OCTale: Pacifist [Editing]

20) The Last Corridor's Impact

073 - The Choice, by Toby Fox
Art by me

My footsteps echo against the tiled floor. Gold pillars support the ceiling, and loom 9ver me, watching my every movement. I reach the centre of the hall, and suddenly, Impact appears from nowhere.

I wave at him, but he doesn't wave back. His blank expression remains unfazed. It sends a shiver down my spine. I don't like how he's judging me right now.

Then, after a long silent, Impact speaks. His voice sounds different, like the once prank pulling and nerdy skeleton is no more...

"So you finally made it. The end of your journey is at hand. In a few moments, you will meet the King. Together, you will decide the fate of the world. If you choose to kill Asgore and leave, monsters will be trapped underground. But if you willingly give up your soul, Asgore will destroy humanity, and give monster kind the freedom they have sought for generations. Take a moment to think about this."

He looks out of a window and starts humming something. I tap my foot, thinking about what he has said so far. If I leave or die, my new friends will be upset!

"Now, you must know something important. When you hurt someone, your EXP increases. What's EXP? It's an acronym. It stands for Execution Points. A way of measuring the pain you have inflicted on others. When your EXP increases, your LOVE increases. LOVE, too, is an acronym. It stands for Level of Violence. A way of measuring your capacity to hurt. The more you kill, the more people are hurt. The more people hurt, the less you will hurt. The more easier it becomes to inflict pain on others."

Impact then looks at me instead of through me, and smiles like he always has. I smile back, seeing how he's cheered up.

"But you...you never gained any LOVE. Of course, that doesn't mean you're completely innocent or naive. It's just that you kept a certain tenderness in your heart."

Impact surrounds my soul with blue magic to help him see it more clearly. I look down at it and grin.

"That's right. You have something called determination. So as long as you hold on...so as long as you do what's in your heart...I believe you can do the right thing. Well, we're all counting on you, kid. Good luck."

He walks past me towards the exit.

"You'll need it."

.

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....and smiles like he always has. I smile back, seeing how he's cheered up.

"Didn't I just see this?" I mumble.

"But you...you never gained any LOVE. Of course, that doesn't mean you're completely innocent or naive. It's just that you kept a certain tenderness in your heart."

Impact surrounds my soul with blue magic to help him see it more clearly. I look down at it and raise an eyebrow.

"That's right. You have something called determination. So as long as you hold on...so as long as you do what's in your heart...I believe you can do the right thing. Well, we're all counting on you, kid. Good luck."

I look up at him, confused.
"Haven't you already..."

He snickers at me.

"Wait a minute...that expression...you've already heard my spiel before, haven't you?"

"Uh...yeah, I have.... I...I don't really remember when, though." I admot. He simply nods.

"I expected something like this. You're always acting like you know what's going to happen. Like you've seen it all before. So, what I'm going to say is this. I have a secret codeword that only I know. So if someone tells it me, they'll have to be a timetraveller! Crazy, right? Anyway, here it is..." He teleports so he's really close to me, and whispers the codeword in my ear. I giggle.

"I'm counting on you to come back here and tell me that. See ya."

.

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...different, like the once prank pulling and nerdy skeleton is no more...

"Wait! I'm here again...?" I whisper frantically, before remembering sonething important. I don't know why those words, out of all words, are important, but I remember I have to tell Impact them.

"So you finally made it..."

"Wait! Impact, I need to tell you something important!" My voice echoes across the hall. He seems surprised at my gain of speech.

"Huh? Do you have something to say to me?" He snaps out of being serious.

"Yes! It's a secret codeword!"

"A codeword? What is it?" He raises a non-existent eyebrow.

I whisper the codeword loud enough for him to hear it. He stifles a laugh.

"Did you just say 'I'm a stupid doodoo butt?" Wow. Not only is that completely infantile...it's also my secret codeword. However, that is not enough. What you need is the secret-secret codeword. It's only for people who know the secret codeword. Anyway, here it is..." He teleports closer to me and whispers it in my ear, a bit more ominously than last time.

"I'm counting on you to come back and tell me that. See ya."

.

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...different, like the once prank pulling and nerdy skeleton is no more...

I don't know why those words, out of all words, are important, but I remember I have to tell Impact them.

"So you finally made it..."

"Wait! Impact, I need to tell you something important!" My voice echoes across the hall. He doesn't seems surprised at my gain of speech this time.

"Huh? Do you have something to say to me?" He snaps out of being serious.

"Yes! It's a secret codeword!"

"A codeword? What is it?" He raises a non-existent eyebrow.

I whisper the codeword loud enough for him to hear it. He struggles to not burst out laughing.

"Did you just say 'I'm the legendary fartmaster"? Wow! That's, uh, really childish." He wipes a tear from his eyesocket.

"Why would you think that was a secret codeword? I don't have a secret-secret codeword. However...I do have a secret-secret triple secret codeword...which you just said. So I guess you're qualified." He teleports closer to me and passes me a gold key. "Here's the key to my room. It's time you learnt the truth." I put the key on my keychain, but when I look up again, Impact is already gone.

Weird.

I put my phone back in my pocket, and continue onto the room before the throne room. A bronze statue of Asgore stands outside. A lone save point is next to it. Once again, Luke says nothing.

I see a corridor leading off the room, so I decide to go down it. I find myself in a room full of coffins, all labelled with a coloured heart. They seem to be laid out in order.

It goes Red, Green, Teal, Navy, Purple, Orange, and Yellow. Names are engraved in each.

Lukas
Katrina
Martin
Tiffany
Coral
Timothy
Justin

Carefully, I slide the lid off the red one. It's empty.

Is this one for me...?