#underforce

Suddenly they leapt out of bed and tackled me with a hug. “The plan worked!” Then I wrapped my arms around them and returned the hug. “Yes, yes it did. And I can’t thank you enough.” I replied. “So, he really is gone…” “He’s not gone Frisk, he’s right here, with us”

After everything that Frisk and Asriel had been through, after everything they had given up in my name, I knew without a doubt that I could trust them. Which is why I didn’t even have second thoughts about showing them. “See for yourself,” I said as I bared my soul to them.

But as I did so I ended up doing a double take. There was the little blue bit that was my own, I guessed, and the white bit that was my brothers…but then there was a third bit. A red portion that seemed to be upside down. Unless…

“Y-you gave up p-p-part of your s-soul for me?” I asked Frisk. “Of course, Rey” Frisk replied, “Fl-Asriel was so set on saving you that I knew instantly I’d do anything I could to help.”

This time it was my turn to leap on Frisk with a hug. I…didn’t know what to say. They had given me a portion of their own human soul to save me. Even a small but like that must have been incredibly painful, yet they gave it willingly. And that made me stronger than most monsters too, even a tiny bit of human soul like that must have the power of 1 or 2 fully grown, adult monsters.

“So…” they said quietly in my ear, “I guess this kinda makes you my brother…in a way.” I moved back so I could look them in the eye and smiled. “Heh, I guess it does” They hugged me again. “I always wanted a brother” I hugged back. “Well now you have one, I’ll always be there for you Frisk” “I’ll always be there for you too Rey.”

“What time is it?” I asked them. They quickly looked at their wrist before remembering that they didn’t actually have a watch on.   “I…have no idea.” They replied. “But judging from the snoring I can hear next door I’m guessing everyone else has gone to bed.”

“Oh…” I said. “It was just…I was hoping maybe we could…I’ve always wanted to…” “Yes?” They asked me. “Could we…go for a walk? You know…outside?” “Sure thing Rey. I’m guessing you’ve never left this room.” “I’ve never left my bed…this…this is my first time being awake…ever.” They put their hand on my shoulder and said, “Then, of course, we can go for a walk. Just…be careful okay?” “Mhm”

We carefully tiptoed out of the house together, making sure that we didn’t make a sound, we didn’t want to wake up Mom after all. Once we were a good way from the house we started walking normally. There were a couple of times I nearly fell over (it was the first time I’d ever walked okay? Cut me some slack) but Frisk was always there to catch me before I fell.

As we explored the ruined city Frisk and I got talking, we talked about various things: what I could remember; what it was like on the surface; Frisk's childhood…the day they lost their parents and went into a care home. “I’m sorry,” I told them. That must have been awful for them, I knew how hard losing a loved one could be. I decided to change the topic to something less sombre…emphasis on tried. “So, what’s the surface like now?” I asked. They had talked a lot about the past but nothing more recent. They looked down at the floor and sighed. “It’s…not good.”

“Everything I told you about before, it happened five or more years ago…” Frisk told me. “Why?” I asked. “What happened five years ago?” “THEY invaded.”

“They’re known as the Starkillers,” Frisk explained, “no one knows their true names so we just call them that. A pair of siblings that took over the world 5 years ago. They dissolved all forms of government and created a huge single empire that the two of them now rule. They rule with an iron fist, threatening anyone who disagrees with them, killing them if they take a single step out of line. They have…powers. They can move things with their minds and they have these swords that can cut through anything. No one dares stand up to them…they’ve already killed anyone that did…”

“I’m sorry Frisk,” I said, deciding to keep quiet the fact that I could use those powers too, at least for now. “If there’s anything I can do to help, I promise I will.” “Rey, you don’t have to-“ “I want to. After everything you’ve done for me,” I put my hand on their chest. “After everything you’ve given up for me, it’s my turn to help you. I swear to you Frisk, here and now, I will do everything in my power to help free the surface from these Starkillers and return it to peace.”

Suddenly I found myself enveloped in the warm embrace. It sounded like they were crying into my shoulder. “Thank you, Rey,” Frisk whispered in my ear. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” Now it was my turn to get teary-eyed. “I meant every word. We’re siblings anyway, right?” “Right.” They replied. It sounded like they were starting to feel better.

We walked on for a bit. Exploring the ruins of the old city of Home. We knew it was called that because we found a sign at the edge of the city, we both agreed that it was a strange name for a city but decided that a name was a name and moved on.

Eventually, we stumbled across what looked like some sort of smashed crystal. And when I say stumbled across I mean that it tripped me up…

“Woah Rey, are you alright?” Frisk asked, helping me up. “Yeah, I’m good. Just tripped on something.” We both looked in the direction of where I had just tripped up. On the ground, there seemed to be shards of crystal lying around. Frisk went over and picked up one of the pieces of the crystal. “It’s just like that other one…” They said. “What other one? I’ve never seen anything like that before.” Only afterwards did I realise how redundant that was, I hadn’t seen anything at all before. “Toriel, I mean, your Mom used a crystal just like this when she combined your soul with mine and Asriel’s. She said it contained the power of an entire star…”

I was speechless. Had Mom really used the power of an entire star to help me? I knew that Asriel had already sacrificed himself for me, but now the power of an entire star as well…was I really worth all that?

“I wonder where it came from?” Frisk asked looking around. I glanced upwards, from where I thought it should have come from and saw. “It must have come from up there,” I told Frisk, pointing up to the roof of the cavern.

Up there you could clearly see a hole where the crystal must have come from. And next to it there were 2 more crystals still stuck in the rock. “Hey, Rey?” Frisk said “Wanna help me get those other 2 crystals? We could have one each.” “You bet I do!” I replied. Something like that could come in very helpful…plus they looked REALLY cool. “But…how do we get them Frisk? They’re so high up.” I asked them. Climbing that high could be really dangerous, and I still wasn’t all that good at walking yet. “Stand back.” They told me.

They looked determined and slowly raised their hand towards the roof of the cavern. I could see them concentrating hard. A bead of sweat started to run down their face.

Eventually, they put their arm down and started breathing heavily. “I – I’m sorry – it’s – too far away – I can’t reach it. I’m still not very good at using these powers.” They were trying to use that power! Maybe I could too…

“F-Frisk…there’s, something I haven’t been telling you… I – I have those powers too… and I think I can help. If I lift you up, closer to the crystals, maybe you could reach them with your own powers...?” They looked stunned for a second as if they were taking time to understand what I had said. “Deal” they answered. I was surprised at just how quickly they had come to terms with it.

I prepared myself. I couldn’t mess this up, not with it being Frisk I was lifting this time. I reached deep within myself, trying to find that power again. I concentrated on Frisk and imagined them slowly and safely rising from the ground. As I did so, I heard a small cry of excitement come from Frisk. It was working.

Slowly they floated upwards until they were about halfway between the ground and the cavern roof. That was the furthest I could hold them steady and didn’t dare try to go any further. It was up to them now… I saw them reach their arm out and start to concentrate, reaching for the same power I was using right now. I took a quick glance at the ceiling and saw that the crystals were beginning to come free. “Come on Frisk” I whispered to myself.

Suddenly the crystals came free and gently floated towards Frisk. We’d done it! I slowly brought Frisk back down to the ground where they greeted me with open arms. “We did it!” They screamed as they hugged me. “We really did” I answered back. “Here you go.” They gave me one of the crystals. I hoped I’d be able to put it to good use someday. “We should get back,” Frisk said, “Toriel will kill us if she finds out we snuck out.” “Let’s get going,” I said back to them. So we set off back home. And I smiled at the thought of getting meet my Mom for the first time.

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“Because…because he’s never woken up…and he never will.” She replied, clearly upset. “His soul is too small, barely a quarter of a full monster soul…not enough to live with, but too much to let him die. We knew the risks but…” She spoke through sobs. “Your father and I, we…we didn’t have the heart to do it. To kill him. He’s right there, alive and well…but he’s stayed in that bed since the day he was born. We were going to tell you one day Asriel, I swear, we would have told you, after what happened with Chara, we decided not to keep it from you anymore…but you disappeared before we had the chance. I’m so sorry.” Toriel said, through a veil of tears.

“W-what’s his name?” Asriel asked. “Rey” Toriel said “he’s my little ray of hope. Hope that one day, there might be a way to help him… And after what you told me earlier, I think there just might be. Asriel, if your soul really was split, and you did it to yourself, then perhaps we can find out how you did it, and do it again…to me. As a mother, I would gladly switch positions with him. He can take my so-”

“Mom No!” Asriel said. “You’re too important to lose. I won’t let you, too many people rely on you…I-I’ll do it.” “What?” “I said I’ll do it. Use whatever’s left of my soul within this flower and give it to him.” “Asriel I can’t” “Yes, you can! I don’t care about the risks. I don’t want to stay as a flower for the rest of my life. What’s left of my soul will be better served as a part of his. This way…even though I couldn’t save Chara, I can save him, and you. If there’s one thing I can do as an older brother, the only thing I’ll do as an older brother, it’ll be to ensure that my brother can live a full life. That way at least one of us will. Staying like this…no. I refuse. Let him live, give him the chances I never had.” “I don’t doubt you Asriel, I believe you, and…and I won’t stop you if you’re set on this…but it’s not enough. Even with what soul you have left in that flower, that still only adds up to three-quarters of a soul, and monster souls are so weak that anything less than a full soul will not be enough. I’m sorry, it won’t work.”

I knew what I had to do. “Then let me help” I chimed in. I don’t know why I decided on this, but I knew it was the right thing to do. “My dad told me that unlike monster souls, human souls are able to heal themselves after taking damage. Even if a tiny bit of human soul is left, over time it can regenerate. He said that one day, knowing that could save someone’s life, and that day is today. Asriel, earlier you mentioned that your soul was split? And Ms Toriel, you mentioned that you might be able to split your own?”

Here we go. I thought to myself, no going back from this.

“Yes..?” “If you know how to do it to someone else…Do it to me. Take a portion of my soul and add it to Asriel and Rey’s. That way both souls will be able to heal. Look, I know you don’t know me very well, at all even. But as Flowey, Asriel and I have been through a lot together. And if he is willing to give up what’s left of himself for his brother, then I am willing to do whatever I can to help him achieve that.”

Toriel’s eyes started to gleam. “That might just work…” she said. “Wait, if we’re doing that. Why don’t we add some of your soul to Asriel’s and some to Rey’s? That way they could both live.”

“No Mom. I’m not staying as a flower. Even with a full soul, I’d still be trapped in here, I wouldn’t go back to my old body.” Asriel replied. I was surprised at just how much he didn’t want to stay as a flower.

But there was another problem with Toriel’s plan. “We couldn’t do it anyway,” I said, remembering my dad’s words. “A soul can’t heal if there is not enough there, anything less than half a soul and nothing can heal it. I’m sorry, but it cannot be done any other way, by putting the 2 sections of souls together, my soul can act a bit like glue and heal them into a single soul for Rey to take. And then my soul can heal itself.” “Frisk, look at me, please,” Asriel said. I followed his instruction. “You save him, my brother. Look after him, keep him safe, help him the way you helped me, please. This is how it’s happening, no other way.”

Toriel looked saddened but accepting of the truth before her. I can’t imagine what it must have been like, finding out that your son is alive, only to have him pass barely an hour later. “If this is truly what you want, then I won’t stop you, Asriel.”

She walked over to the desk and pulled out a small crystal from the drawer. “I’ve been saving this for when I needed it most, and this is absolutely the time. This” she said, holding up the crystal “is one of the crystals from the roof of the cavern. It’s said that they can hold the power of the stars within them. Whether that’s true or not is beyond my knowledge. But the ancients used to use these crystals in their magic, to make it more powerful. With this, your plan may just work. But I need to ask again, are you both sure that you’re willing to do this?”

We looked at each other. And without a word, we both knew the answer. “Yes.” We both said together. “So be it…” She took a deep breath. “Frisk, would you please go and lie down in that bed over there.” She pointed to an empty bed on the other side of the room. “This will probably cause you great exhaustion, you will need plenty sleep afterwards. Do not worry, however, I will put you to sleep before we begin and take good care of you. It’s the least I can do considering what you are doing for my sons.”

I went and got into the bed, mentally preparing myself for what was about to happen. I knew that soon Toriel was putting me to sleep so as to avoid as much pain as possible, but I was nervous nonetheless. I closed my eyes and just listened to their conversation.

“And Asriel,” she said. “Yes, Mom?” “May I please get the opportunity to say goodbye? I never got the chance with Chara…or before you disappeared.” She said, clearly crying now. “Mom…I’ve missed you so much. Say bye to Dad for me, as I’m not going to get the chance…take care of the two of them, please. Let them live long and happy lives. And don’t mourn me, Mom, be happy. I’m going to see Chara again, and one day we’ll all be reunited, I promise. I love you, Mom. Goodbye.”

Then the last words I heard before drifting off were:

“Goodbye son, I’ll always love you, remember that…Asriel.”

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Then there came the twin voices. I call them that because they sound very similar. Both are very quiet, I almost had to strain to hear them. At first, I thought there was only the one voice, but over time I could make out some very subtle differences. One was always sharper, more…snippy with the way it spoke. The other was calmer and more soft-spoken, although not in the same way as the first voice, however, it was stern when it needed to be. And these two always sounded like they were arguing. I didn’t notice them at first, but looking back they were always there. Sometimes one would be louder than the other but they were always both there… That was until a while ago. The calmer voice became quieter and quieter until one day, it stopped altogether.

That was a long time ago though, now, I had something much more interesting going on. For the first time in a while the first voice had come back, but it sounded sad as if it were about to lose someone it cared for. And for the first time in forever, there were new voices. 2 new voices that I’d definitely not heard before. They seemed to be speaking to the first voice as if formulating a plan.

Everything went quiet. Literally no sound, I was used to this and began to wait until the voices would return. Then the first voice came back, but it sounded like it was chanting. Far off in the distance, I could hear it. But it slowly got clearer and clearer. The volume didn’t change, but I was starting to be able to understand what they were saying.

Then something happened which I was unprepared for: There was a sudden flash, and all these memories appeared. I was playing alone in the garden. No, now there was someone with me. We grew up together. Suddenly they were snatched away and I was all alone again. Then they were back, albeit briefly. Then it was back to darkness before another person arrived. The looked at me with such kindness and compassion. Wait, no…that wasn’t me. Those were someone else’s memories. Or were they? I wasn’t sure. What was going on? What was happening to me? I felt something else, like a glue, sticking us together. Merging 3 into 1…

My eyes flew open with a start. And I almost began to cry… I remembered. Not everything, but enough. Memories flashing in front of my eyes, and gone an instant later. My brother…Asriel…he…he sacrificed himself…for me. I could feel it in my soul, I could feel him…in my soul. He was there, absolutely he was there. But there was someone else…

I looked over at the other bed in the room. Asleep and facing away from me was another person. Frisk. That was their name. I could remember it from…well, from Asriel’s memories. I just now realised that I had them all. Growing up, playing with Chara, Mom and Dad, all of it. I remember seeing the surface! How beautiful it was. But from then there was a gap where I couldn’t remember anything before him seeing Frisk for the first time… There was nothing except a feeling…like, some sort of ability he had …but…he’d forgotten it...? Why could I remember him using it when even he couldn’t? But I remember the feeling of using that power, clear as day, the memory was…hazy…the only thing I was able to grasp was that feeling, I don’t know why, but I felt like maybe I could use that power as well. Like he had. I looked at a nearby photo, it showed 2 boss monsters together, who I recognised as my Mom and Dad, along with 5 human children, who I didn’t recognise, there were also some other monsters who I didn’t recognise in the photo.

I concentrated on the photo, focusing everything on it, I imagined it slowly lifting off of the table. At first, nothing happened. But as I tried harder, and I felt something. It felt like…like the energy moving around my body; like I was able to feel it moving and control it, even push it beyond the boundaries of my own body. The photo slowly began to shake and then to float upwards. It hovered there, around 6 inches above the tabletop. I’d done it, I could use that power Asriel had forgotten! But then suddenly the photo went flying across the room and smashed into the wall. ‘Oops… Guess I need more practice at that’ I thought to myself. I silently hoped that I might have gotten an answer from my brother, maybe he’d be able to talk to me? But nothing was forthcoming. I guess I really was all alone then, the last Dreemurr child. But then I looked closer at the photo, and at the bed across from me. No, I might be the last child to carry the Dreemurr name, but Mom and Dad had found other children to care for, I wasn’t alone anymore.

I realised that if I was going to learn how to control this power, I’d need to learn from someone. And there was only one other person in the whole world that had this power, outside of my brother, and handily enough, they were in the bed just across the room from me.

I swung my feet over the side of the bed and slowly lowered them onto the floor, it was colder than I had expected. I started to lean forward to try and get up, but my left leg buckled and I fell back on to the bed. ‘Come on,’ I thought to myself, ‘I can do this’ I tried again, and slowly I was able to stand up on my own 2 feet. ‘This isn’t that hard’ Holding on to the bed for support, I started to move my right leg forward to take a step. Slowly but surely, I was able to make my way over to Frisk's bed. I felt guilty waking them…but I needed to talk to someone right away. And figure out if I could talk…

I concentrated on moving my mouth in the correct way, and ended up with my first ever word. “F-Frisk..?”

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