Frisk pressed their fingers to their forehead. Okay, okay, Sans was Gaster's son. Okay. That… made sense. Kind of. Gaster did seem to be some kind of skeleton monster… at some point.
[I͜ ̢wo̧ùl͝d ̵h͠avȩ ás̢sum̧e̕d͜ ͠ţh̶a͜t was͘ ͜obvi͢oųs͟,̡] Gaster signed. Frisk looked up at him and caught the amusement on his face.
[Sorry for not assuming that all skeleton-ish monsters are related,] Frisk signed in a grumble. They felt their face coloring despite themself. They huffed when their eye caught Alphys' hands covering her snout in an apparent attempt to not laugh. [So you and Sans still talk?] Frisk signed, trying to move on.
Gaster's head cocked to one side, his amusement fading. [Y̨es...͏ ̴a͞nd̨ ͏no.͞ The̛re i͏s ͏a co̢n͟ņe͞c̛tion I͢ hav̡é ̛w͘i͝t̸h̕ ͠Sans ͜that all͢ow̢s ͟him to̵ o̶p̴en̷ ͝a ̵li̕nk ͞w͡i̵t̕h̢ ͢m̶e a̛nd e͏s͟sen͡tial̕l̷y "su͜m͜m͜on҉"̨ ́me ͘wit̕ho̵u͝t ͠t́he n͠ȩed̸ fo҉r̢ r͞u͞n̴e͢s̀ -̕ ̢o͡utsi͞de͝ ͢of͜ ̛t̀h̛is ̕roo͏m̷, it ̴i̡s̢ ̛t͡he ̸m̕os͢t stab́l͟e ͢w̡a͘y ̨I ̸can͠ ́ín̛ter͏a̸c̕t wit̸h ̀t͘hi͡s ͢w̶or͠ld.̧]
[Wait, I thought Alphys said that Sans tried for months to bring you back, with no luck - how, then, do you…?] Frisk pushed, eyes flicking between the two monsters.
[... ̢the ̛con̡ne̵c̴ti͜o͠n betw̕e̴en Sans͡ a̕n̡d̷ I͞ wa͟s̷ ҉f͏org͡eḑ 15 ye̴a̷rs̴ ̡a̢go, ̡òr͠ ͞7͠ ̷a̴n̵d a̡ ha̴l̶f ͠m̢onths ago.̸.̸.̀ de͏pen͝din͏g ̨on ̨h̵ow ̵yo҉u ͟l̶oơk̢ ҉at ̀i͜t. A͏n͘d sińce͡ the͝n̸ he ̛h̕a̵s ͘no͞t̸ a͝lwa͝y̢s̕ beeņ in͠ a҉ pl͏a̛ce w͞her̡e̡ ҉sp̷e҉a͝k̶ing with me̛ w҉as.̛.. de̛si͡rab͜le͏.] Gaster's eye focused on the distance, his expression dark.
Frisk bit at their lip, trying to decide what to ask next as the questions bloomed in their mind. [... so is Sans… bad, then, or not? Can we trust him?]
Alphys' gaze trained on Gaster's hands at this. His body shifted, the darkness writhing slightly. [S̛a̕ns is ̴no͢t o̵ņe͜ to ̴esţab̢lish t̸r̨u҉s̕t ͟s̡o ̛r͝eadily... ņo͘t any̛mòre̷.̷ H҉o̢w̡ev́e͝r, ̶his̷ ̀m͘o͝t͘i̡ve͏ş ̛a̵r̴e̡ g͠oo̴d̡;̨ ͢th̴e͘ yȩa̕r̛s ̴of reset͟s̴ ha͟vè tak̶en͘ th̢eír ͜toll̷ ͝on hi͏m, a͢nd͝ ͝I ćan͞not ̴sa̴y̢ pre͡ci̢sely̧ ͢w̶h͡a̷t ͞he͘ i҉n̷ţend̷s̵ ̵tò ͠do, b̨u͞ţ ͜I ͞c̨a̕n cón͢fi̸rm̕ tha̷t he is on ͘t̢he side̛ of ͞hims̛e̵l͠f ̀a͝n͜d wh҉at̶ h҉e̵ ͏ai̷m͢s̶ to ͡pr̢ot̢e͟ct̵,̕ ̕nǫ ̸m͟at̛ter t́hè co̵s͘t̨.]
"Th-that's not exactly a vote of confidence," Alphys muttered. Frisk sighed, frown twisting their lips.
[He's protecting his family, right? I'm guessing that means his brother, what with you, well... ] they gestured to Gaster, and apologetic slip to their expression. He shook his head in wry understanding.
[You ̕aŕe͘ ͞corr͘e̶ct.͜ My ͢po̵i͡nt i̢s̕, ͜h͢o͝w͞eve͏r,҉ t̷hat ̕he ̛ma͜y ̢be t̨r͝u̵st҉ed so ҉long͞ a͏s th҉e̷ w͜el̨l͠-͡b̡ei̧n̸g͝ ̵o͜f ͜h҉i̸s̕ b̷ròth̴er ̸i̢s̷ ȩnsu͏r͢e͏d,̡] he explained.
Frisk nodded. [That makes sense… especially with what I was able to find out when I was trapped in the lab with him,] they signed. [He really didn't seem… bad. Just like he was resigned to doing whatever it took to accomplish what he thought was needed to protect his brother, and whomever else if he could.]
"S-Sans always did o-operate at his own speed," Alphys added. "He k-kind of worked off of his own internal moral c-compass - though i-it seems that it applies even more so n-now…"
Silence fell once more as Alphys trailed off. Frisk rolled the information around in their mind, trying to sort and file it as they could.
[I want to help him and his brother, too,] they signed finally. Gaster and Alphys watched them, waiting for more. [I want to help everyone, all of you, and figure out what is even happening down here… even just talking to you I feel like we've got more pieces of the puzzle, even if they're not all together yet. I don't know how we can do it, but...]
A sound like low static rumbled from Gaster's form. [Fris̵k͢.͟ ҉Why di͡d̨ ͝yo͏u͏ ͠co͜me͟ ͞t̵o͠ th҉e ̢Un̕d̢e͝rg͝r̴o̸u͝n̡d?͡]
Frisk frowned at Gaster. [I told you. To get answers-]
He cut them off. [Ans͘wers for w͏h͞a͠t ̸qu̷ęst̵ío͟ns̨?]
[W-well, I wanted to know what happened with the vines-]
[W҉h͡y͘?]
Taken aback, Frisk signed, [They came from nowhere, from a mountain that was said to hold the trapped souls of what remained of monsterkind-]
Gaster's expression was cool, his signs calculated and pressing. [S̵o͞?̡ H̕o̸w̵ ̵d̛įd͞ t̶h͡at ͟p͝e͢rt̕a͟in̵ ̸tǫ yo͜u?]
Frisk scowled. [I was there, remember?]
[And ͠I'͞m ̴sur̴e ͝m̶a͜n̛y̷ ̢òthers w̴ęr͟e ͠as w̨el͠l, ̷yet ͡i̢t ̀is o͠nly ͘yo͟u wh̸o i͞s̛ h͢er̴e.]
[Others tried! The capital ended up largely abandoned in the aftermath, but scholars tried to look into it-]
[S̀c̵hola͞rs͢ fàr̕ ̕o͟ld͢er̷ ̨an͘d͟ ̵wiser ̛tha͞n ̵th̡e͘ c̵hild ͏you̕ m͟ust ha͜v̴e bee̶n͠ at̡ th͏e̵ t̵i̷m̶ȩ. ͏And̀ y͘e͟t́ ͞th̸ey ͝g͟av̢e̡ up, u͢na̢b̕l͡e͡ o͠r̵ simply ̨no̧t ̡curi͠o͏u͘s e͟nou̧ǵh.͟ Bu̴t҉ h͞er̴e͜ y͜o͏u̸ a͜r͡e.]
[I wasn't going to give up, I had to know - and no one even knew anymore if monsters still lived, what had happened since you were sealed, and most records even of the war and of the erection of the barrier have been destroyed or lost-]
[So͡ ýóu had̶ l͠i̧ttlȩ t͜o go on̷,͡ and̸ you͡ ̷aba͝ndon̷ȩd ̷wh́atęver͞ fa̵m͟ily͡ ͘you̕ ha͘d̢ to ̕s҉ee̸k ͟yo̕ur ͝an҉sw̢ers̵ -͠ s͟o̶ ͢w҉h͝at͡ ̡q̵ues̶ţion̢s͏ c̕oul̵d ͢b̀e ̡so͞ ͘pr͜éss̢in͢g̶ ̸t̴ha͠t a͝ hu̡màn͡ l̴ik҉e y͟ou ̸woúl̵d͞-͝]
[I HAD NO FAMILY LEFT TO ABANDON.]
Frisk's hard breaths cut through the silence as their hands' hard movements cut off. Alphys' eyes were wide, and Gaster's gaze was dark.
With a choked swallow, Frisk forced their shaking hands to continue, [... the vines took care of that. I sought answers first out of vengeance and desperation. I needed to know why, and how, to make sense of what had happened. I blamed monsters, a little. I wondered if they had done it. If not, who had? Why? Why would they take everything from me?]
Hot tears pooled at their eyes.
[My moms… they only ever spoke for monsters, only ever tried to protect the true history, only ever showed others kindness and empathy, and yet… and yet whatever controlled those vines…]
Their chest throbbed painfully. Their hands had stilled as much as possible, small tremors still shivering their way uninvited through their muscles. Suddenly, they felt a hand on their shoulder - Alphys' hand. She had stepped close, and her other hand was balled into her coat, but she grasped Frisk's shoulder gently and steadily. Her eyes flashed when Frisk met her gaze, warmth and sorrow in them. Frisk looked away, chest growing tighter.
[T̵h̡e͝ i̧néx͠p͝lįc͠ab͝le loss ͞of̧ fami̷ly̡ ̀in̨ ̢tr͠ag̸i͡c happens҉ta̕ncȩ i͠s̢ painf́uļ ͢to p͜r̡ocess..̸. ͘I am ̕so͘r̀ry t̡o ͝h̨e͞a͢r̶ ̢th͏at yo͡u̷ ẁent throu͡gh ͜that, ͘and a̸t súc̷h ą ̧yo͘u̢ng͠ ag̨e,] Gaster ventured at last.
Frisk shook their head as they tried to bite back further tears. [I've processed it more by now,] they signed. [My moms… I miss them, but I already knew some of the lore - or history, really - about monsters, thanks to them… so I searched and searched, following in their steps in research, working to learn the strange magic that they had used on occasion...]
They took several deep breaths, stuttering through the effort but working to calm down. Alphys glanced at Gaster. He had drawn himself up, almost to what his full height used to be, despite the dark void of his body dragging downwards.
[W͘ha͜t͡ ha̕pp̷e͡ned th͢ąt́ nig̡ht͘?̵]
Dread pulled at Frisk's core, pooling sad and unsure. Their expression echoed the feeling, and Alphys squeezed their shoulder gently in response.
Frisk lifted their head, their eyes shifting between Alphys and Gaster. They worried their lip between their teeth, warring their impulse to keep their history a relative secret as they always had, and the new and uncertain desire to explain, to have someone understand.
And then they raised their hands.
[We were visiting the capital as we always did once a year. My parents were mages in every sense of the word, so they performed freelance work in the little town we lived in not far from the capital… but once a year, we would visit the capital for a week while they met up with old friends. A few days into the trip, late, late at night, when I was already asleep… I was awoken by screams and the heat of fires, and of the shaking of the very ground itself as vines poured into the city.]
Slowly, shakily, Frisk continued, eyes on their own hands to prevent themself from losing their nerve. [I woke up, and I saw… one of my moms had picked me up, and my other was by the windows, telling us to run - that was the last time I saw her, as she worked magic, trying to protect us. She was killed as we left the room.] Frisk drew in a shaky breath. [My other mom ran with me, carrying me until I was able to run. The vines wouldn't stop coming - many thicker than tree trunks . They tore through buildings, along the streets, fires blazing in their wake, and the sounds…] They shivered. [We crossed the paths of other people fleeing, those who woke up or were moving in time, and my mom used rune magic to stall or protect those in danger for long enough for me to dart in and pull people to their feet before the vines crashed down on them.]
A haunted look had settled on Frisk's face.
[Eventually, we reached a small square closer to the edge of the city. People were regrouping there, and there were healers and mages from the local academy to assist. We had to hand over some little kids we had saved…] Frisk swallowed. [And while we were waiting to see a healer, suddenly a huge part of the crowd started shouting. Hate was rolling off of them in waves. They were… they were blaming the monsters for the vines, spouting vile nonsense about… about you all,] Frisk struggled to sign. They couldn't lift their gaze.
A tired but fierce pride flashed in their eyes then. [But my mom… she stepped up, and called them out. Told them that they were less 'human' than the monsters that we had committed atrocities against, that we had sealed to a horrible fate. She was amazing.] Their shoulders sagged slightly. [And then, as we were leaving… the ground tore apart. Vines were everywhere, crashing into the square, breaking out of the stones of the street. We ran, stars we ran - but we couldn't escape. They had gotten faster, more violent, and…] their hands faltered. Painfully sharp wetness pricked at the corners of their eyes. Alphys' hand squeezed lightly once more.
[... I escaped alone. I stumbled through the forest, fire and screams behind me. I woke up the next day in a camp of survivors, under the care of a surviving group of scholars from the academy. With nowhere to go, I stayed in their care, alongside a few other kids with nowhere to go who had a similar affinity for magic. I spent years with them, eventually learning how to use magic and sinking into research on magical history, especially regarding anything I could find about monsters. I left when I was 18, free to choose my own path, working as a freelance mage and scholar, seeking out what little histories and stories were left of our shared history, trying to piece together the bits of strange magic my moms knew that I never had the chance to fully learn.]
They turned their head to the side, staring hard at the ground as a silent scoff escaped them. [Of course I hadn't learned that sort of magic, rune magic, with the scholars mages, though - but finally, finally I pieced it together that it was Guardian magic, magic that humans had been all but barred from using until only a few small, secretive groups still knew how to use it.] They shook their head. Their hands stilled, wetness no longer pricking at their eyes, but an emptiness settling in their core.
Alphys' hand tensed slightly on Frisk's shoulder as she finally spoke. "G… Guardian magic?"
Frisk's head still hung low, but their eyes slipped to look at Alphys. [Yeah - magic developed by humans and monsters together,] they signed. [From back before you were all sealed,] they added darkly. [From what I could find, humans distrusted other humans who could use it - because it was only learned and used by those who were deemed 'monster sympathizers' - by those who treated monsters with respect and worked to maintain a compassionate and peaceful relationship between the two races. They were known as Guardians… I believe many of them were killed during and after the war, all those who fought to protect monsters… the rest went into hiding after the barrier was erected.]
It was Gaster who replied next. [Mons̕ters h̛a͢v͟e͟ n͢ơ ̧r̶e͜cor͏d͠s ̨of̡ t͞here ̴be͢i͢n̢g ͞such͘ ̛a͝ se̡c͘t͡ o͘f ̶hu̕m͜a͞ns͝,͏] he signed.
Frisk's head lifted more at this, their brow furrowing. [Wait, what? For humans it made sense, with the erasing of the history of what had happened in guilt, but I would have thought that monsters at least would have...]
[W̶e͠ h̵ave ͟s͘to̢ŗi̵e̴s, whis͢p͝ers̵,̡ ͝r҉ęall͢y̧, ̡o͞f͜ ̶humans҉ w̸h̸o͞ si̡ded̷ w͏i͟t̕h͟ ́u͘ş,͝ b̶ut I pe͞rso̴n͞al̛ly̷ ͟h҉a̕v͜e ͞nev͝er h̕ea̴r̴d̷ ơf hưm͜ans͠ w̸h̡o̶ u̸se̵d͡ a d͢if̀f͡e̴r̀e҉nt̡ kind of ma̕gi̵c̸ ͡a҉nd pu͜rp̧oşefu͠l͠ly ͜s̛t̨ood͡ wi̶th ̨uş l͟ìk̨e tha͢t.̕.͏. And ̢ru̕ņe ̧m҉agic ẁa̕s ̨assu҉med ͏to͜ b̢e͝ a͝ ̧f́ơrm of ol̛d̶, ͟old ̵m̀a͝g͠i͜c ̴t͏hat ͝fell͢ ̨òut͢ ͜of ̧f͜av̷or as ҉m͘ońs҉t͟eŕs̕ pre͘fer̴red̴ ̴tơ s̨i͟mp̛l̴y̢ ̀h̕arn̕e҉ss th̕eír n̷atural̵, i̵n̢t͢riņsic̴ s̢ty̸le.] His mouth was twisted into a frown. Alphys nodded, her hand lifting from Frisk's shoulder as she pulled at her coat.
"I-I'm younger, of course, b-but I haven't come across anything like that, either…" her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "D-do you know anything more about these Guardians? Were they really humans?"
Despite this news, Frisk's face pulled in a small smile. [Yes, I'm quite sure of that. Guardians were humans who had for ages been closer to monsters, bridging the gap of distrust that humans had and the general wariness that monsters had, working and living in mixed communities peacefully. They were outspoken and active in their support, and overtime together with monsters developed a form of magic that was a blend of monster magic and human - that's the rune magic,] Frisk explained. Alphys' eyes went wide and Gaster leaned in closer, his gaze trained on Frisk.
[It became the true hope of coming generations, from what I was able to piece together - the magic was a blend of externally-pulled human magic and the more personal effect and twist of Intent that monsters employed. Back then, monsters would be Guardians too- those focused and passionate about building a community peacefully together. The history of Guardians and magic now is largely oral, with a few first-person accounts hidden in long-dusty corners of personal collections…] their hands trailed in memory. [My moms were part of the secret groups that were the descendants of the Guardians. You didn't have to be born into it, but Guardians would mark symbols of their commitment in a special rune like a tattoo on their body, their Intent branded and true, permanent and powerful. The rune would only stay on those with the positive, loving Intent to truly be allies and friends of the races together, otherwise the magic would fade with their lack of Intent. Some Guardians, those surrounded by the developing mixed community and growing up with such positive Intent, they would develop the sign early on, well before the festival and ceremony that used to be held to celebrate it - they were thought to be some of the greatest beacons of hope, as both monsters and humans could develop it and would do so out of the purest of Intent.]
"B-but that isn't the case anymore, s-since there are no monsters for new Guardians to be surrounded by…" Alphys offered. Gaster nodded in agreement.
[Even with̷ ̕po͢s͠i̡t́i͠v͏e ̸So͠u͘l ͟Int̷e͘ǹt ͝-̸ ҉which ͡mùs͟t ̧bę w̨h̷a͘t̸ wo̕u̶ld̨ ̛a̶l͘l̛ow ̴th͠e u̶niq̨ųe r̛un̕e t̡o rema̢in ͜permane̛nt̨ly - ͠wi̕thòu̧t̀ ̛th̸e clo͞śe̶ ͡co͠nt͘a̶ct̕ w̸i̷th mo͜nsteŗ ̛m͏agi̷c an̡d̸ t̵h҉e̢ abil͟it́y t͘o̧ ̧h͡av̷e ̵s̨u̶c̛h ̀a̵ ̢t͟rue ̨d̸e͠s͞ire ͠t͟o̢ bui̶l̵d the ̀b̛ri͏dg̴e̵ bet̛we̡en ́races͏, ͏they woul͝d̨ ̵li̧k̕ely ̛o̶n̛ly͢ ̷bè ͏ab͢le̕ t̶ò g̛et ̛it t̶hr͡o̡ugh̡ c͝h̶o̸ice̕ w͡hen͟ ́th̸ey̵ ̡were͢ ̡o͢ld̨er͟ ̵th͠rough̴ what̕e͢v̨e͏r͠ t̡h̸e͞ ̢c͏e̵re͘m̡óny ͝haḑ ͟tur͞ņed̨ into,] he signed, looking thoughtful.
"Y-yeah, especially if the groups were so secret, meeting like Frisk's moms d-did, d-dwindling even further after-" she cut herself off and looked at Frisk in embarassment. "I-I'm sorry, I d-didn't mean - I mean, if anyone w-would have an early mark i-it would be you, but s-since that's not the case-"
Frisk shook their head to cut her off. [No, I understand - you're right, the group that my moms were a part of… most of them didn't make it. It took me years to track down just one of them, and they didn't even have many contacts left after that night.] They looked away for a moment. Then, they looked back up - their expression a little odd. [But, uh, you're not entirely right on the other part.]
Alphys looked at them in confusion, and Gaster joined her.
[Whích p͡ar̷t̴ ͏do̶ ҉y̧où m҉e̴a̡n͟?͢] he asked.
[About the Intent rune on young Guardians. They were rare, extremely so, but I know that a few Guardians developed them even after the war,] they signed slowly.
"R-really? How? D-did you meet one?" Alphys asked, her expression as eager as Gaster's was intrigued.
[Well, one of the people I met had a sibling that had developed one, though they had since passed away…] Frisk replied. Alphys looked disappointed and apologetic, and Gaster nodded slowly. But Frisk continued. [And… well…]
Their hands stilled, Alphys and Gaster still watching them. An internal debate showed itself on their face, but after a few moments their expression turned to simple determination and they nodded to themselves. They turned their back to the two monsters, reached for the hem of their sweater, and began to lift it over their head. It slipped against their sleeveless tunic, and they managed to take it off with a wince at the wound in their torso. They deposited the torn sweater on the ground, then reached to pull the back of their tunic up, revealing a thin racerback-style top that hugged their form. They lifted the right side further yet, slowly and wary of the bandages wrapped around their waist, until their right shoulder was in view.
Alphys gasped, and a sharper sound of static came from Gaster.
Emblazoned across Frisk's upper back on the right side, over their shoulder blade and larger than their hand if it was spread wide, was a mark in deep crimson. Three triangles, the middle inverted, were the lowest pieces, with a circle flanked by wings hovering above them.
Frisk released their tunic and turned at their gasps, brow furrowing.
[I apologize for not telling you earlier, it just wasn't - I mean, it's a lot to explain, and it was kind of complicated, so…] they faltered, realizing that Alphys' shocked look and Gaster's wide eye and bright pupil weren't quite just in reaction to the fact that Frisk was marked as a Guardian. [What is it…?]
Alphys stared at Frisk. "Y-you have… that's… that's the Delta Rune," she managed.
Frisk's brow furrowed deeper. [The… what? Wait, you recognize this rune? It's not part of the normal rune alphabet, though most Intent runes apparently aren't, they tend to be twists of a rune or several together depending on the Guardian, but how-]
[Th̕e Delta̧ ̷Rune i͢s̛ ̴thȩ s̴ym̨bol ͢of͜ ҉t͝he R̶oy̶al̨ Fa͝m̨i͜l͟ỳ,] Gaster signed. [as͜ ̀w҉ell͠ as bei͠ng ̨ţh̨e ͡symbo̸l̀ ҉o̧f ̷the̷ p͜rop̡hec̡y̨.̡.͝.]
His gaze went nearly dark, and his form towered at its highest as he stared at Frisk.
[What prophecy?] Frisk signed, confused and trying to ignore the slip of fear in their core.
Alphys was just shaking her head, her eyes still wide, her brows drawn down as she was lost in thought. Finally, Gaster shifted his hands, his pupil brightening once more as he watched Frisk.
[T̸he͞ ̛An͢gel.̵..̵ ̷T͘he҉ ͞One Wh̷ǫ H͡a͜s̨ ͜S̷ee̴n ̧T̛h͜e ̕Su͟r̛face.̵..͢ Th͡ey ͠w̢i͡l͡l̀ ̵re͟t̵u̷rn.̧ ̀A̵nd͜ ͜t͟he̴ ͞un͜de͞rgr̛ǫund ̧ẁìll ́go em҉p̸ty͘.]
Frisk was completely still. Alphys and Gaster watched them.
Their mind hadn't slowed, not in so long, and it raced even faster now.
The prophecy… the one whose symbol was emblazoned on their body, for some inexplicable reason-
Was it one of hope? Or despair?
Frisk's blood chilled.