Undertale 2: Forgiven

Chapter Nineteen

POWER

That's what Jasmine could feel. Energy surging through the room in powerful heat waves. The resonating power of every monster's SOUL beating as one; six human SOULs and an entire race, controlled by one person:

Asriel Dremurr.

It wasn't like anything she had felt before.

Asriel raised his arms, and something that resembled a heat-seeking missile that left a rainbow path shot from his palm. Jasmine shrieked, running to her right and throwing herself to the floor.

Not one of Asriel's attacks hit her.

"Keheheh. You know what I've noticed about humans since I've seen them come down here? They're always given the chance to strike first. What is it with that unspoken courtesy happening every time, huh? I think it's my turn now."

- - -

"...my boy, you need to wake up now. You're still needed."

Alex slowly lifted his head. He felt so heavy. So weighed down. He couldn't move. He couldn't see. It was as if he no longer had the power, nor the strength to move his body.

"G...Gaster?" Alex groaned, faintly calling out to the voice.

All at once, Alex felt himself being pulled into the air. He looked below him, and he could see his own body still laying where it had fallen.

Now Alex could see the scene unfolding not far from where he laid: Asriel Dremurr and Jasmine in a mostly one-sided battle to the death. Jasmine's energy was desperately dedicated to staying alive long enough to land a blow."

"Jasmine!" Alex gasped. He watched her frantic dance to dodge Asriel's attacks. He was already fully aware of who was attacking her. He also knew that her chances were slim.

"No no, go that way! Agh! Duck! Oh crud oh crap okay!" Alex instinctively shouted out as if he were playing a stressful video game. Alex wrung his hands, his stress levels rising.

"She can't hear you, my boy, and even if she could, I don't think you would be helping very much."

Alex spun around. Gaster was standing behind him.

"What did you do?" Alex asked.

"I pulled your SOUL from your body temporarily. It's a process I've been granted to perform as a result of the unstable timeline. Truth be told, I wasn't even aware I could do this until now.

"I only have a little time; I can't maintain this for long. I need you to listen quietly." Gaster said. Alex nodded.

"Your theory on Asriel Dremurr: it was smart, genius even. And very, very close to what occurred, but not exact I'm afraid." Gaster said.

"No? What did I miss?" Alex asked.

"Nothing you knew, don't worry. It's a detail I failed to include in my explanation of what happened to Asriel. It has to do with monster tradition:

"When a monster dies, we have a special funeral custom. We spread the dust of the deceased monster over their favorite thing. For Sans, it'd probably be a joke book, and for Papyrus, a plate of spaghetti. You get the gist.

"When Asriel died, he was carrying the dead child in his arms, and the dust of both of them spread over the child's favorite thing: the golden flowers in Asgore's garden. Specifically, the one in the center. It was the first to grow, before all the others."

Alex was beginning to catch on.

"Years later, Dr. Alphys commenced her Determination experiments in an effort to find an alternative path to freedom; an interesting avenue to choose.