Chapter Text
Destiny was an easy thing to latch on to, but some details of it still perplexed the lonely prince.
Ralsei knew exactly how everything was supposed to go from the moment he took form in the Dark World. Moments after he woke up in an empty kingdom, he knew what must be done and who would be arriving.
He knew too much, but at the time, that didn’t seem so bad!
In fact, Ralsei busied himself by learning a few new skills that may help the so-called “Lightners” who were going to arrive soon. He didn’t know the precise day of when they would come, or what they would exactly be like. But, that didn’t stop him from wanting to make a good first impression!
It was when learning how to bake cakes that he had the first selfish thought of many.
Something gnawed at him from the inside. A pit in his stomach never really went away. He thought it might be hunger, but he dared not eat the cakes he made. They were not for him. Still, he did try to eat, even though he wasn’t certain if he needed to do so as a Darkner.
The gnawing persisted.
Ralsei pushed it down. He started learning how to sew. Clothes might get damaged on their travels, and perhaps the heroes might need new outfits along the way. So, he got to learn how to use a needle.
He pricked his finger not soon after he started, letting out a sharp gasp at the sudden pain in one of his padded fingers.
The gasp echoed through empty halls.
The gnawing came back.
He really hoped the heroes would arrive soon.
Distantly, he remembered a warm family surrounding him. Rather, he remembered being perched on a Lightner’s head. He brought comfort to them, helping them fit in with the other Lightners in town. They loved those little red horns.
That gave Ralsei purpose for a bit. Even when things became tough for the Lightners, he was always around. Even when the Lightners fought, he was still around.
One day, someone made fun of the Lightner for wearing horns when they were a human in highschool. Kris went to their mom that day, handing over the horns. She put them in the supply closet for later. She put him there for later.
Kris never came back.
Ralsei missed the laughter. Part of him even missed the crying.
The selfish thought came through too fast to prevent. Ralsei immediately dropped his needle, trying to steady himself. No, the heroes could take their time. In fact, who was he to say when they should arrive or vanish? Hoping they would arrive was selfish, anyway, because it was not like their friendship could last forever.
Darkners were meant to bring joy, and then to be discarded when the lightners had no more use for them.
Ralsei took comfort, knowing what was supposed to be. He took a few, deep, steadying breaths. With his hands placed on his knees, he reminded himself of what was to come. He had a duty to fulfill.
Loneliness wouldn’t invade his mind again.
Still, he was supposed to be the Prince from the Dark. The silence meant that he had no subjects. The prophecy couldn’t err, so what could he do about that? Ralsei was the only one who could see over these lands, so being a prince was a title he could hold. After all, he formed in this Dark World with a castle. His room was empty, but the castle might be enough.
He could still… spruce things up a bit for the heroes. Perhaps, he could make them feel more welcome. Who would want to venture into a quiet castle?
The two-dimensional buildings he propped up outside tried to compensate for that feeling. Hopefully, when the heroes arrived, they would see this place as somewhere safe.
There was one more matter he needed to prepare for as well.
The first hero… the cage with human soul and parts… Kris was someone that Ralsei knew. However, they were only the cage. The Angel was an entirely different matter. Ralsei knew the rules of how this world worked. The Angel would be the only thing standing between their group and the foes they faced. Because of this, the Angel needed access to as much information as possible. It would seek out any and all information given the chance, including some that it should not know immediately.
Ralsei needed to stop thinking so often.
Really, it was all he could do with no company. However, he needed to learn how to steel his thoughts. Besides, he shouldn’t be having those selfish feelings about having no company anyway. If he wanted to keep the prophecy hidden until the time was right, he needed to make sure that the soul wouldn’t hear him.
He tried to stop thinking so much. Besides, everything would happen the way it was supposed to. The prophecy could not be changed. He didn’t need to think all that much about it.
His routine formed immediately. After he woke up, he would dust himself off and ignore the pain of sleeping on the floor. He didn’t need a bed, and learning how to not have selfish thoughts made it so that he had less easy to grasp thoughts. He would then practice cooking. A cake would be made, and then discarded when he was satisfied. He started stitching together an outfit for himself, as well as a hat.
The… the hat…
He spent too much time making the hat. He shouldn’t be afraid of them seeing him, but-
A second selfish thought hit him at that moment.
He didn’t want to disappoint them.
Paradoxically, he was made to serve the Lightners. Disappointing them would run counter to his purpose. However, it wasn’t his choice how to feel about disappointing them. He would serve until they discarded him, and he would feel nothing about it.
That is how this worked.
He was no stranger to being discarded, after all.
The good times were long gone, after all. The Lightners no longer had any use of him within the Light World. He would be used up in the Dark World… and then…
And then…
There couldn’t be any more selfish thoughts.
The routine continued. Ralsei’s sewing needed work. The patchy green outfit he’d made hardly looked presentable. At least, the cloak he’d formed with would work just fine if he couldn’t get better at sewing on time.
Then there was the matter of making the Lightners comfortable. After all, it was his duty to them to make them comfortable. He remembered Kris’ room well enough, but… he had no idea who the girl was meant to be. (Was there only one girl? Sometimes, he could not figure it out.) There would only be three heroes appearing on the world's edge, so he would go from there.
Theorizing about what they would be like was all he could do now. It helped to pass the time.
Would Kris be the same as before? Ralsei didn’t know how long it had been since he was left in the supply closet. They could be a very different kind of person when they did arrive. Perhaps, he would have to make peace with that.
There were so many things he wanted to ask them, but…
He shouldn’t make Kris feel bad. Lightners grew out of these types of things. Sometimes, a Darkner’s purpose simply… ended.
He had a new purpose now; one that was already decided.
At least the pink scarf that Ralsei made finally proved he could sew something nice. It took him longer than he wanted, but he didn’t really have a perception of “long” down here. The days and nights of the Light World meant nothing down here. Ralsei sometimes felt like he was tricking himself. Perhaps time wasn’t moving fast at all. Maybe, he and the Dark Fountain had only existed for a day.
He’d slept on the floor many times already, so maybe a little more optimism could be allowed. Now that he had a scarf, he could use it as a makeshift pillow in his room. It was all he needed. After all, actual furniture was being dedicated to the heroes’ rooms.
It was in the middle of sleeping when he finally felt it happen.
Connection.
The Angel was out there somewhere. It would guide Kris here soon enough.
The next hour was a flurry of motion. Ralsei immediately began to steel himself. All of the rehearsing led up to this moment. He needed to make a good impression. He needed to be useful.
…These clothes still needed work.
The patchwork robes he’d made hardly looked presentable. The hat would at least mask his unkempt fur, but he couldn’t hide those robes. He was supposed to be good at sewing for the Lightners by now!
It didn’t matter! He could… he could focus on a new outfit later. The cloak he’d been given when this Dark World formed would have to be enough.
Then, he waited again. He was no stranger to waiting, but the time dragged on.
Ralsei remained in front of the doors to his castle. He couldn’t falter. He needed to be strong. He needed to be useful.
A beam of light came from the sky in the distance. Someone had opened the closet door.
Ralsei bounced on his feet. He could afford a few more moments before they actually arrived to just… get all the stress out! A little too quickly, he tried to take a couple of deep breaths. They came out as shaky and unsure, but he could do this. He’d rehearsed this. He didn’t even need to show his face right now! Everything would be fine!
Then he heard their footsteps.
Kris had grown so much. Even though they were still a little on the short side, Ralsei could tell that they grew a few inches in the time they’d been separated. They glanced at him with a stony face, as if it wasn’t able to show any expression at all. That was… normal for Kris, but there was something beyond those eyes. Something was analyzing him.
Immediately, Ralsei kept his thoughts close. The Angel was watching. By the looks of it, they had full control over Kris at the moment. Introductions would need to be in order to satiate the Angel’s curiosity.
The hero present, the girl, was far more formidable than Ralsei ever thought someone could be. Even her clothing reflected that, adorned with spikes and flaring out at the back. He couldn’t quite catch her gaze under her hair, but she seemed unamused.
Their party was formed that day.
Introductions didn’t go well at all. The moment Susie interrupted him, asking him to take off his cloak, he began to flounder. He began to panic. He wasn’t doing enough right. Of course, part of that might have been due to being run over by another Darkner’s bike. He’d been waiting for this introduction for so long and it got interrupted. He tried reassurances that they would do well as heroes, that they would be great friends-
Susie was leaving. Susie was leaving and he didn’t do enough-
The Angel stayed behind.
Ever since he removed that cloak, the Angel had leaned in, like they were trying to figure something out about him.
Do something do something do something.
“Well, I suppose it’s just the two of us then.” He wanted to slap a paw against his own face. Really? The Angel was looking at him and that’s what he could come up with? Still, the Angel didn’t show any signs of leaving, even as he rambled about not having any subjects and his mouth was still moving- “I’ve been waiting alone here… Um… My whole life for you two to arrive.”
He needed to stop this. He needed to steel himself. Kris didn’t need to know this. The Angel didn’t need to know this about his plight. And yet, the Angel seemed to still be curious. They listened with rapt attention.
It gave Ralsei the slightest bit of strength. “So… I’m really happy to meet you. I hope we can be good friends, Kris.”
Kris didn’t smile, but the Angel did. There was… a difference to the way the Angel moved Kris about. In fact, the human looked to be completely out of it now. Yet… even still… the Angel smiled.
They exuded curiosity… but also kindness?
Ralsei didn’t know what to think about that. The Angel could be many things and still fit the prophecy. Despite all of the worse options they could have been, they appeared to choose kindness.
Their first journey together continued like this.
The Angel seemed excited at every turn, yet carried itself with a level of expertise that Ralsei didn’t expect. They had a knack for battling when fighting Lancer. Except, they didn’t even fight during that battle. They simply warned Lancer of the oncoming attacks and continued complimenting him.
This trend continued when Ralsei tried to explain battles properly. Even when Ralsei told them to attack the dummy, they simply refused to even entertain the idea of fighting. They immediately went to ACT, and-
Ralsei hadn’t… really been hugged before, or touched for that matter. After instructing the Angel to attack, he didn’t expect them to immediately wrap arms around him.
He melted into it far more than he should have. Hopefully, the Angel did not feel that. Kris probably did, but even now they only seemed to have a slight presence. At least they appeared to be gaining something from having combat explained to them. On the other hand, the Angel needed no such introductions. They seemed to know exactly what ACT did, and used it to repeatedly hug him instead of doing what they were supposed to.
Hopefully, the hat hid how much he was blushing under his fur.
Introductions continued. The Angel did appear to pay more attention to the explanation of Tension Points and Ralsei’s spells. Regardless of what was being explained, the Angel seemed to listen with utmost curiosity.
Ralsei learned two certainties about the Angel: they were curious, and they were kind.
Even when passing through the grand door, the Angel agreed with him about their decisions mattering. Perhaps… perhaps it was foolish to hope, but maybe everything would be okay with an Angel like this.
Their journey continued. Along the way, the Angel solved fights effortlessly. They even seemed to be endeared by Lancer, despite his constant half-attempts to foil them. Sometimes, a mistake or two would happen. In fights, they dodged well, but sometimes couldn’t figure out the timing of the bullet patterns on time.
Still, they spared any Darkners they came across.
Susie joining the party shook things up.
There was an initial frustration with her that Ralsei hadn’t ever felt from the Angel so far. Then again, they’d only been properly introduced for a moment. Still, the Angel never tried to actively sabotage Susie. They simply took things in stride and warned enemies about her. Still, Ralsei suspected that they did not appreciate her ignoring their commands.
The Angel was meant to guide them all in the right direction. Ralsei would never disobey commands, even if the Angel were to change path and ask him to fight. Susie completely ignoring their commands was… almost horrifying. She didn’t seem to recognize the Angel’s presence like Ralsei did. She just kept… doing her own thing!
The Angel was a steady hand. It reminded Ralsei of his own duty, in a silly way. The steadfastness of the Angel helped him to remain useful to the Lightners. They all had their own roles to play, and if the Angel could be this reliable, then so could he!
Things went a tad sideways when they were thrown into jail cells.
Susie escaped, but Ralsei needed to make sure that she stayed on track. So, he asked Kris to close their eyes and think about Susie. It was a trick he’d been taught just in case any of them got separated, and he had to use it now. He shifted the Angel’s attention, and they appeared none the wiser.
That left… only Kris.
They looked tired. As soon as they had full control back, their brow furrowed, like they didn’t quite understand what was going on. They looked like they might tip over.
Immediately, Ralsei raised his hands to try to steady them. They jerked an arm away the moment he tried.
It seemed that Kris didn’t want him to touch them. They were not the Angel.
Ralsei lowered his arms, instead clasping his hands in front of him. “I’m sorry! I know this all must be so confusing for you.” This had to happen at some point. Ralsei didn’t know what method the soul used to connect with Kris, but it seemed like this was new considering their confusion. “It is away for the moment. Are you…” He’d been speaking with the Angel for so long, that he almost forgot who he was speaking to. This was Kris. This was the human who he’d spent so much time with throughout their life.
Kris’ brow furrowed deeper. They didn’t seem to follow what he was trying to say.
Keeping a strained smile so as to not betray his nervousness, Ralsei finally forced out what he was trying to say: “Are you feeling all right?”
They quirked their head in silent question. Considering the moss on their mouth (which notably seemed to not bother them) and the shackle on their wrist, they looked a bit worse for wear.
Still, Ralsei felt like they were owed an explanation of some kind. “The Angel is… doing its best Kris. I know that this is not the best situation, but it should be over when the Angel is banished, as I said before.”
They grimaced, turning their head away. In response to what, Ralsei didn’t know.
…He should say something more. So many things needed to be said. Well, they didn’t need to be said, but he wanted to say them! How were things at home? Is the family situation okay? Has Asriel been doing well in college? Have they been doing well in school?
Do you need me again?
A sharp pain struck Ralsei through the chest.
In the same moment, Kris’ hand shot to their own chest. Both of them stumbled, feeling part of their own health drain. The sound of combat echoed down the hall.
The Angel was taking damage.
Well, no matter! They usually didn’t take damage for long! Mistakes were few and far in between-
Searing pain. This time in the arm.
Ralsei couldn’t hide a hiss from his mouth when a third jolt struck him in the shoulder.
What was going on?
He couldn’t see what was happening from here. But… the Angel never made this many consecutive mistakes! Either there was an insurmountable foe out there damaging them repeatedly, or they were slipping.
…There was an insurmountable foe out there.
He’d sent the Angel to Susie. Susie never listened. If she was trying to fight Darkners without anyone to warn them-
The Angel was intentionally taking damage.
One of Kris’ eyes peeked out from under their bangs. They were looking to him for answers.
“...I sent it to Susie,” he rasped, feeling another strike at his back. “They’re trying to prevent her from hurting someone, I think.”
Ralsei didn’t know how much more of this he could take. Out of everyone in the party, he was the most feeble. Any further hits, and he might-
The damage completely stopped.
Ralsei could still hear fighting coming from down the hallway.
A different voice, one more weak and shaky than the one Kris usually had slipped out of their lips. Every word dragged on, but they forced it out. “I thought you said it’s doing its best.” Kris’ fingers grabbed at their own armor, like they were trying to ground themselves on anything.
Oh.
They looked horrified.
“No no, it’ll all be okay,” Ralsei promised, slightly emboldened now that the damage seemed to be gone. “See? No more damage. They’re… trying their best Kris. They’re trying to make sure no one gets hurt.”
Kris was looking weaker by the second. Perhaps, it was defeat, knowing they did not hold common ground with the person in front of them. “Then, why are they hurting us?”
“They’re not-” Ralsei bit his tongue. He managed to stand up straight, finally pushing through the phantom pains. The sounds of battle had stopped. “They are here to guide us Kris. Sometimes they might mess up, but we need them to seal the Dark Fountains.” Ralsei turned his head away. He didn’t want to argue with them. He didn’t. They meant far too much to him. “So that’s why…”
The Angel’s overwhelming presence returned.
Ralsei had spent so long with them nearby, that he almost forgot how it felt to have their attention.
The moment went unnoticed.
Better yet, whatever happened out there with Susie worked! On the elevator ride up, she began learning how to ACT as well!
See Kris? If they just put their trust in the Angel, everything would be fine!
Maybe… if they did well enough… things would change!
The Angel started to be methodical after finding an odd basement in the castle. While the foe behind those bars was tough, the Angel seemed to know exactly what to do. As soon as they got their bearings and went in, it was like a switch flipped. Every command issued seemed pre-planned, going out fast enough to keep the party up in the whirlwind of chaos. Even still, the Angel did not fight. They managed to tire out the strange Darkner who spoke of the world being a prison.
Ralsei… didn’t disagree per say. Sometimes, this prophecy did feel like a prison.
They advanced through the castle properly after that, the Jevilstail equipped on Susie. It was a strange thing to get a Darkner’s support as an item down here. Perhaps, Ralsei would just accept it for what it was. The Angel had earned it, after all.
The march up the castle made Ralsei realize something interesting.
The Angel seemed somewhat young.
They were not quite the wise, sage-like being that Ralsei envisioned. Instead, their curiosity and kindness came off as playful. Their guidance always felt like a happy nudge instead of a command.
He liked this Angel.
It would be sad when they were finally gone, but such was the way of the prophecy. They all had duties to fulfill, after all.
And quite frankly, Ralsei got too complacent.
He healed the King when he shouldn’t have, nearly costing them all their lives. It was foolish. Stupid. The Angel couldn’t intervene to fix his mistake, either. He tried to do something on his own, and-
Kris and Susie refused to let each other falter.
Susie… even comforted him. She didn’t make fun of him for it. She didn’t even scold him for his mistake either.
Even Kris brought their shield up on their own to defend her.
Maybe, everything would be okay.
Ralsei didn’t know what possessed him to take off his hat then and there. Perhaps, it was Susie’s support even through his mistakes. Maybe, it was seeing Kris take action for themselves. Even stranger, it could’ve been the Angel’s kindness finally helping him understand that he would be accepted regardless.
The Angel didn’t react how he thought it would.
They were confused.
What did he do wrong? What did he do wrong? Ralsei paced around his castle endlessly after the Dark Fountain was sealed.
Why was the Angel so confused?
He wanted to just put the hat back on. Maybe they could forget that this ever happened. He shouldn’t have shown his face. Why did he do that at that very moment? They were leaving. He should’ve just let it be!
Ralsei could fix this. He could fix this. Perhaps, the Angel was just rattled about the illusion magic that the hat used to mask his identity. Maybe, they were just blindsided a bit! He’d make it up to them! He’d make it up to Kris and Susie as well! Kris seemed confused as well, but that made sense. Ralsei did look a bit like Asriel, but only by virtue of being Kris’... well…
When Kris looked in the mirror, they wished they saw something else. Ralsei’s form reflected that quite well.
Why would the Angel react in such a way? Nothing else had spurred that on. They had shown nothing but unwavering kindness before.
It was fine. Already, plans were brewing. He’d make a better outfit, first of all. Then, he would finish up Kris and Susie’s rooms. If memory served him correctly, the Dark Fountain to the east had to have been formed in the unused classroom. He could add retrieving its Darkners to the list of things to get the Angel to do.
It would be fun! The Angel would have fun! Kris and Susie would too!
All he had to do was wait.
Something was very wrong.
The Angel didn’t regard him with confusion anymore, but that hardly mattered at the moment. What mattered was that the Angel was different.
They weren’t a different entity. Something just… didn’t feel the same.
Ralsei knew two constants about the Angel: they were kind and curious. That remained true to an extent, but that bubbling curiosity used to feel almost whimsical. Now, Ralsei could practically feel the Angel question itself before selecting something. Especially whenever they commanded Kris to speak, they hesitated.
Their behavior around him shifted as well, and the swan ride in Queen’s Castle did not help.
The Angel made extra effort to keep him at an arm’s length. There were many opportunities where Ralsei offered a hug, but the Angel did not ever attempt to do so. Ralsei hated it. He hated that he almost yearned to feel that unbridled kindness again, to just feel anything.
Kris seemed more aware, too. Every now and then, they would say something in a way that didn’t at all sound natural.
Something was going on between Kris and the Angel.
The Angel wasn’t the same.
What changed? What possibly could have changed!? It’d been only maybe a night if Susie was to be believed. Yet, the Angel seemed… weathered in some way.
They sought out another estranged Darkner.
The fight was brutal, and had it not been for the Angel leaping out to destroy ensured blows, they all would have perished. The Angel still cared for all of them. They changed forms to keep everyone alive. They just… felt different. Yet, Ralsei couldn’t ask them what was happening. Kris would hear, and they didn’t really like speaking about the Angel if the prison was any indication.
Kris wasn’t having an easy time as well. After Spamton fell off of his strings, they yelled out when the Angel allowed them to say they weren’t okay.
Ralsei tried to reassure both of them that this was just a corrupted program. It would be fine.
And… maybe if they needed someone to comfort them… Ralsei could…
Neither Kris nor the Angel accepted the hug.
Ralsei’s eyes lingered on that soul whenever it came out during fights. He wanted to ask… he wanted to plead… he just wanted to know what had changed! Was his face… that hard to see?
No- no… it wasn’t that. It couldn’t be that.
There was one thing that gave him a warm feeling. One thing the Angel said reminded him of the Angel from a day ago.
“It’s nice that Ralsei is Ralsei.”
They appreciated him nonetheless. The Angel wanted him to continue being himself. It’s just… something had changed. How did it change so fast? Why? He wanted to scream out and grab that soul. What happened to you?
He bit his tongue. The Angel might be able to hear him.
Ralsei didn’t know what it was like to change. He’d had one purpose in the Light World and one in the Dark. Maybe he… liked having friends now, but his purpose always remained the same. The Angel also had a purpose… but… they changed so fast.
How did they change so fast?
It shocked Ralsei more than it should have when the Angel commanded the mech to strike Queen. They were just fighting in mechs, after all. Queen would be unharmed. It was just…
The Angel was very accurate with those strikes.
They visited Castle Town for a bit afterwards. Ralsei took note that every single person in the Cyber World had been recruited. Even a small car roamed the streets of Castle Town. They really did think of everything.
He even had been given the Dealmaker that Spamton turned into. He preferred to keep the glasses off unless in combat. It was getting a little strange now that the Angel had sought out two of these Darkners. This wasn’t exactly part of the prophecy that Ralsei remembered.
Even more strangely, they kept having private conversations with the cat, Seam.
They were looking for something.
Ralsei waved goodbye when they left the Dark World. Surely, the wait would not be so long this time.
The Angel changed again, far more drastically this time.
Now Ralsei was certain something was wrong.
From the moment he arrived, the Angel’s attention focused on him intensely. It never left during their time in the TV World. Yet, Ralsei couldn’t even really focus on that part, because the Angel’s presence had grown older.
How did they change so fast?
Even their behavior towards him entirely changed. Again.
Perhaps, he made a mistake trying to explain the Dark World to Susie. Darkners shouldn’t have emotion. They were a mere illusion. This, he’d known ever since he formed in the Dark World. Some things shouldn’t be, but they were.
Ralsei just hoped that… if he wasn’t enough… that they could move on and find some real friends!
Susie and the Angel hated the idea in equal measure.
Ralsei thought it strange how two people so directly opposed could be so unified for a single goal. Then again, he was opposed to Susie’s methods for a bit. Yesterday in the Cyber World, he’d warmed up to her methods far more than he expected.
Maybe, it wasn’t so strange that the Angel now began to support Susie unabashedly as well. He supposed that started happening the moment she began following commands, but the feeling still remained even when she didn’t. The Angel didn’t seem perturbed when she learned S-action. In fact, they seemed delighted. Even now, with Susie defying Ralsei’s purpose… a feeling of approval lingered just behind Susie.
Why did the Angel seem to disregard the prophecy? They should be angry at him for going beyond his purpose. The Angel should. The Lightners should. And yet, Susie and the Angel refused to let up. The Angel’s presence felt weary now, but they still checked in with him at every opportunity. They pulled him aside, promising to give Susie some food at the fair. Even Kris appeared to be unified on that front.
Were the two of them beginning to get along more? He hoped so. Maybe Kris started using the “closing eyes” tactic on their own. He’d tried to tell them about it in the Cyber World to allow for free time if they needed it, but they didn’t appear to be listening.
The Angel’s disregard of the prophecy would be problematic soon. Impending dread hung over Ralsei like a dark cloud.
Tenna would die soon.
The Knight would make their first appearance shortly.
The Angel seemed unperturbed by the prophecy. Even the Roaring hardly seemed to phase them. The adventures into the Dark World had been fun so far… but…
They’d just beaten Tenna when it happened.
The Angel turned around.
Their presence entirely shifted. What once was unwavering kindness, curiosity, and newfound weariness gave way to unbridled determination. What caused the shift wasn’t immediately clear until Kris stopped in front of one of those points in the world that only they could really interact with. Sometimes, Ralsei thought he could see the light flickering. He knew it existed, at least for checking recruits and getting items out of storage.
…but it could do something else. He wasn’t quite sure what that “something else” was.
Kris was forced to take off the newly acquired Shadow Mantle in favor of Susie wearing it. When they’d walked out of the S-rank room with it on, they seemed rattled. It was strange that the Angel made them give it up so easily after they wore it for the previous fight. A few different armors were exchanged, though Ralsei did get to keep the ribbons he liked so much.
…but the Angel had also taken out a few items that they seemed to be saving.
Ralsei didn’t ask questions. Although, as the Angel guided them forward, Ralsei wondered what could have caused this shift. Nothing happened. From the Angel’s perspective, they would be going to free Toriel now.
When the Knight cut down Tenna, the Angel didn’t seem surprised in the slightest.
Ralsei knew this would happen. He knew, but he couldn’t help but tremble as the Knight drew them all into battle.
He’d thought of so many things to say to try to talk the Knight down. Yet, if the Angel called upon him to say them, he worried the words would die in his throat. Ralsei knew that the Angel didn’t like fighting, so he needed to be useful.
The Angel told Susie to attack.
With zero hesitation, Ralsei and Kris were told to defend while Susie struck the first blow. Watching Susie finally put her weapons to good use felt almost like sacrilege, but it was almost mesmerizing to watch it happen. Both the soul and Susie wove through an onslaught of attacks. The Angel called upon Ralsei to provide a bit of healing, but otherwise put him on defense with Kris. Even when Ralsei fell in battle, the Angel brought him right back up with their strongest of items.
They never used a revive item on Kris. Every time the Angel’s vessel went down, Ralsei either was instructed to use a normal item or a heal prayer.
What did the Angel know?
They knew something. While their dodging skills had been uncanny before, this was outrageous. The Angel skirted the edges of attacks to gather TP, being stuck in a dance with death. They and the Knight traded blows, the Angel calling upon Susie with Rude Buster. Red Buster appeared to not be an option here for some reason, but the Angel refused to back down. They refused to cease fighting. No matter what happened, they kept attacking.
And Ralsei didn’t understand what brought upon this change of heart.
Was the Angel truly unwaveringly kind, or did something specific draw their wrath?
When Kris was standing, sometimes Ralsei could see the Angel’s expression through theirs. Red eyes glared daggers at the Knight, and the grip on Kris’ sword became more certain. Each command came out with clarity. Each cast of Rude Buster brought the Knight’s health down just a little more.
Ralsei did his best to keep himself standing. The Angel’s presence took the form of a burning sun at his back. They refused to back down.
The Angel commanded Susie to attack one more time when the Knight was still recovering from a special attack. Susie advanced with a Rude Buster first, causing the Knight’s form to flicker and fade. The victory must have shocked her as well, because she questioned whether or not they’d really won.
They hadn’t.
Susie clashed with the Knight’s blade, trying to finish the job. She chipped off a piece of its weapon, and the Angel cheered.
Did… did things change? Did the prophecy change? The Angel sounded happy. Even Kris, who looked like they were actively trembling during this fight, stared at the Knight with alarm in their eyes. Even Susie was laughing. They’d survived impossible odds. Things really could-
SWOON.
The reverie shattered. Ralsei ran to Susie’s side as she fell to the ground, barely managing to catch her.
A strike came for him. He only had a moment to realize that he’d gotten his hopes up once more.
Their fate was already decided. Why was he still daring to believe?
SWOON.
Ralsei didn’t feel the Angel’s presence after Kris and Susie returned to seal the Dark Fountain. They’d been so brave, and yet… they seemed to have vanished completely.
Would they be different again when they returned?
He didn’t understand. He couldn’t understand how the Angel kept changing. Even in those final moments with Tenna, the Angel showed the capacity for completely disregarding previous habits and doing something new. Ralsei doubted that the Knight could have been talked down… but if anyone was going to do it, it would’ve been the Angel. They’d almost managed every battle so far without fighting, and the one time they had to, it was against a mech.
This was another Lightner, and the Angel struck immediately.
Rationalizing it became even harder when Ralsei tried to help Susie patch up Tenna. He was too distracted to do any good, but his healing was essential for this.
…but he just couldn’t focus.
Susie and Kris did better work patching up Tenna than he did. Though, even free from the Angel’s presence right now, Kris somehow looked more miserable than before.
Why did the Angel change course?
The prophecy couldn’t be changed. Why did Ralsei even think that the Angel would be able to change it? They were part of the same exact prophecy that the Delta Warriors were! And if the Angel knew that, then why did they try to change it?
The battle could’ve ended there. The Knight could’ve been defeated, and all would be well.
But… who was Ralsei kidding?
Their fate was already decided.
Kris and Susie sealed the Dark World once more. Ralsei went back to Castle Town again, returning to an empty room.
He just didn’t get it.
How could he?
Darkners were never meant to be something that could change. In his journey, he… was slowly realizing that he might be able to. However, his small progress was dwarfed in comparison to the Angel. They never stayed the same, even though they always came back once more.
So how could he understand something as incomprehensible as the Angel?
He wanted to know everything. Was the Angel multiple different entities? Did they simply age faster than others? Were they truly kind, or simply taking the best possible route? Were they disappointed in him? Was it okay to wonder? Was it okay to look? Part of him yearned to grab the presence always looming over him and to just ask: “Who are you?”
…but he couldn’t.
Getting the Angel alone was difficult when Kris could hear everything. Even if Ralsei did try to speak to the Angel through Kris, the Angel would still be filtered through their vessel. Small mercies Kris was granted turned into hurdles for Ralsei’s own curiosity.
He’d find a way. They would be approaching a new Dark World soon, and if things hadn’t changed in the prophecy by now… they probably never would.
But he just wanted to know.
When the Angel didn’t even appear to change that much the next day, Ralsei couldn’t even be surprised.
The moment Ralsei thought he found a pattern, they simply just didn’t follow it anymore. Maybe that was all the Angel was. Perhaps, their actions meant nothing. Maybe their decisions truly did not matter, and they embodied that nature.
Ralsei still wanted to know about the Angel, but there was just no time. He had at least managed to set up something nice for Kris and Susie, but he had no ideas with the Angel. Perhaps, they appreciated the kind gesture just as much as Kris and Susie did?
Yet, that still didn’t solve that aching curiosity.
Was this how the Angel felt when first arriving here?
Perhaps, he’d gotten too wrapped up in trying to figure out how to communicate with the Angel. Ralsei wasn’t paying attention, and Susie burst through the tape in front of his door.
She was going into his room.
It was far too embarrassing for them to see. Yet, it wasn’t something he really gave much thought to! After all, Ralsei needed to support Kris and Susie far more than he needed to support himself. His time would come and go. As long as he was useful in the meantime, that was all he needed.
However, Susie wasn’t going to let that happen. As always, she would do things her own way. Ralsei really did admire her. How could she be so kind?
It made his heart hurt.
Worse, he shouldn’t be feeling this way.
So, he rambled. He rambled about not having hobbies or interests. It was supposed to be like that. Instead, he had opinions, likes, dislikes, and even fears.
Both Kris and the Angel leaned in, like they wanted to say something.
“Please be yourself.”
Somehow, his heart ached even more.
They shouldn’t worry this much about him. After all, he would be discarded in the end. How had he done this? In wanting to please them, he’d held the Lightners too close. They wanted to keep being friends… forever.
Wasn’t that a nice thought?
His room was dead silent now.
No one would come to comfort him now. Both Kris and Susie had returned to the Light World, and didn’t come to visit after sealing three fountains. He… waited for them to come back. Maybe… he could make them both feel better after everything!
Who was he kidding? Nothing would ever be the same again.
Ralsei took his scarf off, bundling it up and placing it on the floor. His room remained mostly empty, and the only thing in here was a reminder of how much Susie tried. He scrunched his face, trying not to think about Susie right now.
Even though he’d washed off her blood, it still itched under his fur.
In so many ways, Ralsei almost lost his friends today. First, he wasn’t honest enough with them. Susie screamed at him when he just didn’t say enough. At least, she found it in her heart to forgive him.
She found it in her heart to persist, despite everything she saw.
They all tried so hard to be kind. What went so wrong? The Knight was too insurmountable a foe right now. It took all four of them to even make it to the Knight, and that was a harrowing experience
Ralsei still saw the glint of black blades when he shut his eyes.
It all went wrong the moment they ascended to meet the Knight.
The Angel lit their way, making sure that they wouldn’t be struck down in the dark. Kris marched forward, grim acceptance in their face as dagger after dagger struck them. The Angel couldn’t dodge anymore, but still tried to urge them forward. They had to move.
Susie took the next wave of blows, getting in the way. Even though Susie didn’t understand how she was protecting the rest of the party, she pressed onwards anyway. The Angel’s power shrouded her instead, allowing her to take the blows for the rest of them. Ralsei wondered if she felt their presence when they walked forward towards fate. She… didn’t seem to notice them, even when facing the Hammer of Justice.
Ralsei leapt forward when Susie looked like she could barely stand. More daggers rushed their way, and the Angel’s presence wreathed him with muttered apologies. Apologies. He could hear the Angel now. Desperately, he pressed onward, knowing he was the weakest of the group but still needing to go forward. The Angel worried endlessly for him, their presence growing more and more desperate to press forward.
When they reached the end, and the presence bled away, Ralsei almost missed it.
And yet, the Angel’s presence blazed hot yet again. Even as the Titan appeared, the Angel carried the same precision as with the Knight. They, along with Kris and Susie’s own resolve, was the only reason that Ralsei didn’t unravel then and there. Had it not been for Susie helping him to his feet, or Kris’ grim determination to keep pressing onward, he may have succumbed to the panic.
The Angel guided them to victory. Even the shard of the Knight’s sword came in handy.
It was supposed to be a good moment. They’d done the impossible, and then Susie ran ahead.
Ralsei wrapped his scarf over his head to block out the memory. He couldn’t bear to see Susie’s face in his head again.
He’d even broken down a second time in front of Kris and the Angel. Why did he have to feel this way? He was supposed to be a Darkner. He was supposed to serve. His purpose could only be to serve.
So… why did it hurt so much? Why did it hurt so much to know the ending? Why did it make his very soul ache when Kris and the Angel both knelt down to embrace him like they did when they first met? They both told him… that it was okay to not smile.
He lingered on that feeling. Somehow, it made his breathing slow down just a little bit. Ralsei tried to take deliberate breaths through his nostrils, remembering how it felt to be held again. Susie’s strong arm around his head while she noogied him was enough to make him cry. Kris’ understanding of being scared of the future bled through their stoicism, as they trembled while holding him. The Angel’s words held too much sorrow, when they said them. Distantly, Ralsei felt like he felt wings around him.
It’s okay not to smile.
The Angel and Kris, both beings that he should be serving, knelt down to tell him that he could let down the facade.
Ralsei tossed and turned on the cold floor. His scarf felt brittle now. Maybe, after fighting the Titan, it was as close to falling apart as he was. He couldn’t even hide behind fake smiles anymore. The only company he had was himself, because he couldn’t hold himself together if he went outside.
His claws scraped against the bare, wooden floor. He couldn’t keep it together.
It’s okay not to smile.
Call it foolishness. Call it his curiosity finally superseding his judgement, or his yearning for understanding finally boiling over. He didn’t know what he should be anymore. Ralsei couldn’t understand if he should dare to hope anymore. Until he saw the prophecy come to fruition, he wanted to try… but…
Ralsei’s body moved before his mind became conscious of the effort. Step by step, he made his way to the single window in his room. From here, he could see the Dark Fountain. He could see the one thing which gave this land form.
Ralsei needed someone here. Either his purpose needed to be clarified, or he needed to be told it would all be okay. He only wanted the answer from one person right now.
Staring at the Dark Fountain, he drew upon knowledge he didn’t ask for, and called the Angel’s name.