Chapter 5: Wayward SOUL
/
The duo marched onward avoiding a flying bird like creature that was shooting stars to harm SOUL. It was an annoyance, but Kris was relieved that the bell they came across shooed it away. What came next was a puzzle room with an impassable tree and spinning obstacle in the middle. The sign told them what they needed to do, and SOUL suggested they should try to walk around the center path with the hazard. Seeing no other way around they tried his suggestion and slowly the room became darker. It was here that SOUL managed to spot an odd-looking bush in the dark and lead Kris to where he saw it. The puzzle was solved, and they can continue onward. Still though Kris felt something off as they entered the next room and found nothing but the save point.
"This…doesn't feel right," Kris tone hid a layer of unease.
"I feel like there was supposed to be people here? Yet there is no one here…why?" SOUL was puzzled and through Kris's eyes locked his sight with the save point, "I think we should save while we still can. I don't like the look of this Kris."
"Right…right…"
"Kris?" Ralsei's voice reminded the young man that his companion is still here.
"I'm just having that feeling again Ralsei, we…should be careful."
"Oh…okay. Lead the way Kris."
Kris quickly saved and headed to the only other direction they can go. Finding themselves in a straightforward path that splits into two. The feeling of unease only seemed to grow worse as they stepped forward. Their slow pace made the walk feel a lot longer as they took the left path. They ended up in the same path again with the same fork in the road. Kris mumbled under his breath, hoping that it isn't what he thinks it is. They headed the right path instead and again they found themselves on the same path again. All the while a noticeable static was appearing in the corner of his vision.
"Kris? Wh-What's going on? Are we looping?"
"I-I don't know…but this feeling…it's getting stronger…"
"Kris…relax, I feel your panic rising. I-I mean so am I, but we need to think here. We can't lose our head here."
"I know…I know…just…hold on."
Kris was struggling to keep his thoughts together. The static in his vision taunting him as some unknown force was keeping them in line. For what reason he doesn't know, but he has a feeling it might be related to the glitched hallway from before. Taking a few moments to compose himself and some words of encouragement from Ralsei. Kris led them through the right path again. Once again nothing changed from the path however for a brief moment, he saw shadow moving the right path again.
"Who was…?" SOUL questioned but immediately Kris chased after the shadow with Ralsei quickly following behind, "Whoa hold your horses! You're just gonna run after that?"
"You're a mind reader! You should know why!"
"*Sigh* But is that really the best idea though? They could be leading us astray further."
"Got a better idea? Whaa!"
Kris found himself falling to the ground, his body tensed up. Immobility has struck as both groaned in pain vocally and mentally. Kris just grew more annoyed, "We been doing good s far…not like you got a better idea!"
"No but you got to trust me! I am sensing nothing but bad news from that thing! I feel like if we follow that thing we might be put into serious danger!"
"I feel something wrong here too, but I feel like the more we get the path wrong the more this forest seems to be closing in! I felt…static my mind is getting…unfocused!"
"I felt it too! Just…we can't act irrationally right now. We…got to think!"
"Umm…Kris?" Ralsei spoke up which brought the bickering body and soul to attention, "I don't mean to be rude, but…something is behind us!"
Looking behind the darkner, Kris eyes widen as he saw it. A wall of glitches and static following a line of glitched scissor dancers. They all cackled with laughter as they inched closer. Both Kris and SOUL felt alarm bells go off as they re-synched and got up from the ground. Grabbing Ralsei by the hand they took off running. Firstly trying the path the shadow didn't take, but it once again looped back and Kris felt the static in his head grow worse. The laughter echoed in his head as he charged after the shadow. The path on the right turned out to be correct as the static in his head grew less. Desperation and a feeling of elation of being proved right as he chased after the shadow. Loop after loop the static faded from his brain and eventually fully cleared. However, on the last loop following the shadow he ended up in a dead end with the shadow waiting for them.
All sound was gone in the space they found themselves in. The way back was gone as the being looked at them.
I SEE YOU…
Kris felt the words being etched in his own head. In addition, he can feel SOUL becoming increasingly fearful.
WHAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN, NOW EXISTS. DOORS OPEN AND WE BEEN LET IN…YOU LET US IN.
"What…what even are you?" Kris had to fight the fear in his voice as the amorphous shadow continued talking.
WE ARE ROADS IN BETWEEN. PATHS NOT TAKEN. PATHS DELETED. SOON YOU'LL BE ANOTHERRRRRRRR#$! #$# $
Static filled Kris's head in full force. He screamed out in pain along with Ralsei as everything turned black. Conscious thought leaving him.
/
Time passed as the bodies were left in the forest maze. Kris's body stirred and slowly he got up. However, it wasn't Kris in control but SOUL instead. Having awoken first and noticing the predicament they are in. Seeing no choice but to, take the wheel, so to speak as Kris mentally has not returned. He dusted himself off and tried to wake up Ralsei, but also found the Darkner unresponsive.
"Dang it…" He looked around and the forest had returned to normal. However they still had the trouble of a fork in the road, "Oh you got to be kidding me…"
Using what strength, he had to lift the goat boy over his shoulder's fireman style. The thought of doing it that way just popping up in his own memory. SOUL mumbled a few words as he attempted to navigate the forest on his own. It took trial and error to find the right path but without the threat of static and shadow it was more manageable. Still the way was treacherous with hazards and opportunistic darkners. He stopped to take a break in a straight path with only one direction to go. Sweating a bit as his stamina was only as good as the body he inhabited.
"Ergh…come on you two," He knocked on his own head and try to shake Ralsei awake. To no avail as neither Kris or the goat prince woke up, "I…geeze…"
SOUL looked around and checked what inventory the team had. It should be enough for margin of error, but the newness of this situation did not give him much hope. After a few minutes he sighed and got back on his feet. Picking up Ralsei once again as he navigated the next leg of the maze. It was a trek, and the dangers were numerous. Scissor dancers, swinging pillars, and the star birds shooting at him. He didn't come out of it completely unscathed as he took a couple of hits from the obstacles. Left him beaten and tired as he finally found another clearing with a save point. He sat down again after setting Ralsei down gently. He was used to being a passenger not the driver of this body. He knows for sure Kris is not gonna like the fact he spent a good amount of time in control of his body.
SOUL looked at the save point and studied its mysterious glow. It helped focus his mind as he tried to figure out what to do next. Especially if they run into Susie and Lancer again. No doubt they are going to have questions about what happened. The problem being he isn't sure what happened. Returning to his gaze to the unconscious body of Ralsei and thinking that the darkner may have some answers.
After enough time passed SOUL felt rested enough to stand back up and activate the save point before trying once again to try and wake Ralsei up. Thankfully, after a few more attempts he started to wake up.
"Kr-Kris? What happened? Where are we?"
"Uh…not Kris, it's me. Um SOUL."
"SOUL? What happened to Kris?"
"Asleep I guess? You two were knocked out after that whole fiasco in the forest. I had to take control and carry you here."
"Oh…well thank you SOUL. We're lucky to have you."
SOUL sheepishly scratched the back of his head, "Hehe I do what I can, but I'm worried for Kris. He hasn't woken up yet and I don't want to move further without him joining us."
Ralsei hand glowed with magic power and checked Kris's body. After a few seconds the Darkner's expression turned grim, "He's still in there alright…but you're right he's not waking up. My magic detected an unknown ailment affecting you that is keeping him asleep."
"Oh geeze…is there anything that can be done right now? I don't think Kris will appreciate missing out on things."
Ralsei shook his head, "I don't know, it's an unknown ailment. It might be tied to those glitch…things."
"About that, got any theories why those things are targeting us?"
"W-Well…that shadow we met called itself, the paths not taken/ deleted, whatever that means. I am honestly not certain, but it feels like this is beyond our understanding. Possibilities…let in…*sigh* I'm coming up blank."
SOUL tried to rack his own mind for thoughts but was coming up with nothing as well. With a heavy sigh he submitted to the fact they were up a creek without a paddle for this problem, "Shoot…I guess we have no choice but to move on then."
"Unfortunately, yes, hopefully Kris will understand when he comes to."
Soul slapped his own face a couple of times to try and hype himself up for the task at hand. Ralsei hid a smile as his attitude was completely different from Kris. More raring to go and ready to take on what needs to be done. He couldn't help but think there is probably a reason why SOUL was paired with Kris. The yin to his yang so to speak. Either way he was willing to help him through as everyone needs a guiding hand. Ralsei shot him another friendly smile as SOUL led the both of them onwards.
/
In the next room there is another open clearing, but there was a mysterious large object covered in shadows. SOUL was immediately puzzled by its the obtuse shape but can't help but feel there was something familiar about it. Ralsei though immediately recognized it as the thrash machine that Susie and Lancer tricked them into designing.
"Uh oh, SOUL I think we need to be careful. That looks like the machine we designed from before."
"Oh right…that thing. Uh question…would Susie or Lancer even have access to that kind of stuff?"
Ralsei paused a bit, "Huh…I don't know. I'm sure they were motivated enough to make it."
"After what happened to us I am not looking forward to seeing what we designed in action. Talk about poor timing, wait...a minute…"
The duo walked closer, and the shadows faded. Defying all expectations, the so-called thrash machine was a mess of random parts and junk. Any possible threat that could come from this pile of trash would be the slight smell and possible bacteria the parts were carrying. SOUL had an amused smirk grow on his face while Ralsei only sighed at the clear lacking of effort. Like a schoolteacher disappointed by a lazy project turned in late. So much time wasted for nothing.
"Wow…that doesn't look good at all," Ralsei just gave it a slight poke before getting some distance away when it shook.
"Hey cut us some slack we spent a lot of time working on it!" Susie shouted as she and Lancer walked into view, "I mean sure it looks like crap, but it was hard effort crap!"
Lancer was giggling to himself, "Besides we did give it one thing it can do. Why don't we show them Susie?"
"Oh yeah, that!" Susie smirked as she pulled out a remote and pressed the single button on it. Almost immediately in cartoon fashion the machine exploded with pieces of it scattered to the winds never to be seen again. All the while the two 'villains' laughed like it was the funniest joke that was told.
"Uh…why did you do that?" Ralsei asked with confusion.
"Oh easy, your design sucked. So, we decided to fit it with the only awesome thing we can think of. Explosives!"
"Um where did you get explosives?"
"Lancer had them, caught me by surprise too!"
Lancer chuckled, "You wouldn't believe the surplus we got back at the castle. So, I helped myself to some of it."
Ralsei just sighed, "Well at least you had fun with it."
"So, what did you guys do with the blueprints?" SOUL asked Susie who gave him a slightly confused look.
"We threw them out because your design sucked…Kris? You sound different."
"Uh…no it's SOUL right now. Kris is uh…sleeping."
"Sleeping, what happened?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure what it was. Now isn't a good time to try and explain it, besides you're bad guys right? You shouldn't concern yourself with the heroes."
"I mean he got a point Susie," Lancer added while not exactly understanding what is going on.
"Yeah…you're right, I mean we really should be bothering with them. Bad guys and all of that. But I'm not one to let things go so easily…so Lancer what do you think we give these heroes a little beating?"
"Ooo! I'm in for it! What about the stakes?"
"Stakes are simple, we win they become bad guys with us, and they have to listen to whatever we say."
"Um…what happens when we win?" Ralsei pointed out which caused the bad guys to pause for a bit. Susie sighed and just looked at the heroes with an annoyed look.
"Then I guess we become good guys then. I mean that sounds reasonable I would think. Besides we can still get out of this dark world if we are together, right? So, win win, what do you say SOUL?" SOUL was about to say something, but Susie cut him off, "Nah it doesn't matter. Let's see how well you can fight."
Susie brought out her Axe and Lancer brought out his weaponized bicycle. Ralsei and SOUL looked at each other before reluctantly getting ready to defend themselves. The battle starts with the hero's turn as SOUL saw the options, he normally saw still in front of him. He can only assume there is a peaceful way to resolve this. Looking through his ACT options as that seem proved to hold all the peaceful resolutions. He came across an option to tell Ralsei to sing. Odd, but it never failed him before so selecting the option Ralsei got the command and sang an entrancing lullaby. To SOUL's surprise Susie immediately fell asleep and Lancer was just enjoying the tune.
"Wasn't expecting that to happen. Nice work Ralsei!"
"You're welcome!"
Lancer ringed the bell on his bike shouting, "You can't put me to sleep losers!" As he immediately charged at SOUL with his blazing bike.
The sudden charge took him by surprise and nearly hit him as Lancer pulled a wheelie while striking a pose. The dangerous child wanted to style on the good guys with his own self perceived skill and awesomeness. Regardless SOUL felt the TP gauge rise a bit from the near miss and he immediately realized that all attacks while he is in control are going to target him. Which normally requires soul attacks, but now all attacks will be treated as such. If he isn't careful both him and Kris will bite the dust. Keeping note of this for the future as the battle raged on.
On their turn again the option to compliment their enemies was available. Taking it allowed Ralsei to speak for the both of them, "You two make a really great team! I'm proud!" He got a notification that Lancer was a little bit convinced.
"Oh! It's working on me!" Lancer shouted out loud. Despite how awkward or weird it sounded. Regardless Lancer attacked once again and took SOUL by surprise by not just trying to run him over, but also defying physics by driving on air and firing spade shaped projectiles. A few of which nicked him. This kid really is full of surprises that SOUL must be careful about. Staying light on his feet as he recognized the pattern, he had to do to end this battle peacefully. Keep Susie sleeping and try to convince Lancer to stop fighting somehow. However, Susie immediately woke up and launched her own attack by tossing energy axes at SOUL. With a 'yipe' SOUL dodged like crazy as they flew at and under him. The salvo ends and finally it's the hero's turn again. As planned, SOUL told Ralsei to sing his lullaby again. Susie attempted to block out his beautiful tune, but it was for naught as she ended up falling asleep again.
Once again Ralsei took the chance to try and convince Lancer to drop the fight with compliments and words of kindness. Each successful attempt chipped away at Lancer's will to fight despite him and Susie attacking them both. They did endure long enough that finally they hit a breakthrough.
"Uh oh," Lancer quickly said as Susie took notice.
"What's wrong dude?"
"I accidently started liking the enemies…! Now seeing them just makes me feel round and soft. Bad atmosphere for battle, though."
Susie was silent for a bit but shook her head with a small smirk, "Well, if you don't wanna fight. There's no point, I guess. Battles over!" Susie look over to SOUL, "Well, you didn't BEAT us, because uh, you…kinda cheated by, uh, ganging up on Lancer, with, uh…"
"Kindness," Lancer finished for her.
"But if I HAVE TO, I guess I'll go back to your side. I MIGHT not listen to your commands, but that will, er, depend on, uh, what we meet," she awkwardly walks to the two heroes, "You know I think this being a bad guy biz was supposed to last longer."
"Sorry, but you made the terms not us," Ralsei bowed apologetically.
"Yeah, yeah…SOUL, you really are a big softie. No wonder Kris acts like one if you are around. Honestly, not sure how to feel about that."
"Well you're…a nice person when you really want to be," He smiled sheepishly which slightly unnerved the purple monster girl. Seeing the face of the normally serious and not usually smiling face of Kris be expressive as it is. It just doesn't feel normal.
However, there was still one more thing they had to deal with, Lancer. Who was looking increasingly despondent as their conversation went on, "Uh Susie, if you are going back to being a good guy. Then does that mean we aren't a team anymore?"
"What?! No no we can be a team still!"
"But your good guys, I'm not supposed to be with good guys."
"Um, uh, nah you can totally join us. You can be part of the…uh…uh…"
SOUL stepped in, "The MEGA Friendship squad?"
"Y-yeah what he said! Wait what?!" Susie looked at SOUL with a glare that would burn holes through his eye sockets if they could.
"Can we still have monogrammed track jackets?" Lancer said with pleading eyes.
"Sure! Ralsei can make them for us!"
"W-wait me? Well…sure I can do it for both of you," SOUL and Ralsei couldn't help but feel a tone shift as the young Darkner grew elated quickly.
"Ahaha! Lancer joins the team!"
SOUL felt a prompt go in his face that Lancer joined the team before being cut off abruptly as the two former bad guys joined behind them. Though a few steps Lancer was not following which had Ralsei speak up about it, "Um you know you can follow us from behind too you know right?"
"Really? Okay then!"
A few more steps and Lancer did not budge still. Susie explains he will follow at his own pace. So, they continued onwards, making a quick stop at a save point that appeared after the battle and passing an empty doorframe. SOUL took a quick glance at it before being unnerved by its emptiness. Moving onward into another long path area with Lancer following from the side and picking up small talk with Susie and mentioning this is the first time he ever traveled with a large group of friends. To which the monster girl asks about his servants, which Lancer reveals they don't really like him. As they are only following his dad's orders, they must listen to him. SOUL couldn't help but feel sorry for the darkner as it sounds like he never had true friends to socialize with. Of course, the seriousness of the conversation subsided when Susie mentioned she was hungry. Ralsei offered to make a cake on the condition of not being made fun of by her. Which was not happening anytime soon.
SOUL sighed and thought back to Kris, who had yet to wake up. SOUL had limited access to Kris's thoughts as the young man always kept his guard up. However, he could feel the reason was personal to say the least. What memories he was able to see unobstructed were of his brother Asriel, his stepmother Toriel, his friend Noelle and some of the other colorful faces of people in his life. One consistent he saw in all their faces is a look of worry. Something happened that caused Kris to become guarded. Both emotionally and socially to a point that even a being like him can't access the reason. Kris has opened a bit during this adventure, being a bit more expressive with himself, but not exactly a paragon of virtue. SOUL ponder the thought that he possibly was placed in Kris's body as some sort of counterbalance. Maybe to help lead him towards a better path than he was heading on.
However, the whole Lightners and Darkners business still complicates things. Ralsei still knows something about him, but there doesn't seem to be a good time to ask him about it. In addition, the whole glitch business that happens not once but twice now in their adventure. The last one knocked Kris out. Leaving him alone to make the decisions in his stead.
"Control…" SOUL mumbled under his breath, "Is…that what you wish you had more of Kris?"
"Hey SOUL! You there? Helloooo!"
SOUL's moment of epiphany was interrupted by Lancer who noticed his mental wandering, "Oh uh, sorry about that Lancer. My mind was elsewhere."
"You shouldn't think too much. I once did and it cause a hole to burn in my brain."
SOUL blinked a couple of times, "Uh…metaphorically?"
"Um…yes? Basically don't think too hard."
"I'll try to keep that in mind."
"Speaking of mind, what happened to Kris, SOUL?" Susie asked, "I suppose it's a better time than any to ask about that."
"R-Right, remember the glitch we encountered before?"
"Oh no…you ran into that again?"
"In the forest maze, it made navigation…impossible."
Ralsei jumped into the conversation, "We were…tunneled by the glitch to follow a specific path of a shadow being. I…don't know what happened, but I guess it attacked us and knocked Kris out. SOUL was the only one who woke up and got us out of that maze. However, Kris hasn't come to yet."
"Damn…" Susie went quiet for a bit, "…Just why is this happening?"
Lancer spoke up, "I'm not sure to be honest, but I didn't notice this was happening until after I met you guys. It's weird…glitches happen here and there, but my dad was to focus on his plan to give it any attention…kinda like with me…"
Silence befell the group. Something Susie quickly try to change the subject, "Hey hey, we got each other right? I'm sure with our combined thrashing power we can handle whatever that Glitch thing throws at us!"
"Yeah! We can take anything on!"
With some renewed vigor the team carried onward until they saw a castle in the distance with an inky darkness shooting upwards from inside it. Ralsei adjusted his glasses, "There it is! The dark well we need to close to send Susie, Kris, and SOUL back to their world!"
"Heh home stretch then. Nothing can stop us now!"
Lancer's face grew worried again, "B-But…if you are gonna close the well…that mean you will have to fight…my dad…"
The group paused, but SOUL quickly spoke up, "Don't worry, we'll find a way to end things without anybody ending up seriously hurt. At least with the track record we had so far."
"Yeah! So far we managed to resolve much of our problems without anybody getting hurt…er well except when dealing with the glitches," Ralsei supported SOUL but got caught up thinking on the logistics of the glitchy beings.
"I…don't know…my dad is pretty strong…I…I need some time to think about this…maybe…" Lancer inched away from the group step by step. His downcast face full of uncertainty. Before anybody could say anything, he took off running. Susie called out for him as she chased after him with Ralsei following. SOUL jumped in place from the sudden turn of events and started chasing as well. However, he found himself outpaced and left behind as he tried to take Kris's body to the limits. Even then it took great effort to try and keep up. To add to his problems the guards of the castle took quick notice of him and his friends.
"The lightners are in the courtyard! Stop them!"
Projectiles rained from the sky forcing SOUL to take evasive maneuvers while running. With both him and Kris at stake the sharp projectiles imbedded themselves into the ground around and sometimes in front of him. Close calls here and there as he scrambled across the terrain. The attacks seem endless even as he entered a straight way path as more projectiles came in waves. Weaving left and right when he can as he looks back as little as he can.
He eventually was able to reach the others in time, but Lancer had already run into the castle and the front gate closed behind him, Susie banging on the gates pleading for Lancer to listen to reason, but the team was surrounded on all sides by the guards of the castle. With them a circle of the same projectile that SOUL just spent dodging getting to here. His last words before being knocked out by the attack being.
"Is it too late to talk about this?"
