Summary: The multiverse is trapped in dark times, which are even darker for a simple skeleton trying to escape the crumbling realms, ashes, and demons biting at his heels.
(Warning: The Darkness, which includes mentions of torture, injuries, blood, and swearing. Proceed at your own risk.)
The world was still; Seemingly frozen in time. Planets ceased rotation. Shooting stars, comets, and meteors sat amongst the stars, suspended. Not a single human or monster stirred from their position on the floating expanse. Buildings usually lit with a warm, welcoming glow had grown cold. Each and every window, open doorway, and lamppost was dark- Almost as if light never illuminated them. Neither flame nor magic flickered. Blackness threatened to overtake the brightest of light. It even reached far into the beyond. The all-consuming force shrouded the sky, hiding the nearby stars and galaxies like a dastardly omen. An omen that said: All heed my warning- Fear not who you don't understand; Fear those with the darkest of SOUL, for they will devour all. Alas, such words fell upon deaf ears. Nothing - not even Nature's mightiest forces - could deter the judgmental from the path they had chosen.
Between the small town and the Ruins (The civilization's oldest place of residence, and historical puzzle labyrinth.), there laid a craggy pathway that led into a deep, shadowy forest. Few traveled there. It was too dangerous, as the floating land broke into many pieces that bobbed and drifted about the amaranthine space. Furthermore, the sparkling stardust coating the ground like snow made it increasingly difficult to navigate. It often reflected starlight into the eyes of brave travelers. Sometimes, poor souls would be blinded and make an unfortunate misstep, reuniting them with the Void below. The oblivion-esque realm was inescapable. Once ensnared within, a being was ripped apart and scattered across space/time. A kismet none wished upon their worst enemy.
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Like the town, silence enveloped the mystic woodlands. Its' normally brilliant, shimmering trees dimmed to the point they no longer produced light. And the eeriness only increased. Nature's wonders - bugs, birds, and animals of all types - were nowhere to be seen, leaving the entirety of the land ominously empty. However, it was not entirely void of life. Or sound. (Though, why would one expect sound waves to traverse the vast void of space? A seemingly impossible feat, yet, many a noise once played throughout the land. Perhaps due to magic. Or, perhaps another force was responsible for this strange phenomenon.) A monster dwelled further down the dangerous road, leaving echoes of hurried footsteps in his wake. Stardust lifted and swirled every time a foot left or landed on the ground. Unnatural darkness enveloped him. Key features needed to determine his monster-species or character were hidden. For good reasons, too.
A burnt, ripped hoodie concealed his figure; The equally damaged hood of which pulled over his head, preventing others from putting a face to his name. Or a name to his face. Many different colors could have been the shade of the article, but the abysmal lighting made it impossible to ascertain. The only concrete clue was the way it seamlessly blended with the shadows, exposing its dark nature. Possibly a deep midnight blue, magnificent royal purple, worn blood red, or foreboding jet black. Even then, though, numerous other colors could easily stand in their place. A pair of dark shorts with a light stripe running down each side revealed a hint to the mysterious monster's identity. Below the hem of pant legs, a distinct set of limbs could be recognized- If one looked close enough, they would see the lower half of a femur followed by a patella, tibia, and fibula. Yes, these limbs were constructed purely out of bone. Meaning the monster currently fleeing for his life was a skeleton. Despite the visible bone, it was difficult to distinguish which shade colored it; The force robbing the universe of its light made it nay impossible to differentiate black from white. And vice versa. The skeleton's shoes, much like his hoodie, were undefined in color and torn, coming apart at the soles. Design-wise, the footwear couldn't be anything other than slippers.
Dashing through the rough terrain, he hopped from island to island, avoiding the steep cracks and perilous ledges. Weaving in between the trees and rocky protrusions with ease; Each swift movement and confident step expressed the skeleton's sheer familiarity with the area. Whether a resident of the dying world or frequent visitor- He knew the lands like the back of his bony hand. From the farthest reaches to the tiniest niches. In spite of his expertise and skillful movements, the enigmatic skeleton was less than in peak condition. Wounds - both new and old - ached. Cuts and burns littered his bones. The most recent ones bled deep red magic, akin to how humans bled blood. Droplets of the morbid magic splattered on the earth, creating a clear trail to the injured monster. Each breath breathed held a labored wheeze, and every step taken had the slightest wobble.
Unfortunately, more than that weakened him. The damages ran far deeper than what was seen on the surface. Cracks and fissures spread across his clothed bones. Some sustained fractures beyond repair; Others permanently lost. Several ribs had long since fallen off, a few phalanges were gone (having been violently torn from his body), and his left eye socket received extensive damage. It was unlikely that he would ever see out of it again. And, possibly the worst of all, magic runes were etched into the skeleton's bones. The accursed symbols ached and burned, preventing the usage of magic- healing auras or attacks. When attempting to summon any level of magical power, a sharp pain assaulted his very SOUL. It was agonizing, like a thousand needles puncturing the magic organ and wiggling around.
That, however, did not deter him from trying. If anything, it caused the stubborn skeleton to try more. What did he have to lose at this point, anyway? Nothing. Nothing aside from his life.
So, why? Why did he continue to run? Wouldn't it be smarter to find a safe place to rest and recover the hard way? No. The forest may be devoid of native life, but undesirable monsters lurked in the distance- A group whose footsteps roared like thunder in the silent woods. The hunters were ruthless, unrelenting; Getting a hold of the fleeing skeleton was their ultimate goal. The fact said skeleton wore a face identical to theirs' meant nothing. It changed nothing. When finally recaptured, the escapee would endure pains worse than death itself before shuffling off this mortal coil. For these monsters knew not the meaning of mercy.
Where? Where did it all go wrong, he wondered. No combination of words could answer his inquiry; No answer could be logically affirmed. Merely question after question spawned by recounting everything that led up to this point.
The distant treading soon grew louder. Twigs and branches snapped under feet, earth scrapped beneath heels, and potent magic hissed in the air. Merciless pursuers, fully prepared for a fight with one of the Multiverse's strongest skeletons, would descend upon the injured monster at any moment. Bones shot out of the ground, attempting to block his path; Lasers from Gaster Blasters flew past his head. One blast narrowly missed the hood of his hoodie. The skeleton dared not to turn around, fearing the blazing eyelights that would meet his own shrunken one. Fucking- Damn it! I can't outrun them forever, he thought grimly. There has to be a way. I have to lose them. But how?!
"Get back here!" A voice bellowed with rage.
The timbre sent shivers down the skeleton's spine, causing him to involuntarily rattle in terror- Consequently making too much noise for his liking. Too much pain as well. Every bone ached as the swift, repetitive movement jostled them. The monster attempted to recompose himself, quell his fear, but it seemed to be a futile task. He was afraid. So very afraid. And the source of that overwhelming horror was slowly closing in on him. How could he ignore that? Especially after all the terrors and pain he was forced to endure. Bolting at fear-fueled speeds, the skeleton persevered through his wounds' pain and weaved across the tree ridden landscape. The thundering steps of his pursuers rumbled behind. An attack or two would whizz by, occasionally. Most aiming to cripple a leg or knock him out; Others went straight for the kill, likely due to certain monsters growing tired of this game of chase. Little did they know, it would shortly come to an end- An end of which there was no true winner.
The vast forest gave away, revealing a sole cliff overlooking the oppressive darkness of the Void and the shrouded space above. If the sky hadn't been so dark and twisted, it would be the perfect place to sit and stargaze. The skeleton, realizing where he was, came to a screeching halt. A sharp pain shot through his bones because of the sudden deceleration; Causing him to stumble closer to the cliff's edge. His breath hitched as he looked at the death sentence from his precarious vantage point. Small pebbles tumbled into the deadly blackness. Never to be seen again.
Fuck. What now?
There was nowhere else to run - endless space surrounded him on both sides, and given the ferocity of his hunters, it was far too late to backtrack and escape the dead end. The strained SOUL in his chest pulsed harder at the realization. Its' steadily increasing thump-thump roared in his nonexistent ears. But not louder than the hunters' deafening gait. What do I do? What can I do, the skeleton thought in panic. He frantically surveyed the area with his one good eyelight, trying to find a way out. Some kind of escape. Anything.
His gaze fell to the expanse below; An idea formed. It was risky, but as previously mentioned, what more did he have to lose? Besides, anything seemed better when compared to inevitable pain and torture. He steadied his shaking bones and breathed rhythmically. Magic slowly gathered in his SOUL, causing a nearly unbearable agony all the while. Pins and needles assaulted the core. The magic runes carved into his bones scorched like a miniature sun. Magic blood flowed freely from wounds and runes. Nevertheless, the skeleton clenched his teeth and continued channeling the supernatural force. Footfall rumbled against the ground, growing closer by the second. Now or never!
He jumped. Jumped into the abyssal expanse below, and prayed. Anywhere but here. I don't care if it's Fallentale, Horrortale, Underfell, Penancetale, Underhell, or - heh - even Aftertale would be preferable right now. Just... anywhere other than this hell.
Using the built-up magic, the skeleton teleported to a place untouched by his hunters and concealed from them.