SWORDTALE

Chapter 3: The Ruins Part 2

After Froggit had said its piece it left me alone in the chamber, saying that it needed to return to its family. Froggit's words and my reaction to them had left me a lot to think about, and I had a brief, quiet moment of introspection to myself. Then I looked around the chamber, truly taking it in now that there aren't any more distractions.

It was pretty small like most rooms in the Ruins, but to my surprise the floor of the room is littered with red colored leaves. In some places these leaves formed thick carpets while other areas of the floor are entirely clear, showing the same dull, purple floor. The path ahead branched in this chamber, with a passageway on both my left and right hand side that headed into uncertain destinations and much more certain danger.

Before I could choose which direction I was going to take, though, the cell phone in my pocket suddenly started ringing.

RING~~ RING~~

Barely restraining a twitching eyebrow, I reach into my pocket, take out the flip phone and with supreme reluctance I flip it open. Accepting the call, I placed the cell phone against my ear, preparing myself to hear another round of aggravating dog noises.

To my pleasant surprise, however, Toriel's voice comes loud and clear over the connection instead.

"Hello? Hello? This is Toriel," she sounded calm, I noted, but I could still detect a note of urgency in her voice. "My apologies. A strange dog kidnapped my phone."

I had to hold back a snort. Even with my fractured memories that had to be one of the strangest sentences I have ever heard.

"So if you called, I could not have helped you," Toriel continued. "However, I have recovered it. And you are still in the room, are you not?"

"Uhh..." was my eloquent response.

"What a good child you are," she said brightly before I could actually answer.

"Toriel, wait, I-," I began to say, automatically looking to correct her incorrect assumption.

"There are a few puzzles ahead that I have yet to explain," she once again ran roughshod all over me. "It would be dangerous to try to solve them yourself. Be good, alright?"

Click.

I stared at the now silent phone in my left hand in consternation. I am getting the distinct impression that Toriel isn't all that used to talking over the phone.

Now I feel really guilty for going against Toriel's instructions in leaving the room when it had proven to be wholly unnecessary. That's not even mentioning the fact that I just pretty much lied by omission.

Oh, well. I could always just turn back and return to the chamber protected by the Perimeter Barrier and wait for Toriel to come to pick me up. Or at least, that's the thought I have on my mind as I start to turn to do just that, only to realize belatedly that there's only a uniform, blank purple wall behind me.

I face palmed. The Perimeter Barrier meant to protect me from any nosy monsters now also hid the chamber from my mind now that I had left its inner circumference and now keeps me from returning to the chamber. Talk about irony.

Frowning, I start to walk forward, planning to simply feel along the length of the wall until I find the passageway. As soon as I take the first step, though, I am hit by a feeling of momentary vertigo and I had to halt and steady myself from falling over.

Rubbing the side of my face, I look up and frown in confusion. What was I doing again?

Shaking my head, I turn back around from the blank wall. There was nothing in that direction, as I can no longer access the protected chamber, so my only choice right now is either left or right and hope for the best.

I emerge in yet another hallway, and had to hold back a frown. I had first gone left, but the chamber that direction had led me to was a dead end with the only notable thing inside of it being a bowl containing some kind of candy perched on a pedestal in the middle of the room.

Despite being far more mature in both my thinking and mannerisms then I should be for my age, I am still a kid at heart, so I gladly took the single piece I was allowed to take according to the sign affixed to the pedestal. The ever present voice in my head helpfully supplied the candy's name - really, Monster Candy? How generic - as I pocketed said piece of candy and scanned it with my Structural Analysis to make sure it is safe for consumption.

It is, by the way, but my Mystery did reveal something peculiar about the candy in question...

Shaking my head free from such distracting thoughts, I continue walking. Seeing as the path left didn't lead anywhere, I had doubled back and had taken the only other path I could take, bringing me to yet another long hallway that is lined with the ever present flickering torches.

As I walk, I take care to keep my eyes peeled. Froggit's story had cleared up why Toriel acted so overprotective of me, and I could most definitely understand, and why some if not many other monsters might attack me, something that is equally understandable in my eyes.

That did mean, though, that going ahead I had to keep my guard up, lest my SOUL end up being taken from my by force.

I huff to myself in annoyance. So much for being paranoid.

Of course, there are many other ways I can end up dying, something that I am reminded of as I take another step and I feel the floor beneath my feet shudder.

Acting completely on my instinct and my reflexes, I throw myself backwards. Just in time too as the floor I had just been standing on gives way, the apparently thin and quite brittle purple floor crumbling into pieces, with said pieces disappearing down into the dark gullet revealed underneath it.

Standing back up from my crouched position, I cautiously walk forward, afraid that the floor might give way again, and look down the newly made hole.

My eyes narrowed. Toriel had spoken of puzzles, yes, but she had said nothing about the Ruins being structurally unstable. Now I have to be even more careful going forward.

I place my hand on the ground and switch on a single Circuit. Using Structural Analysis, I Grasp the entirety of the floor in this hallway, revealing to me where it would not be capable of bearing my weight. My spell reveals that only includes a small area around the newly made hole, the rest of the hallway being quite structurally sound.

Standing up and quickly Reinforcing my legs, I make a running leap and clear that area in a single bound, getting past it without any problem.

Humming to myself, I think to myself that Magecraft is dead useful in many more situations than just combat. I enter the next chamber, and then I find myself pausing as my cell phone once again starts buzzing.

RING~~ RING~~

"Hello? This is Toriel," for a brief instant, I wonder to myself who else could possibly call me on this phone, and if I should bother asking Toriel. "For no reason in particular... Which do you prefer? Cinnamon or butterscotch?"

I blink, thrown by the unexpected question. Then I think about it for a moment and I honestly answer, "Cinnamon."

"Oh, I see!" Toriel exclaimed, sounding as bright as ever. "Thank you for very much!"

Click.

Frowning, I wonder what that was about.

I close the phone and I have barely taken another step when it starts ringing again.

RING~~ RING~~

Somewhat exasperated, I once more quickly flip the cell phone open and hold it to my ear, from which, surprise surprise, Toriel's voice emerges.

"Hello? This is Toriel. You do not DISLIKE butterscotch, do you?" she asks. "I know what your preference is, but would you turn up your nose if you found it on your plate?"

I have a sneaking suspicion what Toriel is planning, and finding that I have no problems with it, I quickly answer that I have nothing against butterscotch.

"Right, right, I understand," she mutters, sounding pleased with my answer. "Thank you for being patient, by the way."

Click.

With those words she once more closes the connection before I can correct her, making me huff. Really, for such a polite person she is rather short over the phone.

I pocket the phone, and look around. The room I am in is pretty big compared the rooms that came before. A long line of sharp, metal spikes runs the width of the chamber, blocking the way forward. There's yet another raised grey tile in the middle of the chamber, and oddly enough a large, grey rock.

Looking around for a second time, I spy a grey plaque fastened to the wall on my left hand side.

"Three out of four grey rocks recommend you push them."

I mutter the hint provided. This one was strange, since I only saw a single grey rock in the room, though it did make pretty clear how one is supposed to progress here.

I push the rock onto the grey tile, not even needing to Reinforce my muscles as the rock proves to be surprisingly light. The metal spikes immediately recede into the floor the second that the rock slides onto the tile, clearing the way forward into the Ruins.

About to continue on, I find myself pausing as I hear a faint noise that took me a moment to place. My eyes widen as I recognize the faint sound of beating wings, and I turn in the direction it's coming from.

A small creature hesitantly approaches me. It's about the size of of my fist and a small white sheet with tattered edges cloaks its body, only exposing its tiny and incredibly thin arms and legs. A trio of holes had been cut into the sheet to reveal its black eyes and mouth, and a pair of small, insectile wings flutter on its back, keeping it aloft.

* Whimsun approached meekly.

The voice supplies the monster's name. Like it had said, Whimsun was very meekly closing the distance in between us, and it looked so scared and sad at the same time that I had trouble considering it to be a serious threat. Honestly, I took one look at the monster and it instantly made we want to console it.

"I have no choice..." it whispered as it approached, and I felt a flash of anger at the monster's continued imprisonment and a flash of pity at what it felt it had to do.

Aiming to head off any conflict, I step forward and open my mouth, seeking to both reason with and console the monster. It was obviously scared out of its mind, and I don't think that I could bear fighting anyone in such a state.

* Halfway through your first word, Whimsun bursts into tears and runs away.

I blink, mentally half a second behind as I see the small monster do just that and fly away from me as fast as humanly possible.

* This monster is too sensitive to fight...

I noticed, I dryly think to my myself. Silently watching as Whimsun leaves the chamber, I'm not quite certain if I could have done anything else that wouldn't have made it run away from me in tears. Shame wells up in me in having caused such a reaction in anyone, though I realize that there's nothing I could have done to prevent this.

* You won!

Unlike what the voice was telling me, I didn't feel like I had won. Not one bit. I honestly felt like a bastard, and I had half a mind to go after Whimsun and try to make it feel better. I am smart enough to acknowledge that doing so would likely just upset it again and sent it running - flying - for a second time.

I would have to find a some other way to make it up to it later in another way if I encounter it again.

Having left the room where I had sent another being flying away from me in fear - something that I am still smarting about - with quick steps, I make me way across a narrow corridor, only to come to a halt at what I am presented with as I step foot in the next chamber.

"This place definitely needs maintenance," I mutter to myself as I take in the scene.

This is the largest room I have encountered so far, which makes it all the more unbelievable that the entire expanse of the purple floor I need to cross in order to go further in to the Ruins has tiny, but noticeable cracks running through it. Every single millimeter of the floor was literally covered with them.

Suffice it to say, the entirety of the floor ahead of me did not look save to walk on. Not one bit.

Grabbing a loose rock near my feet, I throw it onto the floor ahead. The small, negligible weight of the rock was too much for the floor to bear, which now sported a small hole where it had landed. I had to hold back a sigh. If the floor couldn't even hold a rock, it certainly wouldn't be able to bear my weight either.

Leaning absently on my staff, I wonder how I am supposed to get past this point before the thought comes to me that while the entire floor looks brittle and unstable, it only looks that way. Emphasis on looks. Maybe there's a safe path across that isn't immediately apparent through mere mundane observation.

Getting on my knees, I place my glove covered palm on the ground, and I once more use my Structural Analysis to Grasp the entire expanse of the floor ahead of me. As I do this, I simultaneously Reinforce my brain to help handle the influx of information. This is by far the largest area I have Grasped since waking up, and it showed in the feedback of data. I would give myself one killer headache if I tried to take in all that information all at once without increasing my cognitive processes first.

Reinforcement, after all, could do much more then just making things harder and sturdier. The main advantage of this basic and brute force spell is its incredible versatility.

As I explained earlier, it can augment the existence and purpose of anything I poured my magical energy into almost without exception, enhancing the objects main attributes. With the use of Reinforcement food becomes more tasty and nutritious, swords become more sturdy and have their sharpness increased, and applied to the human body it can enhance every single attribute equated to physical ability far beyond what should be possible for a human.

Of course, such a versatile spell has to have a drawback. Everything has a drawback. And for Reinforcement that drawback is especially dire.

It's a simple concept, really. A container can only hold so much liquid before said liquid spills over the edge, and in the case of a sealed container, only so much of a substance can be put inside before the pressure building inside becomes too much. The exact same principal holds true for the magical energy used in Reinforcement.

The tougher an object naturally is, the more it can take and the more it can be Reinforced, but if you go over the limit the object in question will break and explode. This holds true for pretty much everything I can think of, even for a human body, making using this spell on yourself a potentially lethal mistake if one is not careful at all times.

I can feel my eyes light up as I finish processing everything. There's indeed a safe path across, one that slithered up and down the entire length and width of the room, but I'm sure that narrow path my spell has revealed will be capable of bearing my weight no problem.

Quickly committing the path to memory, I stand back up and confidently make my way across, using my staff to test the ground I am about to step on, just to be safe.

In the next room I am confronted by three grey rocks, identical to the rock I had encountered a few chambers back. Looking slightly ahead of these rocks, I see exactly three grey, raised tiles, and a little further ahead of those is a wide, wooden bridge over a stream of water, filled with several rows of sharp, metal spikes.

At least this answers why the hint provided earlier said four grey rocks, though that didn't tell him why three of the four grey rocks are allowed to be pushed while one other isn't. The fact that my sight reveals that one of those rocks is in the possession of a SOUL might explain that little anomaly.

I approach the rock on the farthest left, resolving to leave the 'rock' on the right, the one that apparently contains a SOUL, for very last.

Pushing the first rock onto the raised tile behind it, I turn towards the next rock in the line, just wanting to get this done as quickly as possible and move onto the next room. Before I can do so, though, I am confronted by three small... beings that have silently interspaced themselves between me and the rock in question.

With a thought my Mystic Eyes of the SOUL switch on as I ready myself for battle, falling into a stance and baring my staff. The creatures didn't overtly react to my defensive actions, and just quietly continued to stare me down. Well, stare me down isn't really an accurate description. To stare someone down one needs to be in possession of eyes, which these tiny and odd beings didn't have. I had already realized that monsters came in many different shapes and sizes, considering the radical difference between the few that I have encountered so far, but these monsters are quite unlike anything I had imagined.

They looked like a gelatin mold. I am not kidding. These creatures honestly looked like the brightly colored dessert made out of sweetened and refrigerated gelatin - I blink, wondering where that sudden factoid about cooking had come from - that has a lime green color. Their forms pulsated up and down in a constant, smooth rhythm, and like most monsters I have encountered so far are pretty small and come only about up to my knees in height.

* You tripped into a line of Moldsmals.

I am somewhat perplexed by these strange, oozing monsters. They didn't look threatening, and neither did their presence alarm me all that much, but the same could be said for Flowey, and that flower monster had proven to be deadly in clear contrast to its downright innocent appearance. Looking at these Moldsmals, though, and seeing their slow and ponderous movements, I really had to wonder how they intended to take my SOUL, if that was what they are actually after.

A bare second after I think this, the Moldsmals once again prove that age old adage of never judging a book by its cover, and they did so with gusto.

My attention is snagged by the sudden and fast gathering of some kind of energy/fluid in a sphere in front of all three Moldsmals. The energy/fluid quickly grew to the size of baseballs, all three of which pulsed in unison, and were then fired straight at me without a word or a sound.

I had already begun running to the side before this happened, and this, combined with my Mystic Eyes perfectly predicting in which direction the energy spheres are heading - towards the space I had just vacated - gave me the short lived believe that I can dodge this head on attack easily.

Said believe lasted a grand total of two seconds, and ended the moment all three spheres detonated at the exact same moment in time. As the energy spheres detonated, they separated into dozens upon dozens of smaller energy spheres, all of which sped towards my general direction at bullet speeds.

Reacting instantly to this surprising two stage attack, I twist on my heel and push of, launching myself in the opposite direction I had been running in. Thanks to the virtue of my Reinforcement spell enacted on my own body, said leap easily allowed me to clear over ten feet, allowing me to reach that one spot in time that my eyes had shown me to be safe from the approaching killing field.

The energy spheres pock marketed the area all around me, striking the floor, walls and ceiling, kicking up a screen of dust and dirt, but thanks to my quick thinking and just as quick reaction made sure that I got away without a single hit.

The dust cleared quickly, restoring my vision. The Moldsmals are still in the same spot they had been, and I frown as I silently observe them.

I continued to stand where I was, barely even moving, waiting for something to happen, though I am not certain for what exactly, and the trio of Moldsmals did the same, just staying still. I had already decided that I wasn't going to make the next move before I figured out a way to end this battle without anyone dying if at all possible.

One, two, three minutes the Moldsmals and I looked at each other - or I at least thought that the Moldsmals were looking at me. It's hard to tell with them having no eyes and all, waiting for the other to make a move or do something. Only for nothing to happen.

I frown, confused as I wonder why the Moldsmals are not continuing their attack. I couldn't even tell if the three Moldsmals are still hostile by this point. They certainly at least didn't seem to be intent on attacking me any time soon.

Well, if the Moldsmals aren't going to attack, then this represented the perfect chance to try and nip this battle in the bud before anyone could get hurt. But as I wasn't certain how I could do that exactly, I decided to just wing it and hope for the best.

"Uhm," I began hesitantly, not quite sure what to say. "I know that that the three of you need my SOUL, I know why you need it, and I can definitely understand, but..."

The three Moldsmals didn't react in any way I could perceive to my rapid rambling, but neither did they attack as I talked. I took that as a good sign.

"... I promised to hold onto my SOUL, and there are still things I need to do, goals I need to fulfill regardless."

Again, the trio of slime-like monsters didn't react in any noticeable way to my declaration. They just continued being stationary, pulsating up and down in their line up in front of me.

I cock my head at the Moldsmals, and made a hopeful overture to the monsters. "I'm willing to let bygones be bygones. If you don't attack me further, I won't do anything to harm you three in turn and we will just leave this entire unfortunate situation in the past, okay?"

For the third time in a row the Moldsmals didn't react to what I had to say, and I was already tensing my muscles at the chance that they might become hostile again, only for something surprising to happen.

The Moldsmals made noises at each other, sounding like the frothing and bubbling of water, and it took me a few seconds to realize that they were conversing with each other. Said conversation lasted barely half a minute, and suddenly the Moldsmals, to my utter disbelieve, made a slight inclination in my direction, as if bowing in apology, and left.

* You won!

My mouth open and closed in astonishment as the Moldsmals disappeared through the corridor I had emerged from earlier, having apparently decided to call it quits after what should have been a weak shot at showing mercy. Considering the situation of the monsters, the attempt should have by all logic been doomed to failure.

That... had been absurdly easy, all things considered. If all monsters were like this, then it might actually be possible to get through the Underground without killing anyone.

In spite of this hope, I didn't delude myself that I could defuse all future encounters as easily, though. There are bound to be more determined monsters in the future who will not be mollified by mere words.

But I would take that eventuality as it comes, for now I need to progress to the next room and to do that I will need to slide the two remaining rocks onto their raised tiles and examine the 'rock' that possesses a SOUL.

I slide the middle rock onto its tile and cautiously approach the one with the apparent SOUL. And in spite of somewhat expecting it, I am still startled when the loud, strangely accented voice emerges from it from no identifiable source.

"Whoa there, pardner!"

After having dealt with the rather odd and unhelpful, though still rather friendly, rock that can talk, I pass through a corridor that curiously has a mouse hole in the wall on my left and an old, wooden table on my right. On it is a block of cheese, and for some god awful reason the Voice comments on it as I pass by it.

* This cheese has been here quite a long time. It's stuck to the table...

I briefly wonder how the Voice can know that without me even touching the cheese in question, but I quickly decide the once again ignore the Voice's asinine commentary and continue on my path.

In the next room I immediately come to a dead halt. The chamber I am in now starts out wide, but it quickly narrows to a small passageway in the middle. That passageway is filled with red leaves that seem to be ever present in the Ruins, covering that narrow space and only that small space in a bed of crimson.

That's not what halts me in my tracks, though. It's what on that bed of leaves that makes me pause.

It has to be a monster, and if I had to describe it as something, I would immediately default to calling it a ghost even though it did not in any way appear similar to the Wraiths of human SOULs that remain attached to this world through past grudges, regrets and other sorts of unfinished business that they had during life.

If anything, it reminded me of a bedsheet ghost. It literally appears that a sheet of thin white fabric with closed eyeholes is laying down on the bed of leafs. The edges of the sheet at the bottom of the monster seem to ripple in a non-present wind, while there seems to be nothing inside of it.

A small mouth moves underneath the closed eyes, and a strange noice that I can't immediately place comes from it.

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ..."

I stand there, perplexed, not really sure what to do in the face of this odd and rather surreal occurrence. Why is this 'ghost' making that noise and why is it rather badly trying to fake that it's asleep?

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ..."

Staring at the ghost for almost a full minute, I am still wondering what to do in this situation with no answer forthcoming.

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ - are they gone yet? - ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ..."

* This ghost keeps saying 'z' out loud repeatedly, pretending to sleep. Move it with force?

I frown. I don't feel comfortable trying to move someone without their consent, not even mentioning the fact that I am not sure if I can even touch it. If this monster really is some kind of ghost reminiscent of Wraiths, touching it with my bare hands will be impossible at best and harmful at worst.

What else can I do? Can I reason with it? Convince it to move out of its own will? It's not trying to attack me, so trying to talk to it should pose no danger.

"Hello, um, sir? I don't know if you are aware of this, but you are blocking the way. Can you please move aside so that I can pass?"

At first, there was no reaction from the ghost, and I had already opened my mouth to try again, but then I notice that the monster's eyes slowly open at my question.

I am taken aback at what I see. The ghost's sclera are entirely black, while its iris and pupil are a uniform white. But that's not what surprises me, though. It's that the ghost's eyes are glistening with repressed tears, with the monster clearly on the verge of crying.

The ghost floats up, leaving its bed of leaves, and it looks at me in a manner that's so reminiscent of a beaten puppy that it feels as if an Oni had just pulled at my heartstrings with all of its strength.

"Oh, I am sorry for being an inconvenience," the monster's voice was like its eyes, soft, sad and completely downtrodden. "I'll get out of your way now..."

"No, wait!" I shout as the ghost starts to fade away from sight. The monster seemed surprised at my shout, and stops leaving, having become completely visible again.

"Is there something else?"

"No, yes!" having suddenly been put on the spot through my own actions, I stumble a little over my words and my voice is slightly raised as I try to vocalize both my thoughts and intentions. I hadn't really thought it through when I had stopped the ghost from leaving, but I now that I have done so, I can't just let it go.

Besides, Emiya Shirou is not the kind of person who can leave someone who looks so downtrodden alone.

"I stopped you because I wanted to talk to you for a moment," I said, trying to sound as kind as possible. "You don't mind, right?"

"Oh, I don't know," the ghost mumbled, still looking sad and somewhat apprehensive. "I don't think I can do that. I would probably just screw it up."

"What are you talking about?" I said back, suppressing my first reaction. Screwing up talking? This monster must have some serious confidence and self-esteem issues to come to that idea about itself. "Trust me, you're doing just fine so far. You come across as very kind. Come on, I just want to talk for a short while."

The ghost hesitated taking me op on my offer for a long moment, but the monster did flash me a little smile when I called it kind.

"If you insist," the ghost mumbled finally, and I let out a short, relieved sigh when it agreed.

"Come, sit," I said and sit down Japanese style with my legs folded under me on the flowerbed, laying my staff down on the ground beside me.

The ghost made no move to follow my example, and looked faintly dejected and embarrassed. "Oh, uhm, sorry. But I can't really sit. I don't have anything I can sit on. Oh, I am already messing up the conversation..."

I fought to keep from palming my face at my stupidity. The ghost had nothing what on a human would be considered a lower half, and hence had nothing to sit on.

The monster's words were lowly murmured, and I could see even more tears gathering in the corners of its eyes. I quickly opened my mouth to say it's alright, something telling me that I don't want to have this monster cry no matter what. Call me crazy, but I had the distinct impression that things would get rather dangerous really quickly if the ghost were to break down crying.

"That's alright, I don't mind, " I quickly said. "You can just, uhm, keep floating, or lay back down again, if you want to."

"I think I'll keep floating, if you don't mind."

I nodded and looked up at the ghost in front of me. The surreality of the fact that I was about to have a conversation with a ghost, even if it was a monster, hadn't yet hit me, but I am not sure that it even will considering my suspension of disbelief had been stretched to such an extent in such a short time by this absolutely bonkers day.

"What's your name?" I started off with a common, clean subject.

"Napstablook."

"Napstablook, that's a nice name," I said, earning me another smile. "I'm Shirou, Emiya Shirou."

"Emiyashiro?" Napstablook repeated, combing and slurring the pronunciation of both my last and first name together. "That's, uhm, a rather peculiar name..."

"You can just call me Shirou," I corrected the ghost. "Emiya is my last name. Where I come from we introduce our self with our last name first."

"Oh," Napstablook made a noise of understanding.

"Anyway," I say, trying to get to the point of the conversation. "I wanted to talk to you because you look so sad. I wanted to know what's wrong and if I can help in anyway."

Napstablook looked surprised, having not expected that. "That's very kind of you, Shirou, but I'm fine."

I shot the ghost a skeptical look, an eye brow raised in disbelieve. "Then why did it look like you are about to cry earlier? And why were you laying down all alone here?"

"I sometimes come to the Ruins because there's nobody around. The quiet allows me to think, and laying down on the ground and feeling like garbage is a family tradition."

While I couldn't say that Napstablook looked happy yet, the ghost was clearly opening up to me, rather easily at that. The explanation I got of 'laying down on the ground and feeling like garbage' admittedly worried me a little, but who was I to comment on how others spend their free time.

On the plus side, the fact that Napstablook was talking so openly and that it didn't look like it was about to cry any time soon was a clear improvement.

"That still doesn't explain why you looked so sad," I continue to hammer at that point, trying to get an answer. If I know what's wrong, I might be able to help.

Napstablook averted its eyes from me for a short moment. The silence was palpable and uncomfortable, but I patiently and stubbornly remained sitting were I was, my eyes never straying from the ghost in front of me. I idly muse to myself that if it was possible for a ghost to be tense, Napstablook managed it.

"It's not really something you can help with," the ghost finally answered, returning its gaze to me.

"Try me," was my stubborn reply. "Besides, even if I cannot help, maybe talking about it will make you feel better."

"I..." Napstablook began hesitantly before deciding to just give in to my prodding. "If you're sure. It's a rather long and boring story."

"Hee, hee," Napstablook gave a short, but happy giggle. "I'm usually alone, but I met somebody nice today. It was nice talking to you, Shirou."

I nodded back to the ghost, pleased. While Napstablook was right that I couldn't help it with its troubles, as they were deeply personal and not something I should involve myself with unless I was asked to do so by all the parties involved, it was clear that the ghost found it relieving to vent its emotions and negative thoughts to me. It was clear that the monster didn't have many friends, if any, and while it had family members, they weren't in the picture because of said personal reasons.

Besides, in spite of being an introvert and a rather dour person, Napstablook was both a good talker and listener when you get the monster to open up to you.

Napstablook started talking again, breaking me from my thoughts. "This was enjoyable, Shirou, but I really should be going back to Waterfall. I need to leave now if I want to be on time for my next shift," the ghost said, smiling a small smile at me. "If you ever find yourself in Waterfall, you can come and visit any time you like, if you want to..."

"I would like that," I said in return, causing Napstablook's smile to widen a little.

"Bye!" the ghost said and disappeared into thin air, sounding far more chipper then I had expected it was capable of being.

Shaking my head, I find myself a little amused by the ghost's one-eighty from downtrodden to happy after just a short, polite conversation. It was rather endearing.

I get up, picking up my staff from beside me as I pass over the bed of leafs and through the narrow corridor. On the other side are two passageways, one directly ahead of me and the other on my left. After a brief moment of contemplation, that basically amounted to random choice and hoping for the best, I went left...

... And stopped dead at what I was confronted with on the other side.

The room was tall and wide, with the ceiling more then a dozen meters over my head and the room itself being about the size of a football field commonly found near schools. Considering the size of the room, it would have been odd if I was the only occupant, though I sincerely wish that were the case.

Directly ahead of me, seven figures stood on the ground or were afloat in the air respectively. Three Froggits and four Whimsuns, all of which had turned towards me the very second I entered the room, tensing up when they registered just what had stepped into their midst. Curiously, none of them looked surprised at seeing me.

* You have stumbled upon a gang of Froggits and Whimsuns.

My Circuits warm up, and my Mystic Eyes turn on. My staff points in their direction, ready to protect me if required, even as my mind immediately starts racing in order to find a way to get past these monsters, ideally without having anyone get hurt.

It's because of my Eyes that I notice something that every other being in this room hadn't.

I had noted earlier that these chambers in the Ruins were in dire need of maintenance. Mostly it applied to brittle floors that couldn't even bear a ten year old's weight, but in this room it wasn't the floor that needed to be fixed, but the walls en ceiling. Long, thin cracks ran along the walls on all sides and the ceiling above in spindly patterns. So small they were that it was difficult to notice them if one only gave the walls and ceiling a cursory glance, or one had Eyes like mine.

Whatever the case, I could tell that even the smallest disturbance, nudge, or unfortunate action could very well bring the roof down on our collective heads.

If fighting were to break out in this room... It wouldn't end well for anyone, I am certain of that.

Taking a single step forward, I open my mouth, my mind going a million miles a minute as I tried to think up the best way I could explain the situation and hopefully avoid getting crushed underneath several tons of brick, mortar, rock and dirt.

Unfortunately, I never got the chance to.

Taking my step forward as the signal to attack, all seven monsters spring into action in unison. The trio of Froggits croaked loudly, the action itself somehow summoning flies around the Froggits. These flies are some kind of magical construct, consisting entirely of blue magical energy, but they move and behave just like real life flies.

The four Whimsuns, on the other hand, were entirely silent as they employed their magic. In spite of this fact, the result was largely the same, only a large cloud of moths are brought into existence around the insectile monsters instead of flies.

Acting as one, the cloud of magical energy shaped into flies and moths rush toward me in a wide scale attack. The blue glowing constructs moved in on me, acting and buzzing as a swarm of the creature's they were shaped after, covering such a wide area that going around it was impossible. There's only one option; I had to go through it.

I launch myself forward, crouching low to the ground as I used my Eyes to their fullest potential to guide my way through the minefield of magical energy that is bearing down on me. My staff comes up in front of me, once again spinning like a baton in order to intercept the insectile projectiles that are coming towards me straight on, the appearance of green circuitry along its surface the telltale sign that a spell of Reinforcement is enacted upon it.

Using my staff as a shield, I rush through the cloud, making tiny adjustments to my footing and the position of my body to allow the magically constructed insects that aren't swatted down to pass less then an inch from my clothes and skin, only to realize I had made a miscalculation.

I was inside the cloud now, and to my consternation I had come to a dead halt. I quickly realized that trying to take the direct path had been a mistake; apparently, the insects had honing properties as the ones that has passed by me just now had looped back around, and were now angrily buzzing around me in a circle with the rest of their fellows. I was effectively trapped, with the ring of insect shaped magical energy now too dense to try to force my way through it as I had intended.

My Eyes made that abundantly clear.

I was stuck.

Suddenly, the swarm of insects started to slowly shrink down on me, and I realized what was about to happen.

Pushing as much Prana as possible into the empty spaces of my cloak, I Reinforce the material as far as it can go. I quickly throw the hood over my head and crouch down low to the ground, bracing my feet against the ground as I centered and readied myself.

I had no choice but to defend myself, and trust on the unnatural toughness of the cloak I wore to protect me.

The insects came whipping towards me, suddenly rushing at me from every direction. I spun in a circle, my cloak whipping around me, as my staff blurred in movement, swatting down as many as I could, while those I couldn't met the augmented fabric of my cloak with more force then I had expected them to.

At least two dozen made it past my guard, striking me all over my covered body. In spite of this, none of the insectile masses of shaped magical energy could get through my cloak, and thankfully none of them made any direct contact with my skin. I still felt as if I was being thrown around like a ragdoll, but I managed to keep on my feet, and the moment I noticed the swarm of insects around me drastically decrease, I jumped backward, trusting my cloak to protect my back in the most literal sense.

Another half a dozen insects struck my back during the hasty leap, but it also got me out of the swarm, and that's what counted.

I could feel several dull aches all over my body. Thankfully, the pain wasn't so bad that I couldn't ignore it. More importantly, I was still in one piece and despite said light pain I wasn't truly injured; my skin hadn't been pierced or broken anywhere, and the worst I might have were some bruises, just like with Flowey.

And against all odds, even after all that my cloak was still undamaged.

I really need to take a look at how that was possible later, but I was still facing down a mob of hostile monsters that I needed to concern myself with first.

The moment I landed after my sudden leap, I immediately ran to the right, towards the exit of the chamber that led deeper into the Ruins. If subduing the monsters wasn't possible, then running away and avoiding further battle was the best course of action.

The problem was that if they made another such swarm, the only hope of getting away was to outrun said swarm, and I am not certain that even with Reinforcement I could do that. I just had to run as fast possible, keep my senses primed, and hope for the best.

It was a simple plan, though potentially hazardous for my health.

My instincts told me to move, so I did. Projectiles, magical energy shaped into small balls, blasted past me...

And made the premonition I had earlier a reality.

The projectiles struck the wall on either side of the exit of the chamber that led deeper into the Ruins, and thanks to my Eyes I saw perfectly how the balls directly struck one of the very small cracks present there, starting a chain reaction.

Horror struck me as I realized what was about to happen, and I immediately reversed direction without any conscious thought.

The monsters looked surprised as I turned on a dime and rushed towards them. For a moment it appeared like they were about to attack me again, but then they noticed what I already had; cracks were rapidly spreading through the walls and up to the ceiling, and to everyone's alarm, the room shook and small chips of rock started falling from the ceiling, shattering on the ground with a sound eerily reminiscent to a death knell.

Larger chunks started falling from the ceiling, and the Froggits and Whimsuns looked up with wide eyes, frozen in fear as right above where they were standing a massive piece of the ceiling slowly started to come loose.

"Move you idiots!"

My shout startled the monsters and shook them from their frozen state, but by that point it was already to late. The massive piece of ceiling, something that could easily crush the small monsters underneath it, detached from the roof and plummeted downwards.

Pumping as much Prana as I dared into my muscles, I accelerated as fast as I could and used my larger bulk to push (translation: bash) all the monsters from the spot they had been standing on. I couldn't reach all of the monsters in time this way, so I kicked the last small Froggit aside to get it out of the danger zone.

Which left only me in said danger zone.

Kicking off against the ground, I launched myself forward as the roof came down with a deafening sound and everything suddenly went dark.

I groaned as I opened my eyes, my vision blurry.

Did someone get the license plate of the truck that ran me over? Was the first thought that went through my waking mind.

Sitting up from where I had been laying on the ground, I looked around, taking in the devastation around me.

Dust was thick in the air, with piles of rubble strewn around, with a very large pile just behind me. It seems I only escaped being buried by a scant few meters, and I still was knocked out, probably by some flying rock that struck me on the head. Or at least, that's what I think through my throbbing headache.

Thankfully, I had the Reinforced hood of my cloak up to protect my head. It could have been much worse.

My vision cleared completely, and I got up. I could now see all the monsters I had been fighting, who were now also slowly starting to get up from their positions on the floor. I wasn't knocked out for long then, maybe half a minute at most, which was good.

The thoughts on my wellbeing were shunted aside when I spied one of the small Whimsuns writhing on the floor. I made a beeline towards it, and as I did so I couldn't help but notice that one of the thin, insectile wings on its back was bent at an unnatural angle and the expanding pool of blood beneath it.

The Whimsun was trying to get up when I reached it, letting out pitiful moans.

"You shouldn't move. With those wounds of yours it's impossible to move without injuring yourself further."

I was somewhat embarrassed that my admonishing tone did little to hide the apparent concern in my voice for someone who I had just been fighting with, though that would not stop me from voicing said concern.

The Whimsun looked up at me, wide eyed as it realized who had come so close to it. I bit my lip as I took in the full extend of its injuries. I know some first aid, but I could not do anything about the broken wing or the deep and rather painful looking lacerations on the Whimsun's body that continued to weep blood at a steady pace.

That was not even mentioning the fact that I had no clue how to treat a monster. For all I know, what might be beneficial to a human could act like poison to a monster.

I looked around me, noticing the alarmed gazes of the Froggits and the other Whimsuns on me and the bleeding Whimsun beside me. They all stood stock still as they looked at us, their expression frozen somewhere in between horror and fright, clearly uncertain what they should do in this situation.

Seeing them simply standing there doing nothing, frozen in horror, ignited my temper.

"What are you guys doing!? Are you just going to stand there and watch your friend bleed to death!?"

I must be angrier then I had realized. Was it just my imagination or did the room just shake lightly at the volume of my shout? I hope not. The idea of triggering another cave in did not fill me with want.

A ripple went through the gathered monsters, and after a few moments of indecision, the other three Whimsuns fluttered over to their injured comrade. They eyed me as they went past me with a look I couldn't quite interpret. The monsters immediately started tending to the injured Whimsun, instructing it to lay still on the floor.

"Ribbit, ribbit," the familiar croaking of a Froggit caught my attention, and I turned to look at one of the frog-like monsters that had approached me.

Said monster looked up at me, and I notice a small bruise on the side of its white chest. So this was the Froggit that I had to kick in order to get it to safety. I sure hope that I hadn't hurt the monster too bad. While I didn't regret it and it was necessary to spare the Froggit much worse injuries, the idea of wounding it left a bad taste in my mouth.

"Human," the word was spoken with clear hesitation, as the Froggit looked uncertain. "Why did you help us?"

I raised an eyebrow at the question, and gave the answer that automatically came to mind.

"There's nothing wrong with helping someone," I said with conviction. "No matter what the circumstances may be."

"Even if those circumstances, ribbit, ribbit, include the one you are helping trying to kill you." I blink, surprised at the blunt rebuttal.

Shrugging, I gave the response that came naturally to me.

"In certain situations, yes," was my succinct answer. "Besides," I continue, my lips twitching a little as I try and fail to surpress some dark humor, "You and your friends aren't trying to kill me right now, are you?"

The Froggit looked at me, clearly not knowing what to say. The other monsters were experiencing a similar sort of disbelieve, as was clear from the confusion in their eyes and how their mouths opened and closed without producing any sound.

Truth be told, I was also rather surprised by my actions. While I hold my ideal of a Hero and saving everyone inside my heart of hearts, the fact that I wasn't willing to give up my SOUL meant that I clearly wasn't willing to pay with my life to achieve that ideal, though I couldn't fathom why I wasn't willing to do so.

My own life isn't worth that much.

And yet, the very second other people are in danger, even when those very same people were attacking me in order to claim my SOUL I selfishly decided to keep for myself, I risked life and limb without thinking about it in order to save them.

In the heat of the moment, I did live up to my ideal of a Hero by risking my life, but yet I am not willing to die in order to achieve it.

I truly must be contradiction personified. The paradox made my head spin, and yet some part of me couldn't care less, as if this is the way Emiya Shirou should be.

"You aren't going to attack me again, are you?" I repeat my question, just to be sure, as they hadn't answered. As one can imagine, I'd like to know the answer to that.

The Froggit turned its head to look at the other two Froggits behind him, then looks towards the Whimsuns treating their injured friend, seemingly holding a quiet conversation with just their locked eyes. Finally, the monster turns its gaze back towards me.

"Ribbit, ribbit. I think I speak for everyone here," Froggit began, "That none of us would be able to stomach attacking you again after you just saved our lives."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding and relax a little. Not entirely, of course, as I am stil on guard for any kind of sudden sneak attack and/or double-cross, but I was fairly certain that wasn't going to happen.

After that, the conversation lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, as no one knew what to say, and just continuing on through the Ruins while someone was being treated for some serious injuries behind me didn't feel right to me. If I stay, I might be able to help again.

It didn't take long before the Whimsuns finished treating their wounded comrade. One of them fluttered towards us, its expression strained, but relieved.

"We managed to stop the bleeding and put him under for a few hours," the Whimsun began, "But we can't do anything about the inside trauma or the broken wing. We aren't good enough at the Healing Arts to fix that, so we're going to have to get help. Preferably as fast as possible."

"Ribbit, ribbit. It seems were going to have to leave now, human," Froggit said. Without prompting the other two Froggits made their way over to the wounded Whimsun and carefully placed the now out cold monster on the back of one of them, taking care not to open its wounds again.

"You sure you don't need any help?" I asked, just to be sure.

Froggit nodded. "Ribbit, ribbit. No offence, human, but you tagging along with us will probably invite unwanted attention of other monsters that we might then get tangled up in. As you can imagine, I would rather avoid that, especially while we're carrying an injured person with us."

Understanding what it meant, I could only nod back in agreement. "True. Stay safe, then, and get your friend looked after as fast as possible."

Froggit snorted, loudly. "Ribbit, ribbit. Human, I should be the one telling you that. You're the one in the most danger here." The monster sighed, glancing away from me. Then it looked back at me and said something surprising. "I'm sorry we're not able to help you, human, but please, take better care of yourself in the future. You realize that many monsters down here are trying to kill you, right? If you selflessly go out of your way to help anyone you meet, someone will take advantage of that eventually."

And you'll end up being killed.

Those last seven words weren't said, of course, but what Froggit was implying was clear.

"Don't worry, I will take care of myself," I assured the monster. "But if someone is in need of help, and I'm able to do something, I will help regardless of the circumstances."

Froggit looked up at me, a worried and confused glint in its bulbous eyes.

"Ribbit, ribbit, If you say so, human," Froggit said, glancing back to its friends that were already vacating the chamber. "I must be going now."

Froggit turned and hopped after the other monsters, but just as it reached the passageway, it turned back to me.

"Ribbit, ribbit. I wish you the best of luck, human, and I hope someone is looking out for you. With that attitude of yours, you're going to need it."

And with those ominous words Froggit left, leaving me alone in the devastated chamber.

Having left the utterly wrecked chamber behind, I arrive in yet another medium sized room that was the Ruins' customary purple. I note the ivy crawling up the walls and the areas of the floor that have cracks running through it. Clearly, this room wasn't all that safe either.

I quickly make my way across the room, only to find my way obstructed by a mass of spikes several lines thick.

Turning back around, I look around the chamber, and to my surprise I see no obvious mechanism or puzzle one needs to solve in order to get to the next room.

I stood there for a short moment, pondering what I should do in this situation. Thankfully, it didn't take me long to figure it out; after all, there was still space underneath the floor that I haven't yet seen, evident from the cracks running through certain areas of said floor. The way to open up the path has to be hidden down there.

Choosing at random, I walk towards one of the danger zones. I also quickly pump Prana into my body, focusing on my bones and muscles as I Reinforce myself. Surprisingly, the cracked floor held my weight. So I raised my foot, paused for a brief moment to ready myself...

...and stomped on the broken floor.

With an audible crack, the floor shattered underneath me, sending me down into the small, lit room that the floor hid beneath it.

My cloak wildly whipping around me as I descend, I bend my knees to absorb the impact of landing, my Reinforced body easily taking the rough, sudden stop. The thick carpet of red leaves that littered the floor helped as well, of course.

Straightening myself, I raise my head and look around.

A flickering torch hung in the corner, lighting up the small and cramped room. I searched for a brief moment, but I am disappointed to see nothing like a mechanism or puzzle I needed to find and solve in order to make my way further into the Ruins.

I pause as I hear a noise and look downward. There, right in front of me, is a rustling patch of green grass sticking up out of the floor. Raising an eyebrow and curious to find out what was hidden in the small patch of grass, I reach out with my staff, intending to root out whatever was hidden within.

It was then that I realized I had made a mistake.

Two mistakes, actually.

The first mistake was the assumption that something was hidden in the grass. In actuality, the grass was a part of a monster, something that became immediately clear when I touched the grass and a wide and large carrot-like monster emerges from the ground in response. Its entire body, except for the patch of grass on top of it, is a stark orange and the face that it bears covers its entire wide front. The monster looks up me with a wide smile and happy eyes.

* Vegetoid came out of the earth!

"Uh, hell-" I began saying.

"Eat your greens!" The Vegetoid shouted in a loud, overjoyed voice, and promptly attacked me without warning.

Without a sound or even a gesture from the Vegetoid several kinds of vegetables and fruits materialized in the air. I counted several dozen of them, and they floated silently around the Vegetoid for a few seconds. I absently acknowledged the carrots, tomatoes, corn, and bananas, their forms forming a large wall in front of me.

And then said wall rushed towards me.

Having instinctively readied myself for battle when the Vegetoid emerged, dropping into a fighting stance and activating my Eyes with a thought, I reacted with time to spare to the wide scale attack. My staff spun in my hands, a spell of Reinforcement making it as hard as solid rock, and deflected the assorted mass of veggies and fruits.

It was then that I realized my second mistake, and that was fighting a monster, this monster in particular, in such a small room.

All other offensive Mysteries that I had encountered in my battles in the Ruins so far had all been rather similar to a degree; projectile attacks that were fired straight on. Only the swarm of flies and moths in the next room over had been different, in that they had the added capability of honing in on their target.

This attack, though, had a different extra capability.

Whatever kind of magic was enacted to make these 'projectiles', it also evidently made them rather bouncy. That became abundantly clear by the fact that those vegetables I deflected and those that missed me bounced off the walls, ceiling and floor, seemingly losing none of their momentum, making the small, cramped room a killing zone as they ping ponged from every surface with all the force of an excellently served tennis ball.

A killing zone filled with all the necessary ingredients needed to make a healthy and nutritious meal.

Hmm. That's odd. I'm suddenly having this irresistible urge to cook.

Ignoring the rather odd urge, I spin around, my staff whacking aside the veggies and fruits screaming in the air all around me. I jump back, my eyes warning me a split second in advance that I wouldn't be able to deflect every single vegetable and fruit gunning for me if I had remained standing where I was.

As I do this, I absently catch a tomato in my glove covered hand as my staff hits away yet another carrot.

To my surprise, all the vegetables and fruits filling the air suddenly vanish. Only the tomato in my hand remains for some reason.

Vegetoid looked hopefully at me, its SOUL seeming to pulse with excitement.

I raised an eyebrow at it, then look at the tomato in my hand and then back towards the Vegetoid. Did... did the carrot-like monster want me to eat it? It did scream 'eat your greens' earlier. Was that what this was all about? I wouldn't even have entertained the notion before, but I had seen too much weird stuff already today to discount the idea.

Shrugging, I decide that it couldn't hurt. I take a bite out of the tomato (discreetly using Structural Analysis on it before I do so to make sure it's safe to eat).

Vegetoid looked proud, and happily told me, "Farmed locally, very locally."

And then promptly disappeared under the earth again as if nothing had happened.

I rub the side of my face, still absently taking bites out of the tomato, the conjured fruit being rather tasty. Despite the monsters I have encountered so far having surprisingly similar logic to humans, at least from what I have seen, my 'fight' with the Vegetoid made it clear that there are exceptions to this rule.

Finishing my impromptu healthy snack, I look around as I try and find a way back up to the room above, only to pause as I feel my foot nudge something.

Looking down, I spot a scrap of cloth bearing a faded red color. I pick it up and examine it. It appeared to be some kind of ribbon that had clearly seen better days, the cloth it is made out of being frayed and torn at the edges while age had clearly made it lose most of its color.

I look at it for a long moment, unexpectedly interested in this faded ribbon.

* If you're cuter, monsters won't hit you as hard.

I start as the Voice once more intrudes on my thoughts. The moment I comprehend its words, I raise my eyebrow in a bit more then a fair deal of skepticism. Surely monsters wouldn't go easy on you just because you happened to be cute. They weren't that easy to influence, were they?

Then I remembered the Froggit who no longer wished to take my SOUL just because I had been concerned for it after it had attacked me. To say nothing about the Moldsmals that stopped attacking me after I talked to them, or the gang of Whimsuns and Froggits who I saved no longer wishing to harm me.

Maybe... maybe monsters really are that easy to influence.

I tie the faded ribbon around my left arm. It was worth a shot, and it couldn't hurt to try, at least.

Now, how do I get out of this hole in the ground?

I let out a deep breath as I leave behind me yet another chamber, feeling weary of the traveling, puzzle solving, being on guard for monsters and constantly watching my step in order to assure that I won't happen to fall through the floor. I haven't been attacked by a monster since I encountered that Vegetoid (if you can call that being attacked), but the last room I had been in had a rather intricate Perimeter Barrier placed over it. Of course, that Perimeter Barrier had been placed to facilitate a puzzle.

The puzzle itself was rather easy, I just needed to remember the locations of the switches I needed to flip in order to open op the path, even if I needed to do it multiple times in a row in what appeared to be the same room. No, the surprising thing was the Perimeter Barrier. It took me a little while to figure out what it did.

I had noticed the presence of the Perimeter Barrier the moment I had stepped foot in it. Not seeing any obvious magic taking in effect, I had assumed it was either a detection or warning system of sorts, so I hadn't thought much of it beyond the fact that I better hurry up before the monster who placed the Barrier would come looking.

When I was doing the puzzle I was certain that I was moving from room to room. That turned out not to be the case. The Perimeter Barrier in question had been designed to confuse the senses and deceive the mind into tricking anyone stepping foot in it that the room, which actually turned out to be a straight hallway, was a different shape, conjuring up fake clues, hints and switches to make up an equally faux puzzle.

Thankfully, the idea occurred to me while I was doing said 'puzzle' to use my Eyes on the off chance that they might reveal something to me about the Perimeter Barrier. I had no idea it would work and if my Eyes could be used in such a manner, but the lucky guess allowed me to see through the illusions cloaking the hallway.

Heh. These Eyes are dead useful.

It's impossible to know now if it's possible to pass through that hallway by 'solving' the faux 'puzzle' that the Perimeter Barrier had conjured since I cheated, but I didn't really care. The only thing that mattered is that I managed to continue on ahead. How I did it is not important.

Shaking the thoughts from my head, I look around. I am at another intersection with one path that leads straight ahead and another that goes left, and again I have no other choice but to guess which path I should take. I decide to go left based purely on a mere whim, taking the path that is covered by red leaves.

The red leaves crunching beneath my feet, I take the path on my left, coming up to a massive open doorway, the opening far larger than I was used to seeing down here in the cramped catacombs. Not pausing my stride, I pass through it and come out another chamber, one that is much wider and taller then all the other rooms I had seen so far.

Much more eye grabbing is the massive, bare tree which is free of any and all leaves I am confronted with on the other side and that dominates the center of the chamber I've just stepped foot in.

The tree's bark was a very dark coloration, to the point that it's almost black like coal. As previously stated, the tree doesn't bear any leaves, having long since fallen off from its branches, creating a red blanket around said tree that was so thick one could hide easily hide their entire body in its red mass.

* Every time this old tree grows any leaves, they fall right off.

I eyed the tree in interest. This is where all the red leaves in the Ruins came from? From this solitary tree? I really had to wander how that was possible.

I don't get all that long to observe the tree before my attention is snagged by the sounds of footsteps coming around the tree. Having tensed for battle at the sound, I quickly find myself relaxing again the moment I hear and recognize the voice of the person from whom the sounds of footsteps is coming from.

"Oh dear, that took longer then I thought it would."

It's Toriel, stepping around the tree with hurried steps. She's holding a black phone against her head, presumably to call me. She notices my presence the exact moment I did hers. Snapping her phone closed with a loud clicking noise, she immediately comes towards me, a surprised and somewhat alarmed expression on her face.

"How did you get here, my child?" Though she tried to hide it, there was no masking the tiny veiled concern she held for my sake in her voice.

Feeling my heart warm up a little, I answer truthfully, "I'm sorry for going against your instructions, but as I was waiting the dog that stole your phone must have accidentally hit the speed dial multiple times because I was constantly getting calls from your phone every few minutes, so I think I know the gist of why it took so long."

Toriel's eyes widen and she blushes a little as she realizes I am aware of what happened in the time we were apart.

"Again, I'm sorry, but I just couldn't continue waiting there while you were running around, trying to get your phone back."

"So," Toriel began, sounding a bit hesitant, "You left the protection of the Perimeter Barrier to... help me?"

"Yes."

Toriel suddenly grew stern, and I tensed a little as she looks down at me with a disapproving expression. "While I appreciate the thought, my child, but are you aware that by leaving the Perimeter Barrier for such a minor reason you put yourself in danger? Danger that could have easily been avoided if you staid put?"

I glance away from the disapproval in her eyes, feeling ashamed not for doing what I did, but that I upset her with my actions. "I knew that it was dangerous to try and come and aid you, but I couldn't help myself."

Toriel continues to look stern for a moment longer, allowing the weight on my shoulders to grow heavier, but quickly softens up and smiles down at me.

"Well, the important thing is that you are here, safe and sound," she began to say, before looking concerned again, "You aren't hurt, right?"

"No," I said, surprised as I realize that the minor aches from the bruises that I sustained on the way here have already disappeared, "I'm perfectly fine."

Toriel sighed in relieve. "Good. Still, I suppose shouldn't have left you alone for so long. It was irresponsible to try and surprise you like this."

"Surprise me?" I question.

"Err..." Toriel looked flustered for a moment, but almost immediately recovers. "Well, I suppose I cannot hide it any longer. Come, small one!"

I follow behind the goat-like monster, around the tree, and I'm surprised to see a small, cozy looking house on the other side. Like everything else in the Ruins, the brick that it is made out of is a deep purple, and the house is placed right up against the far wall of this chamber. Unlike everything else in the Ruins, the house appeared to be very well kept, looking pristine with no cracks in it and no ivy growing up its walls. From its mere outside appearance I was sure that it's a nice place to live.

* Seeing such a cute, tidy house in the Ruins gives you determination.

For a second time, the Circuits making up my Crest snap open without even a mental command from me. Just like they did at the very start of the Ruins, the inherited Circuits channel a tiny, but concentrated amount of Inner Energy for a brief moment before almost immediately snapping closed again.

Right in front of me that spinning star has been brought into existence once more. Though surprised that it happened again, in an effort to not worry Toriel I show no outward reaction to the seemingly automatic activation of my Crest and the odd phenomena that it brought into existence.

Instead, I simply walk right through the spinning star and follow Toriel into the house, the mysteries surrounding my Crest once more plaguing my mind.

Once inside I'm greeted by Toriel who has already turned to face me. My nose twitches the moment I take note of the sweet smell in the air, and I know that my earlier guess at what Toriel was planning had been correct. Something that smelled delicious must be in the oven.

"Do you smell that?" Toriel said, having obviously taken note of my expression. "Surprise! It's a butterscotch-cinnamon pie. I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate your arrival. I want you to have a nice time living here. So I will hold of on snail pie for tonight."

My eyes widen at what she said. Live here? With her? Me? What is she-

"Here, I have another surprise for you." Toriel mustn't have noticed my surprise, or perhaps she is ignoring it, but she immediately heads toward the hallway on my right.

Naturally, I follow her, my mind still whirling at what she had just said and what that implied.

"Here it is," Toriel once again takes my hand in her own leads towards the first door on the left. "A room of your own. I hope you like it!"

I look up at the door, and try and grasp the situation I have been presented with. Toriel clearly hadn't been intent on simply guiding me through the dangers of the Ruins, but she actually wanted to take care of me. She wasn't just trying to protect me, but she actually wanted to, in effect, adopt me? Perhaps even... treat me as her own child?

She rubs my head, and I took a moment to realize that she was doing it, distracted as I was by the sudden swell of warm feelings I cannot describe in my chest.

"Is something burning...?" is what I hear Toriel say suddenly. She must have left her pie unattended for too long, I absently think to myself. "Um, make yourself at home!"

Toriel promptly rushes off back towards the entranceway and presumably the kitchen to save her pie. She left me standing there, thankfully giving me a moment alone to deal with the conflicting feelings that are currently coursing through me and messing up my mind.

Almost as if in a daze, my hand reaches out and opens the door in front of me. The door opened with a barely perceivable groan, and I step inside.

On the other side, I am confronted with a children's bedroom. It's a medium sized room, more then large enough to house a single child or even two children. The plaster on the ceiling and walls is a cheerful red, a color I actually rather like, while a red and white decorated rug covers the center of the polished wooden flooring in this room. There's a single bed tucked in the upper right corner, and in keeping with the rest of the room's color pallet the thick blankets covering it are naturally a deep red.

In front of the bed is a children's toys box. With the lid removed, I can see that said box is filled to the brim with all kinds of toys a kid could want. To the side of the bed there are several very soft-looking plushies in a disparity of colors and sizes, perfect to snuggle with. To the left of the bed there's a dresser, a long and low to the ground wooden cabinet with a dusty picture frame on top of it and a small shoe box on the ground beside it.

In the top two corners of the room there are lamps, with the one in the top left corner switched on and providing the light necessary for me to take this all in.

I stand in the doorway for a long moment, not quite certain what to do now.

After waking up on that flowerbed with amnesia, my first intention had been to get to a save location and try and figure out what was going on. After learning the story behind the monsters living in the Underground I had sworn to myself that I would set them free. I haven't yet conceived of a way to do that, but I'm sure I can find a way.

The point is that I don't know what I should do now. If I want to free the monsters, I have no choice but to push forward. On the other hand, my memories are nearly entirely gone and I don't as of yet have a full grasp on my abilities as a Magus. Wouldn't it be smart in these conditions to remain with Toriel, at least for a little while, until everything that I have lost comes back to me? Going ahead like this is just asking for issues further down the line.

More importantly, and much more selfishly, though...

My vision grows blurry, and I rub at my suddenly wet eyes. Why does the thought of having a home, a place I can return to after each day, strike such a powerful cord within me that it almost moves me to tears? Why do I feel such a powerful desire to accept the offer, even though I know I shouldn't?

After drying my eyes, I turn away from the room and shut the door, placing my staff up against the wall and leaving it there. Maybe if I talk to Toriel I might be able to make sense of these contradictory emotions.

No, no matter my reasoning behind it, I can't stay here. If I am to become a Hero, not to mention free the monsters, staying and living here with Toriel is not an option. Even if the very notion makes my heart warm up, that live is not for me. No matter how much I wish it to be. No matter how much I might desire it.

Passing back through the entranceway, I find myself in this house's living room. Like I had expected and have seen so far of the rest of the house, the living room is small but cozy. There's a wooden dining table large enough for a whole family straight ahead and a large bookcase placed up against the wall on my right that had its many shelves stuffed to the absolute brim with books. Beside said bookcase there are a variety of gardening tools placed in a rack. On the other side of the bookcase there's a fireplace that had a fire crackling away merrily in it, casting a warm glow on Toriel who's sitting in a large, comfy looking reading chair, her eyes on a book that she has in her lap.

Looking at Toriel, I stand frozen on the spot. She looked so content sitting there that the thought of disturbing her, especially with something that might distress her made me writhe on the inside. And yet, I know I have no choice. Swallowing and crushing my apprehension underfoot, I walk toward Toriel, every step feeling like a death sentence.

"Hello there, little one!" Was Toriel's cheerful greeting as I come to a stop beside her reading chair. I absently note the pair of reading glasses perched on her face, making her look all the more motherly to me. "The pie has not cooled down yet. Perhaps you should take a nap? You have had long and tiring day. Some sleep would do you some good."

"I'm not tired." That was a blatant lie and I knew it; despite not being injured in any way, I felt weary right down to the marrow of my bones from this physically and emotionally taxing day, and in any other kind of situation I would have blanched at the fact that I had just lied to Toriel, but considering the fact that I was about to throw her sincere offer to take care of me back in her face in order to pursue my dream and in order to set the the monsters free, I couldn't bring myself to care overly much.

This was going to hurt for the both of us.

"Look, Toriel, I..." taking a deep breath and hardening my heart, I continue on, "Can we... talk for a moment?"

Toriel shut her book and laid it down on her lap. She smiled brightly at me. "Of course, my child. What is it that you want to talk about?"

Looking at her smiling face, I almost falter, but I remain stubborn. "It's about me staying here. I'm sorry, bu-"

"I'm sorry for interrupting you, my child, but there's something I really want to get of my chest first before we continue, if you don't mind."

Cut off midword, my mouth slams shut just as I am about to inform Toriel about my intentions. "Uhm, okay. Go ahead, then, Toriel."

Reaching out, she delicately rubs my head, her tone happy and cheerful as she suddenly starts airing her heart to me. "I just want you to know how glad I am to have someone here." I could feel my chest constrict painfully at those words. "There are so many old books I want to share. I want to show you my favorite bug-hunting spot. I've even taken the liberty to prepare a curriculum for your education. This may come as a surprise to you, but I have always wanted to be a teacher."

There was a short pause, a mangled mess of emotions clouding my SOUL. It took all my effort to not lose my composure.

"... Actually, perhaps that isn't very surprising," Toriel admits somewhat sheepishly. "Still, what I am trying to say is that I am very glad to have you living here with me."

Again, there was a short moment of silence. Having said her piece, Toriel removes her paw from my head.

"Thanks for being patient, my child, and allowing this silly old lady to speak her mind for a moment. Now, what is it that you want to tell me?"

"When can I go home?"

Toriel's words had turned my mind to mush. I could barely think, the emotions her words and actions had invoked in me having robbed me from almost all conscious thought, my entire being seemingly filling up with an all overpowering sense of guilt and want. Guilt because I fully intended on crushing her desires in order to fulfil my own, and want because I wanted nothing more then accept what I was being offered and stay with her.

And as said guilt and want warred for supremacy within me, those words suddenly slipped out. That hadn't been quite what I had been intending to say, since I didn't know if I even have a home on the Surface in the first place, but they nonetheless conveyed what I had wanted to tell Toriel.

Even to my currently deactivated Eyes, I could plainly and painfully see how Toriel's SOUL gave a sudden, terrible lurch followed by a constant, insistent throbbing.

"What?" Toriel had frozen, and my guilt intensified even more at the thinly veiled horror and panic that could clearly be seen on her face. "This... this IS your home now."

I open my mouth again, preparing to crush both her and my own wants. Toriel quickly tried to distract me.

"Um... would you like to hear about this book I am reading? It is called '72 Uses for Snails'."

Shaking my head, I take a step toward Toriel, and try and tell her as firmly as possible over my own aching heart that this home wasn't for me. My ideal and my promise to all of the monsters demanded it of me.

"Toriel... I'm really sorry, but... I can't stay here..."

"Um... How about an exciting snail fact?" I winced at the at the thick emotions in her tone. "Did you know that snails... sometimes flip their digestive systems as they mature? Interesting, huh?"

Clenching my fists in frustration at how difficult Toriel was making this, I try my best to remain firm. "No, Toriel, I..."

I noticed the tremor those words invoked in Toriel's limbs and how her lips quivered minutely, in sadness or in anger, I couldn't tell. In that moment, I literally believed that I was the scum of the earth, and it felt as if my SOUL was breaking.

"No!"

My eyes widened in horror and my lips closed with a click as suddenly Toriel's SOUL, the very culmination of her being, gave such a violent throb that for a moment it almost seemed as if it was going to collapse in on itself. The white sphere darkened in a literal sense, slowly turning from white to grey, the energy making it up swirling angrily, the SOUL itself seeming to writhe in agony, as if a lethal poison had invaded it and was killing it from the inside out.

Toriel's clawed fingers were digging into the hard cover of the book in her lap, and her lips moved but no sound came out as she tried to form words after her shouted denial.
With a thought my Eyes turn on and I gaze into her SOUL, using the opportunity to find out what the hell is happening to it.

I recoiled. When I had seen her SOUL with my Eyes active shortly after fighting Flowey, I had noted the deep seated sadness and heartache that was buried in the very depths of it. Despite my lack of knowledge on the SOUL and how my Eyes functioned, it was obvious to me that the heartache that had been engraved onto her very SOUL, much like a scar on skin, had been old and buried. It had constantly been there, and it was definitely still effecting Toriel, but she had moved past it for the most part. Whatever event in the past could have put such a mark on her SOUL, Toriel had clearly moved on, despite the ache being constantly present.

But now...

Now said heartache had flared up, red and raw like a recently reopened wound that had scabbed over. What flowed from that open wound, that heartache and despair, looked and acted just like poison to her SOUL, slowly but surely contaminating it.

And as I continued to watch on in horror, her SOUL continues to slowly grow darker and darker, the heartache overwhelming and filling her SOUL entirely.

It was a horrifying and unbearably ugly spectacle to witness. Seeing the very essence of someone being subverted and corroded by such poison, especially from this sweet and motherly figure who wanted nothing more then what was best for me...

It's something that I can't let go.

Reaching forward, I gently pry the book out of the Toriel's death grip and lay it aside.

"My c-child," Toriel stuttered in surprise at my action, and her eyes widened as I climb unto her lap and hug her tightly around the waist.

"Just," I begin to say, and I hate how vulnerable I felt in that moment. Nonetheless, I hug Toriel tightly. "Forget what I said, okay?"

After a moment, Toriel's arms hug me back, tightly securing me to her, as if she was afraid I would disappear if she let go and I was her very lifeline.

I relax in her embrace and twisted slightly in her grip, turning my head just enough so that my still active Eyes are trained on her SOUL.

To my relieve it had settled down. The sphere was still throbbing, but it was clearly a lot calmer now, and the grey color of her heartache was slowly disappearing, as if it was being washed away by my mere close proximity to Toriel.

I settle in her embrace. My earlier thoughts on my amnesia were still valid, but that was a mere rationalization, I knew. Toriel was clearly fostering some kind of great trauma and pain from something in her past. Something that made me leaving extremely hurtful to her, to the point that it actually was a danger to her mental health.

Emiya Shirou couldn't in good conscience leave someone in such pain by themselves, no matter the reasoning behind it. Though I knew that my ideal and my promise to free the monsters made me staying here with her forever impossible, I would at least stay long enough to find out what ailed Toriel and help her get past her demons.

This I swore to myself.

But that could come later. For now...

I tighten my arms around Toriel and close my eyes, slowly dozing off. Toriel's warmth quickly lulled me to sleep, and I lost consciousness to the sound of her gentle breathing and the crackle of the flames in the fireplace.