A young human boy looked out over the peak of Mount Ebott, his cousins standing by his side.
âNick, are you sure about this?â his elder cousin asked, her flawless body in perfect form. Nick had always thought that she could be a model someday⌠or an actressâŚ
âOy Maddie quit being such a wimp! Nick is actually doing something fun! Donât ruin it for him!â his other cousin barked.
âMaddieâŚMark⌠please donât fightâŚâ Nick was never a fighter, he was never brave or courageous⌠but the one thing he loved most was his music, the one place where all his worries went away. Nick put his headphones over his ears and waited for his cousins to stop fighting. On this day these three humans would be the first to fall, but they would also be the last to escape.
Napstablook put his headphones on and turned on his music, letting the sound drown out the argument of his cousins. It has been years since they fell into the underground and even after all they had been through⌠they never changed.
âI will be a star! That scientist said she would help me achieve my dreams!â Maddie hissed, her ghostly hair as perfect as ever.
âYOU DONâT UNDERSTAND ANYTHING!â Mark yelled back as he stormed out, Maddie went after him, their argument continuing. Napstablook sighed heavily, the sound of heavy metal blaring into his ghostly eardrums. As the song was at its end a knock sounded at the door.
âOoohhhhh⌠a visitor⌠I wonder who it isâŚâ Napstablook opened the door, but⌠there was no one there, just a sealed letter on his welcome mat.
âOoohhhhh noâŚI must have scarred them offâŚâ Napstablook picked up the letter and opened it carefully. The text was strange, it wasnât like anything he has seen beforeâŚbutâŚsomehow⌠it seemed familiarâŚ
âOoohhhhh⌠I wonder if Maddie or Mark know anything about thisâŚâ Napstablook thought for a moment, then a vague memory emerged. It was of him sitting in the rain at home, his parents in a fight and his cousins away on vacation. But that was also the day that Nick met the first ever monster he has ever seen. He was a skeleton in a black trench coat, his umbrella now covering Nick from the rain. The monster had tried to speak to him, but he couldnât understand his accent, but instead of yelling at Nick the monster smiled kindly and gave his umbrella to Nick, leaving as soon as he arrived.
âI wonderâŚâ Napstablook, in over twenty years, looked determined. It didnât take long for Napstablook to reach Snowdin, his attention skyward instead of ahead, the one way transparent ceiling of the cave casting down the start of twilight. It was going to be a full moon, which means to stay away from Papyrus and Maddie. During the phases of the moons, monsterâs personalities change. It was part of the curse that locked monsters down in the underground. And during a full moon Papyrus becomes a deadly drama queen and Maddie becomes very self-conscious and blood thirsty. Thatâs why Napstablook was in a panic, but so was most of the underground. Napstablook didnât have to worry about Sans until the new moon. It wasnât the fact that Sans became aggressive during the new moon, it was that he became very emotionally open and very much harmless during that time. Napstablook had always felt bad about asking Sans questions during that time because he usually breaks down and cries. But this time it would be different, this time Nick would be brave. Napstablook knocked on the door of Sans and Papyrusâs house. He waited, and waited, and when he was about to leave, Sans opened the door.
âYou do know what tonight is donât you?â Sans asked with a harsh tone. Napstablook nodded.
âIâŚum⌠wanted to ask you a questionâŚâ Napstablook kept his eyes to the ground, Sans sighed.
âLook if itâs another of those âdo you know why the full moon affects my cousinâ then no I donât know.â Sans was about to close the door, but Napstablook forced it back open, startling Sans.
âItâs not about my cousin⌠itâs about thisâŚâ Napstablook held the letter in front of Sansâs eyes. Sans instantly became horrified and nervous.
âInside. Quickly.â As soon as Napstablook entered Sans shut the door and barricaded it.
âWhere did you get this?!â Sans threatened Napstablook, his eyes ablaze. But Napstablook held his ground, Sans was put off guard.
âIt was on my welcome mat, I canât read it so I figured youâd be the one to go to when it comes to things others donât knowâŚâ Sans took a step back cautiously.
âWhatâs gotten into you today? You arenât usually⌠so⌠well-â
âBrave⌠determinedâŚâ Napstablook finished Sansâs sentence.
âUh⌠yeah⌠so, what changed?â Sansâs eye had stopped glowing, but Napstablook could tell that he was still tense.
âLook, you donât know everything about me⌠or my cousins⌠so please donât assume things because itâs not visibly in front of youâŚâ Sans grinded his teeth, him and Napstablook locking eyes.
âI recognize that lookâŚâ Sans hissed. At first Napstablook had no idea what Sans was talking about, but then he remembered the day that him and his cousins fell into the ruins and emerged into the underground. It was noon at the time, two days after they had entered the ruins. The trio were so ecstatic about meeting Toriel and the other friendly monsters that they had forgotten about any hostile ones. The first hostile monster they met wasâŚ
âSans⌠you⌠remember me?â Napstablook was shaking, but he didnât move, or couldnât move from his fear.
âYeah I remember you! Donât you think Iâd remember the first human I killed?! I regretted that day my entire life! And when Asgore couldnât recover your souls just made it worse! But what really makes me mad is the fact that you three have been living here this entire time!â Napstablook thought Sans was going to explode in rage, but⌠he fell silent.
âIâm sorry⌠I⌠didnât want to do it⌠my father forced me⌠Napstablook⌠Nick⌠I am so sorry for what I did to youâŚâ Napstablook was at a loss for words.
âHeyâŚitâs ok⌠being a ghost isnât all that bad⌠it did help us blend in down here⌠no one questioned where we came from, which was nice⌠my cousins didnât change a bit⌠and we still have our souls which is cool, I guessâŚâ Sans looked at Napstablook in a curious fashion.
âYou still have your souls?â Napstablook nodded.
âYâŚyeahâŚhad them this whole time⌠but I guess being dead made our souls whiter than normal⌠disguising them as monster soulsâŚâ Sans nodded, understanding the logic behind it that Napstablook didnât understand.
âWho else knows?â Sans glanced out the window.
âNo one but youâŚâ Napstablook replied.
âGood, because we still need one more soul to open the barrier, and if anyone finds out, you and your cousins will be used to open it⌠wait if youâre a dead human then why didnât you open the barrier?! Youâve been a ghost for what twenty years?! Since I was a kid thatâs for sure!â Sans turned to face Napstablook, glancing out the window occasionally.
âWe tried⌠it didnât work⌠we think itâs because weâve been dead to long that weâre losing our human traits⌠thatâs what Maddie saysâŚâ Napstablook sat on the floor.
âMaddie?â Sans echoed back.
âOh, my cousin, you may also know her as Mettaton? Sheâs helping Dr. Alphys in exchange for fameâŚâ Napstablook fell silent.
âI knew itâŚâ Sans mumbled. The star Mettaton has claimed fame in such a short amount of time that it was almost unnatural. But it wasnât her talent that made her a star, it was the fact that everyone believed that the great Dr. Alphys has made a robot that functions with a human soul⌠technically she DID make a robot suited for a human soul, but the mild of the soul control the host, which was a little detail that Alphys and Maddie kept to themselves.
âThe moon is risingâŚâ Sans muttered. Napstablook rose and joined Sans by the window. Then they heard the shrill laugh of Papyrusâs twisted self.
âSans⌠what does the letter say?â Napstablook whispered as they watched every monster in Snowdin barricade their doors and windows against Papyrus.
ââŚit says âI know your secretââŚâ Sans looked at Napstablook, hoping to get something of a reaction out of him. But Napstablook stayed as blank as paper, his expression unchanging.
âIs that a jokeâŚ? Or are you seriousâŚ?â Napstablook kept his eyes glued to the window.
âIâm serious⌠thatâs why I asked if anyone else knowsâŚâ Sans motioned for Napstablook to follow him as he walked into the kitchen.
âThis is the font my dad used, Wingdings, but heâs been⌠gone for some time now⌠so Iâm wondering⌠why is he trying to make contact again, and with you of all peopleâŚ?â Sans eyed Napstablook enquiringly. The ghost trembling all over.
âI donât know⌠I mean⌠I did meet a very nice skeleton monster once before⌠when I was a kid⌠but that was before the warâŚâ Napstablook was cut short by Sansâs outburst.
âYOU WERE ALIVE DURING THE WAR?!â Sans was both shocked and surprised.
âUhâŚyeahâŚthings were so simple thenâŚwhen I could be nice to both humans and monsters⌠I was raised that wayâŚI canât help it if Iâm too niceâŚâ Napstablook took his place on the floor, eyes avoiding Sans.
âWait, you parents WANTED you to be kind to humans AND MONSTERS?! Thatâs not normal, especially for a human.â Sans crossed his arms, waiting for a response.
âWellâŚI guess it would have to be because Iâm half monster⌠I guessâŚâ Napstablook waited for another of Sansâs outbursts⌠but none came.
âThat⌠makes a lot of sense actually⌠and Iâm guessing your cousins are half monsters as well?â Sansâs eyes had become kind, but Napstablook knew his trick. He would be kind to him for a bit to get information. Thatâs how he found out about Maddieâs curse and why Toriel still lets Napstablook into the ruins.
âIâŚIâmâŚIâm sure you can put the pieces together yourself⌠why would someone as smart as you need a simple answer from someone like meâŚâ Napstablook rose and started making his way to the door.
âI have one more question for you NickâŚâ Sans called after him, Napstablook stopped for a moment, waiting.
âIf you and your cousins are all half monsters⌠then why are you not affected by the moons like everyone else?â there was silence between them for a few heartbeats.
âI donât know⌠but I will find out.â Napstablook floated through the door and out into the icy cold night.
 Papyrusâs shrill laughs echoed through all of Snowdin, but this had no effect on a small talking golden flower, quietly watching a sad ghost making his way back to Waterfall.
âAsriel, have you located him?â a voice sounded in the flowers head.
âAACCKK! I told you not to do that! And yes Iâve located him, heâs headed back to his home in WaterfallâŚâ Asriel, more commonly known as Flowey, hissed in annoyance.
âVery good, I shall send the humans to apprehend him. He will NOT reach the stone, under ANY circumstance. Understood?â The voice made Flowey wince, even though he was a being that surpassed the resets and concept of time in this reality⌠this voice, this void filled voice, made him afraid.
âUâŚunderstood⌠Lord GasterâŚâ Flowey mumbled back. The flowerâs eyes remained on the ghost as he proceeded to his sheltered home. But unaware to him, the next human has fallen into the ruins, and another was being brought back from the void.
 Napstablook felt eyes watching him and a chill run up his ghostly spine.
âMaybeâŚI should have stayed with Sans⌠at least until the sun came upâŚâ Napstablook was about to put his headphones over his ears when he saw a golden flower pop out of the ground in front of him.
âOoohhhhh⌠hello⌠are you the flower that Sans was talking aboutâŚ?â Napstablook tilted his head slightly, looking at the strange flower.
âEnough games Nick, we know your true plot! And Lord Gaster is tired of you nonsense! When are you gonna give up this amnesia bit and come home?!â the flower shouted, making Napstablook jump.
âAmnesiaâŚbitâŚ?â Napstablook echoed, clueless as to what the flower was talking about. The flower became enraged, its face distorting into something unholy.
âDONâT TOY WITH ME NICK! WE KNOW WHAT YOU PLAN ON USING THE STONE FOR! SO WHY! WHY WONâT YOU JUST COME HOME?! WHY WONâT YOU JOIN YOUR FAMILY?!â the flower screamed, its heart poured into the very threatening upsurge it displayed.
âStoneâŚ? Iâm sorry little flower⌠I donât know what youâre talking aboutâŚâ Napstablook felt uneasy, threatened. He knew he had to get away from that thing, no matter the cost. The flower grew even more enraged at Napstablook. Napstablook thought, trying to piece together this flowerâs puzzle while also looking for a way to escape. âLetâs see⌠this talking flower knows Iâm a dead human⌠it knows my real name⌠it said I have amnesiaâŚ? But when would that have happened? Sans killed me shortly after I left the ruins right? No⌠no that wasnât right⌠it wasnât just him⌠an older monster was with him⌠I think⌠Sansâs father maybeâŚ? And what does it mean by stone? There are plenty of stones in the underground⌠so what stone would be important to this flower? And who is Lord Gaster? And what does it mean by âCome homeâ? Iâm already home⌠right? And Maddie, Mark and I are âfamilyââŚright?â Flowey could tell that Napstablook was plotting something, or at least thinking about what he had said. The flower smiled in a way that seemed evil on the surface but was almost familiar, in a comforting way of sorts.
âGolly, you really donât remember do you?â The flower tilted its head, still smiling. Napstablook was out of options, so in quick hast he floated through the ground, the flower yelling after him. Napstablook was sure he was safe when he got to his door step that he didnât even think about looking behind him.
âHowdy friendâŚâ the flower hissed from behind. Napstablook was too afraid to turn around.
âLook⌠I will give you a warning⌠if you donât want the humans to come here and pry that stone from your already undead hands then I suggest getting rid of itâŚfastâŚâ Napstablook looked over his shoulder, the flower draped in the moonlight.
âI really donât know what stone youâre talking aboutâŚâ Napstablook responded, trembling. The flower nodded.
âI know⌠I figured after what you went through that you really did have amnesia⌠the stone is a dark red stone about the size of your hand⌠you have to get rid of it ASAP!â the flower was about to leave, but in a sudden change of character, Napstablook stopped him.
âWait! Why do I have to get rid of this stone? Why is it so important? Why would I have it?â there were so many questions piled up in Napstablookâs head that he couldnât contain himself any longer. Flowey smiled, like heâs looking at an old friend.
âItâs called the Philosopher's Stone⌠it is a legendary item that YOU managed to create. It has the ability to grant a mortal immortality. And as for why you should get rid of it⌠because if you keep it, Lord Gaster will destroy everything you love to get his hands on it⌠I know you donât remember any of this⌠but you were once a brilliant alchemist, Lord Gaster wanted you to take over his work someday you know⌠but⌠the accident happened⌠he made Sans kill you⌠took the souls of your cousins⌠oh golly, Iâm sorry, Iâve said to much! Just remember what I said and get rid of that thing before the humans come!â and at that the flower was gone, leaving Napstablook, Nick, alone once again.
 Flowey appeared in the ruins, a young human child waiting for him.
âYou are lateâŚâ the human said, his voice even, emotionless.
âI was doing as Lord Gaster asked you wretched kid! Now where is-âFlowey was cut off at the sound of a familiar laugh echoing behind him. He turned, coming out of the ruins was a human that was supposed to be long dead, her new soul shining brightly. Fresh dust littered on her clothes.
âChara⌠I didnât see you there⌠how is your new soul treating you?â was all Flowey could muster to say.
âIts ugly yellow color makes me sick, Iâm always filled with COURAGE which is fine I guess, but I miss the thrill of DETERMINATION.â Chara smiled wickedly, her eyes craving murder.
âAnd how about you Asriel? How is DEDICATION treating you?â The other human, Frisk, asked kindly.
âOh, itâs treating me fine. Iâm just glad I can feel again, you know?â Frisk nodded in understanding, Charaâs only emotion was disappointment.
âNow, about NickâŚâ Chara pulled out a small metal object from her pocket, it shined in the moonlight.
âI have gained a piece of Lord Gasterâs creation, we know that Nick has the Philosophers Stone, what about the two of you? Any luck?â Chara susurrated, annoyed at their off topic conversations. Flowey was honestly surprised that Chara got the soul of COURAGE instead of DEDICATION. Frisk pulled out a jar that swirled with different colors, different personalities.
âI got the six human souls needed.â Frisk spoke clearly, neither proud nor disappointed in his actions. Fowey sighed heavily.
âI have six monsters at the ready for our mission, all willing.â Chara nodded. Satisfied with everyoneâs results.
âSo Nick still doesnât remember anything? Nothing about the accident? The stone? About his history?â Frisk asked Flowey, Flowey shook his head.
âNo⌠he doesnât remember a thing⌠I heard that he thinks that Sans killed him outside the Ruins, he had no idea about his âcousinsâ and was completely clueless about the stone.â Flowey looked to Frisk than Chara, waiting to see what his siblings would do next.
âHere is what weâll do.â Chara spoke up. Frisk and Flowey leaned in to listen.
âWe can send Frisk in as a pacifist operative, while he keeps everyone distracted Asriel can go and hunt for the stone, or gain any information about it. I will infiltrate the LABS and hunt for Lord Gasterâs missing piece. And Frisk, if you can, try to get Nick back on our side. By using all means necessary. But be cautious, you know how the moons work down hereâŚâ Chara crossed her arms, proud of her seemingly flawless plan.
âHereâs the thing Chara⌠how do we tell Nick that heâs actually on the wrong side? I mean remember when we first found out? Do you think heâd be that easy to convince?â Flowey asked, Chara considered this for a moment.
âTrue, but he already knew, he just has to remember is all⌠he will remember, he has to. We have to get our prince back, no matter what⌠for the sake of monster and human kind, and for our true king.â Frisk and Flowey nodded. The trio broke apart once again, putting their plan into action.
 It has been three days since Nick has seen the talking flower, an in those days three things happened. First was the fact that a human had entered the underground to make friends, second was the absence of six monsters: Sans and Papyrus, Undyne, Asgore, Muffet, and the strangest of all a young child who was living in Snowdin⌠Nick forgets his name but he was always kind to him, and infatuated with Undyne. The third thing that happened was that Nick had found out where the Philosophers stone was⌠the bad thing about that was its location. During Nickâs frantic search he had discovered pain and conflict in his soul, so naturally he took a quick look at it⌠but instead of the teal color he was used to, his soul now had a bright red around his fading teal soul. The only thing Nick could say at the time was.
âOh⌠oh noâŚâ he had considered going to talk to Dr. Alphys⌠but what would he say?
âOh hey Dr. Alphys, I have a mythical stone fused with my soul can you do something about that?â just thinking about it made Nick feel like an idiot. So instead of that, Nick stayed home, trying to remember what that flower had told him. So far Nick only got pieces, like the LAB was where he made the stone, probably, and that he and Sans were very close back then⌠and what was weird was the more Nick tried to remember the more his memories jumbled and mixed together. Like the fact that he remembers his cousins and him entering the ruins together and into the underground, but he also remembers going to the ruins alone and being greeted with open arms by monster kind⌠everything was so confusing and mixed together that Nick couldnât possibly make sense of any of it. He wasnât even sure if he remembered his parents or family correctly. One thing Nick was positive of was his soul, he knew that his main trait was EMPATHY, he knew that Maddieâs soul was DEDICATION, and he knew Markâs soul was COURAGE⌠so why did thinking about them and their souls make Nick feel sick? Make him feel guilty? Why couldnât he remember?! Who was Nick? Why was he important to that flower? Why had it called him family?
âWhy doesnât anything make sense?!â Nick hollered as he threw a glass against the wall, watching it shatter into millions of pieces. As that happened a startled scream came from the doorway, Nick turned to face his guest when he realized.
âYou⌠are the human everyoneâs talking aboutâŚâ Nick backed up a bit, his eyes not leaving the human.
âUh, yeah I am⌠I was just passing through when I saw your house, I heard you yell and came to see if you were ok, then you threw the glass and it startled me⌠Iâm sorry if I interrupted you in any wayâŚâ The human spoke clearly and with little emotion, it was familiar in a way.
âDo⌠I know you?â Nick asked, making sure to keep a good distance between the human and him.
ââŚwe do know each other yes⌠well at least we did a long time ago⌠you really donât remember me?â The human asked, tilting his head. Nick shook his head.
âHuh⌠well Iâm Frisk, my main trait is DETERMINATION, I am the royal peace keeper and assassin to the king. You are Nick, main trait EMPATHY, you are the son of the king and are a brilliant alchemist. Does any of this ring a bell?â Frisk asked, stepping closer, Nick was at a loss for words.
âNoâŚit doesnât⌠since when was I a prince? How do you know so much about me? What do you mean by âyou are the son of the kingâ? Do you mean Asgore?â Nickâs questions pilled on the more and more he talked.
âOk, ok, take a breath. You have been a prince since⌠forever? I know all this because we lived in the palace together as children, I meant what I meant by saying you are the kingâs son, and no I donât mean Asgore. Asgore is our general⌠ok look, Iâm not supposed to spend a lot of time here⌠but Chara did want me to try and get you back to our sideâŚâ Frisk went silent, thinking.
âWhat if⌠I went with you on your journey? Then you can help me fill in the blanks of my memory and I can help you⌠do whatever it is you are trying to do down hereâŚâ Nick thought for a split second and remembered what the flower had told him about the humans. Then he thought âwhat if Iâm the reason this human is here?â
âAlright. You can tag along. But firstâŚâ Frisk got really close, uncomfortably close.
âWhere is the Philosophers Stone?â Frisk had a look that gave Nick chills.
âIâŚdonât trust you enough to tell you yetâŚâ Nick responded, hoping that would be enough to keep the human occupied. There was silence between the two for a minute.
âTsk⌠fine then⌠lets go princy, I wonât wait around forever you knowâŚâ Frisk made his way out of Nickâs house, Nick following a little ways behind.
âSo⌠everyone trapped here is a member of the royal court? Or a child of that member? And the only way to free them is for six monster souls and six human souls to join and break the barrier? And the reason we donât remember is because of the curse? Because the more and more weâre under the moon the more we forget?â Nick asked, hands in pockets as he floated next to Frisk.
âYes, yes, yes, yes, and kind of? You see the moon distorts the minds of the ones affected by the curse. For example, you, you are affected by ALL the moon phases and didnât even realize it. So your memories started fading faster than everyone else.â Nick nodded.
âOk, I get it⌠so, who is my father? If not Asgore then who? Is it this Lord Gaster Iâve heard so much about?â Nick asked, becoming more and more curious.
âNo, Lord Gaster is the royal advisor and Sans and Papyrus are his children. Your father⌠he is King Lunic, the last pure breed of his kindâŚâ Frisk smiled at the thought of his king, Nickâs father.
âWhat is he?â Nick enquired, tilting his head.
âHeâs of the spectral clan, or in simpler terms, heâs a ghost. Well technically heâs more of a Litch, but his magic is insane. Only one of royal blood, like yourself, could stand a chance against him in battle. At least thatâs what I heard.â Â Frisk turned to look at Nick, the humans red eyes almost glowing in the dawn.
âSo⌠what are you then? Are you pure human or half monster?â Nick tested, getting as much information as he could. Frisk laughed.
âHaha! Now here is the Nick I know! The one who always asked personal questions! Well since you donât remember Iâll just tell you. I am a half breed like you are, I am of the shadow clan, as is my sister Chara. All shadow breeds are born with overwhelming amounts of DETERMINATION. As is the way of a shadow.â Frisk laughed at Nickâs awe and amazement.
âThatâs so cool!â was all Nick could say. The two of them smiled and laughed together like two old friends getting together after years of detachment, well technically, that was exactly what it was like.
âMan I missed this! I missed you Frisk!â Nick said in the most natural way possible. Friskâs jaw dropped, Nick raised his eyebrow.
âWhat?â Nick asked, chuckling.
âYou⌠said you missed this and that you missed me. You use to say that whenever we were separated for a long period of time. Heh, maybe you remember more than you think.â Frisk smiled, putting an arm around Nickâs shoulders, being careful not to phase through him. Nick was going to say something, but stopped himself. The two of them walking through Waterfall together, enjoying their moment of recollection. Hiding in the shadows was a yellow flower, its new pink soul radiating guilt.
âGood⌠he didnât tell Nick⌠I just hope that we are doing the right thing hereâŚâ Flowey ducked into the earth and reappeared in Asgoreâs throne room.
âFather, Frisk is on his way with Nick and the six human souls. Chara will be here shortly with the final piece to Lord Gasterâs creation. Do you have any questions about the plan?â Asgore, who was casually sitting on his throne of lies, shook his head.
âNo, I have no questions son, I shall get the others so we can begin preparations. What will become of the other two? Maddie and Mark?â Asgore looked down at his flower son, eyes saddened at the sight.
âWell⌠they donât have souls, they are literally hollowed out versions of what they once were. I know Prince Nick wonât be happy, but as long as we can get that stone from him we have nothing to worry about.â Flowey responded, annoyed.
âAs long as the stone hasnât fused with a soul, then everything should be fine.â Flowey looked up at his father.
âAnd what if it has?â Asgore asked.
âThen this was all for nothing. That stone not only will grant immortality but will increase the users HP, Attack, Defense, their LOVE⌠and if Nick was the one who fused it with his soul⌠then there is a possibility that the stone will also fuse with the other souls around it. Not just the six you all will wield but also the souls me and Chara have and Friskâs soul as well⌠it would make him practically unstoppable⌠theoreticallyâŚâ Flowey and Asgore shared a moment of worry, hoping that it hasnât already come to that.
 Chara was deep in the labyrinth known as the LABS, the fallen monsters hiding from her as soon as she was within a hundred feet of them.
âI thought he said it would be hereâŚâ Chara mumbled to herself, poking around old documents and devices. The current scientist, Alphys, posed no threat to her, but the robot she made⌠no, the ghost possessing the robot she made, could serve as more of a challenge. She wouldnât have even broke a sweat if she still had DETERMINATION, but with COURAGE she had to retest her waters. She had to see for herself the power that this new soul held. Chara looked ahead, there was a locked door in front of her. Naturally she broke it down. She was shocked at first to see Lord Gasterâs old room, but smiled at the sight of the missing piece on the nightstand.
âItâs timeâŚâ Chara chuckled, the fallen monsters cowering in terror behind her.
â⌠To test the watersâŚâ Chara pulled out her knife and faced the fallen monsters with a grin so monstrous she didnât even look human any more.
 Nick and Frisk were laughing up a storm as they entered Asgoreâs throne room, completely unaware of their surroundings.
âOh man Frisk! I havenât laughed like this in ages!â Nick held his stomach, continuing to laugh.
âI didnât even say anything remotely funny! I just said an awful ice cream pun!â Frisk laughed, hands on hips.
âBut it was really funny!â Nick chuckled, settling down.
âYou think everything I say is funny.â Frisk jested, rustling Nickâs hair.
âHehe, yeah⌠wait⌠why are we in Asgoreâs throne room?â Nick looked around, in front of him were the absent monsters in complete health, to the left was Flowey and a human girl covered in dust. Nick shivered.
âFrisk⌠whatâs going on?â Nick asked, a sudden jolt of pain coming from his soul. He ignored it, focusing on the here and now.
âNick, we need that Philosophers Stone now. Weâre going to break the barrier with it.â Frisk explained, placing a container of swirling colors on the ground in front of them, the pain increasingly got worse.
âUm⌠about thatâŚâ Nick started, rubbing his chest where his soul was, the pain making him sweat.
âDo you not have it?â Frisk asked, Nick could tell that the human girl was getting impatient. That made Nick worry more.
âNick where is the stone.â Flowey spoke up, everyone was looking at him, waiting to be given this mythical stone that will free everyone⌠butâŚ
âI do have it⌠but⌠there is one problem⌠just a little one thoughâŚâ Nick coughed casually, the pain making him want to fall over and rip his own soul out.
âNick?â Fisk put a patient hand on his shoulder. Friskâs smile, the most real emotion Nick has seen, made his stomach lurch.
âThe⌠the stone⌠THE STONE IS FUSED WITH MY SOULâŚ!â Nick finally blurted out. The silence making the situation worse.
âIâmâŚsorryâŚâ Nick coughed more violently, falling to his knees.
âQuickly! We may be able to stop this before the worse happens!â Chara threw the container of swirling colors at Asgore, who caught it with ease. Nick watched with blurred eyes as each monster was given a human soul. Asgore got the soul trait PERSERVERANCE, Sans got AUDACITY, Papyrus got KINDNESS, Undyne got DILIGENCE, Muffet got INTEGRITY, and the young monster kid (MK) got GENEROSITY. Together with their souls they tried to separate the stone and Nickâs soul. But their efforts were in vain. No matter what they tried it only made it worse until Nick could hear shouts and screams past the white of his vision. The next thing he knew was that the pain stopped.
 Nick opened his eyes to see Frisk on his left and Flowey on his right.
âWhat⌠happened?â Nick sat upright and immediately realized three things. One: he looked like his old self again, still ghostly, but still himself. Second: everyone was here, everyone who was present in the throne room was here. Third: âhereâ was a white void comprised of nothing.
âWhere are we?â Nick rubbed his head, looking from face to face.
âWell genius, if you must know we all got sucked into the Philosophers Stone and are currently unconscious in the throne room. So thanks princy for getting us into this mess!â Flowey hissed, crossing his leaves like arms.
âIt was like that. I didnât do it recently.â Nick tried to reason, but only got disappointed and annoyed faces in return.
âWell since you are the one the stone was originally fused to you have the greatest amount of control. The rest of us are basically here to increase you stats. But hey not much we can do about it.â Sans had a look that sent shivers down Nickâs spine.
âWhat do we do now?â Nick asked, avoiding Sansâs gaze.
âWe continue with the plan.â The human girl spoke up, eyes filled with bloodlust.
âBut Chara⌠he doesnât know whatâs happeningâŚâ Flowey spoke up, clearly afraid of the human girl.
âThen letâs explain it to him shall we.â Chara crossed her arms, annoyed and angry.
âOh! Can the Great Papyrus explain the situation to the young prince?â Papyrus jumped at the opportunity, the others not protesting against it.
âAlright! So basically we are all members of the royal court or children of those members as Frisk has told you. But what we also discovered was that it was the king himself who put us down here! He is using us as black mail or as leverage to get the court to do as he wishes, one being to ignite war with the humans! So we, the remaining members of the not corrupted court, are trying to overthrow the king and stop the war.â Papyrus was very proud of his explanation, Sans and Undyne giving him encouragement as well.
âWhy didnât you tell me this sooner?â Nick asked. Chara was the one who spoke up.
âThe advisor, Lord Gaster, was listening. Even though he was helping us he knew what would happen if the king found out so we had to be extra cautious. Not to mention you donât remember a thing about why you came here and about anything involving your history with us.â Chara gave Nick a look that made him feel like a target to a missile. It was threatening.
âWell tell me then.â Nick pressed, hoping for more answers.
âI got this.â Undyne spoke up, MK starring at her with awe.
âYou see Nick, you were the one who discovered you fathers plans. You recruited each of us to help you by visiting the underground by day and returning at night as to not be affected by the curse. It was working at first⌠until your father found out what you were doing. So by day you and two others made your way into the underground for good and continued to make preparations. That is until the curse stared affecting you⌠Gaster, you and Sans were working on a project when you started becoming violent⌠Sans had to kill you⌠it was more like the king had taken over Gaster and forced Sans to kill you⌠then you lost your memories for goodâŚâ Undyne gave Nick a pitying look, glancing at Sans occasionally.
âIâŚI seeâŚâ Nick mumbled. He looked to everyone, they had hope in him once. They believed in him. So now, they need to believe in him again.
âLetâs go.â Nick spoke proudly. Everyoneâs attention at him.
âI know I may not remember my past, but I swear to you all that I will finish what I started. Thatâs a royal promise.â Nick smiled, he was scared of what lay ahead. But he knew he couldnât back down now. The three eyes of the ultimate boss who lay unconscious in the throne room opened for the first time, awake and ready to battle.
 The boss the ten of them created was like nothing they have seen, they had a grey ghostly tail with a black belt and the soul DETERMINATION on it. They have six skeleton like arms, the top two have yellow and gold laced along the arm, the wrist lined with a golden bracelet, the souls AUDACITY on the right and KINDNESS on the left. The middle arms the same as the top but with red instead of yellow, the souls DILIGENCE on the right and INTEGRITY on the left. The lowest arms the same as the other four accept instead of red or yellow it was a light green that wrapped the arms. The souls PERSERVERANCE on the right and GENEROSITY on the left. The arms have short sleeves on them and vines around the forearm. Two oranges spikes jutting out of the sleeves of each arm. The shirt and sleeves are a navy blue color a red belt along the bottom of the shirt, the soul EMPATHY as its focal point, a red scarf wrapped around their neck, headphones sitting atop the scarf, a cream color hood laying lazily on their back, the strings of the hood swaying freely, the souls DEDICATION and COURAGE hanging from the base of the strings. Their blue gills and fins standing out against the pure white of their skin. Their teal hair in pigtails wrapped in pink laces. White horns wrapped in vines and flowers jutting from atop their head, the orange spikes running along their back and goat tail. Their eyes where what seemed to hold the most power, the left eye was like Undyneâs accept that the color was replaced with her new cream colored soul instead of the normal blue color. The right eye was like Sansâs accept it was a vibrant orange to replace the blue. And the third eye in the center of their head was completely red accept for the black iris. The left and right eyes bled black like what Charaâs eyes would do occasionally. And their smile was like Papyrusâs, usually friendly, but in their case⌠menacing. For laughs they summoned a basic version of their main weapon. It was a combination of the skelebros bones, Undyneâs spears and Asgoreâ trident. It was a basic bone shape from the base to the shaft but has a trident tip with spear ends along the sides of the shaft. The other thing they could do was use Muffetâs webs, which were now a navy blue color to match her new soul. Which would be very useful in their upcoming battle. They stood, regaining balance with their new body.
âWe should head right to the barrier and start kicking ass!â Undyne yelled in their head, making Nick, the main one controlling the body, wince.
âNot so loud Undyne.â Nick, the body, said in a voice that was strong and powerful, but also showed compassion and kindness.
âSorry, sorry. But we really should head to the castle right away.â Undyne quieted down.
âWe can guide you, itâs been a while since Iâve been there but Frisk should have the path memorized, right Frisk?â Chara susurrated.
âYeah, I can take us there. But what do we do when we get there? Just go up and challenge the king? Heâs a Litch with powerful magic, not to mention physical attacks wonât work on himâŚâ Frisk was hesitant, Nick could tell.
âWe have my ability Frisk so he canât use physical attacks against us either. Not to mention we heavily rely on magic, and with you and Chara we also have the ability to do powerful physical attacks.â Nick soothed, hoping to raise Friskâs spirits.
âThatâsâŚtrue⌠but are you really willing to face off against your own father?â Frisk asked, concerned.
âI have no memory of the guy, so as far as Iâm concerned heâs just another bully I have to deal withâŚâ Nick started them forward to the barrier.
âNick⌠if it becomes too much, let me take the leadâŚI know I havenât been the nicest to you but Iâve got your back.â Sans chimed in, Nick could tell that they were all pumped to finally finish this, and in this powerful form it seems like nothing can get in their way.
âOk Sans, I will. But for now, all of you save your energy for the battle. Weâll need it.â Nick said, abolishing the barrier, breaking the seemingly endless curse. The sunlight poured its rays on them, cradling them in heat. Nick took a deep breath and readied himself.
âWhere to Frisk?â he asked.
âWe need to head north, the castle lies dead north.â Frisk seemed as nervous as Nick, which he understood completely.
âAlright. Then letâs go!â Nick launched them off the cliff face at a speed so unnatural it seemed physically impossible. And just as they broke contact with the earth a sensation came over them, and just like that they teleported past the tree line and only feet away from a massive lake.
âWhat?!â Nick alleged startled.
âSans was that you?!â Flowey asked in a harsh tone.
âIt wasnât me!â Sans shouted back.
âOk, so we can teleport, just another thing we can use against the king.â Nick took this turn of events in a positive way, and by using the same determined concentration he had before he teleported away from the lakes edge and to his fatherâs castle.
 The castle sat on the top of a cliff, its walls made of stone so ancient it looked like it would fall apart any second. The trees were tall pines, which made it easier to hide from any patrolling guard.
âMan, Iâd say that stone is as ancient as the mountain. Worth more than any of us thatâs for sure.â Muffet exclaimed as Nick maneuvered them past the guards and up to the castle.
âWow! That castle is so huuuugggeeeee!â MK said in awe, his childish voice becoming the most annoying sound in their head.
âMonster Kid, we must be quiet. Who knows when the battle will erupt.â Asgore explained to the child, he immediately quieted down.
âPapyrus, youâve been quiet⌠is everything ok?â Nick whispered, hiding in the shadows.
âOh yes I am fine, just⌠preparing for the battleâŚâ he was scared to face the king, they all were⌠even Chara.
âLook⌠I have faith in us. I know we will be able to defeat the king. You just have to have faith.â Nick smiled, confident in their abilities.
âPlease, everyone, believe in me. I will get us through this.â Nick mumbled. They were at the doors of the castle.
âI believe in you Nick.â Frisk chimed in.
âSo do I!â MK said excitedly.
âSame here.â Flowey added.
âWe all believe in you Nick. Now go and kick your fatherâs ass!â Undyne laughed, everyone agreeing and supporting Nick as they pushed open the door to the castle.
 Surprisingly there were no guards patrolling the castle. It was too easy.
âBe cautious Nick.â Asgore said quietly. Nick nodded and crept along the wall, staying in the shadows.
âUp ahead is the throne room. He should be thereâŚâ Frisk whispered, even though he didnât have to. Nick took a deep breath and opened the door to the throne room. Inside sat a monster the size of them, his cloak covering his face. His armor that of the medieval times, skeletal and ghostly flesh and bone jutting out of the armors openings. His crown made from human bones.
âSo, youâve come at last my son.â The king roared, his voice making the windows tremble.
âIâve come to stop your tyranny! You are not fit to rule this kingdom!â Nick yelled back, his voice matching the intensity of his fatherâs. His father broke out in hysterical laughter that seemed to shake the whole castle.
âYOU THINK YOU CAN STAND A CHANCE AGAINST ME?!â the king laughed, standing upright.
âHell yeah! We will beat you and bring peace to the kingdoms!â Everyone seemed to yell at once.
âSO BE ITâŚâ The king hissed. And the battle began. Nick automatically recognized the fighting style his father was using. It was a mixture of his, Maddieâs and Markâs style of fighting.
âThis will be a piece of cake!â Nick said, summoning his weapons and entrapping the whole room in Muffetâs webs.
âIs that so?â The king jeered, sending rustic weapons their way for his first attack, which they avoided easily.
âNick, those were physical attacks wrapped in magic!â Flowey exclaimed.
âYeah and?â Nick said back using his turn to attack back, he missed.
âWhat he means is that he can use physical attacks against you since itâs also a magic attack.â Chara added.
âWell canât we do that?â Nick asked, sweat pouring down his face at seeing what seemed like millions of swords and knives aimed right at him, all of them cloaked in magic.
âWe donât know how!â Papyrus said worried.
âNick dodge that!â Sans yelled, everyoneâs screams bouncing around in his head. Nick tried to concentrate on teleporting to the ceiling, but was to slow and was dealt a minor blow to the shoulder of his upper left arm. Nick held onto the webs with his right arms.
âDamnâŚâ Nick mumbled, looking down at the king.
âNick you have never been one for fights, let one of us take over.â Undyne added, pumped up.
âNo⌠no we have to work together. Everyone, we can beat him if we work together!â Nick yelled to them, the king smiling wickedly.
âAlright!â Frisk said, the others following suite. Together the ten of them controlled the boss, its stats seeming to increase just by their willpower. With their left arms they summoned their weapon while also using blue magic to keep the king to the ground, the webs working to grab at his soul.
âBlue means stop.â Papyrus said in their voice. The king tried to move, only to get hit by almost all the weapons aimed at him, dropping his health by a fourth.
âHuh, how about that.â The king seemed impressed with their efforts.
âBut now itâs my turn.â The king broke free of Muffetâs webs and the blue attack to charge straight at them at high speeds.
âDodge!â Sans yelled in their voice. The teleported safely to the ground butâŚ
âHello there!â The king laughed as he seemingly appeared beside them, using shear force throwing them against the far wall, breaking it into pieces. The webs untangling slowly.
âWe canât let the webs untangle!â Muffet said in their voice.
âWhy?â Nick asked, looking at their health. They were down by a half.
âThe webs are the only leverage we have, we have teleportation but I can feel his movements threw the webs. It would be easier if he couldnât see us thoughâŚâ Muffet sighed, they thought for a moment. The king awaiting their attack.
âI have an idea.â MK said excitedly.
âWhat is it?â Asgore asked. They all listened intently, but never taking their eyes off the king.
âWe can use our physical attack this round to kill the light in the room to get an advantage. Then we use blue magic on the king, the only problem is he can cloak physical attacks in magic, we have magic from Nick, Sans, Papyrus and Flowey but dodging attacks like that would fall to-âMK was cut off by the two humans.
âThat would fall to us.â Frisk and Chara said simultaneously.
âOk, then lets put this plan to action!â Nick said, the ten of them putting their plan into action. They started by summoning an exact number of weapons and aiming them at the lights around the room, encasing them in darkness.
âWhat are you up to?â The king muttered, listening to the sounds of their movements. The webs went silent, the spider like stealth that Muffet contributed serving its purpose.
âCome out, come out where ever you are.â The king sang in an unpleasant tone. He sent rustic arrows upward with the speed and accuracy of a thousand trained assassins. But luckily for them, they were nowhere near the top of the room. It was their turn. They used blue magic to grab the kingâs soul, but instead of Papyrus calling the shots, it was Sans.
âThis trick again. Seriously. Go ahead and throw more useless weapons at me! They wonât do a thing.â The king taunted. Standing unusually still. They waited for the king to attack, moving very quietly around the base of the room.
âWhat is he waiting for?â Nick whispered. The third eye they have was from Muffet apparently, because without it they wouldnât have been able to see in the dark.
âSomethingâs not rightâŚâ Undyne whispered back. The king muttered under his breath, chanting.
âHeâs using his dark magic!â Fisk said in a hushed tone, the kingâs gaze landing directly on them. In a matter of heartbeats the king shot a bold of dark magic at them, trapping them in burning restraints. They screamed, Nick taking the blow for them.
âNICK!â Frisk cried, trying to hold his soul together.
âDO SOMETHING!â Frisk wailed, Sans using his magic to hold Nickâs soul together, the cracks getting deeper.
âFuck it! Iâm taking over!â Chara, the genocidal, took full control of the body, COURAGE reigning supreme.
âI WILL KILL YOU FOR HURTING OUR LITTLE PASIFIST!â Chara roared, breaking free of the restraints with little effort and charging full speed into enemy fire, avoiding all attacks with ease.
âNick! Hang in there!â Flowey teared up, trying to remain calm. Muffet used her webs to try and stabilize the pieces, but to no avail. The cracks kept getting deeper.
âDoes anyone have healing magic?! Or health items?!â MK cried, trembling like a leaf. Everyone looked from one to the other.
âPapyrus, canât you heal?â Undyne asked, looking at him with sincere eyes.
âYâŚyes, I do know how to use healing magic⌠butâŚâ Everyone looked at Papyrus, either with the expression of sadness or fury.
âI⌠since I got this new soul my magic hasnât been the same⌠Iâm not sure my healing magic will be the same eitherâŚâ Papyrus rubbed his arms.
âPâŚPap⌠IâŚits ok⌠donâtâŚpushâŚyourselfâŚâ Nick muttered, trying to sit up. Frisk pushed him back down.
âAt least try, whatâs the worst that can happen?â Muffet hissed, avoiding Sansâs glare. Papyrus nodded.
âOâŚokâŚâ Papyrus sat next to Nick, doing his best to heal with the alterations of his new soul.
âHow are things going out there Chara?â Asgore asked.
âOH JUST DANDY!â Chara reflected the attacks with their weapon, a fresh coat of blood on the blade.
âYou landed a hit on him?!â Undyne exclaimed, astonished at the human girl.
âAt least sheâs on our sideâŚâ Sans mumbled under his breath. Chara didnât respond to that.
âYeah I hit him⌠looks like the blue attack is still in effect, hey Sans, try throwing this guy around like you did with me that one time.â Chara tested her luck against Sans patience. There was a moment of silence.
âFineâŚâ Sans co controlled the body with Chara, together they lifted the king up by his soul and hit him against every pole and wall in the room with all their might.
âI wonder if the blasters still work.â Chara teased, Sans getting more irritated with her. Using their combined magic they summoned spiked bones that jutted out of every corner of the floor and ceiling, blasters surrounding every inch of the walls.
âLetâs end this!â Sans roared, firing all the blasters at once and sending the bones threw their target with precision and clout. The light from all the blasters blinding to them.
âDid we win?!â Undyne yelled, everyone else hoping for the same result as her. The bones crumbled away, the blasters disarmed, and standing in the middle of the floor was the king. His health had taken a decent hit, but it wasnât as affective as everyone had hoped.
âDAMN IT!â Undyne yelled.
âGâŚguys⌠we have⌠to work together⌠use⌠all our souls⌠togetherâŚâ Nick coughed, using Frisk to sit up.
âBut⌠Nick⌠your soul canât take another hit like that⌠you couldâŚâ Papyrus started. They all knew that Nick could turn to dust any second under the right condition.
âIâll⌠be fine⌠we need to use⌠all the souls⌠all our power⌠at the same time⌠he has⌠a fourth health left⌠we can do itâŚ!â Nick smiled, determined. Everyone hesitated, but agreed none the less.
âSo, what other tricks do you have up your sleeve, Fasgpyrnethk?â The king taunted. They all were so confused at the name the king had called them, like what even was that jumble of letters?!
âWhat?â Chara asked, weapon at the ready.
âFasgpyrnethk, the combination of all ten of your names. It took me ages to think of something as complicated as that but what else is there to do other than wage war against inferior species?â The king shrugged in a childlike way.
âDoes something seem different about him?â Sans asked, the body nodded.
âYeah totally, he has never been this relaxed and childish in all the years Iâve known him.â Frisk responded.
âYeah same hereâŚâ Chara added, glaring at the robed king.
âHey king Lunic, take of your robe.â Chara challenged. The king became flustered.
âWâŚwhy?!â he covered his face like a child, embarrassed.
âThatâs⌠not himâŚâNick spoke in a weak voice.
âWhat do you mean?â Flowey inquired, Nick stood, Frisk holding him up.
âHis⌠personality⌠is differentâ Nick coughed, Frisk trying to get him to sit back down.
âI⌠havenât known⌠him long, but there⌠is a clear difference⌠in⌠the one we were fighting⌠and the one⌠we are facing right now.â Everyone paused, they looked at the embarrassed figure. Something was off.
âYou arenât the king⌠are you?â Frisk took over, trying to be kind instead of threatening. The king didnât say anything for a bit, he was shaking.
âNâŚno⌠Iâm not the kingâŚâ the skeletal hands with rotten flesh on them pulled the hood back to reveal what could only be described as horrific. It was like a skeletonâs face and a little girls face were melted together in a painful experiment, one could only wonder what the rest of them looks likeâŚ
âIâŚIâm Eliza⌠I was taken from my home and brought here⌠the king said if I was good⌠if I helped him⌠I could see my family again⌠but itâs been so long⌠so, so long⌠and Iâm always in pain⌠the king said that if I stayed out of his way⌠and only was useful in supplying my  WISDOM⌠that I wouldnât be hurt anymore⌠but⌠I⌠just want to go home⌠I want to see my family again⌠I WANT TO BE MYSELF AGAIN!â the child half of the face was crying, the skeleton like half⌠was leaking an ominous black substanceâŚ
âPlease⌠please help me⌠I want this pain to stop⌠I want this to stop!â the child cried, pleading.
âIâll handle this⌠Asgore announced, no one protested. They all knew they had to end this childâs suffering⌠one way or another.
âJust⌠hold stillâŚâ Asgore mumbled, summoning a weapon and holding it in their lowest right hand.
âThe pain will end soonâŚâ But before Asgore could finish them, they changed.
âNO! I WILL NOT DIE BECAUSE OF YOUR WEAKNESS!â the Litch king shouted, his consciousness resurfacing. He summoned a rustic sword laced in magic.
âI donât want to kill anymore!â the child shouted back, their consciousnessâs fighting each other for control.
âEliza?!â Asgore had shouted through their voice, but before he could help the suffering childâŚ
âTell my familyâŚI love themâŚâ Eliza took the sword and broke their own combined soul with it, the sound of it shattering and finally breaking staring a full five minutes of silence. The dust of the Litch king littered the floor, no trace left of Eliza. They, Fasgpyrnethk, left the castle without speaking. The armies of monsters that had surrounded the castle broke away at seeing them. It must have been Sans who took over because before they knew it they were beside the lake again.
âHey⌠guysâŚâ Nick said, seeming to have recovered slightly from Papyrusâs healing magic.
âYeah?â MK responded.
âThat girlâŚElizaâŚâNick started.
âThere was nothing we could do for herâŚâ Undyne sighed.
âYeah, donât beat yourself up about itâŚâ Chara muttered.
âI knew herâŚâ Nick rejoined, everyone caught off guard.
âI remember⌠we use to play together as children in an orphanage⌠one by one the king would take a child⌠trying to use them for his evil deeds we thought⌠but when it was my turn⌠I guess⌠my soul was given to the son of the king, who was deathly ill⌠thatâs why my memories were so jumbled⌠because I was remembering my memories⌠and hisâŚâ Nick exhaled, the cold air brushing against their skin.
âNick⌠Iâm⌠so sorryâŚâ Papyrus soothed, trying to comfort Nick in these times of distress.
âItâs alright Pap⌠Iâm more upset about ElizaâŚâ A tear rolled down their face.
âWhat was she to you?â Muffet asked, seeming to be generally curious. There was a pause, a light breeze the only noise that the twilight had to offer.
âShe was my sisterâŚâ was all Nick could say before grief overtook him.
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