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Kris lifts their head and pushes their arms against the piano, forcing themself to a standing position. Then they sluggishly drag themself back to us, hiding their face even more than usual. I take a concerned look at Ralsei, but he doesn't seem to notice. I want to say something, but I don't know what, so I stay quiet, and we move forward, following Kris like we always do.
They've been like this for a while now. They seemed to be okay when we entered the Dark World, but soon after that, they began to act differently. At first, it was hardly noticeable. Kris always moves weirdly, going very close to walls, standing in front of things and just staring at them for a while, or walking in and out of rooms like an idiot. There wasn't anything unusual about that. They're also always quiet, so it wasn't a big deal either that they barely talked and gave very short answers to our questions. I thought it was because they're worried about Toriel, but that doesn't explain the slight purple color of their cheeks and the small coughing sounds they make every now and then. Even their breathing turned heavier and more ragged. And they're slow. Very slow. They usually walk way faster than this. Can Ralsei really not see that something's wrong?
"Hey." I suddenly stop, making Ralsei do so as well behind me, but Kris doesn't look back, they keep walking until my voice reaches them. I step closer to them, staring into their face. "Kris, are you okay?"
They nod a weak 'yes', but I don't believe them. I move even closer, unsure if I should push it further. But I eventually do. They look like shit, and I hate how much they're trying to hide it.
"Are you sure?" I ask, lifting an arm to touch their elbow. Their skin is so hot that it feels like it's burning under my palm. "Shit, you have a fever. You're certainly not okay, dumbass. Let's stop for a moment. Sit down."
Kris drops themself on the floor with their back against the wall, eyes closed, taking deep breaths. I kneel in front of them and put a hand on their shoulder. Then I place my other hand on their forehead. It's hot and sweaty. Yup, this is definitely fever. This idiot has been walking around with us for hours, battling against enemies, climbing goddamn walls and solving stupid puzzles, and they've been having a fever all along. And they didn't say a word.
"What's wrong?" Ralsei asks, sitting down by Kris's side, leaning above them.
"They have a fever," I reply. "It seems pretty bad. I guess they've been sick for a while. Why the hell didn't you tell us, Kris?"
They're muttering an answer, but their lips are barely moving, so I don't understand clearly. It's something like "…not that bad." My fingers tighten on their shoulder.
"It was raining in the Light World when we were on our way here. They probably caught a cold. We shouldn't have spent so much time outside." I frown while making eye contact with Ralsei. "Come on, Ralsei, help me heal them."
He's hesitating.
"I'm sorry, I… I can't. We can't." He shakes his head eventually. His ears are swaying back and forth with every movement, and his eyes are shining with genuine sadness behind his glasses.
"What do you mean? Why not?" I ask.
"Illnesses from the Light World are different from injuries you've been healing so far. They usually can't be cured with Dark World magic," he explains. Kris's fingers give a tiny twitch. "The most we can do is to ease their pain a little bit. What they really need is medicine and sleep."
I sigh and turn to Kris again. Even if I can't fully heal them, I want to help as much as possible. I must at least try. This is what my magic is for, isn't it?
"Hey, Kris, ya hear me? Where does it hurt?" I ask. They place a hand on their neck first, then they slowly move it up to their temple, and finally, they touch their chest. Damn, this is bad. I had no idea they were in so much pain. What if it's something more serious than a simple cold? I shake my head and force myself to smile. Hell if I'm gonna let them notice how worried I am. "It's ok, dumbass. Hold on, I'll make you feel better."
My fingers gently touch their hand that's resting on their chestplate, and I focus as hard as I can to summon my healing spell. A green light appears around Kris's body, then it vanishes in the blink of an eye. Kris still looks terrible, they're shivering all over, but their breath is a little calmer now, and they even give me a grateful smile.
"Let's take you back to the study," I suggest. "Maybe the old man has some medicine."
I grab their arm and help them up, being ready to catch them if they collapse, but they seem to be okay for now. Still, just in case, I stay close and keep an eye on them while we're walking towards the old man's study. Fortunately, it's not that far away. Kris stops for a second and squints when we enter. The warm light of the room probably hurts their eyes after wandering around in the dark corridors for so long. A few steps later, they lean against a bookshelf and cough. It sounds terrible. Too deep and gurgly. It's as clear as day that they need some kind of treatment as soon as possible.
Ralsei stays behind with Kris while I walk further into the study.
"Hey, old man, we need some help. I mean, Kris does," I say. He puts his pen down and looks up from the letter he's writing.
"What's the matter, young warrior?" he asks, his eyes setting on Kris. They don't answer. They don't even lift their head.
"They're not well. Probably caught a cold," I reply instead of them. "Do you know if there's any medicine around here?"
"Hmm, I'm afraid there isn't." The old man stands up and strolls past me to take a better look at Kris. "But maybe a cup of tea and a good rest could be beneficial, too. And that I can help with."
"They need somewhere to lie down," I say, putting a hand on Kris's forearm. They're burning up. Maybe it's just my imagination, but it feels like they've grown a lot warmer since the last time I checked. They're also shakier.
"I would offer ya a bed if I had one," the old man croaks, walking over to his tea set to prepare a drink.
I scratch my head. All the other Dark Worlds we visited had some kind of bed, so there must be something here as well. Then I suddenly remember that there was a couch upstairs in the library earlier. I don't think it would be wise to make Kris climb up there when they can barely even walk, but luckily, I took one of the cushions to put it in Ralsei's room in Castle Town later. It's not much, but it's better than nothing. I carefully help Kris settle into a half-sitting, half-lying position, using the cushion to support their back. Their limbs are completely loose. I put a hand against their cheek, both to check their temperature again and to brush their damp hair out of their face.
"You should've told us, you idiot," I scold them.
"Tea is ready. Careful, it's hot." The old man presses a cup into my hand. It smells nice, like a mixture of herbs. He also brings us a bowl of water and a piece of cloth. Ralsei dips the cloth into the water and squeezes it, then he uses it to gently wipe Kris's sweaty face before placing it on their forehead. Their muscles seem to relax a little.
"Thanks." I move the cup to Kris's mouth, slipping my other hand under their head to lift it. "Here, drink it."
Kris presses their lips together and tries to turn their face away weakly. As they're wriggling, the cloth slips off their forehead.
"Come on, Kris, tea is good for you," Ralsei says, catching it and putting it back.
"It is indeed," the old man nods. "It might be hard to drink anythin' with a sore throat, but it's very important to stay hydrated, especially when you're sick."
"Please, Kris," I say quietly. They moan and frown, but eventually, they take a small sip. After they swallow it, they cough a little bit, then they take the cup and drink almost all of its contents before giving it back to me. I smile at them. "There you go."
They whisper something, barely audible. I think it's my name. Then they cough again.
"You're gonna be alright, nerd." I gently lower them back onto the cushion. "I'll take you home, and you can sleep this off in your own bed. Just try to get some rest before we leave."
Kris's small fingers grip my jacket, and they attempt to pull me closer, but they're too weak for that. I sit down next to them, and they lay their head onto my lap. I blush and think about how I'd slap them on the neck for mistaking me for a pillow if they weren't so sick. I can see from the corner of my eye that there's a soft smile on Ralsei's face. I run my thumb through Kris's hair, studying their features closely. Sweat drops are shining on their pale blue skin. Their eyes are closed, but their mouth is slightly open, and I can feel how warm the air they exhale is. I can't tell if they're still awake or not, but they seem to be breathing a bit slower and easier than earlier. I bite my lip.
"We need to figure out what to do," I say quietly. It's normally Kris's job to guide us, but it's obviously not possible right now. So, now what? They won't fully recover until we take them back to the Light World. But for that, they have to seal the fountain, and the Knight is probably waiting for us there. They'd see how vulnerable Kris is, and they'd surely target them. If we stay here for a while and let Kris rest, they might get a bit better, at least well enough to move forward, but there's no guarantee. And we don't have much time. Toriel could also be somewhere in the Dark World, and if the Knight caught her, we must get to them quickly before anything happens to her. Damn, this is… a difficult situation.
"You two must go home as soon as you can," Ralsei says.
"Yeah, I know. But the Knight is still out there. We can't fight it while Kris is like this," I argue.
"Maybe we can avoid them and seal the fountain without fighting."
"Or maybe not. I don't want to risk Kris getting hurt," I say firmly. "But there's also Toriel… We still haven't found her, and she might be in danger."
"Then what do you think we should do?" Ralsei asks.
"I don't know!" I snap, making him nearly jump. "I don't… Just… Keep an eye on them. I need some time alone to think this through."
Kris gives a small moan as I carefully stand up and let go of them, but they don't wake up. I look around to choose a place where I can find some privacy for a while. I don't know why, but it feels like now that Kris is so unwell, it's my duty to take over the role of the leader, and strangely, it makes me a lot more anxious than I thought. Does Kris experience this every time we expect them to make a choice? In only one day, everything suddenly became so intense and serious. What started as an innocent game for the two of us turned out to be a real threat to the whole town, maybe the whole world. It must be a lot of pressure for them to keep things in hand. How the hell are they able to stay so chill all the time? And how am I supposed to stay chill now?
My legs instinctively move me towards the fireplace, and I enter the secret room where I battled the old man for the legendary axe just a few hours ago. Even during that fight, which I was supposed to win on my own, I expected Kris to help me, and they did… somehow. I swipe my fingers through the side of the anvil in the middle of the room, then I start pacing. I need to calm my mind. I need to think clearly. What would Kris do now? Ralsei is right, we can't stay in the Dark World much longer. Kris needs to be treated with medicine, and we also need to make sure Toriel is okay. But does he really think we can just go past the Knight and seal the fountain like that, without fighting? I doubt it'd be that easy. I don't know what the Knight's deal is, but they nearly killed us last time. I still don't understand how we managed to survive. Not to mention that even though they try to act like they're not, it's obvious that Kris is terrified of the Knight. They're usually very confident in battle, so there can't be another explanation for how they just freeze in one place or get extremely wimpy whenever the Knight is near them. I'm pretty sure I even saw them have some sort of panic attack during that battle last night. And that was when all three of us were strong and steady…
My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of shuffling footsteps and the taps of a cane across the floor. I frown and tighten my fingers into fists.
"I said I wanted to be alone," I growl.
"I know, I know," the old man nods. He walks past me and stops at the far end of the room, turning towards the bookshelf, humming quietly while staring at the books. "Don't mind me, I'm only looking for somethin' to read. You can pretend I'm not here."
I take a deep breath, followed by a sharp exhale.
"Don't even bother. I know you're here to give me some words of wisdom or whatever the hell, and you won't leave me alone until I listen, so let's get it over with," I say. The old man chuckles.
"I'm merely looking for a book, that's all," he replies. Then he goes back to scanning the shelf. "Unless ya want to hear some words of wisdom."
I lean against the anvil and dig my fingers into my hair.
"I'm… trying to think about what Kris would do, but I don't know," I admit. "I don't want to make a bad decision."
"I see," the old man turns away from the bookshelf, but he stays where he is. "Have you thought about what you would do?"
"Huh?" I blink, lifting my head slightly. The old man walks closer and stands at the other side of the anvil, facing me.
"It's nice to have someone to look up to for guidance," he says with a faint smile. "But you, miss, you aren't Kris, nor anyone else. You're your own person with your own way of perspective and your own capability to know what's the right thing to do. I've seen enough to know that you're notably good at thinkin' outside the box. And that, my dear, is a very valuable trait. You should make use of it."
I stare at my own elbows. Think outside the box. Somewhere, back in the other room, Kris coughs loudly, and I take a deep breath.
"I can't take Kris to the fountain while there's a chance that the Knight will be there. But they can't stay here much longer either. So I must find a third option."
"Yep. That's probably right," the old man nods.
My gaze moves to a small scratch mark on the surface of the anvil, probably left by the Justice Axe. The weapon I worked so hard for. It's not even as special as that stupid legend said, but it feels so nice to hold it in my hand. And it will always remind me of how much I've grown since the day I became friends with Kris and Ralsei.
"There is something I can do," I say. "It's crazy, but I have to try it."
"Crazy ideas are the best ideas," the old man replies cheerfully. Then he walks away from the anvil and pulls a small book out of his pocket. "Well, would ya look at that! I found the book I was looking for! I'll leave you to be now, miss. If you'd like anything else, you can find me… somewhere around."
Before I can say anything, he walks out of the room, and I'm left alone with the anvil once again. I stare down at it, trying to think about how I'm going to present my idea to Ralsei. He'll freak out for sure, but it doesn't matter. I've already made up my mind. After a short pause, I turn around and go back to my friends.
Kris is curled up on the ground, their upper body resting on the cushion and their legs on the wooden floor. At first, they seem to be asleep or unconscious, but when they hear my footsteps, they slowly open their eyes halfway to look up at me. Ralsei is kneeling beside them, attempting to cool their cheeks and neck with the damp cloth.
"How are they?" I ask. It's a stupid question, I can see clearly how miserable Kris looks, but still, I feel my stomach flip when Ralsei replies.
"Not well. I tried to make them drink some water, but they didn't want any. They really need to get back to the Light World, Susie."
"Okay, move," I say quietly, crouching down and taking the glass of cold water Ralsei was pointing at. He backs off just enough to still be able to see what I'm doing. I slightly tilt Kris's head and move the water to their mouth. Their lips are so parched that the rim of the glass cup sticks to them. "Drink, idiot," I order in a firm voice. They moan and shake their head while making a half-hearted attempt to push the glass away, but I'm holding them still. "I don't care if it's just one sip, but you need it. Seriously, when was the last time you drank water? Your mouth is dry as a desert."
Kris now opens their eyes fully and stares at me, but their gaze is vacant, as if they don't recognize where they are or who's talking to them. They slowly lift an arm, and their hand grabs my top to try pulling me down to their eye level. They're feeble as hell, but they catch me off guard, so they manage to make me bend my back forward until my snout nearly touches their nose and I can feel their warm breath on my mouth. A sudden scent of fresh apple hits my nostrils. Our eyes meet, and a very faint, barely visible smile appears on Kris's face.
"I know how you can help me moisten it," they whisper.
My cheeks instantly flush with a blend of anger and embarrassment. I push away, and I need all my self-control to stop myself from splashing the whole glass of water on Kris's dumb face.
"Wh-- What…?!" I stutter, while also hearing Ralsei's bewildered "Kris!!" behind me. I grimace in a way that shows all my sharp teeth to make sure Kris sees just how much they pissed me off. "Yeah, of course, by making you drink this goddamn water, that's how!"
Kris gives a weak laugh, then they take a couple of heavy breaths and reach out for the glass cup. I give it to them while gently pushing their shoulder.
"I see you're better enough to pull shit on me," I mutter. My whole head still feels hot, I'm pretty sure my cheeks are visibly red, so I'm trying to hide my face behind my hair. "What the hell was that, Kris? You're such a freak."
They finish the whole glass of water, which makes me a bit more relieved. They'll be alright. They just need time. After drinking, they let out a series of rattly and gurgly coughs, which sounds super gross and ugly, but I don't protest when they lean their head against me and wrap their arms around my waist in a sort of cuddly way. It's dumb, it's awkward, but it's okay. As long as it makes them comfortable. Their whole body is burning against mine, like a small, blue, quietly snuffling space heater. I spend a couple of minutes just sitting on the floor, my hand resting on Kris's back, feeling their shoulders go up and down under my palm as they're breathing. They probably drift off at some point.
"We're not gonna make it back to the Light World if the Knight's at the fountain," I say, almost whispering, while taking a peek at Ralsei. "Just look at them, they're too sick for a battle. I wouldn't be able to protect them like this."
"There's no other way, Susie. They'll just get even sicker if they stay here," Ralsei argues.
"There is another way," I say. I look back at Kris's face. They're sleeping so peacefully in my arms. "Look, I know that we're a team and all, but I think this time we'll have to split up. I'll go check on the fountain. You stay behind with Kris, and I'll come back to get you guys once I make sure it's safe."
I knew it wouldn't be easy to convince Ralsei of my plan, but his reaction still surprises me. His eyes go wide, he grows pale, and his paws grip my jacket so tightly that he nearly rips it apart.
"You can't!" Even his voice is trembling as he speaks, and I see pure dread on his face. "No, Susie, you can't go to the fountain alone. Let me go instead. Please, stay here and let me do it!"
"Don't be ridiculous." I shake my head. "Last time we fought the Knight, it one-hit you with its first strike."
"But Susie…"
"C'mon, you don't have to worry about me," I grin at him. "Remember how I scared it away with my axe last night? I even broke its stupid sword."
"That's not…" Ralsei takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. "Then let's go together. Kris will be safe here."
"One of us has to stay with them in case they need another healing spell for their pain," I reply. "Yours is way better than mine. And I'm way better at kicking asses than you. Obviously, you should take care of Kris while I do the fighting."
"Please, Susie, this is a very bad…"
"Why do you have to make this so goddamn difficult?" I growl, starting to lose my temper.
"I'm sorry… It's… Just… You can't leave on your own, I need to go with you," he mutters, his voice so thin that it's almost like a little squeak.
"BUT WHY?" I snap. Ralsei cowers with his hands against his temples. Kris flinches in my arms. I feel terrible. I lower my voice, but I can't make it sound less furious. "Why the hell are you acting so weird? What's going on?"
"I'm not… I'm just worried it might…"
"There's something you're not telling me," I interrupt, leaning a bit closer to Ralsei. Kris moans in their sleep and their arms tighten around me, reminding me that I need to stay calm and quiet so that I don't disturb them too much. I tense my muscles and take a deep breath. "You know how much I hate it when people hide stuff from me. So stop muttering nonsense and tell me what the hell is wrong with you."
Ralsei turns his head away, a tremor running through his body.
"This Dark World is… There are things here that…" He sighs and covers his face with his paws. I can see how hard he's trying to find the right words. "If you leave now, you might see things that you… shouldn't."
"The hell's that supposed to mean?" I ask. "What 'things' are you talking about, Ralsei?"
His lips tremble for a moment.
"The prophecy," they whisper.
"The one that says we're heroes and we'll save the world and all? Haven't we already seen that?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Not… that part," he replies. "The rest of it. The ending."
I let out a faint scoff of disbelief. Is this really what's been troubling him all this time? He's been stressing himself out because of the goddamn prophecy? What an idiot.
"You can't be serious…" I choke.
"I'm sorry," Ralsei says quickly. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier, I know I should've told you, it's just…"
"Ralsei…"
He grabs my hand, holding tightly onto my fingers.
"I'm so sorry, Susie. I'm really sorry. It's just… It's so nice to see how excited you are about our adventures, and… I want you to stay like that. I don't want you to be worried… or scared, or… I want to make this whole thing easier for you, but I don't know if it's…"
"Ralsei!" I say again, this time a bit more firmly. I twist my hand to loosen his grip on me and wrap my fingers around his wrist. He's staring at me with tears in his eyes. "Stop babbling and listen to me! I don't care about that stupid prophecy, okay? It can say whatever the hell. Makes no difference to me."
"But if you see it…" His voice breaks as the tears start to run down his face, staining his glasses.
"Doesn't matter. I've never really been bothered by spoilers," I grin widely. "And if it's something dumb, we'll just not let it happen. We'll change it. Easy as pie… Oh, great, now I'm hungry. One more reason to hurry back to the Light World."
He suddenly leans forward and wraps his arms around my neck, pressing his face against my shoulder, sobbing quietly. I can't move much with both him and Kris clinging to me, so I stay still, gently patting his back while keeping my other hand on Kris's. These two stupid nerds. When will they ever learn that there's no point in any of us keeping secrets from each other? That they can always tell me if something's wrong? That they can count on me, whatever happens?
"You're both idiots," I say. "Seriously, I have no idea how I can put up with you two. You give me a headache."
Ralsei pulls me a bit closer, and I can even feel Kris's arms tighten around my waist. I smile, but a few seconds later, I reluctantly stand up, making both of them let go of me.
"Sorry, dorks, hugging session is over. I need to set off. I've already wasted enough time." I turn towards Ralsei, giving him a reassuring smile. "Trust me, Ralsei. No prophecy can ever change the way I see you and Kris. But if it puts you at ease, if I come across any of it, I promise I'll try not to read it."
"I… That's…" Ralsei swallows hard. "Susie, I just want you to be careful."
"Heh, don't worry, you know I'm pretty good at that," I wink.
I suddenly feel something warm on my wrist, and looking down, I see Kris's tiny fingers wrapped around it. They seem to be much more awake now, staring at me with a piercing look, their bangs falling into their face, half-covering their eyes. As they move, I notice they're holding something in their other hand. Some sort of black cloth. They offer it to me, and I take it, inspecting it thoroughly. A cloak. It feels nice between my fingers, very light to the touch, but also tough and durable. Just by imagining myself wearing it, I already feel badass. My mouth widens into a grin.
"Hell yeah," I say, throwing it over my shoulders. "What is this?"
Kris coughs a few times before answering.
"Shadow Mantle. Protects you against the Knight's attacks," they explain in a hoarse voice.
"You've had an armor against them this whole time and we never used it?" I blink.
"We didn't need it." Kris shrugs.
I smile and give their hair a gentle ruffle.
"Thanks, dumbass. Guess I should give you something in return, huh? Here, take this. At least I won't be so tempted to gobble it up anymore." I hand them my Wafeguard. "And have some sleep until I get back."
I take one last look at them as they lie back on the cushion and curl up again, grasping Ralsei's cloak. Then I climb up the stairs and walk through the big door in the middle of the gallery. It leads me to a long corridor. As I move forward, I see another piece of the prophecy appear in the middle of the way, and I frown. Damn, it's not going to be easy to keep the promise I made to Ralsei. I step closer to the glass panel, and, without looking at it, I kick it hard enough to smash it into pieces. Then I walk through the carpet of shards.
More long and empty corridors. More prophecy panels along the path. I keep looking straight ahead while walking past them, until I can see a familiar stairway in the distance. This is where we last met the Knight, but they don't seem to be around here anymore. Everything is quiet. My eyes dart over the stairs. They lead to the fountain, but the bottom part is completely ruined, so I'll need to find another route.
It doesn't take too long. Right after passing by the stairway, I notice something on the wall. I step closer and reach out to touch the bricks. They look like they form some kind of path upwards. It goes in the same direction as the stairs, and it seems safe, so I decide to follow it.
The wall is pretty easy to climb, but it takes a while for me to find which way is safe and which isn't. Sometimes there are wider gaps between two holds, and I have to push off a lot stronger to reach the next one. Sometimes I run into dead ends. And sometimes, when I accidentally look down and see nothing but pure darkness below me, my chest tightens for a moment. I'm not scared of heights, but it almost feels like staring into a void, and the thought fills me with tension. If I fell, who knows where I'd end up and whether I'd ever be able to get to the fountain or even back to Kris and Ralsei. Fortunately, at least there's enough light here to see where I'm heading. I just need to be extra careful.
I don't know how long I've been climbing when I suddenly hear something sweep past my left ear. Stabbing pain pierces my arm. Shit. I wince and look up.
"You…!" I snarl.
Above me, in the distance, a shadowy figure is floating in the air. It summons two giant black swords and tosses them towards me. I tighten my grip on the brick under my hand and push myself sideways, managing to avoid both blades just by inches. The pain in my left arm grows stronger, but I ignore it and continue climbing.
"Is that all you got?" I taunt, my voice filled with fury. In response, the Knight makes a sharp sound that could be either a laugh or a scream, I can't really tell, but it pisses me off even more. "Damn you!! You're not getting away this time!" I shout.
Another wave of black swords. Then another. I draw away, I jump, I duck. Adrenaline is pulsating through my veins, fading my pain and filling me with a new rush of physical power. My limbs start to move faster. I can almost see the top of the wall now. My hand slips once, and my heart skips a beat, but I'm able to find another hold. At this point, it's practically raining swords. I have no idea what I'm doing and how I manage to dodge all of them, but I do, and suddenly, the attacks stop, and I find myself at the top, standing on another corridor. I'm panting, I can feel the energy starting to leave my body, but it's not over yet. On my left, the Knight is floating above a staircase, backing off towards a giant, golden frame door. I sprint after them, readying my axe in case I need to fight, but they're just laughing at me from a growing distance, not even bothering to attack anymore. My legs are getting weaker, every step hurts more than the last. Maybe my body is already aware that it's pointless to wear myself out like this, because no matter how fast I run, I won't be able to catch up with them.
The Knight flies through the door and closes it with a loud, echoing slam just bare seconds before I could follow them. I try to force it open, but of course, it doesn't move an inch. Gasping for air, I press my forehead against the cool surface of the door. I hit it with my fist a few times. It's not even an attempt to open it anymore, I do it merely out of anger. Almost. I almost caught that goddamn Knight. I let it escape at the last moment. My legs are shaking under me, I fall on my knees, and the pain in my arm hits me with full force. I check my wound. It's deep, it's bleeding, and it hurts like hell, but it would be a lot worse if it weren't for the mantle that Kris gave me. I cast a healing spell. It mends the cut and takes the pain away, only fatigue remains. I close my eyes and decide to give myself a few minutes of rest before setting off again.
The anger in my heart slowly shifts into pride. I survived. I, alone, against the Knight. Yeah, it wasn't a real battle, rather just a twisted game of tag, and apparently, I lost that game, but still, I'm here, I'm alive, and I did a damn good job on that wall. Kris and Ralsei's jaws would've dropped if they'd seen me dodge all those stupid swords like a boss. I chuckle at the thought, then I take a deep breath and stand up. It's probably for the best that the Knight got away. It's frustrating, but right now, the most important thing is to take Kris back to the Light World as soon as possible.
Everything's alright around the fountain. Hopefully, the Knight won't come back here before Kris seals it. I doubt that they would. They didn't look like they wanted to fight that badly, they rather seemed kind of… busy. I don't know what they're planning, but if it gains us enough time to take Kris home, I guess we're okay.
On my way back to the study, nothing interesting happens. I try not to think too hard about the fact that later I'll have to climb up these walls one more time, possibly while carrying Kris on my back if they're too weak. Without the Knight throwing a rain of giant swords at me, that'll be a piece of cake.
Kris is awake when I arrive back at the study. They're sitting by the bookshelf with their head resting on Ralsei's shoulder, a cup of steaming tea in their hands. The old man is back at his desk, a sheet of paper lying in front of him. It seems that whatever he was writing, he finished it while I was away.
"Susie!" Ralsei exclaims, carefully pulling away from Kris to get up and run to me. "You're back! I'm so happy to see you! Are you okay?"
"Yeah, everything's cool, the fountain's safe," I grin. "What about Kris?"
"They couldn't sleep much. I think they were too worried about you," Ralsei replies. His eyes are fixed on mine, and he hesitates for a moment before speaking again. "Susie, did you see…?"
"No," I say rapidly. The tension on his face seems to ease. "We need to hurry, though. The Knight's gone for now, but I could sense that it's probably up to something."
"The Knight was there?" Ralsei asks.
"I tried to kick their ass, but that coward ran away again," I answer, walking up to Kris and putting a hand on their shoulder. It's burning. Their fever is still high. "Hey, dumbass, are you ready to go? Can you walk?"
Kris nods and stands up, gripping onto my arm for support. Their legs tremble for a moment before they gain their balance and take a few steps towards the stairs. They're moving very slowly, but they'll be alright. I step to the old man's desk and take a deep breath.
"Hey, um, we're leaving," I say. "See you around, I guess."
"You're leaving? That's perfect, because I've just finished my letter. I wanted to ask ya to deliver it for me."
I scratch my head. What does he mean by 'delivering'? In the Light World, whatever he wrote will probably turn into something else or completely disappear. How am I supposed to…
"Geheheh, don't be so confused, miss!" he laughs, pointing at the paper on the desk. "All you have to do is read it, and when you're gone, wherever you end up, just write it back down and leave it there, alright?"
I reach out for the letter, but I'm still not sure what he's talking about. He's a Lightner, isn't he? When Kris seals the fountain, he'll be coming back to the Light World with us. So what the hell does he need me for? Nevertheless, he helped us, especially me, way more tonight than anyone before. I owe him, even if he's asking me to do something completely pointless. I run through the text a few times until I'm confident enough that I'll remember most of it. Then I hand it back to the old man.
"I think I got it, but I'm not that good at memorizing stuff," I admit.
"Oh, I'm sure ya gonna do great." He smiles at me. "You don't have to remember every word. If ya got the point, that's more than enough."
"Alright," I nod. "I'll do it."
The three of us climb the stairs and walk through the long corridor. This time, I'm leading the party instead of Kris, since I know which way the fountain is. Kris and Ralsei are walking behind me, side by side, Kris occasionally coughing and sniffling. We reach the wall we're supposed to climb, and I turn back to look at Kris. They're staring at me with an empty gaze, half zoning out but steady on their feet. Walking didn't seem to be an issue for them, but I don't think it'd be a good idea to let them climb on their own, so, without hesitating, I pick them up on my back.
"This is gonna take a while, so hold on tight," I tell them. They don't resist, they just quietly wrap both arms around my neck and lay their head on my shoulder.
Trying not to think of the possibility of them falling asleep and slipping off my back, I start to climb slowly and carefully. Ralsei is following me. My heart is hammering against my chest. I've never been so worried in my life. I noticed that in the Dark World, falling from huge heights is usually a lot less dangerous than in the Light World. It appears that, somehow, our bodies are tougher here. But Kris is sick and weak now. I don't know what would happen to them if they fell, and I don't want to find out.
"Guess we have to wait until next year to go to the festival together," I say. I have to make sure they stay awake while I'm climbing, and hopefully, a conversation can help them focus.
"You should go with Noelle," they whisper, blowing hot air into my ear. I scoff.
"Nah, dumbass. I told you yesterday. If I went, you'd be there, too," I reply. "You think I'd let you suffer at home alone while I'm having fun? No way. And I guess Noelle would say the same. We could all skip the stupid festival and spend the whole day at yours. Tenna's not there anymore, but we can watch videos on your computer. If your mom's fine with it, of course."
Kris chuckles quietly. Their arms tighten around my neck even more, and it feels like they're nuzzling their face against my hair.
"Next year, I'll show you how to cheat at the ring toss," they murmur.
"Heh, I'm pretty sure I'm already way better at cheating than you," I grin.
"Wanna bet…?" they ask, their voice fading as a coughing fit seizes their body.
"Hey, easy," I frown. "We're almost there, okay?"
We finally reach the upper corridor. I put Kris down and rub their back gently until they stop coughing. I look at the staircase behind me and the giant door at the top of it. It's still closed, and there's no trace of the Knight anywhere around.
After Ralsei catches up with us, we move forward to the fountain. He stops at the last door, smiling softly at the two of us.
"I think this is where we part," he says. "Take care, Susie. And get well soon, Kris. Have a nice rest and drink a lot of water. Or tea. Whichever you prefer."
Kris smiles back at him.
"See you soon, Ralsei," I grin. We probably won't be able to visit Castle Town for a while, but I'm sure he knows that once Kris gets better, we'll be there. "C'mon, Kris, let's seal this fountain."
A few minutes later, I'm in front of the Dark Fountain for the second time today. Kris is standing beside me, eyes closed, breathing heavily, but ready to seal it. A brilliant light envelopes the fountain, and for a moment, I see nothing but whiteness around me. It makes my head hurt, so I close my eyes. When I open them again, we're back at the church entryway. It's dark outside. Water droplets are running down the other side of the stained glass windows, and I can hear the sound of the wind.
Kris looks a lot worse with their normal skin color. They were pale enough in the Dark World, too, but now I can really see how sick they are. Some of their hair sticks to their face, their lips are chapped, and there are dark circles under their eyes. Here in the Light World, it all looks so much more… real. I grab them by the arm.
"Okay, time to go home," I say firmly. But as I'm about to turn around, my eyes get stuck on the door that leads to the nave. Something black is emitting from the gaps below, and I instantly recognize what it is. "What the…"
That's probably where the Knight went when I was chasing it, which means Toriel's probably still in there, too. Shit, I thought it was finally over. We can't go to another goddamn Dark World right now. I wish I could deal with it on my own, but I can't. Kris is the only one who can seal the fountain, and they're supposed to rest, they already look like they've been through hell and back. There's no way I'm taking them back in there. But if we just leave this thing here now, someone else might get hurt. I have to figure out something. I step closer to the door to inspect it. A lock is hanging from the handles. A numbers lock. Oh, great. Another dumb code I have no idea where to find. And even if we find it, what's next? I take a slow, deep breath. Whatever we'll end up doing, opening the lock would be the first step, so let's just focus on that for now. I suddenly remember the old man. He should be around here, right? And he might even know the combination. But I can't see anybody else, it's just the two of us. I take a deep breath and turn to Kris.
"The stupid lock needs a combination to open," I explain, doing my best to sound calm. I don't want them to sense that I'm upset. "I'll sniff around to see if I can find it. Stay here and wait for me."
Kris settles themself on the floor with their back against the wall next to the fire extinguisher, pulling their legs up to their chest and hugging them, resting their chin on their knees. They close their eyes. They shiver for a moment, and I frown. Crouching down beside them, I take off my jacket and drape it over their shoulders. Then I step back. Looking at them fills me with a weird feeling, something I can't really explain, but it makes my chest tight. Damn, why does this freak have to be so small and flimsy and… cute? I quickly shake my head. I have to concentrate. The code. Right. Where should I start searching? I decide to try the office first.
It's dark inside. I spend some time tapping the walls for the light switch, but eventually, I give up. My eyes already got used to the darkness of the room, anyway. I look around, but I can't see either the old man or anyone else. A chill runs through my body. It's so goddamn cold here, why the hell did I give Kris my jacket? The room is full of furniture, so it'll probably take a while to find anything useful. There's a desk in the middle, which makes me remember the old man's letter. Wherever you end up, just write it back down and leave it there. Is this what he meant by that? Should I…? I go around the desk and pick up a pen hesitantly. There are a few sheets of paper on the desk, but they're all covered with notes. I need a clean one. Maybe I can find some in the drawer. I open it slowly, feeling a bit weird about messing around with someone else's stuff without permission. But technically, I do have permission to write this letter, don't I?
My fingers touch something cold and smooth in the drawer. I grab it and pull it out. A glass case. At first glance, it looks quite old and dirty, but then I realize it's only the inside that's dusty. I lift it up, bringing it closer to my eyes. What the hell is this? There's a small, long object inside, covered with a thick layer of dust, which makes it difficult to make out, but it looks like… a hammer? Then I shake it gently, and I notice something else, too. A photo. Of the old man. That's when it strikes me. My arm trembles for a second, and I almost drop the case. I quickly put it on the table and pull my hand back. My heart is racing like crazy. I don't know much about death, but I'm aware that, when a monster dies, their body turns into dust, which is later buried together with their most beloved object. And that dust must be…
I inhale and let the air out slowly, still shaken by the contents of the glass case. So that's why the old man isn't here. That's why he wanted me to write that letter. He knew that he wouldn't be able to come back to the Light World with us. Shit, I didn't even thank him for his help… My throat tightens as I pull a sheet of paper out of the drawer and take the pen again. My hand is shaking, so the words turn out quite sloppy and maybe a bit difficult to read, and when I reach the signature, I spend some time staring at the paper and scratching my head because I forgot how to spell 'sincerely'. But eventually, I put the pen down and lay the letter in the middle of the desk. I carefully place the glass case on top of it.
Alright, that's done. Now, back to the combination.
Then I suddenly hear someone speak on the other side of the door.
"Kris?" I say loudly. There's no reply. My body stiffens. I scurry to the door and peek outside. "Kris?" I call again.
I find them beside the candle stand, wearing my jacket, but still shaking like a leaf, with their cell phone in their hand. The screen is still lit up, and in its white light, Kris's face looks even paler than before. When they notice me, they instantly turn off the screen and slide the phone into their pocket.
"Mom canceled the choir practice," they say. "She's at home. She's safe. Everyone is."
A wave of relief washes through me, making my chest feel so much lighter.
"Was that her on the phone?" I ask. Kris nods, and I let out a little laugh. "Oh, geez, that's… That makes things a bit easier, huh?" I look at the black smoke coming from under the door, sighing. "But we should still do something about this Dark World. We can't just leave it here for anybody to find. It's frigging dangerous."
Kris starts to cough heavily, covering their mouth with their arm. It sounds so bad that it makes my own throat feel uncomfortable, too. I also give a small cough, then I step closer to the door to inspect the lock again. It needs a four-number combination. I'm terrible at maths, but even I know that it would take an eternity to try all the possible solutions. We really do need to find this goddamn code. And once we do… Suddenly, something pops up in my head.
"Hey, Kris, I think I have an idea," I say. "It may be a bit crazy, like, the mayor and that priest guy will both kill me if they ever find out about this, but, heh… Someone told me earlier that crazy ideas are the best ideas, so… Anyway, it only works if we open the stupid lock first. So let's look for that code. You know this place well, right? You've been coming here since you were a kid. Any ideas where it could be?"
They open their mouth, then they close it. It's always hard to read their face even when they're feeling alright, but it's way more difficult now that they're sick. As far as I can tell, they probably want to say something, but they're not sure they should.
"C'mon, if you have an idea, just say it, even if it's dumb," I encourage them.
Still hesitating a bit, Kris steps closer to the office door, slowly lifts a hand, and just like when they're ACTing during a battle, they point at the fire extinguisher. I make a confused frown at first, but they keep their arm up in the air, so I walk up to it and take it off the wall mount. The corner of my mouth twitches for a second. On another day, when I wouldn't be under so much pressure, I'd probably do something stupid with this thing, like shooting at random objects, for instance. That would definitely make Kris laugh. But tonight I need to be serious. I rotate the extinguisher until, on the back of it, I notice a small, white label sticker. There's a number written on it in permanent marker: 2202. I pat Kris on the back.
"Nice job, nerd. Let's see if this opens it."
It does. With a triumphant grin on my face, I take off the lock and step away from the door without opening it. Then I raise the lock to my eyes to examine every part of it thoroughly. It's hard to see in the dark, so I walk back to the candle stand to get a bit more light.
"So, you know, these locks… Once they're opened, you can change the combination on them," I explain to Kris while fidgeting with the shackle. "You just need to find the reset mechanism, and… Yes!" I hear a small click. "Then we can set a new combo. If we lock the front door with a code that only we know, nobody will accidentally find the Dark World and get hurt. Plus, the Knight won't be able to get through the door either. I know it's not the most ideal solution, but hopefully it'll give you a bit more time to get better. What d'ya think?"
Kris seems a little zoned out, staring off into the distance with their eyelids drooping, but they give me a thumbs-up.
"Alright. Let's set a combination then. Something that we'll remember easily. Hmm…" I look at Kris and start to chuckle. "Heh. 6969."
Kris lets out a weak but genuine giggle while I set the new number on the lock. Then we take one last glance at the ominous dark smoke coming out of the nave before leaving.
As soon as I step outside, cold raindrops start to sting my skin, and the wind catches my hair. I close the door and apply the lock with one hand while pulling Kris closer to me with the other. I'm trying to guard them from the rain with my body as much as I can while we're walking towards their house. This time, there's no aimless wandering, no checking every single building in the whole town. We're heading straight home. And the distance between the church and Kris's house never felt this long before.
The lights are still up in the living room. Kris's mom probably stayed up to wait for us. I don't bother knocking before entering. Right when I open the door, I hear a sharp laugh from inside, and I realize that Toriel isn't alone. She's sitting at the dining table with… the annoying skeleton guy from the store. There's a pair of used plates and a half-empty bottle of red wine on the table. When Toriel sees us, she stands up and comes to the front door immediately.
"Susie, Kris! Oh my goodness, come inside quickly! You are both soaked!"
"…to the bone," the skeleton guy says casually, still sitting at the table. Toriel laughs with her hand in front of her mouth. I sigh and roll my eyes. We get inside, and Kris instantly drops themself on the couch and pulls their feet up.
"I am sorry I did not tell you that we are having a guest tonight, but I hope you do not mind that Mr. Sans is here," Toriel says cheerfully, but as soon as she hears Kris's fit of cough, her tone immediately changes. She leans down to put a hand on their forehead. "Oh, my poor child, you have a fever!"
Kris moans and looks up at me, and she follows their gaze. She gives me a compassionate smile.
"Susie, dear, you also look terrible."
I open my mouth. I want to tell her that I'm okay and she should take care of Kris since they're the one who's sick, but the words don't want to come out. I lift a hand to touch my face. It's quite warm for someone who's just been outside in the rain. I notice that my head also feels weird and a bit sore. Damn, she's right, I might have a fever myself, too.
"You both need dry clothes," she says, gently rubbing Kris's back and pulling their arm a little bit, trying to encourage them to get up. They make a weak, grumpy sound in response. "I know you are tired, honey, but you have to go upstairs and change before you get even worse."
"C'mon, Kris, we can make a mess in your room," I prompt, holding out my hand to them. We both know that we're too exhausted for that, but they smile back at me faintly and stand up, and we both start to walk towards the stairs.
"G'night, kids," Sans grins at us. Kris nods, but I notice how they're trying to avoid looking at him as we pass by the dining table.
Once we're upstairs, Toriel hands us towels to dry our hair. Kris puts on a clean set of pajamas, and Toriel gives me a set that used to be Asriel's. It's made of a very light and comfortable fabric and has a green and brown pattern all over. As soon as she's done preparing Asriel's bed for me, I instantly fall into it. I close my eyes. It's as soft as heaven and smells so nice that I feel like I just want to stay here forever. I don't even hear Toriel leave, but when I open my eyes again, it's only me and Kris in the room. They're curled up in their own bed, their face towards me, their red eyes shining with fever half-hidden behind the curtain of their bangs. They have their phone in their hands, seemingly typing, probably texting with someone, which is a bit strange at this late hour, but it's not like they could've done it earlier in the Dark World, right? I snuggle into my blanket and turn sideways so that I can keep looking at them.
A few minutes later, when they finish whatever they were doing on their phone, they put it on the floor beside their bed, and their eyes move onto me. We're staring at each other without a word until Toriel comes back in with a tray in her hand. It has two mugs of tea and a box of ibuprofen. She opens the box, pops out two pills from a blister pack and hands them to me and Kris, along with the tea.
"I hope you will like it. Lemongrass tea is very good for colds. I will be staying up for a while, so feel free to come downstairs if you would like some more," she says, running her fingers through Kris's hair. "It is very late for cooking now, but I will make you two a nice soup tomorrow."
"Thank you," I mutter. No matter how hard I try, it doesn't sound as grateful as I intend it to, but Toriel steps back to me and puts a hand on my shoulder, smiling.
"Sleep well, children," she says quietly. Then she turns off the lights and leaves.
I put my empty tea mug on the nightstand and lie back onto the pillow. I breathe deep and slow. Just a few minutes ago, I was so tired that I nearly collapsed, but now, for some reason, I feel like I wouldn't be able to get any sleep at all. I toss around for a while, trying to find a comfortable position, but it doesn't help. Even though the fever and the fatigue make me lightheaded, and my whole body is numb, my mind keeps racing. Everything was so crazy today. First, hanging out at Noelle's, then the Dark World at the church, the old man, the Knight, Kris falling sick, and, apparently, me falling sick as well… That's a lot of shit for one day. And we didn't even get any closer to opening that goddamn shelter door. Who knows how long it's gonna take us to get back on our feet? What if we don't have that much time? Officer Undyne is still in there, and if we don't figure out something to save her soon…
A soft noise breaks the silence of the room. My muscles instinctively tighten, and I hold my breath. Then I suddenly feel a weight push down the mattress, and something very warm touches me. And that something is breathing. Right into my ear. In a very Kris-ish way.
"What the hell are you doing here, dumbass?" I ask groggily. I don't feel like I have much strength to push them off the bed or scold them, so I just back off towards the wall, grumbling a little bit. I guess Kris interprets this as me scooting over to make more room for them, because they get even closer, snuggle under my blanket, and press their face into my neck. I freeze. "Seriously, you have your own frigging bed over there. Why are you…?"
Kris doesn't say anything, but I can feel them shiver hard all over.
"Okay, I get it," I say. "I'm a bit cold, too. You can stay, just don't start kicking me in your sleep or whatever."
I stay stiff for a while, but eventually, my limbs start to loosen, and I slowly sink back into the mattress. Kris also seems to calm down a little. There's something strange, something grounding in the way their body is pressed lightly against mine, and the sound of them taking the air in and letting it out. I slide one hand under my head, while the other slowly moves over their shoulder. The moment I touch them, they stir, and I quickly pull my hand back, but I feel their arms wrap around me in a tight embrace.
At first, I want to tell them off, but, however difficult it is to admit, a part of me sort of likes this. The warmth of their body, their slightly fast heartbeat, the grip of their small hands on the back of my pajama top, and the faint scent of apple that's emitting from their hair. So I just scoff quietly while dropping my head back on the pillow. My hand moves on its own, finding its way to the back of their shoulder, pressing on it as gently as possible, because this idiot is so fragile I'm almost scared that I'd break them in half if I pull them in too tightly.
"Weirdo," I whisper. I don't even know if I get a response or not, because the next moment, I'm already beginning to drift off, and the world around me is slowly fading away.