At Their Mercy

Chapter 16: Waking Nightmare

A/N: Back at it again trying to pretend my life problems aren't real. (Un)healthy escapism!

Everyone seemed excited about finally seeing Errtaum go down (you monsters /j). Don't worry though, there will be more balanced combat now that their adversaries, mainly Ink, see that they don't have to restrain their demi-god power on them.
Some of you are also really good at catching subtleties in the writing. There will be things expanded upon, don't you worry c:

Enjoy

"Sans?"

Sans groaned as they opened their eyes, finding themselves face down on the carpeted floor. Sans felt befuddled as they tried to recall what led up to where they were now. What was going on?

"Did you forget to take your medicine again?? You know what Doctor Alphys said about taking your medicine on time!" Medicine? Sans was so confused by this conversation.

"I don't-" Sans paused as they heard their own voice. That didn't seem right, that didn't sound right. They couldn't place why, but their voice seemed... wrong. They turned their head up to respond to this person, only to freeze as they did.

The monster looked like a typical Papyrus, though they sported a comfortable hand-knitted sweater by the looks of it. What was most offputting, however, was the completely smooth face the other had.

No eye lights, no sockets, no mouth, nothing.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?" The faceless Papyrus questioned them.

"Uhhh nope. No, not at all..." Sans muttered back with apprehension. They looked down at their own hands, seeing the tremors in their bones and the little plasters occasionally littered on their fingers.

"You need to use those thimble thingies!" Papyrus chimed in, making Sans flinch a bit. "And wear your glasses!! You'll stop poking yourself so much!"

Sans had so many questions they wanted to be answered, so much they needed to ask. They didn't have much time to do so as the ground under them began to shake violently. They inhaled sharply as a whisp of blinding white seemed to encompass them, their whole body burning at the contact. They could hear distant screams from the faceless Papyrus, but everything sounded as though there was cotton in their skull. A feeling of nausea overtook them as they were dragged down, seeing the colour of their world fading into nothing but black.

They were floating, endlessly, with nothing around them. Sans-

No... No that wasn't their name, was it? Not anymore at least.

They cringed at the blinding light that seemed to surround them on all sides now within this void. A cry tore out of their throat as what felt like a set of two hands grasped them from either end. It was as though their entire being was being dipped into a vat of acid, slowly dissolving the bone away from them. Their soul felt heavy like it could burst at any moment as it greedily absorbed the influx of magic.

Back and forth, they grasped and pulled.

Burning ceased momentarily as they lost their grip, only to surge up immediately as they grabbed where they could. Agony pulsed as their mouth stayed parted in a silent scream, their voice having long left them.

How long had it been?

Minutes? Hours? Days?

...Years?

It felt like an eternity of struggling, of trying to keep their body from scattering into a million pieces. They wanted to scream out for help, but no words could make it through the empty screams they gave. A sound buffeted against their skull, and it took them a moment to realize it was laughter. It slowly rose and swelled, until it was all they could hear.