False host (undertale fanfiction)

chapter 14: The Puppet's Rebellion

lv 10 —> 14
"I can feel it, Sans," Chara's voice coiled in his mind, devoid of its usual playfulness. Their tone was sharp, hungry. "One more sacrifice is all we need."

The room was a mess of shadows and webs, once a lively gathering spot now rendered into a desolate husk. The glow of the lava outside painted everything in an eerie, flickering light, the only illumination after the torches on the walls were destroyed. Every breath was thick with dust and the faint scent of burned webs.

Sans stood motionless, his sockets locked on Papyrus. His brother's form was barely recognizable: slumped forward, a fractured skull leaking faint wisps of magic, one arm severed and lying next to Sans's feet. His eyes flickered weakly, as though clinging to something far beyond his reach.

Sans bent down, picking up the severed arm and tucking it into his inventory. His fingers trembled as he whispered, "I'll fix this, bro. I'll get those spiders out of you."

"You're wasting time," Chara hissed, their voice dismissive. "Just kill him. End his suffering already."

Sans clenched his jaw, his grin tightening. "this is not how I repay him" he muttered.

Above him, Muffet darted upward on a shimmering thread, her many eyes glowing as the darkness deepened. She removed her hat with a slow, deliberate motion, bowing like a starlet at the end of a performance. "You've been quite the performer, darling," she purred, her voice carrying a faint tremor, "But every show must have its finale."

She whistled sharply, a sound that cut through the cavern.

The ground began to shake beneath Sans's feet, faint tremors that grew stronger with each passing second. Dust rained down from the ceiling as webs trembled and snapped under the vibrations. Then, from the depths of the crevasse at the cavern's center, something stirred.

Sans staggered back, summoning a glowing bone into his hand. His sockets locked onto the gap in the floor as the first of its massive legs emerged. Eight hairy, bristling limbs clawed their way upward, their sharp tips scraping against stone with an ear-splitting screech.

The creature's body followed—bulbous, grotesque, and glistening with venom. Its six gleaming eyes reflected the lava's light, and its enormous fangs dripped acid, hissing as droplets hit the ground.

"Meet my pet," Muffet purred, her voice regaining a hint of confidence. She gestured grandly toward the monstrous arachnid. "He's been waiting ever so patiently for a meal."

Sans didn't flinch, though his sockets narrowed. "Nice oversized fuzzball you got there. You'll have to forgive me if I'm not impressed."

The spider hissed, its fangs snapping inches from Sans as he teleported to a ledge above. He raised his hand, summoning a Gaster Blaster that roared to life behind him, firing a beam of searing energy directly at the creature's head.

The beam struck with a deafening crack, scorching its exoskeleton. The spider reeled but quickly steadied itself, hissing louder as it turned its many eyes toward Sans.

"I must warn you," Muffet purred, her voice dripping with mock concern, "he's a rather durable boy. Fed him nothing but the best pastries—spiced with the souls of some very generous volunteers."

The spider lunged, its massive legs slamming down where Sans had stood. He teleported again, reappearing closer to the crevasse.

Before he could retaliate, a skeletal arm clamped around his neck.

Sans's sockets widened as he turned to see Papyrus behind him, his movements jerky and unnatural. Spiders poured in and out of his cracked skull, their tiny legs clicking against his bones. His glowing sockets flickered weakly, buried beneath layers of control.