The Vampire of Time cometh.
Red butterflies swarmed around Mezil.
ACT - MARK - HELP - MERCY
Mezil Thyme’s head hung low like a possessed puppet. He pointed a finger towards you, lacking the strength of his usual self. They’re no different than wooden limbs on strings.
When he spoke his words, red vapour whafted from his lips. Multiple voices layered on top of his own, distorting its tone:
“You who declare yourselves as saviours…”
“…I accept your challenge.”
“Prove to me the strength of your determination!”
A tangible, intimidating aura pressed against your body. Your monster friends reeled despite your protection.
Even Aiden, an adult human, was not immune from the sheer amount of DT. Alarmed, he drew out his curved knife. “This is not what I’ve bargained for!”
Papyrus replied, “OF COURSE. WE’VE AGREED ONLY ON THE END RESULT, MISTER AIDEN. THE METHOD TO GET THERE WAS UP IN THE AIR. QUITE LITERALLY TOO, IT SEEMS.”
“…Honestly…” Grillby let out a grunt. “…I expected this…”
It’s a DEMON possession alright. You recognize the signs.
You heard Lady Lucidia speak to you via the intercom.
“Alert, Crimson Keeper,” she said. “Judge Thyme is wrestling against Persona for control of his body. The Supreme Judge’s network… compromised--”
Pops and crackles of static filled the air. You cupped your hand around your ears and asked Lucy to repeat.
“Crim… Frisk…! Heavy… Interfer… detec…. Plea… pond…”
And that was a dead comm line…
It doesn’t look like you could ask Lady Lucy for any help. This was probably the worst way to start this Trial.
What could you do? A ‘check’ should be a good idea. Always take the initiative to study your opponent!
* ACT
* Check
You checked Mezil with your phone, hoping for some extra accuracy.
ATK ???
DEF ???
SPD ???
DT MAX
Uh… That’s not very helpful.
“Why desire the Keys of Fate? To save the world? To save someone? To save yourself?”
“Puerile wishes! A cursed power saves no one!”
Mezil raised his left arm.
“WATCH OUT--”
The warning came too late, you felt something sharp pierce through your chest. When you looked down, you saw a massive spike of magic sticking out.
Ah. You recognized this. It used to be a white needle made out of Cyan and Yellow magic. Now, it had become a dark lance, elaborate and definitely corrupt.
His magic was as fast as a gunshot. Of course he would be quick on the cast. How else could he take down a Kaiju all by himself?
GAME OVER… for now. Just as Tsunderjudge had planned, you were the current owner of the Keys of Fate.
You immediately restarted the battle. You didn’t hear Lady Lucy’s warnings again. It appeared that your last AUTOSAVE placed you right before you initiated your ‘Check’.
Red butterflies swarmed around Mezil.
You must make a decision before he impales you again.
* HELP
* Papyrus
Papyrus, block the next attack!
“ON IT!”
Your skeleton friend leapt in front of you and crossed his arms together. He conjured a Green Magic shield reinforced with bones.
“Why desire the Keys of Fate? To save the world? To save someone? To save yourself?”
“Puerile wishes! A cursed power saves no one!”
Mezil fired the same lance. This time, it struck the shield and stayed put.
Phew. Close one! Though, even with Papyrus’ strength, the tip still managed to pierce the surface.
“SOMETHING’S WRONG.”
What does he mean?
“MEZIL USED THE EXACT SAME MAGIC. THE LOVABLE TSUNDERE WE KNOW WOULD HAVE CHANGED TACTICS IN RESPONSE TO YOUR REWIND!”
Gasp! He’s right! Not to mention that he’s slow on following up on his strikes.
Grillby commented, “…I think we’re facing Judge Thyme’s subconscious…”
“Annoying Vampire.” Aiden remarked. “Even now he refuses to go down without a fight.”
Yeah. You thought that fighting him when he’s conscious was bad enough. Who knew his subconscious could be worse?
Red butterflies continued to swarm.
* HELP
* Papyrus
“What good are the Keys of Fate?”
“Useless against nature. Useless against nurture. Useless against schemes.”
“Useless!”
Arcane circuitry ignited. An entire arsenal of corrupt red lances formed a sun above his head. Fourty? Sixty? A hundred? There’s too many to count. And you don’t want to know.
Papyrus? Help? Please? Help, help, help!
“PLEASE STAY STILL, FRISK.”
Instead of strengthening his shield, Papyrus dispelled it. His Eye blazed like a torch as he readied his bones.
The lances launched with the steady flow of a machine gun. Papyrus in turn struck them out of the air. Whenever the bones broke, he made a new one. And another, and another, and another, without pause and without cease.
It’s taking every bit of clairvoyance out of him in order to keep up. If he missed a single beat, the whole party would be turned into bloodied dust.
“NYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!”
The last of the lances spun out of the air and impaled the floor. But, your skeleton friend panted out of breath from the extreme deflecting.
“WOWIE,” Papyrus wiped his brows. “THAT… THAT WAS MORE EXHAUSTING THAN I THOUGHT.”
Crap. You don’t think he has enough energy left to assist you again. What if you give Papyrus an Orange Star for a stamina boost?
…And then what? Casting a Mark is not a free action. You would have nothing to counter the next move.
What could Aiden or Grillby do?
Red butterflies continued to swarm.
* HELP
* Grillby
You asked Grillby to surround Mezil with fire so he can’t attack the group. Then you can move and recharge Papyrus.
“…As you command…”
“Who else dares to come forth?”
“…I do…”
The fire elemental cast a ring of fire beneath Mezil’s feet. By his hand, Grillby commanded the intense heat to rise ever upwards. It scared the red butterflies away.
“Hmph. The flames of purification. You claim this to be holy, to purge demons like myself.”
“Are you equally pure? Or does holiness equate only to convenience?”
Mezil will be skipping a few turns because of the fire. Yes! It’s working as intended.
* HELP
* Aiden
You asked him to carry Papyrus and put some distance.
The warrior followed your orders without hesitation. He retreated further to the back of the room.
* MARK
* Orange
* Papyrus
Here, have an Orange Star to recharge.
“THANK YOU, FRISK.”
How much of his strength had been restored? You made a quick scan with your phone.
* CHECK
* Papyrus
Huh? Really? Even with your super-level star in The Void, you could only restore him to 90%?
Wait. Why can’t you make it 100%? Why is Papyrus being denied from recovering fully???
Aiden frowned. “What else do you expect? You’re fighting a vampire: his very presence drains all of us of our stamina. As long as we’re on his battlefield, we’ll grow weaker and weaker!”
Visualizing your own HP, you realised that Aiden was right. Instead of your usual 20/20, you’re now at 18/18.
T-then again, it doesn’t matter if you get one-shotted anyway, right? It’s only realistic for humans to die instantly from a fatal blow.
The red butterflies returned with a vengeance.
You hear Mezil speak again:
“Enough!”
“You dare stall me with your little game?”
“Take this symbol of mockery, and be repaid threefold!”
Mezil reached for his crown of thorns and removed it from his head. Then, he flattened it in his hands, piercing his skin. The precious lifeblood it drew twisted around like vines, whereby it united with the magic to form a dark rapier.
Crap. You forgot how good Mezil was with a sword!!!
He cut down the flames in a single slice. Right after that, the circuitry in his legs lit up.
One moment, the Vampire was far away.
And at the next moment, he appeared right in Grillby’s face, ready to pierce his blade through the stomach.
Your friend dodged in time, but that was only the beginning. Mezil followed it up with a flurry of slices and stabs: living the quote of ‘float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.’
Wait. Was that counted as one turn or three???
Grillby initiated his counter, planting walls of fire to cover his tracks. He zig-zagged between them in order to close up to Mezil.
A punch was executed.
A punch was dodged.
A punch was countered.
The whole thing devolved into a full-on melee skirmish. Whatever happened to the turn order?! Why did the fight become so ‘human-style’???
“FRISK,” said Papyrus. “HE DID SAY ‘THREEFOLD’. I THINK YOU’VE GIVEN HIM NINE MOVES BY STUNNING HIM FOR THREE.”
Dammit old man! Him and his cheating mechanics!
“Stay here.” Aiden commanded. Then, he got up and ran towards Grillby.
You couldn’t reach him with your HELP command anymore.
Lightning flashed across the battlefield. You’re going to have to put up a green shield for yourself, otherwise you will be zapped too.
* MARK
* Green
* You
Electricity bounced off the surface of your shield. It’s honestly quite frightening. Meanwhile, Mezil had just ripped lance after lance straight out from the floor, shredding the sleeves of his opponents. Blood and dust splattered across the walls.
By this point the battle had turned to utter chaos.
What should you do now?
What options do you have left?
* HELP
You can’t reach Grillby or Aiden. Papyrus was the only option. Should you ask him again for more help?
…………………
No. You’ve already lost control of this battle. You can’t proceed from here.
If that’s the case, you must make the most of this outcome!
* MARK
* Red
* Aiden
Aiden was the one person who didn’t have his memory preserved. If he doesn’t remember these resets, he’ll keep making the same mistakes.
Therefore! You called out for his name and remembered his face:
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
Aiden of Aratet. You’re determined to help and be helped!!!
By the sheer unrestrained power of your wish, you’re confident that your spell defied the conventional rules of planting a proxy mark. Right after that, Aiden had his heart impaled by the Vampire of Time.
Huh. Come to think of it, Mezil had yet to use his Marks at all. He could have attempted to make Aiden’s death permanent, but he didn’t. All the better for you.
Grillby just had one of his hands cut off by the blade. With a dead man and a crippled monster, you can’t bear to continue this timeline.
* LOAD
Thanks to your last AUTOSAVE, you’re back at the beginning of the real fight, before Mezil fired his first lance.
Red butterflies swarmed around Mezil.
Let’s switch it up this time.
*HELP
*Grillby
Surround him with fire again! Get ready for the melee rumble: we’re skipping the machine gun phase!
“Why desire the Keys of Fate? To save the world? To save someone? To save yourself?”
“Puerile wishes! A cursed power saves no one!”
“……” Grillby remained still and silent, unprovoked.
However, hearing those depressing quotes for the third time pissed you off.
Mezil is wrong! This power CAN save someone! Even if it’s not everyone, it can at least save HIM!
And you’ll make sure of it!!!
Grillby sealed Mezil within a ring of fire before he could attack. It forced the possessed Magus to skip several turns, just like in the past timeline.
“Hmph. The flames of purification. You claim this to be holy, to purge demons like myself.”
“Are you equally pure? Or does holiness equate only to convenience?”
You immediately turned to Aiden. He’s very much shaken and sweating bullets. Yup, your Mark definitely worked.
* MARK
* Cyan
You calmed him down with the power of Patience. Breathe in, breathe out.
“T-thank you…” Aiden muttered. “The sting of death… So this is what it feels like to be a Chosen One.”
First time?
“Yes. So far, I’ve only seen and heard the effects. Second-hand stories from Niton. My poor son, suffering this much…”
You let Aiden know that he might die a few more rounds, so he might want to get used to the idea now.
* HELP
* Aiden
It’s difficult to support him if he goes too far out. You ask that he acts on his own free will during the melee rumble, but stay close enough for you to assist.
“Roger,” he nodded and proceeded to join Grillby.
Alright, then there’s one last thing left to do.
* HELP
* Papyrus
With a serious tone, you asked Papyrus to peer into the future for the golden path. A battle of attrition -- Keys or no Keys -- will only lead to failure. The longer the fight, the more risks pile up. It’s Game Over for everyone once Mezil starts dishing out Marks.
“I AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT,” said Papyrus. “THIS IS NOT A MATH QUESTION, SO READING THE BACK OF THE BOOK IS MOST-DEFINITELY PERMITTED! IN THE MEANTIME YOU MUST PROTECT ME WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE. I WON’T BE ABLE TO HELP YOU FIGHT.”
That’s perfectly fine. You swear on your SOUL to defend him, so just focus on the vision dive.
“I SHALL DO SO NOW.”
Papyrus sat down cross legged on the floor and activated his Eye. His bones began to resonate in a soft glow of orange. His Ascension, right?
“Enough!”
“You dare stall me with your little game?”
“Take this symbol of mockery, and be repaid threefold!”
Mezil said the exact same quotes again, before transforming his crown into a rapier. The free-turn phase had begun.
Grillby immediately renewed his walls of flame to deter Mezil. And while he did so, Aiden fearlessly leapt through the fire to grab the vampire by the legs. In one big swing, he slammed the once-airborne Vampire onto the ground. They then tried to pin him down together.
Wow. Simply wow. Those two guys really walk the talk when it comes to combat!
Even without your direct involvement, Aiden and Grillby had started to form a sense of teamwork. Quite an interesting development.
It didn’t look like they needed your help for the time being. Try as you might, you can’t find a moment to assist them without getting in their way. That’s when you decided that you should focus on defending Papyrus. You want to put up your strongest shield to date, an upgrade from the pure Green you previously deployed.
You remembered the melee rumble. If Tsunderjudge can break the turn order, then you should be able to use the same window of opportunity.
Should you use your free turns to make three separate stars? No. That’s too obvious. Not to mention you’ll have to maintain them all. That’s another whack-a-mole that you’d much rather want to avoid.
How about doing it in one command? Pack them in a single spell, and then make it so that you only need to maintain one combination instead of three different pieces.
You looked at your phone. Hang on, what about the Arcanyagram writer Alphys installed? Since she made it pretty streamlined, even a scrub like you could code!
Yes! You can make your spells more efficient!
You added a new ‘Combo’ command into your MARK menu.
* MARK
* Combo
* Green-Blue-Cyan
You pointed the camera to the ground and tapped the projection icon. Just like that, a Gram formed on the floor.
Now for the power source. Your supercharged SOUL should have no problem fuelling the spell.
There you go. It’s blooming!
…Huh? Wait. You thought you set the size to only protect yourself and Papyrus. Why is it growing faster and faster?!?!
Your shield punted Mezil out of your allies’ hold, then pushed him further towards the very edge of the room.
Both Grillby and Aiden looked back at you with awe, confusion, and a slight bit of fear. You told them that you had no idea it was gonna be this huge.
In turn, Mezil struck your shield with his blade. You deflected the force with your mind, just as your Dad had taught you. This magic shield will only be as efficient as your skill.
After a few more tries, he stopped. You watched him float away until his back touched the wall. Red butterflies swarmed once more. Come to think of it, they didn’t follow him during the free-turn brawl.
Mezil started to speak. Even at this distance, it sounded like he was right in front of you.
“Kindness. Integrity. Patience.”
“You insist that I cease?”
“You, and everyone else in this world, keep heaping on demand after demand. Be wiser. Kinder. Fairer. Perfection in every way.”
“When you err in your ways, you beg for forgiveness. You grovel at my feet to spare you. You plea to me that I shall be ‘the better man’, filled with sympathy and empathy.”
“Yet has anyone ever forgiven me? Spared me? Understood me?”
“No. I only hear curses upon curses!”
“Mercy, you cry! Yet mercy you never give!”
He summoned three rings of those machine gun spikes. What should you do?
* ACT
* Brace
You braced for impact. You’re confident that your shield will outlast him. If it can tank a Kaiju, then you can tank the Tsunderjudge!
And there it was. The lances hammered against your shield, blow after blow after blow. Your arms and legs shook from the force of quick, repeated crashing… But you’re determined to outlast!
“Do you think you’re better than me? That you would make the ideal decisions?”
“You cursed louts, of course you‘re better in your own eyes! You bury all the horrors you potentially cause! Out of mind and out of sight!”
“All have fallen short of The Almighty.”
“All refuse to see their righteousness for the filthy rags they are!”
Papyrus’s Eye returned to normal. He stopped glowing too. Does that mean he’s finished with his vision dive? Does he know the answer?
“YES. I’VE SEEN THE ANSWER TO THE PUZZLE. BUT IT REQUIRES SOME STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS.”
Awesome!
Mezil refused to give up. Red butterflies continued to swarm him.
“IF YOU HAVEN’T FIGURED IT OUT YET, YOUR REAL ENEMY IS NOT MEZIL. RATHER, IT’S THOSE PESKY FLAPPITY FLAPS THAT PESTER HIM. YOU NEED TO GET RID OF THEM FIRST.”
W-wait? What?! The butterflies? Aren’t they part of his network? They’re not a sign of him charging up his power???
He shook his head. “NOT THIS TIME. INSIDE EACH RED BUTTERFLY IS A PRISONER OF THEIR OWN ACTIONS. A DEMON. THEY CONTINUE TO HARASS MEZIL INSIDE OF HIS OWN MIND, BLAMING HIM FOR THEIR OWN FAILINGS.”
“IN HIS STRUGGLE, SOME OF OUR ACTIONS GOT CONFUSED WITH THEIRS. HE THOUGHT WE’RE GIANT RED BUTTERFLIES MAKING HIS LIFE MISERABLE.”
If that’s the case…
* MARK
* Red
BUGS B-GONE!!!!
A great red star shone on the surface of your shield, right before the Tsunderjudge. You imagined your Determination to function like a giant bug spray.
The swarm flapped away in fear of your Mark. Shoo! Shoo!
“This shape… That four-pointed star…”
“When was the last time I saw it?”
“…Ten years ago. That’s right. It was ten years ago.”
Huh? The nature of Mezil’s dialogue changed. His voice still had power, but the multi-layer distortion disappeared.
Papyrus confirmed your thoughts. “YES. THAT’S THE NEXT STEP. PLEASE LEND HIM YOUR EAR.”
* ACT
* Ask
Who owned those stars, Mezil? What were their names?
“How unusual. You’ve never asked about them before.”
“Crimson Keeper Valiant Wanderstar.”
“Crimson Keeper Mirai Ming.”
“The two of them. They both wielded that same star.”
Your parents…?! Double stars?!
* ACT
* Ask
You tell Mezil that you’re finally ready to know more about them. Who were they?
“They’re the Wanderstars: the light that wanders wherever it is needed most. My trusted colleagues. Always with their radiant faith. Always shining. Always… loving.”
“They were determined to be kind in spite of brokenness. Determined to uphold justice.”
“They showed me that smiles can be genuine. That they’re not saccharine foolishness.”
“But they perished. I couldn’t save them.”
He floated in the air in despair.
* ACT
* Ask
You asked him about what’s really, really, REALLY eating at his heart? Why is he bashing himself up for not being able to help the Wanderstars? It wasn’t his fault!
“…I had spared no one.”
“Men.”
“Women.”
“Children.”
“I didn’t even spare my own family, the blood of William Winston.
“I told people that I’ll seal away their powers for safekeeping. Put up a fancy speech about responsibility and accountability. For their sake, I told them.”
“Millions. That’s how many I’ve Claimed.”
“And yet… I could not do the same for the Wanderstar child.”
That’s… That’s you…? What about you, specifically?
You felt a gentle tug on your shirt. It came from Papyrus.
With an ultra serious expression, he said: “THIS IS THE FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE, BUT YOU MAY NOT LIKE THE ANSWER. THERE’S NO TURNING BACK ONCE YOU KNOW THE TRUTH.”
It’s fine, Papyrus. How bad can it get? You’ve already heard everything. Haven’t you?
“YOU’RE TAKING THIS TOO LIGHTLY. IF YOU’RE UNABLE TO BEAR WHAT FOLLOWS, YOU’LL REGRESS BACK TO CHAPTER 1. I’VE SEEN THE FUTURE WHERE YOU FALL.”
S-seriously? Chapter 1? What words could the Tsunderjudge say that may crush your heart that much?
You pondered over the crossroads ahead. To know, or not to know? You asked Papyrus if there’s any alternative. What if you end the conversation now?
“…THEN MEZIL WILL CLOSE HIS HEART, AND YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CHANCE.”
“THE BEST FUTURE REQUIRES YOU TO SEPARATE MISTER MAGUS FROM THE NETWORK ITSELF. IN ORDER TO DO SO, HIS HEART MUST BE OPEN TO YOUR DETERMINATION. AND YOURS MUST BE OPEN TO HIS.”
“I CAN’T FORCE YOU TO TAKE THIS PATH. IN THE END, IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOU.”
………………………………
* ACT
* Ask * Ignore
Like Papyrus said, you have the choice to become silent. This dialogue will come to a close, and you’ll return to an unknown future.
Do you ask? Or do you ignore it?
………………………………
If you falter here, then you’re not fit to become the Supreme Judge anyway. No matter the outcome, you trust that Aiden, Grillby, and Papyrus will take care of things in your stead.
* ACT
* Ask
What about the Wanderstar child, Mezil Thyme? What about them?!
And thus, The Vampire of Time answered:
“That child had the potential to destroy the world. I knew it since Mirai cradled them in her arms.”
“Even when they walk the right path… Even with the best of intentions… The sheer amount of magical power contained in their Psychia could bring forth complete devastation.”
“If I did not spare others for less, why did I spare the greatest threat?”
“I’ve long wondered if I should have killed them in their crib. Would that not be for everyone’s sake? What’s the cost of one life for the survival of billions?”
“Is it not my responsibility to stain my hands so others don’t have to?”
“Am I not the Keeper of Peace?”
Sans… Sans shared that same sentiment…
You told yourself not to cry.
You told yourself not to cry.
You told yourself not to cry.
And yet, your vision grew watery as tears filled your eyes. You’re crying because deep down, you know Sans and Mezil were right all along.
You’re indeed too powerful. Your unbreakable shield is their proof.
* ACT
* Listen
You… You want to hear more about the Wanderstars… Your biological parents…
“I was there when the couple suffered miscarriage after miscarriage. Whenever it happened, I would know from the looks on their faces alone. Many tears were shed for those who could not be born.”
“One day, Mirai’s cousin offered her a rescued girl. The couple saw it as a prayer answered. If they couldn’t bear their own, then they would adopt another. This girl was a prodigy in the Wanderstar ways. Indeed, Valiant was overcome with joy that their family art won’t disappear with him.”
“Many years later, as if to reward their diligence, Mirai finally had a successful pregnancy. Their true child was born, with a Psychia of the purest red.”
“I saw… hope in their eyes. Hope that the child would grow up to save the world from the terror I had sealed beneath the waves.”
“Alas, the couple’s joy was cut short by cruel, cruel fate. And I was left in peril.”
“Why? Why were they blessed only to die? Or was death itself a blessing?”
“Imagine the rending of their hearts to see their lifelong dream turn into a nightmare.”
“Imagine their sorrow to know that I would be the one to cast the final judgement.”
“Wanderstars, why did you entrust your children to me? Your eldest is dying from a burning soul, and your youngest is an aberration.”
“I have failed you at every turn.”
You wiped your face with your sleeves, sobbing pathetically. No wonder Papyrus said that you wouldn’t like the answer.
The Seer reached out to hug you. “I’M SORRY, FRISK. I’M SO SORRY.”
You felt a rumbling in the air. The swarm grew larger and denser. More bad bugs fluttered back into The Void, attracted by Mezil’s inner turmoil.
The distortion in his voice returned.
“Why am I wasting my breath?”
“You won’t care.”
“You’ve never cared.”
Mezil raised his blade high above his head.
Air, trembling.
Determination levels, spiking.
The sheer force of his ominous aura caused the walls and ceiling to crumble into The Void. The pieces floated upwards, carried away by an updraft of might.
Wait. Wait wait wait!
The Jury chamber!!!!
Just when you cried out, the collapse had spread to that side of the room. The protection that kept the witnesses safe… was gone in a blink.
You heard Rosemary scream in fear. Turning your head towards their direction, you could see the Jurors, exposed to Mezil’s fury.
Jacob tried to protect his daughter. Dayton took his brother by the hand, ready to flee. Roger prepared his gun. Victor and Edmund did their best to keep everyone together.
Their room had become part of the battlefield. It’s a complete pandemonium now.
Do you stop this timeline? Is this considered a loss?
You reached for the Keys of Fate… only to discover that they had disappeared. You’re being contested, and because of that you cannot LOAD your SAVE.
No! Everything’s getting worse by the minute!
* HELP
* Grillby, Aiden, AND Papyrus.
Escort everyone into your protection. Hurry!
You know Aiden had a ton of questions, but the safety of others was his priority. Especially his sons. Your three party members rushed to bring the humans into your shield’s territory.
Everyone was accounted for. Thank The Almighty.
Roger was the first to confront you. “What the fucking bloody hell is going on? Where’s the rest of the building? Heck, where’s the sky?!?!”
Victor was next. “Is this some elaborate VR setup or something?”
Niton burst into more questions: “Where green fields? Where clear rivers?? Where sheep, yaks, horses, and cows???”
W-wha? You gawked at the Aratet boy, absolutely confused.
He tried to explain, but his attempt was impeded by the language barrier. He turned to his brother, who then turned to their father for help… but they stopped when they saw the look on Aiden’s face.
That, right there, was a man who had his worldview completely shattered.
…You tell him that if he has any questions, ask now before it’s too late.
Aiden shook his head to snap himself out of the funk. “Is this The Sacred Realm… the Land of the Gods?”
Well, that explains why Niton was expecting fertile land. How do you put this in the most understandable way possible?
You admit that you don’t know much about their myths. But, one thing is for sure, you’re no longer in the physical world. You know this metaspace as ‘The Void’, the gap between dimensions.
Every Living Victory has a ‘Hub’. Think of it as their own mini-world. And this space happens to be Mezil’s. You presume that their progenitor had sculpted their Hub into the Aratet’s idea of paradise. Does any of that make sense?
“It does,” said Aiden. “That explains why he’s become like a god after we stepped into this room. But why does this ritual demand the Sacred Realm?”
You heard that Claims can only be made and broken in The Void-- er, you mean The Sacred Realm. Mezil removed yours at the beginning of the Trial so you could fight at full power.
“I see. In order to defeat a god, you too must be a god.”
That’s actually a super good way to explain the concept. You like it.
The pressure of Mezil’s aura then ceased its oppression. You knew this meant that he had completed charging. It’s the calm before the storm: the moment of silence before disaster.
“If death is what you seek, then death you shall receive!”
“This ends here!!!”
Do his worst, Mezil Thyme! Your shield will block everything!
Upon a downward swing of his blade, the collective might of his Determination slammed against your shield. Still, it refused to break.
See, Mezil? He can’t brute force his way through. It’s useless. Utterly useless.
You don’t want to hurt him anymore, and you don’t want him to hurt you either.
So please. Give up!
Please, just give up.
But he refused. The next thing you knew, Mezil appeared inside your shield, at the very same position as in the beginning of the fight.
Damnit! It’s a reverse teleport!!!
Maybe you shouldn’t have taunted him.
Maybe you shouldn’t have begged.
Maybe it didn’t matter either way.
In the end, the outcome was the same…
Checkmate.
Once again, you felt a sharp sting on your chest. Looking downwards, you saw a tiny dark lance poke into your clothes. A butterfly grew from the point of impact. You heard its judgment between your ears.
“So powerful, yet so shortsighted.”
“I impose upon you… the Curse of Death!”
Upon that instant, indescribable pain flooded your body.
You screamed. Or rather, you thought you screamed. Your throat vibrated, but you couldn’t hear the noise that came out.
You couldn’t think of anything. No fancy plan. No snarky comments. Nothing. Your very thoughts threatened to burn away.
You’re left with one option…
Fight. Fight against this curse!
* FIGHT
* FIGHT
* FIGHT
* FIGHT!!!
You smashed the FIGHT button like your life depended on it. Because it does!
You put every ounce of Determination into defying death. The pain dulled into a strain. Your mind made sense of its surroundings again. Friends and acquaintances gathered around you, calling for your name in great concern.
But you’re not out of danger yet. You could feel Mezil’s corrupted will still trying to destroy you from the inside out.
You must make him stop. And to do so…
You must rip him apart from the source of his power.
You reached your hand out towards him.
* MERCY
* Claim
You -- Frisk -- are Determined to Claim Mezil Thyme with your Mercy!!!
Power flowed out from your hand and towards your target. A great brilliant red star flashed across his chest.
At the same time, you heard the butterfly Mark on your chest break like glass.
You did it.
You broke his Mark and planted your Claim, successfully separating the network from Mezil. It was just like Papyrus had foretold.
It’s over, right?
If it’s over then why do you feel so… tired…?
Exhausted, you dropped onto the ground. Red butterflies then swarmed around you. They threatened to consume your SOUL.