StevenTale

Chapter 15: The Barrier

(Last chapter. Book two will be out soon. I hope. Meanwhile, enjoy this dumbed-down chapter.)

"Let's keep moving," Asriel said, as the three exited the strange golden hallway and into another gray corridor.

"Hey, Asriel, what's in the room with all the vines?" Steven asked, as they approached a dark doorway.

"That's the throne room," Asriel replied, and Connie gasped.

"Wait, so that means we're in the castle?!" She asked, and Asriel nodded. "Wow, let's go!"

With that, the three ran ahead until they reached a large, dark figure that towered over them. "Something's telling me that's not a skeleton here to play judge," Connie whispered to the two.

"Oh, hello there!" The figure boomed. "Hold on, give me a second... let me finish watering my flowers." Tilting up a watering can, the large monster turned around, now identified as the king. "Now, would you like some te- oh. Asriel. Hello again. I see you made some, um... friends, with the humans?"

"Hello, your highness... I'm Steven. Steven Universe!"

"And I'm Connie." The two humans glanced at each other worriedly, but still worked to stay polite.

"H-hi, Dad," Asriel greeted, waving smalley.

"Um, Asriel..." Asgore started nervously. "You do realize how to break the barrier, correct?"

"Yes, but..." Asriel started, only to be interrupted by the now familiar sound of fusion, a brightness washing over the dim room for a split second.

"We might be able to break the barrier on our own. With this," Stevonnie started, pulling out Rose's sword.

"Yeah, you've got this!" Asriel encouraged, praying it would work.

_______

"OH, STEVEN!" Pearl wailed, from the living room in the beach shack. "WHY? WHY YOU AND NOT ME?!"

"Pearl, it's OK. We've searched everywhere. They said they were underground. It's probably just in a different universe," Garnet guessed.

"AND THAT MAKES IT BETTER?!" Pearl exclaimed.

"I wonder what the food is like there," Amethyst pondered aloud, receiving a glare from Pearl.

Meanwhile, Asriel was busy examining the barrier from a ways away. "Look, there's a small, small, small, small, small, small, small crack in the barrier! And I mean small."

"Yeah, I get it," Stevonnie said, walking up to the young monster.

"He makes a point," Asgore commented from behind her.

"Alright, stand back- I've got this," Stevonnie said, motioning the monster backward as she got into position. With all the force she had, the slashed at the barrier, causing a huge banging sound to echo through the gray hall. She gave it another whack, followed by another, making small but sure progress. Breathing heavily, she kept going, hitting it harder with every breath of... yeah, you've probably guessed it by now: DETERMINATION.

"Hey, Dad, why don't you help her?" Asriel asked.

"Alright, move over," the king boomed, pounding the crack with all he had. He stood there, and barely a minute had passed before he turned back to the children. "I'm... worn out..."

"But you didn't do a thing to it." Stevonnie countered.

"I know."

"Why don't we all try it at once?" Asriel suggested, trying to break up the fight forming between the two. They both nodded, the three standing in formation. All at once, they hurled their bodies at the barrier, once again causing an even louder sound to blast.