Found in Hidden Darkness

Second Step Forward

The Creator

"Toriel!" I shout loudly, outside of the doors of her home. I had vetoed the idea of trying to open the door myself, just because I am quickly losing my grip on Error. With every shaky exhale, he seems to slide down further. I use my concentration to prevent him from tumbling to the ground. And my energy to keep yelling for the caretaker of the ruins.

Come on, hurry. I shuffle closer, pulling along Error, as he drags across the floor like a dead weight. I can hear the broken bones scraping against themselves. My face turns into one of a laborious grimace. "Toriel! Help!" I continue to call through the door. After a few moments wait, I fall forward. The black bile quickly crawling up my throat.

I lean forward against the door for support, holding Error up as I fight back the urge to get sick. Dots spot my vision as I continue to call out. And soon enough I hear the door open. Just in time for me to fall forward, more cautious about carefully setting Error down, than the impact I would make onto the cold stone. But the fall never came, instead I was caught from behind.

"Ink! What's wrong?" I hear her say. I use the energy that's left in my soul to push Error into her support, instead of me. Finally, I can try to gain my balance on my own. "He's. Hurt." I pant, trying to gain my breath back, grateful for the weight to have been lifted. "And you?" She says, about to rush him inside.

"I'm fine." I use, an automatic response. No need to worry about me right now. I feel a little more nauseous, finally being able to stand on my own. As if having an unconscious body weighing you down was a good thing. I have to lean forward against the doorframe, as I can hear Toriel rushing Error inside.

I hold a steady hand over my mouth. Focused on not being sick and blacking out. I am at least grateful to know that here we can get help. Maybe see if there is something that happened here that could have effected the AU that caught on fire. Or maybe, it was just me. My magic was too weak to support another alternate universe.

I need a vial.

I don't want Toriel to come back to me, on the ground, in a pool of black. I don't want anyone else to see me like that. I feel a hollow look carve itself into me. And I try to shake myself out of it. Now is not the time for complaining. I need to get inside.

Slowly standing strait, I let go of the door frame for support. I remove my hand from my moth and try a smile on for size. And it seems to fit just enough for now. How am I going to explain to Toriel what happened? Especially since I don't really even have the full picture.

I put a subconscious hand on my chest, right where my soul is. Right where the sash, empty of any vials, rests. Let's just get Error healed up, get the soul thief reprimanded, see to why the AU burned down, and then go home before the human resets.

Doesn't seem too hard, right?