Given An Unwanted Second Chance

Chapter 39

A few days passed.

Gradient stuck around in our AU while Error occasionally popped in to check on his child.  I could sense the others getting a little antsy from the lack of activity after the past 3 weeks of constant running around and fighting.

So, on the 4th morning, at breakfast, I suggested something.

"I can sense the tension slowly rising from you guys.  Before I suggest anything, Gradient, what's the balance like? "

Gradient pondered for a moment, taking another bite of food before answering.  "With Papa going around and destroying more, the balance is still pretty negative.  More like...82-18 negative?"

"The balance was harder to keep negative when the Stars had Error."  Cross mentioned.

"Understandably so.  Destruction makes people nervous, less prone to happiness.  That being said, I feel like we should go out and just...do something.  Despite the size of this castle, this AU, it can be suffocating to be in the same place for too long."

"There aren't exactly many places we can go, Eclipse."  Dust pointed out.  "Most neutral AUs are more prone towards the Stars, thus making them not very...neutral."

I took a bit of my own food, thinking.  "Well, you guys have been sparring here and there to release pent-up energy.  Why not go somewhere where you can really release that? "

Killer perked up a bit, grinning.  "Ooo...there is one set of AUs we sometimes went to before Error became one of the Stars..."

Horror glanced at Killer.  "Hmm...that may be a...bit of a brutal...place for Eclipse."

I sighed.  "I'm gonna have to get used to brutality eventually, Horror...as much as I hate that idea."

Cross hummed thoughtfully.  "Oh, are you talking about UnderArena?"

Killer grinned wider.  "I mean, that's the original AU.  A tad too easy of a place for the Stars to find us.  I'm thinking more like UnderArena:  Trial of Souls AU."

"That sounds...intense."  Gradient said, sounding fairly interested.

"Is that a copy of UnderArena? "

Dust nodded.  "It's been years since we visited that copy AU.  It'd also be a good place to get Gradient trained up in case of...aggression."

Gradient's interest spiked as Dust continued.  "The Trial of Souls copy has several layers of trials.  Some beginner trials would be a good start for Gradient.  They increase in difficulty based on a star rating.  The beginner trials don't have a star rating, indicating their ease on new combatants.  From there, one is placed in a star rating trial based on the strength of their soul...usually.  If I remember correctly, the most difficult star rating trials have a star rating of 10.  But that's, like, for demigods and stuff.  As much as I believe Eclipse could wipe the floor with everyone there, it'd boil down to a lack of training rather than strength."

"Yeah...strength without knowing how to use it is very...deadly to the one wielding it."

"We'd have to see what...man, what was his name?  I can't remember the name of the Sans for the UnderArena AUs..."  Cross murmured, deep in thought.

"Pretty sure he just goes by Gladiator."  Killer said after a moment.

"Right!  We'd have to see what Gladiator thinks about Eclipse's situation."

"Honestly sounds interesting..."

"It's a very...good set of...AUs to release a ton...of magic and...energy.  Some Sanses from...genocidal AUs go there...to release their anger...and stuff."