> Act >> Check
HP: 1/440
AT: 80
DF: ??
*Always knows best.
Chara frowned, confused. The battle just started, and she seems perfectly fine, so why is her HP so low? And why can't I read her defense? Even with her defense a mystery, no matter how you look at it, one strike and mom will be… But they had no more time to contemplate as Toriel started her turn.
The monster lifted a white paw-like hand, pointing her index finger at the human. The large globs of water that were previously floating around the goat's body stopped moving, instantly solidifying into large, pointed icicles. "My child, I shall teach you what your life would be like on that side. Perhaps then you will reconsider any foolish notion of leaving here." The icicles all took aim at Chara's body and Toriel spoke once more, her voice as cold and hard as the magic she commanded, "You had best dodge this if you want to live."
Even with the warning, nothing could have prepared Chara for the barrage of icicles that shot their way. They cried out as the first one cut deep into their right arm, deep enough to leave a large gash and start to bleed out. Still, Toriel did not let up; sharp after sharp piece nicked their body and soul and the human only had just enough mind to stumble out of the way of the last couple. Finally, after what seemed like forever to Chara, Toriel stopped. Her turn was finished.
With cruel indifference, Toriel watched the shaken child fall to their knees. "If you cannot handle even this, then you have no chance out there. Return upstairs."
"…" Chara cradled their left hand around the large slice in their other arm protectively, their right hand still somehow shakily holding onto the toy knife. All of the other scratches marring their body seemed like mere pinpricks in comparison as the adrenaline quickly kicked in. The human's breathing was heavy and their body had broken out into a sweat despite Toriel's magic chilling the room's temperature.
Slowly, the human got back onto their feet, her body still trembling at the trauma it just received. Still, Chara grit their teeth and started to steady their breathing. It was their turn again and they could now strategize a little after seeing what they were up against.
"A-are you okay, Chara?!" A stammering voice called from behind them. Oh, right. Asriel is here. Chara turned around to see the goat's concerned gaze taking in all the now-bleeding cuts they just endured. He looked frustrated that he couldn't do anything, even if he did rush over. Being incorporeal must suck in these kinds of situations.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It was more like a wake-up call than anything." Asriel probably didn't know it, but just having a conversation with him helped calm the human's mind. Their panting had softened and their grip was now steadier. Chara smiled as they turned their attention back to Toriel, now feeling both focused and at ease. Thanks, Azzy.
It was time for a come back.
Chara took a fighting stance, tightening their grip around the knife until they remembered Toriel's stats. One HP. After much deliberation, they were reluctant to even fight Toriel, but with how things stood now, striking even once would kill her! They refused; there had to be another way.
In their peripheral, Chara noticed the goat prince silently standing there, wringing his hands nervously while glancing between them. Maybe Asriel's way? They were already in the fight, so it's not like talking about touchy topics could start up another one. Who knows, they might even get some answers.
Chara relaxed their stance.
"Won't you at least tell me why I can't go past the Ruins?" They started. "If you want me to stay here, can't you at least tell me why? I understand that the children that Fell before me died somehow, but what's so dangerous on that side of the Gate that it's better that I don't leave?"
Toriel's stony face twitched, a flicker of hesitance crossing her eyes. Her out-stretched paw fell a little as she weighed her options. Finally, she replied with a sigh, "I suppose I owe you that much, my child. Perhaps if you knew the truth, you would understand and head back upstairs." Her hand finally fell and she looked away, trying to put her thoughts into words. After a minute or two, she spoke, her voice grave as she recounted her memories of a time long past:
"Many years ago, I used to have two children, a monster and a Fallen human child much like yourself. Those two were as close as siblings could get, and they did everything together. A couple years passed by and our days were filled with happiness – until…" The Queen of Monsters took a long, shuttered breath, trying to stay calm and grounded as she recalled the next part. "An… incident happened, and both my children passed on. My husband and I weren't there when it happened, but we discovered one of the bodies, the human's, right at the barrier along with… with monster dust," she revealed with much effort. She turned her body around fully, her back facing Chara. "A moment if you would, young one," Toriel spoke softly, her words barely audible, even in the echoing chamber.
"Sure," the human replied uncomfortably. This was both awkward and painful; after all, Toriel's story was a story about their own death. Plus, knowing the other side of the story, that their mother's hurt and guilt started with a decision they chose, made them feel ten times worse. Chara had only just gotten Asriel's forgiveness earlier that day, but they hadn't even thought about how their passing would affect everyone else around them.
Finally having composed herself, Toriel faced Chara once more. "I'm sorry. Please let me continue:
"The King of Monsters, in a fit of blind rage, declared war on the humans without a second thought. He gave a decree, that any human to Fall into the Underground would be hunted for their soul, killed in his quest to break the barrier and bring the fight to the surface. I watched as a kingdom filled with hope suddenly turned into a nation of anger. I couldn't bear to see any more and so I fled to the Ruins, closing the Gate behind me. I haven't been back there since."
Toriel looked Chara dead in the eyes. "Seven human souls are needed to break the barrier. You are the seventh child to Fall since the King made his declaration. You, more than any of the previous children, will surely be hounded by every monster you come across. So you see why I must keep you here at all costs – your life depends on it! If I can save at least one child, then…" Her stony expression came back as she trailed off, her resolve strengthening at the reminder of what was at stake.
Luckily, Chara was ready for the oncoming attack. The ice shards crisscrossed around the arena in various patterns, and the human was able to dodge most of them. The cold slowly seeped into their wounds, numbing their appendages. Chara wasn't quite sure if they should be thankful that they couldn't feel the various nicks strewn across their body, or concerned that it was getting harder to keep a grip on their knife through the numbness. They checked their HP: 7/20. Things weren't looking too good; they had to finish this quickly.
"It's not your fault those children died!" They exclaimed, getting right to the point. "You have no control over what happens to humans once they pass this Gate so you want to keep us here, but don't you think they all left because they thought they wouldn't be happy being stuck down here? Surely they left because they wanted to get back to the surface for any number of reasons, like missing their family." A look of sorrow crossed Toriel's features at the word family, and Chara knew they were slowly getting through to her.
Chara sighed before they continued, the words weighing heavily in their own mind even as they were said aloud. "I mean it. In fact, I'm sure they were very grateful for your offer to stay here, and your warnings of the dangers beyond. But I don't think it was your decision to make, and you were right to let them through. Plus, you did all you could to prevent their deaths, so I'm sure they wouldn't hold it against you, just like I wouldn't." Chara smiled sincerely at their mother. "Please let me through."
There was a long, heavy silence that passed between them before Toriel lowered her arms, the icicles around her melting once more into large globs of floating water. "Alright, but only if you promise to do something first." Before Chara could even get the question out, Toriel moved until they were standing only a couple feet away from the human. "I need to know you have what it takes to defend yourself. This may be difficult, so I apologize for asking this of you, but it will finally put my mind at ease if I know you can handle yourself out there against other monsters – strike me where I stand."
"W-what?" Did Toriel just ask them to attack her? Chara turned their gaze to the side, trying to gauge Asriel's thoughts, but the Prince just stood there with a shocked expression on their face. They had been frozen like that since they heard the tale of what had happened after his death. The human understood his distress; they were sure they wouldn't be fairing much better, had they actually been given the chance to digest it all. The aftermath of their joint demise, their dad's decision, the human hunting… this was surely going to be a topic of discussion between them once they made it past the Gate.
But that wasn't the most pressing issue at the moment! "I can't just attack y—"
"I will not let you pass until you do," Toriel interrupted firmly, her tone leaving no room for discussion.
Dammit! Chara clenched their eyes shut as their mind raced. But she only has 1HP left! If I land a hit, won't that finish her off?! What if the real her dies too? But she won't let me pass if I don't!
However, after hearing that story about their dad and the kingdom, they abruptly realized that this situation, all of it, was ultimately their fault. This was suddenly much bigger than just them. This was about righting a wrong they committed to a entire realm of people that welcomed them with open arms. So they had to keep going, had to find out where their father was and confront him about the past. Chara didn't know what would happen when they got there, or even if it would make any difference at all, but they still had to try.
Suddenly, the arena was gone and Toriel was hugging them. "I am so sorry, my child. That could not have been an easy thing to do." She was comforting Chara, stroking the top of their head like they used to back when they were alive. "But I am proud of you. I realize now that I cannot stop you, nor should I try. I do not believe I was wrong, but perhaps there is more than one 'correct' answer. The same way I do not know what your fate entails if you go beyond this Gate, I cannot possibly know that things will turn out the same as before. You have given me hope that maybe this time will be different." With one final squeeze, Toriel separated from the human and walked to the stone gateway, opening its heavy slabs with magic. "Be well, my child, and know that you can always call these Ruins your home." With that, the Queen of Monsters left back down the corridor and up the stairs, possibly unable to emotionally handle watching the latest in a long line of human children leaving her.
"…" Chara took one step, then another step, and another, one foot in front of the other before finally reaching the Gate. A lot of things ran through their mind and they were physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted, but they were still here. Mom was still alive, and Asriel was next to them. Countless things needed to be said and done, but for right now, Chara was just happy for a moment of respite.
Chara and Asriel wordlessly passed through and the Gate magically closed behind them, sealing them off from the Ruins and any chance they had at peacefully staying by their mother's side. However, it was this same mother that put her hope and trust in them and allowed them to continue on.
Chara felt the cold, carved stone with their hand and gave the Ruins and its inhabitants a silent send-off before turning around toward the next leg of their journey.
This was their new beginning, their tale of redemption.
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