed and slowly the black blade inched towards Frisk. Flowey wrapped vines around the trident and tried to push Volos off, but he wasn't strong enough.
Flowey then extended his vines to grab Volos' arms and tried to pull him back, the blade slowly backing away from Frisk, allowing them to push Volos off. Fed up with Flowey, he yanked back, pulling Frisk up in the process. In desperation, they kicked Volos in the knee, but it did little good.
Flowey unwound himself from Frisk and wrapped himself around Volos' arms, bounding them together. Volos tried to pull his arms apart, but Flowey held fast, so he shocked the flower instead, which loosened Flowey enough for Volos to throw him off.
Frisk backed up as Volos swung more madly than before, just barely avoiding each swipe. Then they backed into a corner and realized they were trapped. Volos reared back before thrusting his sword forward.
"No!" Flowey shot forward, grabbing the blade and forcing it to the side, but in the process, the blade cut his vines. He gasped when he felt a numbness start to travel up from the cut. But he didn't have long to realize what just happened when Volos turned on him and stabbed him in his flower head.
"NO!" Volos turned back to Frisk, a smug smile on his face, which quickly vanished when white-hot fire scorched his face. The younger human poured on the fire; the red flames turned white from the intense heat.
Frisk whipped their trident forward. A blast of red lightning, stronger than any before, erupted from the tip to zap Volos, forcing the man back. But then an orange blast struck Frisk in the side, knocking the trident out of their grasp.
The purple and orange wizards came up with their staffs at the ready. They rushed to Volos' side, a hand to his face where Frisk burned it. A blue spear struck near them as Undyne and Gerson came forth, weapons at the ready. Not too far behind, Alphys and the three wizards ran up.
Realizing they were outnumbered, the purple and orange wizard decided to retreat, the orange one blasting the castle wall to make a quick exit.
MK and Toriel arrived just then. MK flung bones at the retreating shapes while Undyne pursued them with her spears. The two capable wizards then summoned a roll of fog to obscure them and allowed the three of them to escape without pursuit.
Frisk ran over to Flowey, who lay on the ground, gasping. "Flowey!" they screamed. They cradled his head, one of his eyes gone from where Volos stabbed him.
"Frisk? I feel… cold," Flowey gasped.
"Hold on, surely this Death Touch can't be fatal to you," they pleaded.
"Heh, I don't think it matters if it is," he said. "Everything's getting darker."
"No, don't go," they begged. "Don't leave me, not now, not yet!"
"Heh, I wish I could do that, but I can't," Flowey said.
"Why would you do that?" Frisk asked. "Why take a hit for me?"
"I don't know…" he breathed. "I shouldn't care at all. But… in that moment, I didn't want you to die, because I care about you. Guess I can feel."
Frisk hugged Flowey to them. "Please, save your strength, the healers might be able to do something."
"Heh… idiot," Flowey gasped. "I don't think… anything can… stop this."
"Please, not yet, not now. It's supposed to be me!"
"I'll tell… mom and dad… hi for you…"
"No, please. Asriel."
Flowey's face disappeared. Now Frisk was holding an ordinary flower.
"No. NO! Asriel!" they screamed. "Asriel…" They started to gasp as their lungs refused to work. They couldn't feel their heart beating again. "As…" They wavered before collapsing on the ground.
"FRISK!" MK rushed forward, cradling a now unconscious Frisk. Toriel rushed forward, a green glow coming from her hands as she placed them on Frisk's chest. The lizard turned to Alphys, who was trying to fight back her tears. "DO SOMETHING!"
Alphys rushed forward, looking over the human as the rest gathered around, worried about their young friend.
End of Chapter 12