Lost Soul

Chapter Six

Error did not go looking for Soul in the next reset, nor the one after that. Soul lost track after that. The memories trickled away like sand through his fingers, and he forgot that he even had his own name, nevermind the dark-boned god.

All Sans knew was the sun on his back and the wind whistling through his feathers. The Underground has no real sun, but Sans has been told that if he flies close enough to the lava rocks in hotland, the feeling comes close. There's no wind in their prison, either, only dead air rushing past Sans' wings.

The younger monsters have no idea of what it's like to fly without the risk of hitting rock. They've never known the open sky. It's hard to miss a feeling he's never experienced, but Sans dreams of fluffy clouds and playful rainstorms that the elders speak of. One day, he prays that his younger brother will get to fly among the stars in the night sky.

Lost in thought, Sans' powerful wings still. The dead air is difficult to glide on. By the time Sans snaps back to attention, he's feet away from smacking into the wall of the large cavern. He yelps and covers his face. A burst of magic plucks him from the sky as he shortcuts on instinct. The magic disorients him, and Sans finds himself plummeting down a hole with rock on either side. The space is barely enough for him to spread his wings. The Underground is full of wide spaces and narrow, twisting passages that only the best fliers dare use.

The challenge does not scare Sans. He grins as he continues to free fall, wings tucked in tight. The tunnel gives way to a circular space filled with holes that lead to even more confusing passageways. Echo flowers grow in the looser soil and light the way. Sans has been flying through this labyrinth for his entire life. He knows exactly which one to take. He pulls out of his dive and angles his wings just so to shoot into the next tunnel. This space is even narrower than the last. Sans has to pull his wings closer to himself or risk shattering them on the rocks. It's exhausting work, but challenging. The tunnel curves and bends slightly in places, giving Sans barely enough room to maneuver.

The gloom is abruptly pushed back as the light of a larger cave greets Sans. He shoots out of the tunnel near the ceiling and once again lets himself fall. The air here is colder, but it comes as a relief with how hard Sans has worked his wings this morning. Snow that never melts is covering the cave floor like a blanket. Before he can fall too far, Sans opens up his wings and circles the small forest lazily. He's meant to patrol for humans for most of the day, but what human would ever try to come down here? To a prison?

A shiver runs down Sans' spine. A human is going to fall today. The certainty of it unsettles Sans. He has no idea where the thought came from. No longer enjoying his lazy pace, Sans turns to the cavern wall and lands. The ledge is narrow, but long enough to spread his wings and easily take off. This spot also has a nice view of the only path cutting through the forest. Why would the monsters build many roads when the sky is their true domain? Sans is too nervous now to sit and stares down at the path. A dark feeling of dread strangles him, but he has no clue why.

A tentative pressure alights against Sans' chest. He mistakes it for a slight draft coming from some fissure in the rock at first. When the pressure comes again, stronger and seemingly more sure of itself, Sans flinches. He looks around the area but sees nothing. It's not fear that made him jump, but surprise. The magic pressure hitting and bouncing back off his soul is somehow familiar. The dread that Sans had been feeling moments ago fades. Not quite sure what he's doing, Sans gathers up a wisp of magic. This magic seems....... different from what he uses for shortcuts or bones. He can't remember using it before. In an invisible wave, Sans lets that magic lose to spread out far beyond this cavern. An answering burst comes back almost immediately.

Accompanied by the sound of static, a distortion appears in the air. It crackles and twists as it grows. The array of dark colors clash and fight with one another. Wings tucked in tight, Sans can't take his eyes off the strange anomaly. The glitching portal grows larger and larger. A portal? Where did that come from?