Despite the pungent warmth of the tea, he felt his eyelids getting heavier. It was no surprise: he was no more welcoming with slumber as rest was no more pleasant with him. It was a deal signed a long time ago.
As his wont, he let himself finish the drink adding some biscuits in the humble meal, in order to get some more magic to integrate in his body, other than have something to pleasantly chew and taste.
Cleaning up after himself, he started tidying all the house up, the only chore sweeping the few lonely grains of ash away. He did it with his bare hands, not having anything fur-like tool that could've been more practical. Not that he cared getting dirty with ambiental dust, or anything at all. Not that anyone was there to complain, not in a long time at least. And besides, none of the humans cared any less of some grain of dust in the corner of the house, so why must he waste time there when there are by far more important matters to deal with, like poverty, overpopulation and the increasing number of fallen down, you ungrateful―

Frigid splashes matted his face, his hands trembling from the temperature. He gained control of his thoughts, realizing he was again in the kitchen, the tap still flowing undisturbed, there to remind his ears time was working. He was back to reality. He was alive. He was alone. Maybe it was going to last forever. He both hoped and feared it, the future confusing, wishes unknown to their owner. But do they matter, anyway? It wasn't like he had a choice, having sacrificed it for his people. Not that it helped. Whatever, this won't change the fact he must keep his promise, their dream, which required extensive patience. Humans were really slow to come.

Yes, he had to wait. And why not try to get himself occupied in the waiting? Well, that's what he's doing, especially while tending to the flowers, which he was about to do right then: in fact, he was already climbing down the stairs, used to do the same dance over and over again, and the next moment he looked, warmth was calming him. He approached the land, taking care of the golden flowers in anything, gathering all the bugs that were annoying their sedentary life and letting the sun activate the photosynthesis incredible conundrum.
If the flowers were conscious, he swore they would laugh at his mushy niceness.
If they were his children, he knew they would be raised as spoiled brats, demanding more and more games, comforts and privileges.
What a terrible parent he was.

He eyed the few leftovers of the dust, still around that first flower, its odd five-plus-one petals crowning the pale disk florets. He wished for... nothing. It didn't matter.
He took away the nearby spoiled weed threatening life to the gold, mechanical actions moving his numb body.

And someone killed the blank noise. «Where are YOU, king?» the voice roared. It was unknown, high-pitched. A child's.

He wished it was only a delusion, just like yesterday, just like the days before, just like always. But that aura was there, powerful, irreplaceable, unmistakable, determined. The end was approaching. Dread was haunting his lungs more and more at each step clashing against a woody floor. It's from upstairs. They were still exploring the empty building.

An amused snicker filled the void, fearing nothing in its wake. «Scared of me? Oh, I know, I bet you are! You're shaking so hard, aren't you? And I bet your covers are wet now.» Not-so-furtive footsteps followed, meant to be heard by the SOUL. Then they stopped. «SHOW YOURSELF!» and a wood board cried, shoved against a wall. More silence stained the air, making them escape an impatient grunt. «Is this hide and seek? Are you kidding me?!» They didn't wait for an answer. «Fine! Well, I'll find you eventually!» The source of the mockery was still upstairs, and they had to walk through the long hallway, then enter the grey hall.

He had enough time to prepare himself. He summoned the red trident, the hands wimpy, his back toward the only access. Dry red began to reappear on the ruined gold, then spotted all over his fur. Blood. Child's blood. The Adam's apple rose, stuck in place, like his frozen fingers.

«Oh, come on! Have some guts and fight me!»

The grip held stronger, confident, shooing away all the apprehension and second thoughts and... and hypocrisy. He'd already done it six times. He had done them all, despite his regrets. It shouldn't be an issue doing it again by now. Indeed, rethinking was stupid. There was no going back.

«I'm done playing your games! You better show up, or else...!»

The trident was almost ready to split in dust. Calm, think of it like... a visit to the dentist, yes!

«You think this can stop me?!» metal rings resonated on the floor, exploding with a loud clang. «Try again.»

A visit to the dentist... just a visit to the dentist... Then they'll all be free... Then he will... he will do what?

«Hiding yourself in the basement? And you believe you are that smart?» They were no more so distant.

How will the humans react? Will even diplomacy be on the table? Why even consider that, it hadn't worked a million years back, when they were on good terms, let alone after killing six– Angel, no! Seven! Seven children, dead! And they're merely a prelude to an inevitable genocide! How many else there will be on the Surface– Millions? Billions?

«Because that thing wouldn't even stop a toddler.» Louder steps followed. «You think so less of everyone that they're not worth your attention?»

... Will he be able– capable of doing it all by himself?

«Or is it fear?»

A loud gulp ambushed his breath, surfacing and sinking in his throat, destabilizing his mind completely.

«Are you really that scared of humans, of me?»

Not of them. Of himself, of the future, of the consequences.
He wasn't ready.

The foot stopped.

He could feel the exasperated but excited smile staring at his back, sadistic like a hunter's to the prey, confident like a hero's to the foe.

They laughed even more, his cape a weak shelter for his uneasiness. «Yeah, ya really are scared the heck out of me.»

He hugged himself tightly. Keep yourself together, this is the last one, dammit, and then he'll make suRE TO MAKE THEM ALL PAY FOR THEIR WRONGDOINGS–
The shivers weren't going to stop, neither the fear and the guilt. He just wanted all this to end, tell them to go away, to somehow go back to the Surface and never come back–
The shivers couldn't stop, no matter what.

The voice wasn't helping, assertive, aggressive, smirking in delight, tasting all his twisting from the deepest. «Scared, even after killing six humans in cold blood, ahah. You're a joke.»

It wasn't the first time he heard it, the younger and judging voice yelling the accusation all those many years ago. «Scared, even after killing two children with no mercy. You're a scam.»
His head stayed thoughtless, the mouth left open by thin air, the eyes lost in the green and gold and old red on his feet. There shouldn't be so much blinding light, where is the darkness, the dream, the nightmare? And yet, despite anything, it was as real as it was and, despite denying it, he could feel it, making him pray it was just his head being better and better in tricking him. Was this madness?

«No last words? Well, at least you're not a coward. This is a challenge, for once!» They were so pleased with the vision. «And besides, it's not like they are useful in any way!»

Wait– Isn't that saying from Gerson– What– Who aRE THEY–

They gazed inside his SOUL. The fight started.

He HAD to turn, he HAD to move, he HAD to see them. He tried everything, anything, but it was impossible, his big foot planted on the ground with the flowers. His SOUL was green.
What– How, they've never used this magic–

«Get ready, because now you have to face me,»

Oh no.

«the Undying,»

No!

«the strongest monster of the Underground!»

No– wait WHAT—

They leaped from the ground, whatever they were delivering to him pointing toward his skull, ready to knock him dead, ready to end it all.

The instant was milking in his mind, the brain too fast or slow or hungry or tired processing, the fatigue and dread making it even heavier for his SOUL. He couldn't understand what was happening anymore, everything melting like the dissolving weapon. This was just a terrible mistake that he had to shed some light on.
He stretched on the right, the senses coming back as the swing hissed in his ears.

The pair of boots crashed against the grass instantly, rolling all over the green. A couple of pants rose from the behind-small frame. They were holding a crumbling wretched quarterstaff. «Good reflexes, not gonna lie.» They turned around, spreading further the devastation on the ground. «You're not an easy enemy.» The voice was delighted, bittersweet for his ears. «I LOVE challenges!»

He snapped the head up, seeing it in the eyes. It was a kid, like he could've figured out by the voice, but there was no white sclera, replaced with a sharp yellow, fangs of the same colour edged out of the mouth, the scales were of a pale blue.
This chi― this young MONSTER was just antagonizing him!
His SOUL was cold like those times he'd rather forget, he was shaking for as much as he could with the spell and the armor. What was he even thinking? What was he daring to do?!

They were even more amused at the scene. «Scared of me, old man? At least you don't just see me as a cocky rascal.» They ran toward his left hip.

He dodged on his right. He noted they avoided that side, must've been due to the left eye, which was closed all the time.

«Not bad, but what about this?!» They let out an exhausted and mild satisfied grunt, delivering several other blows in retaliation.

He made sure to evade them all, the trident still close on his chest. But it didn't need too much effort, since the attacks grew more and more predictable. The one-sided fight kept going for several minutes.

The child finally gasped for air, hands in the knees, back arched toward the soil. Sweat was covering the brow, irritating the left squinting eye. Drops fell on the grass, the pressed flowers weren't screaming for pain. «D–don't think you can get away with this! Next time make sure to get your tongue back!»

Before he could've talked to them they fled. He forgot he could move again until it was too late.

Darkness cursed him once again, but the lack of sleep was being unbearable to his body. He was no longer aging but he felt many centuries older. He didn't know if he reached the mattress or if he let himself go on the floor. Not that he cared at all, not that anyone was going to question him.

But there she was. The whiteness of her fur was blinding him among this blackness. He smiled at seeing her: she was the only one who could've helped him—

That frown said otherwise. He was such a fool to believe such a clear dream.

«Asgore Dreemurr.» Her lips weren't moving an inch, her look was enough. That disappointment was going to kill him soon or later. «I was already disgusted by you, being capable of dragging your people and of killing an innocent child for your folly. I was so foolish wishing to have children with you. If I'd known before, I would've reconsidered my position as mother. But then you wanted to rip a poor monster's SOUL, no less. Ahahah...» The pun-laugh was improper to the moment, her tears stabbing him, like deadly acid rain on the then sterile soil.

«I...» but the words died in his lips.

«A child, a killing which could've been avoidable, pointless. A damage to our own people.» She continued. «If you are like this... YOU WOULD'VE EVEN KILLED OUR CHILDREN IF IT HAD BEEN FOR THEIR SOULS.»

«Noooo!» Dark and light again, sweat covered the fur, the fibres of the carpet stinging his skin. He felt almost like his face was about to melt by the commotion. Stupid he was to even believe it, to even try to question her, an image of his mind.

No, he couldn't afford killing another person. He had to ask help.
He stood up, legs aching at his broken weight.
He rested but he was not rested, it was just pointless pain. Just like always.