VOXISTALE: Novel Edition

Chapter 125

The next closest group was Greg's. He'd been sent off with Truck, Doggo, Lesser Dog, and Papyrus to head off a Messiah Outpost located in a bar adjacent to City Hall. The bar, of course, was a front for the Messiah, the outpost's purpose being to keep Mayor Murkins in check, though he was dead now.

As Frisk and her gang neared it, it became very clear that a fight had already taken place here. The street was cracked, the bar itself leveled to the ground and reduced to a pile of rubble, but none of their allies seemed to be anywhere.

"Perhaps they were successful and went in search of another group to aid," Mosu offered his theory as Frisk narrowed her gaze, scanning over the debris. Something felt off here. Something felt . . . wrong.

The stale smell of blood lingered in the air all around them, but there wasn't a drop of red to be seen on the battlefield. However, Frisk could see clear signs of both Truck and Papyrus's contributions to the clash, several bones sticking out of the walls, which had taken quite a beating, riddled with large holes presumably made by fists. It truly seemed that nobody was here now—until Frisk heard a cough from the other side of the bar.

The group rushed over to see who it was, quickly finding a collapsed monster laying in a pile of shattered glass . . . it seemed he'd taken quite a beating, but he wasn't at risk of turning to dust at a moment's notice- he would be fine. Relieved by this, but also fully aware that things must have really not gone as well as she would've liked, Frisk knelt beside Doggo, while Rian knelt on his other side. Mosu stood nearby, keeping watch, while Muffet picked up a broom and began to sweep away some of the rubble and glass.

"Mmmmmh . . ." Doggo shifted uncomfortably against the ground. "She was fast . . . and I couldn't see her . . ." he groaned.

"Who did this to you?" Rian asked as Doggo once again began to cough.

"A chick. I don't know what he looked like . . . the kid turned on us. He joined the Messiah. It was all downhill from there," he spat.

"What . . . who? Greg?" Rian blinked in disbelief. "No, that can't be right . . ."

"Never trust anything that . . . wrings its hands so much . . . always movin' . . ." Doggo winced, before glancing about. "Anybody see any dog treats? I need a light."

"Don't worry about that right now," Frisk replied, standing. "Muffet, can you get Doggo somewhere safe for the time being?"

"And miss out on all the fun, dearie~" the spider asked in reply, two hands placed on her hips as she continued to sweep. Frisk stared back, and after a moment of silence, Muffet rolled her five eyes. "Fine."

"Thank you. Mosu, Rian, we've gotta make sure the others are okay." Frisk turned to them, and Rian folded his arms across his chest.

"No way we're splitting up," he said. "Way too dangerous like that."

Frisk actually had been about to suggest that, so she frowned, glancing past Rian as she thought. "Alright. Fine. We link up with Alphys' group," she replied. "They're closest. Then Sadie, and finally, Obatech Industries."

"Seems sound to me," Mosu nodded, glancing over his shoulder, no doubt expecting Witch to pop out of nowhere like always.

"Don't be so paranoid," Frisk told Mosu, mildly annoyed at just the thought of Witch, which had crossed her mind as well. "She's not going anywhere for a while. Especially if she just ends up bleeding out," she stated confidently, seeming so comfortable with the thought- something that Rian found eerie. He realized she was going through a lot, they all were, but was this really the same Frisk he'd been friends with all this time? She seemed so . . . different.