Hunter proceeded from the strange temple and back into the forest, Flowey still asking questions. "So, where exactly IS this Pyrrhia place?"
He sighed, having tried to explain it for 10 minutes by now. "Like I said, it's where we are now, just in a small forest…somewhere on it. Is it that hard to comprehend Flowey?"
Flowey's petals twitched with frustration. "Okay, okay, so we're in a forest that's on Pyrrhia, but how do you even know this place exists? I mean, I've never heard of it! And trust me, I know a lot about different worlds."
Hunter kept walking, brushing aside a low-hanging branch. "It's real. Look, I've been here before. This place is massive—there are deserts, mountains, and oceans, way bigger than anything in the Underground. Dragons live here. Lots of 'em."
"Dragons?" Flowey's eyes widened in surprise. "Like, big fire-breathing beasts that can barbecue you in one chomp?"
"Exactly," Hunter nodded, "except there's all kinds of dragons—ones that breathe fire, sure, but also ones that can breathe ice or spit venom."
Flowey stayed silent for a moment, processing. "And... we're not going to run into one of those, right?"
Hunter gave him a smirk. "No promises, Flowey. It is Pyrrhia after all."
Flowey let out a dramatic sigh. "Great. First weird temples, now dragons... what's next? Giant worms that eat people whole?"
Hunter laughed. "Nah, I think we're safe from those... for now." He was joking, because he was pretty sure that there weren't any giant worms on Phyrhia, but the way things were going for him there might as well be.
"So, what's the Underground anyways?" Hunter asked to kill time. "You keep saying that's where we are."
"Underneath Mount Ebott," Flowey responded immediately. "Can't say I'm not surprised you don't know where it is. It's been probably a century. I wouldn't be surprised if most other humans didn't know either. Strange, considering that your kind trapped us there."
"Well, honestly, I'm not the biggest fan of Humans myself," Hunter said.
"Really?" Flowey asked, sounding genuinely surprised. "Why?"
"...To be honest, I don't know. I mean I'm friends with a few of them, but they're my age, so they don't count. Plus, I don't hate them, there's gotta be some nice ones out there. And I've never heard of Mount Ebott before. But, We're discovering new contines about every day at this point, so I would bet it's on one we just haven't found yet. Or maybe it's in a different world from this one, you never know. It sounds like you're letting a couple of bad apples spoil the bunch. You don't have to take my word for it, I'm just saying."
Flowey stayed quiet after that. 25 minutes later the trees became without leaves, as if they had been burned off. Hunter took in the eerie surroundings as the forest shifted, the trees growing more barren and lifeless. The branches above stretched like skeletal arms, their leaves long gone, leaving behind a dark, unsettling atmosphere. It was as if the very life had been drained from the place, or perhaps something much worse had passed through recently. The air felt thick, and the smell of charred wood and ash faintly reached his nose.
Flowey, who had been silent for a while, finally broke the silence. "Huh… looks like something had too much fun here." His voice had an edge to it, but it was clear even he was unsettled by the sudden change in scenery.
Hunter nodded slowly, his hand resting on the hilt of his weapon, just in case. "Yeah... doesn't look like a forest fire either. This feels... deliberate."
They continued walking cautiously through the forest. The ground beneath their feet grew rougher, the once soft soil now dry and cracked, almost as if the life had been sucked out from underneath them.
"You think we're getting close to something?" Hunter asked, half expecting Flowey to make some sort of sarcastic remark, but there was only silence.
Flowey's face was serious, his usual grin nowhere to be found. "If I had to guess, we're heading toward something."
Hunter tightened his grip on his weapon, eyes scanning the lifeless forest. "Great." Hopefully, this is better than what happened at the Academy. Sunlight shone and Hunter saw it.
As the sunlight pierced through the barren trees, illuminating the path ahead, Hunter caught sight of something through the thick gloom. His steps faltered for a moment as he realized what lay before him.
There it was—a city, or what was once a city. The ruins of Possibility stretched out in front of him, its towering structures reduced to crumbling walls and heaps of rubble. Buildings that were once alive with activity now stood silent and broken, their rooftops caved in, windows shattered. Vines and twisted, dead plants crept over the stone as if nature itself had given up on this place.
The grand library that had once been a beacon of knowledge and hope was nothing more than a shell, its doors hanging off their hinges, charred from what must have been intense flames. The streets were littered with debris, and the signs of battle—scorched earth, deep gashes in the stone, and ominous claw marks—told a grim tale of what had taken place here.
Hunter took a deep breath, his heart sinking. "So this is Possibility... or what's left of it."
Flowey, for once, didn't say anything snarky. His wide eyes took in the destruction, his face unusually solemn. "Whoever did this... didn't hold back. They wanted it gone. All of it."
Hunter stepped forward, carefully navigating the rubble-strewn path. Memories of his time at the Academy during the siege flashed through his mind—the chaos, the destruction, the helplessness. But this... this was on another level. The city wasn't just damaged; it had been deliberately wiped out as if someone—or something—had made sure it would never rise again.
He clenched his jaw. "We need to figure out who did this. And why." Hunter slid down a slope he saw and started toward the ruins.
Clover was starting to wonder if he was on a false trail by now. Especially since he had been walking down a damn hallway for the past Day And a Half (He could tell because of a watch he [Somehow] had). No really. It was a real experience. Clover groaned. "Out of everything, a magic statue could have guarded, it had to be a hallway that's been going on for 36 hours at this point."
Clover trudged forward, his steps heavy and his patience wearing thin. The endless stone hallway stretched on, seemingly mocking him with its monotony. He glanced down at the watch on his wrist—how he had it, he wasn't entirely sure, but it had become his one reliable companion in this endless maze.
"Thirty-six hours," he muttered, kicking a loose stone in frustration. "Thirty-six hours, and it's just… hallways. I don't know what I expected, but this definitely wasn't it."
His voice echoed back to him, bouncing off the walls in an almost mocking tone. He half-expected the statue that had 'guarded' the entrance to pop out of nowhere and laughed at him for taking the bait.
"Magic artifacts, secret paths, hidden doors—could've been anything cool," he groaned. "But noooo, I get the world's longest hallway."
Clover leaned against the wall, sliding down until he was sitting, if only to take a break from the relentless walking. The silence of the place was unsettling, broken only by his own footsteps and occasional sighs. He thought he had heard something for a moment—a faint whisper, maybe, or a distant rumble. He looked down the hallway, but nothing but the same dull gray stone stretched out before him. It was almost as bad as the Void. Clover shuttered. Let's not think about that place.
"Come on, there has to be something here," he muttered, scanning the walls for any hint of a hidden passage, a secret switch—anything to break the endless monotony. But the walls remained silent and unyielding as if daring him to keep going or trying to tell him to turn back. But he knew he had come too far to turn back now. Clover pressed on. For another hour he walked. And slowly windows started to be seen in the distance. When he got to them, they bore a strange marking, three triangles, one pointing up, two pointing down, and above that an orb with wings on both sides. Just past these windows was a door. "Finally." Clover groaned. "I've been walking for So long."
Clover walked through it hoping for a tavern where he could rest, a forest where he could camp, or anything that wasn't more hallway. Instead, he got something he thought to be worse than all of that. Ruins. Ruins of what was once before a city.
When Hunter got to the edge of the ruins he saw another star and, out of pure instinct, reached out and touched it. The Pendant shimmered and the voice spoke once more.
Despite all the signs that the outside world is not what it once was, you still cling to the small glimmer of HOPE you see. You're filled with a strong sense of DETERMINATION. Save? Yes. No.
What does it mean by Save? Hunter wondered. Like marking a page in a book? Despite him wondering this, he hit yes anyway. *File 1 Saved. The Voice said the second he did so. Flowey scoffed and muttered, "Definitely saving a lot for someone that doesn't load at all."
"Load?" Hunter asked, overhearing Flowey. "What do mean by that?"
Flowey gave Hunter a side-eye as if weighing whether to explain. "Loading... it's, uh, like going back in time. Undoing something that's already happened," Flowey said slowly as if testing how much to reveal. "Humans like you usually don't get it, though. Just a... few determined ones."
Hunter frowned, intrigued but wary. "So, you're saying I could just, what, 'load' this spot and redo stuff if I wanted to?"
Flowey's expression shifted, a mix of frustration and curiosity. "Well, yeah, in theory. But you? I don't know. You've got these 'Saves' piling up, but I don't see you returning to any of them. Most people would have tried by now."
Hunter tilted his head, considering that. The idea of 'loading' felt strange, almost unnatural, like he was cheating in some sort of game. He wasn't sure why, but something in him resisted it. "I'm not really into redoing things. Life's more interesting when you just... keep going forward."
Flowey chuckled, a dry, almost cynical laugh. "Hah. Maybe you're braver than most. Or just stubborn."
They walked in silence for a moment, Hunter glancing around at the ruins of what seemed to be a once-grand city. Crumbling towers, broken arches, and collapsed walls stretched out before him, a haunting reminder of something that had been magnificent in its prime. Small patches of wildflowers grew through cracks in the stone, a touch of life in an otherwise desolate place.
"So," Hunter broke the silence, "what do you know about these ruins?"
Flowey's face twisted into something unreadable. "I've seen a lot of places, but this one... it's different. New. Almost... Memorable."
Hunter stopped to look at a faded mural on a nearby wall. The painting depicted beings that looked vaguely familiar, though he couldn't quite place why. He traced a finger along the faded lines, feeling a strange sense of connection to whatever past this place held. "Think there's anything left here worth finding?" he asked, more to himself than to Flowey.
Flowey smirked. "Maybe. Or maybe it's just another dead end. But hey, what's one more hallway or ruin, right?"
Hunter smiled slightly, feeling his determination flickering stronger. Whatever mysteries this place held, he was ready to find them. Hunter moved deeper into the ruins, his boots crunching over scattered rubble. The air was thick with dust, and every step sent tiny clouds swirling around his ankles. There was something almost sacred about this place, like it had once been alive with voices and laughter but was now nothing more than a whisper of the past.
Flowey hovered along beside him, silent for once, perhaps sensing that this wasn't the time for his usual sarcasm. Hunter paused, looking at another mural, this one more intact than the last. It depicted a figure, cloaked and holding what looked like a staff, standing before a crowd of dragons. Symbols decorated the edges of the mural—triangles, spirals, and a single sun that seemed to be watching.
"What do you think this place was?" Hunter asked, almost in a whisper. He knew, he just wanted to see what Flowey thought.
Flowey's face twisted thoughtfully. "Maybe a sanctuary. Or a gathering place. Some kind of city... maybe even a kingdom. Doesn't matter now though, does it? All those people, all that history—it's dust now."
"Thing is, I've been here. Recently too." Hunter said. "I never saw anything like this. It wasn't destroyed at all either."
Flowey looked at Hunter, suspicion flickering in his eyes. "So you're telling me this place was whole? Not a ruin?"
Hunter nodded, glancing around at the broken stone and fallen pillars. "Yeah. It was… actually pretty impressive. There were people and lights, and the whole place was alive. And now—" he gestured to the desolation around them, "—it's like it's been abandoned for centuries."
Flowey floated back a little, his expression unreadable. "So either you hit your head on the way here... or we're dealing with something really strange. Places don't just... rot away in a matter of days."
"Maybe time got sped up. I mean I'm the same age I was after…" Hunter trailed off remembering the Siege. Memories folded back. X, Silver, all of it. Memories not forgotten, but pushed deep down, now risen from deep within his SOUL. What was he doing? Running around with a Talking flower that tried to kill him. He needed to find his friends, if they weren't dead already. Silver's last words echoed in his head. Collect the shards. Fix the Key. Find the Blade of Evil's Bane. Strike down The Dark Master's Chosen. Collect the Shards. What does that even mean?
"Uh, Hunter you okay?" Flowey genuinely asked. "You're pale. You look like you've seen a ghost. Hunter snapped back to reality, shaking his head as if to clear away the heavy memories. "Yeah… yeah, I'm fine," he muttered, though he knew he didn't sound convincing. The weight of everything—of the Siege, of Silver's final words—pressed down on him like a lead cloak.
Flowey's gaze sharpened. "Sure doesn't look like it. You're not usually this quiet. So… what's going on in that head of yours?"
Hunter hesitated, almost reluctant to say it out loud. But something about Flowey's curiosity, his genuine interest, made him speak. "It's just… all this talk about time, ruins, curses. It reminds me of something Silver told me. Right before he…" His voice faltered, but he forced himself to keep going. "He told me I needed to collect shards, fix a key, find this 'Blade of Evil's Bane,' and—" he swallowed, "—destroy the Dark Master's Chosen."
Flowey blinked, genuinely taken aback. "Collect shards? Blade of Evil's Bane? Sounds like you've got yourself wrapped up in one hell of a prophecy, buddy."
"Yeah, well, it feels more like a curse," Hunter replied, his voice grim. "I thought I could just… leave it all behind. That it was all over after the Siege." He looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers as if expecting to see some sign of his burden there. "But maybe… maybe it's something I can't run from."
Flowey's expression softened, almost sympathetic. "I get it. You've got ghosts. You've got a past. But so what?" The flower's grin turned a bit wicked. "Maybe this 'Dark Master's Chosen' guy needs a lesson in what happens when he messes with the wrong kid."
Hunter managed a small, wry smile. "Guess we're about to find out. Starting with these ruins." He took a deep breath, centering himself, and looked out over the fallen city. Somewhere in all this rubble, he knew there had to be answers—answers about the key, about the shards, and maybe, just maybe, about what happened to Silver.
Clover was confused at what he saw. Why would a hallway from ruins lead to… more ruins? He couldn't wrap his head around it. Unless… it wasn't ruined when it was first built. He moved carefully around his new surroundings, taking in every cracked pillar, and every crumbled stone, trying to imagine what this place once looked like when it was whole.
As he inspected the area, a glint caught his eye. On the ground, half-buried under dust and rubble, lay a familiar piece of metal—a six-shooter with a wooden handle. Carved into the handle were two letters, CS, burned deep into the wood. His initials. Clover Sharp.
"Well, hello, old friend," he said, crouching down to pick it up. He didn't know how it ended up here, but it was a welcome sight nonetheless. He checked the holster and noticed the bullets had combusted, leaving it empty and practically useless as a firearm. But still, the weight of it in his hand felt… right. If nothing else, it could serve as a blunt weapon. He swung it experimentally, feeling a strange surge of comfort and nostalgia as he held it. At least I can hit stuff with the bottom, he thought, feeling a tiny bit more prepared for whatever lay ahead.
The cavernous room opened up, revealing faded murals and broken statues. The faint glow of light filtering through the cracks above cast an eerie ambiance on the entire area. As he moved forward, his eyes caught on one particularly worn tapestry, almost hidden in the shadows. It depicted a figure holding a shimmering shard, lifting it toward the sky with purpose.
Clover exited the room without use and glanced around and saw a figure in the distance, looking around just like him, except they were on top of a ledge. Clover called out. "HEY! HEY, OVER HERE!" They looked over at him, waved, and yelled back, "HEY! THINK YOU CAN GET OVER HERE?"
"DON'T KNOW. PRETTY SURE I CAN CLIMB TO YOU THOUGH!" Clover responded, just happy he wasn't alone in this rubble. He climbed his way to the figure and saw that he was around his age and height. Clover finally pulled himself up onto the ledge, brushing the dust off his hands as he stood up and faced the figure. The boy looked about his age, with a serious expression and an unfamiliar weapon slung across his back. He looked both out of place and strangely at home among the ruins.
"Thanks for the help," Clover said, offering a grin. "Been walking for a while and didn't expect to see anyone else here." The boy looked him over, curiosity and caution mixed in his eyes. "Same here," he replied, nodding. "I'm Hunter, by the way. And you are?"
"Clover," he replied, extending a hand. "Don't suppose you know what this place is?"
Hunter shook his hand briefly, glancing around. "Not exactly. I'm... actually trying to figure that out myself. Just found a weird light in that chasm down there." He said, gesturing a hand toward a hole that was in front of them. Sure enough, there was a blue light emanating from it.
"Well, at least that's a start," Clover said, glancing back toward the endless hallways. "Mind if I tag along? Better than wandering alone."
Hunter nodded. "Fine by me. Could be useful having another pair of eyes on this."
Something of a necklace started glowing underneath Hunter's shirt. Clover pointed at it and asked, "Has your necklace done that before?"
Hunter took it out from its hiding place. Attached to a string that looped around Hunter's Neck, was a small gem that was glowing a Shining Blue. "A couple of times," Hunter said. "It's never glowed this shade blue though."
Suddenly, an earthquake came from the Chasm and both Hunter and Clover fell on their stomachs and if Clover knew something was off about this place, he was sure of it now.
Hunter was used to weird stuff happening now, but all of this in one day was a little much. Flowey yelled "What was that? Hunter? What Just happened?" (His Voice was muffled because Hunter had convinced him to stay in the bag when he met Clover.) A Robotic voice suddenly spoke, Saying "Let Me Say." Hunter got up and saw a creature that looked like it was glitching. It had mismatched eyes (Though they looked more like lenses), giant wings, and above its head, some strings stretched up Hunter couldn't see the end of them. It continued talking, saying. "Let Me Say [Thanks]. Thanks to Your [Total Jackass stunts] I Have [Becomed] NEO. And Now it's our [Moutain, Our [City, Our [World]! So why are You stealing the [Shards]?! To [Screw] us over right at the [GOOD PART]!? What are you, A [Gameshow Host]!?"
Clover was standing next to Hunter now. "What'd you do, dude?"
"Nothing, he's just crazy!" Hunter responded. "I didn't steal anything, sir. You probably just have the wrong person."
"Spamton doesn't get the[wrongpreson]." The monster responded. Spamton looked at The two of them and said, "Ah, you [two] forget it. I'm an [honestman]. I'll let you [pay] your way out of this one!" Spamton got a strange expression on his face and muttered "[Pay]... With both of you're [Rapidly-Shrinking] lives!" He then laughed. Still wrong. Hunter thought.
Weird heads that resembled Spamton's flew in and started toward Hunter and Clover. The Pendant Pulsed suddenly and Both Hunter and Clover's SOUL were visible. Hunter's normal Red turned Gold, and an arm holding a sword appeared and sliced away the heads going for him. Clover's SOUL turned 90 degrees and shot yellow pellets out of it, destroying any and all of Spamton's heads that were going for him. Then, Two big heads came and another arm with a sword came out and sliced one head away. Clover fired a big Bullet at the other one.
Spamton suddenly exclaimed "You Two!? Where those [BIG SHOTS] just now?! WOW! I'm so [proud] of you two, I Could [Killed] You! [Heaven] Are you Watching? It's time to make a very [speil] Deal…"
The Voice inside Hunter's Head suddenly said *Clover, a new ally, is helping you take on Spamton NEO. You're HOPEs are rekindled, and you're filled with Determination. File 1 saved.
Good. Hunter thought. I'm gonna need all of it that I can get.
Kindness