Undertale: Aleph Null

Same Day; Same Goal

I awake on the same pile of flowers, illuminated by the light cast by the sun peering straight down the hole on the top of Mt. Ebott. I pick myself up, instinctually grabbing the same stick and starting anew, through the same routine: waking up, meeting 'Flowey', getting saved by Toriel, and being taken through the Ruins, all while grinding through everything in my path. The whole process of which has become muscle memory.

And although it has become routine, it never ceases to be rewarding. My memories staying intact as my body reverts to what it was. The path of my countless previous rounds with this world still being followed exactly, but the feeling of killing always brings new light on the repetitiveness. Right before the spike room, the first encounter. The motions of swinging, the sounds of the dust falling to the ground, being spread by the slight breeze wisping through the Ruins, and the feeling of my mental stability slipping, the want to kill growing, and the steady decline into insanity that I welcome full heartedly. It's exhilarating.

It is always that moment, where I want to finish my journey I've embarked on no matter how many times. Bringing this world to its end over and over again. And with every time the same day is revived, doing the exact same thing, no differentiation. Yet, it has never stopped to bring me joy.

*** * ***

I finally make it to Toriel's house, Toy Knife in my pocket, and the empty Ruins behind me. My LOVE increased, but nowhere near its peak; my journey only beginning, and my power still climbing with each monster slaughtered and turned into just another pile of dust.

I walk into the house, immediately hit by a wave of warmth from the lights, hearing the fire crackle behind me as I walk up to Toriel, still going through the motions. Although it seems tedious not killing her outright and not having to hear all of her meaningless and sappy dialog, my patience is never in vain. Going through the same steps, watching her enjoyment slowly crumble before she inevitably does herself, my anticipation for what's to come making me more eager by the second.

I eventually get to the end of the long and cold hallway, waiting for her to stop babbling. "Prove yourself... Prove to me you are strong enough to survive!"

I watch her summon fireballs behind her, waiting for my move. I don't wait any longer, I look her in the eyes before charging, taking her by surprise. The sound of my shoes clapping against the stone ground accompanied only by the sound of the fires waving in the shallow breeze as I jump up, putting as much force to my swing as I can.

The room fell silent, the fires extinguished immediately as I landed back on my feet, staring once again into Toriel's eyes, now filled with shock. "Y.. you... really hate me that much? Now I see who I was protecting by keeping you hear. Not you..." She put on a smile, still wavering and trying to stand straight. "But them!" Her smile faltered as she fell to one knee, grasping her chest as her last breath left her. "Ha... ha..."

I said nothing, just watched her turn to dust, looking down to see it scatter across the floor from the wind coming through the bottom of the door, almost reaching to where I was. I started walking forward, keeping my eyes on the small particles of dust brushing across the rest as a transcendent glow caught me off guard from my peripheral vision. It was a white brighter than it ever was, emanating from a single upside down heart. Toriel's SOUL...

It was still there.