Grillby didn’t expect Lucidia to lead him back into the charred Spire.
The blue-green Seer repelled any debris that got in the way. Here he thought Sans was a prodigy when it came to telekinetic-related skills; this woman was miles better.
He can’t help but to grow curious about her decisions. “…Where are we heading…?”
“The atrium.” She explained. “The previous Supreme Judge had considered a scenario where neither evacuation nor control are possible. I hesitate to use it. But…”
“…Are the sprinklers not enough?…”
“The repair operation failed the moment it turned into a hostage situation. Sir Grillenn, I’ll be honest with you: I wouldn’t consider this option if you weren’t here.”
The man of fire blinked twice. It was awkward to be thrust straight into someone's grand plan. “…Pardon?…”
Lucidia asked: “You are of Champion Class, are you not?”
More unfamiliar terminology. “…I don’t understand… Apologies…”
The lady paused her steps. She turned towards him and said, “Forgive me for my intrusion.”
The woman then grabbed his hand. Grillby sensed a strange wave of magic pulsing through his being.
When he gazed at the woman’s face, he noticed that her Dichromatic Eyes switched to a strong purple sheen. It overpowered her initial mismatched combination.
The way she used her powers unnerved him. Monsters express themselves with magic, yet Lucidia did not do so: Grillby sensed that she’s working separately from her heart.
It reminded him too much of a specific debt-accumulating patron who hung out in his bar.
When she finished her scan, the purple faded away. Lucidia continued her journey. “Cross-check analysis: Positive. You are of Champion Class. In other words, you generate more Determination than the average monster. Captain Undyne belongs in this same category as well.”
“No one is stronger than a Boss Monster in terms of raw strength. However, power is not everything. Clever guile can turn the tides.”
More details that made his head spin. From what he understood, Lucidia required his fire-wrangling abilities.
“…How… do you intend to extinguish the fire?…” asked Grillby.
“By activating a Gram that allows me to connect this country’s static portals as I see fit. I’ll be able to draw in large quantities of water from distant lakes, reservoirs, even the ocean, but doing so will also flood all areas unaffected by the fire. Much closer to a self-destruct clause, if you will.”
“To our fortune, you are a Champion Fire Eater. With some adjustments, I can change the command to skip the water sources and open only the local portals. Then we’ll draw in the flames, floor by floor, and extinguish them in a controlled manner.”
Something doesn’t add up. By now, the fire would have climbed at least halfway up the tower. Grillby knew this Seer had immense power, but even so…
By all conceivable sense, it’s impossible for a single monster.
“…What gives you the confidence?…” he asked.
Lady Lucidia clutched her sapphire butterfly brooch. “…Before my husband battled the Persona for the final time, he granted me a purified distillation of his Psychia. It’s a painful process… unlike the ease of your nation’s ’DT Extraction Machine’.”
“If he lost, this would then serve as my final safeguard against the enemy.”
It didn’t faze Grillby that the Surface exploited Determination sooner than the Underground. They had humans everywhere after all. Furthermore, they appear to have close collaborations between species.
“…You intend to use that Determination… to turn yourself into a living force manipulator?…”
Lucidia was surprised by the statement. “Oh? You are aware of its amplifying properties?”
“…Yes… Doctor Gaster taught Captain Undyne this new magic… He told her to channel it outward… not inward…”
“That is indeed the correct application.”
Grillby stared down at his own hands. “…I don’t think I know… how to exploit that…”
“Since your nation lacks training, there are not many options. You will need to rely on your increased capacity. Your maximum is roughly 2000%, twice of a normal top-tier Fire Eater.”
“…Wow…” It’s rather frightening to think he had that sort of destructive talent. He’s grateful that he never needed to call upon that power in the Underground.
They arrived at the half-charred atrium. Here he thought that Asgore’s castle was dizzying enough. The Spire’s airwell stretched so tall, it threatened to throw off his sense of balance. Optical illusion blended the railings together into a false spiral.
It would have been a beautiful sight if it weren’t for the flames obscuring the golden sunlight above.
Lucidia stood at the center. She raised both arms towards the sky, floating in suspension.
Seven pillars emerged from the polished flooring, each covered with the secret writings of her kind. They’re keyholes, attuned to her magic.
So she conjured seven complete spinal columns. They resemble actual keys: intricate yet elegant, a choice that befits her style. Locked in their respective place, she then lowered the system back into the ground. A great multi-layered polygon of mechanized magic spread underneath the knight’s feet.
How many points? What do they mean? It’s too complex for a layman. All he knew was that their technology took a different route than Gaster’s ways.
The air above their head rippled. It’s a sign that the Gram had began its work.
The Seer removed her butterfly brooch from her cravat. After a kiss, she let it float. The gem shifted its hue from a sapphire blue to a brilliant crimson.
“It is ready,” so she said. “All I need now is your cooperation, Sir Grillenn. Stand in the center of the Arcanagram.”
Lucidia squeezed her hands together. In stress and in doubt, the tips of her gloved fingers almost scratched through the fabric.
“If we…” she paused. “If we’re in a battle of unfavourable odds, you should pull all the flames to yourself at once. The sheer heat will eliminate our threat in a matter of seconds. The sooner we execute this, the safer it will be.”
Hearing that, the knight of fire refused to step forth.
“Sir Grillenn?” she asked.
“…Pardon me, Lady Lucidia… But I need clarification…”
“You may question.”
Grillby then said, “…Did you just suggest a massacre?…”
“Yes.” Lucidia replied in a factual yet grim manner. Sans would have veiled it in wit to dismiss the severity.
“…Have you killed before?…” He must ask.
The woman lowered her skull, unable to look at him.
“Sans Serif said that I had not killed anyone with a gun. That is true. But this doesn’t mean that my hands are not stained via other means.”
“I have committed sanctioned murder many times, Sir Grillenn. Directly or otherwise. After all, I am my husband’s personal Tactician. He is guile and I am knowledge. Together, we analyze the situation for the best outcome: victory.”
“As much as we try to keep our targets alive, rehabilitation is not always an option. Therefore… many of our foes lose their lives in their gamble against us.”
The decisions weighed down on her head. From what Grillby remembered, the colours of a Seer’s Eyes reflect their hearts.
Lucidia had ‘Kindness’ as one of her traits. She won’t be able to completely distance herself from the lives she had ended.
“…Lady Lucidia…” said Grillby. “…I had killed once… It’s enough to haunt me forever… If you insist on taking that approach… I will not help you…”
That statement shocked Lucidia, if not angered. “Are you telling me that we should let The Spire burn?!”
“…Yes… it might as well be the same…” he answered. “…Gaster and Sans… I failed to stop them… They spiraled down into the darkness… while I watched as a helpless coward…”
“…I will not let that happen to you… Enough is enough…”
Realising his goodwill, her tone softened; “Sir Grillenn, please save your compassion. There’s no turning back for us.”
“…Our King thought the same…” he replied. “…As did I… And yet… Frisk set all of us free… If they can do it… we can too…”
Lucidia smiled with a glimmer of hope.
“For the longest time, I’ve wondered if the preservation of life could be a viable answer. Perhaps my prayers will see their light today. Knight, we shall extinguish the flames without a single casualty: is this agreeable?”
“…Yes…” Grillby nodded.
The air rumbled with the footsteps of many. It had a sense of disciplined order not found in the common masses.
Many young adults dressed in military urban camo gear surrounded the atrium from the numerous extinguished floors. Each of them wore a cloth mask to conceal their true identity.
One of them stood out from the rest, brazen enough to show his full face. A strong, brownish male with a strong jaw, slightly taller than Grillby himself. He wore an unusual cloak over his shoulders. The rich vibrancy of coloured beads on black cloth made the patterns pop to life.
Though angled into squares, the motif reminded Grillby of stormclouds and the wind.
He made sure to stand close to the floating lady. As she had said: she’s the real target.
“You--!” Lucidia exclaimed. “You’re an Aratet.”
The man thus announced: “I am as you claim. My name is Aiden of Aratet, son of The Last Persona.”
For a moment Grillby thought he’s listening to King Asgore. They may not have the exact same voice, but this person had the qualities of a king.
He’s looking at the true face of Gungnir: incomparable to the internet masses.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
Aiden began his speech: “Decades ago, a red-blessed member of my kin had come to this city to retrieve the legendary Keys of Fate. Our people’s greatest hope, murdered by the Vampire of Time and his consort: the Sky Witch.”
“My sire, The Chosen One of the ancestral spirits, suffered the same brutal fate by your hands. Though I have no intention of following his exact footsteps, I must at least pay my final respects with offerings of dust and blood.”
Lucidia asked in return: “Do you desire vengeance?”
To everyone’s surprise, he answered: “No.”
He drew out his knife and pointed its hooked end towards the skeleton. “I desire a future for our children!”
“Your peaceful world is a mere illusion, witch. The resurgence of monsters is my proof: today it’s the sealed nation of Mount Ebott, tomorrow it may be that abomination buried deep under the ocean!”
That statement shocked Grillby.
An abomination. Not many, but one.
What single entity could be something so disastrous that it had to be sealed away?
Aiden continued his speech: “Is there any guarantee that you or your ilk won’t exploit these creatures for your personal gain? We’ve already experienced the dominion of power from those descended of bone. And yet you Magi still refuse to cease! Who’s to say that you will not attempt to control the abomination as a weapon?”
“Again and again, your fellow comrades plot against each other for influence over the Supreme Judge. Us Gungnir wouldn’t be able to infiltrate if your hearts were as united as you claim!”
“I’ve had enough of this charade. We want to live without constant fear, free from the terrors of magic! Therefore, I must eliminate the three pillars that maintain the current status quo: The Sky Witch, The Vampire… and The Grandmaster!”
“So it has come to this,” said Lucidia, her voice stained by sadness and regret. “Our efforts in maintaining peace have failed. I’m sorry.”
Grillby wondered why this scenario seemed so familiar. It reminded him of the plaques in Waterfall, followed by the constant chants of twisted hope.
‘We’ll be free’.
‘Humanity will pay’.
‘We will get justice’.
…This man…
…He must be a father…
“…Excuse me…” said Grillby, “…If I may speak…”
At the very least, Aiden was respectful enough to grant a voice. “Speak.”
“…In days past… my people thought humans didn’t need Love and Compassion… Therefore they are cruel without care…”
“…Then a human child showed us that we… Monsters and Humans… are not so different… Despite our violence against them… they grant us mercy…”
Grillby took a step back into the centre of Lucidia’s Gram. It began to resonate with his presence.
“…Today… we shall end the flames… without death or bloodshed… I will not kill… and neither will you…”
“Boastful words, creature.” Said the human. “Is there any guarantee that the rest of your kind can keep their words? Especially the witch?”
“…Yes…”
Aiden twirled his knife and danced to the beats of war. He’s preparing himself for the battle against the avatars of nature.
“To arms!”
Grillby then stretched his arm towards the air. He wrangled inward a stream of flames from the network of invisible portals above his head.
Lucida summoned a green, translucent shield to protect herself: just in case.
…I need to fight without harm… Can’t go full power…
The warriors did not charge in all at once. They gathered around the fire knight for a coordinated attack: a dangerous position without his armour.
In response, Grillby stomped his foot on the ground to release a blast of compressed air and fire. The warriors may brave the flame, but the pressure will knock them off their feet.
It did. They were sent gliding across the atrium grounds. Comrades immediately covered for their downfall and weaved in to take their place.
Grillby was concerned at first. He wondered if he put too much punch into his attack. But soon enough, the first bunch recovered without issues.
He’s relieved.
…There are many floors left to go…
…This is merely the beginning…
Draw in more fire. This time, he decided to not use any of his powers.
It’s time for some good ol’ brawling.
The warriors tried to stab from all sides. He dodged. They follow up. The thoroughness of their attacks made it difficult to initiate a counter.
It reminded Grillby of his training with Sans. When that skeleton was a young boy, he was much less lazy. Efficient. Cunning. Sharp. Put in the effort when his life was on the line.
Strange as it was… it forced Grillby to sharpen his own skills too. Learned more as a coach than in his student days.
There was one certainty he then discovered: no matter how complex the pattern, there will always be an opening.
Grillby spotted the opportunity. He grappled the arm of a warrior.
Using his bodily strength, he turned one of the humans into an ad hoc weapon. Took the guy for a spin, literally.
Not even the most hardened of fighters want to get whacked by the full weight of a human, so they cancelled their offensive.
Once he had cleared enough space, Grillby tossed the fellow back to his friends. He drew in more fire before firing a straight uppercut of flames over his head.
Lucidia shaped the blast into a thin pillar. Superheated. Almost plasma. But since it’s confined, nothing flammable caught fire. This included their human foes.
…It’s as I thought… I either have to do this in small releases… or rely on physical brawling while I store the flames…
…The plan will work… As long I can keep up the pace…
…Be determined…
They refuse to give up.
Neither will he.
So the brawl continued. The knight of fire focused on deflecting his enemies.
“Sir Grillenn,” Lucidia reported, “The inferno hastens. We need to increase capacity. But beware, the temperature in the atrium is rising. The human body is more vulnerable to extreme heat than the opposite.”
That’s news to him. Between the maneuvering he asked: “…How so?…”
“If their core body temperature rises above 39 centigrades, we risk heat stroke, dehydration, and other similar complications. It’s potentially lethal. Plus we do not have the usual liberty of cold air circulation due to the fires above us.”
Aiden’s men retreated from the heat. On his command, they hurried out of the atrium and swapped out with a wholly different unit.
Now Grillby and Lucidia had to face many fresh troops, each with full stamina.
Looking at the upper floors, the knight noticed that they’re preparing to use… reed stalks?
The Seer recognized the danger: “Blowguns!”
She conjured a shield in the nick of time. A hail of sharp darts pierced through the glass-like surface. Their pointed ends reminded Grillby what would have happened if Lucidia didn’t recognize the threat in time.
The woman explained: “Low-tech traditional weapons are easy to conceal and carry. No doubt Aiden had the foresight to bypass modern security.”
Lucidia then dismissed the shield and collected the darts with levitation. Her lack of disposal was a cause of concern.
“Sir Grillenn, I could aid in your defense, but doing so I may lose concentration.”
“…Don’t kill…” reminded Grillby. “…Please…”
No verbal response. Nonetheless, she heeded his wishes: snapped the darts into fine splinters so that the enemy can’t salvage them either.
More warriors charged ahead.
Grillby found himself imprisoning more fire than he could dispose of in a non-lethal manner.
The strain of his magic hampered his movements. He could feel the creeping slowness in his limbs.
One of the knives cut his lower arm. The wound ignited in violent flames as the captive inferno found a means of escape. It blew up right in the human’s face, burning through her skin.
She screamed in turmoil, blinded. One of her comrades pulled her back to safety.
Grillby covered the wound, trying his damndest to suppress the outburst. He called upon more Determination to control it. But, in doing so he slowed down even more.
“Stand back!” Aiden warned. “I’ll take it from here.”
The human leader entered the fray with his blade brandished. Killing intent radiated from his being, further enhanced by the stark colours of war that decorated his clothes.
Terror. Fear. Despair.
The knight felt his own strength sapped and smothered by this accursed aura.
Instincts prompted his feet to shift. In doing so, Grillby sidestepped a strike. Giving into the fear of the enemy right now will cost him everything.
Feints. Stabs. Slashes. Backhands. Kicks.
Aiden’s skill put his foes on a razor’s edge of uncertainty. He deserved the title as the leader of a warrior cult.
In one swift strike, the curved edge struck a deep cut on the thigh. A burst of fire erupted from the gap, but the Gungnir warrior showed himself nimble enough to avoid that counterblow.
Grillby struggled to stand. The force of the recoil, the pain, and the threat of a meltdown, each inflicted agony that he deemed unimaginable.
This human was akin to those whispered in legends: the unstoppable beings of physicality who crushed monsterkind during the War days.
It’s tempting to give up. Surrender.
But the choice isn't his.
The danse-macabre continued. Relentless. Merciless. Each swipe flashed orange, reflecting the light of Hell high above their heads.
Try as he might, Grillby failed to keep up. Slice after slice came into contact: triggering dangerous geysers of combustion.
“Do you seek death?!” Lucidia snapped at Aiden. “In his current state, you will cause a massive explosion!”
Aiden replied: “Pathetic. You Monsters are creatures made out of magic: living and breathing personifications of power. Yet, while even you fail to control your strength, the Magus Association grants countless humans permission to toy with those same dangers!”
“I’m not brainwashed, Sky Witch. I’ve survived enough violence to know this philosophy as truth! Humanity’s ingenuity alone has already destroyed so much: we don’t need magic in this world!”
Aiden stood over the wounded monster. “You said that that we will not kill each other. Brave words. But you forgot a minor detail…”
He raised his knife high into the air.
“I can choose the path of martyrdom.”
Hooked point, down. It plunged with the full intent of finishing the old era once and for all.
…Denied.
Instead of taking the blow, Grillby put all his will into catching the blade between his hands. It’s so sharp that it’s cutting into the base of his palm. Leaking flames escaped from the gaps, turning the steel knife red hot.
Aiden locked a stern glare. “Interesting. So you’re one of the few who struggle. The witch had chosen a fine champion.”
Slowly yet surely…
…The instrument of death inched closer and closer between his eyes.
Lucidia’s warnings rang in his mind.
“If we’re in a battle of unfavourable odds, you should pull all the flames to yourself at once.”
“The sheer heat will eliminate our threat in a matter of seconds.”
“The sooner we execute this, the safer it will be.”
The fire knight clenched his jaw. Arms, trembling. He had to make the final call: to keep his word at the risk of his life, or to conform to Gungnir’s prejudice.
Again, the image of the dead child flashed before his thoughts. How many of these Gungnir had families waiting for them to return home?
Mothers? Fathers?
Brothers? Sisters?
Cousins? Friends?
…Is this the price we pay… for the children we’ve killed?…
…Are we… the feared monsters of myth after all?…
…Please…Show us hope…
…That violence is not the only answer…
Just when he finished his desperate prayer, a miracle happened. A great force punched a hole from one of the upper floors.
Debris fell from above. Sensing danger, Aiden let go of his knife to avoid the rain of concrete and rebar.
Lucidia once again showcased her expertise. Tapping into her husband’s distilled Determination, she bolstered her Blue Magic to suspend the chunks. Then she gently set them down on the atrium’s floor.
The sudden influx of cold air became the ventilation they sorely needed.
A pink shine loomed from the hole. Along with it, a voice well-integrated in the world of media.
It’s none other than Mettaton.
“Oh my~~” so he said, fanning himself. “It’s getting hot here, baby! Sorry for taking so long, sweet darlings. I ran out of booster fuel right away! Oh the horror of blasting down one wall at a time!”
Mettaton’s presence alone filled Grillby with hope. With his help... perhaps it’s possible to escape from this dire situation.
“…Lady Lucidia…” Grillby took a deep breath. “…I’m ready… to execute the final clause… while honouring my wish… Can I trust you?…”
Lucidia nodded. “Yes.”
“Mister Mettaton,” the Seer instructed, “Keep the humans away from the Gram or else they’ll die!”
Though confused at first, the bot understood the severity when he saw the shining complexity beneath his feet.
He said, “I have no idea what’s going on but leave it to me, sweetheart~~”
Mettaton scattered his magical bombs at the feet of the human warriors. Thinking that it had the same power as a grenade, they retreated posthaste.
While fear misdirected them, the glam bot deployed multiple rotating lights. Lasers, both cyan and white.
“Disco inferno, baby~!”
The bombs exploded without causing much harm. Some of the more foolhardy members of Gungnir tried to cross the beaming maze, but they were slapped with a sting on their SOULS.
Mettaton huffed. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, silly Gungnir. You think I’m all flash and no substance?”
He summoned a horde of Minis. They flew amongst the enemy and attempted to grab anywhere they could reach. Ears, nose, collars, ankles, the indecent places: nothing escaped.
Grillby admitted that it’s rather amusing to watch these hardened fighters get overwhelmed by tiny robots. Not even Aiden was spared from the mayhem. It’s like trying to swat a swarm of insects. The bugs will always win.
Again, the woman called out: “Mister Mettaton, defend me! Hurry!”
“My pleasure!”
With his jets, he flew down to her side. He charged up his arm cannon and aimed it square at the Gungnir to keep them in check. Never enough deterrent for the stubborn ones.
…It’s time…
The Champion Fire Eater forced himself to stand. He raised his wounded arms towards the sky. Stretched out his magic as far as he could do so.
…Sans… Gaster… King Asgore…
…We were wrong all the while…
…We are not helpless creatures…
…War is not inevitable!…
Grillbz Grillenn let out a loud cry, summoning the last of his might to fulfill his wish.
The inferno collapsed unto his being.
One moment, he saw nothing but the grim blaze of black and orange.
The next…
Silence. It’s a long, long silence.
…Am I dead?…
…Maybe I pushed myself too hard… Became an accidental martyr in Aiden’s stead …
…That’s not a nice way to go…
Then again, can the dead think about themselves? Talks about the afterlife were far and few in his nation. People scatter the dust of the deceased on objects, believing that the spirit of their loved ones will live on nearby. But no one mentioned if they would be conscious or if it’s more like a wakeless sleep.
He heard voices from the far edges of reality. They’re faint, but…
“Sir Grillenn, can you hear me?”
A warm red sheen spread over the darkness.
When he opened his eyes, Grillby was greeted by the setting sun.
He’s lying down on the stone ground. Clouds loomed overhead, unhindered by glass or other decorations. It’s possible that they were shattered in their mad plan.
To his right, was the Seer lady. Her brooch was blue once more and pinned in its rightful place.
To his left, the glam celebrity. He’s a little singed at the edges.
“…What happened?…” He muttered.
Mettaton paused for a moment. “Ka-BOOM red hot baby darling! I never thought you had that kind of RAWR in you!”
Lucidia chuckled. Smiling, she said: “You fought well, valiant knight. The Spire is safe without the loss of a single life. What’s more, the Gungnir have fled the scene.”
When he tried to sit up, he noticed something odd about himself. First, his wounds were healed: nothing more than a fading ache. Second, he found himself in a bartender’s uniform.
He did not arrive on the scene in these clothes. Also, the pants were a little too long. “…Uh…?”
Mettaton chuckled. “The fireshow left you almost stark naked, dear. Our beloved Princess Sugar Skull here fetched some spare clothes to preserve your dignity. She’s also the one who patched you up.”
It appears that she’s not used to praise. The woman turned her head aside, bashful.
“…Milady…” he said, “…Thank you…”