On The Surface | An OCTale Sequel

14) Stop It.

All I feel is the wind rushing past me as I run, further than I've ever ran before. Tears run down my face as a skid to a stop at the entry to the underground.

Wiping my tears away, I trod slowly into the abandoned cavern, trying not to trip up on any of the roots. I find a stable spot, and sit down, my legs hanging over into the deep chasm below.

"...Lukas...why did you have to go...?" I mutter amongst the silence.

Lukas?
Did they say Lukas?
Isn't that the person from before?
I don't know...
The saviour is coming.
I'm not sure it's Lukas...

Several whispers surround me. Frantically, I search the cavern, but nobody is here.

However, six familiar glows are emanating from the chasm below.

I jump.

---------------

I wake up gasping in the flowerbed. Clutching my head in pain, I carefully make myself stand. Leaning against the wall, I stabilise myself.

Wait a second...

The underground is exactly the same as I left it, I giggle, as I realise I'm repeating myself.

"Hello! Is anybody there?" I call out into the darkness. Walking out into the entrance to the abandoned Ruins, a pair of eyes meet mine. Then, several other creatures begin staring at me too.

One purple, one yellow, one green, one orange, one aqua, one navy.

...The 6 soul colours...

As if they realise their own presence, six familiar figures phase out from the shadows.

Coral.
Justin.
Katrina.
Timothy.
Martin.
And Tip.

"Guys! How glad I am to see you!" I yell happily, running up to give them all a group hug. As Martin ruffles my hair, I grin at the other five circling me.

"Nice to see you again...uh..." Coral pipes up, but trails off as she tries to remember my name.

"...Uh, Lukas...right?" Timothy suggests.

I shake my head, and gesture for everyone to pay attention.

"No. My name is Tyler!" I introduce.

"Tyler, huh? Well, certainly has a better ring to it than Lukas." Katrina smiles, and pats me on the back. Justin simply wraps his arm around his brother's back.

"So why are you here?" He comments lightly.

Gesturing for all 6 of them to follow me, I make my way towards Guidea's old house. Getting comfortable on my- Asriel's old bed, I wait for the others to sit down on the floor.

"Could you...tell me why you fell down Mt. Ebott?" I ask politely, and not too forcefully. They are all taken aback at first, but resume their regular expressions after a short while.

"Well..." Martin starts, turning around to look at the others, "We could all explain at the same time, if you'd like."

I nod, and grin. That would be easier for all of us.

"I tripped." Katrina starts.
"I was pushed." Tip admits.
"I slid." Timothy adds.
"I jumped." Coral mumbles.
"I climbed." Justin voices.
"I fell." Martin finishes.

"Down Mt. Ebott." They say together.

* I was scared
* i was strong enough
* I didn't want
* I didn't know how
* I forgot
* I was afraid

"To continue."

"I learnt the truth about this cruel world." Katrina spat.
"I deceived my way to a friendship." Tip growled.
"My recklessness ended up getting me killed." Timothy glared.
"No matter how much I tried, I didn't care about anyone." Coral added.
"I wanted revenge for my brother." Justin asserted.
"I took my frustration out on an innocent monster." Martin admitted.

"Hate got the better of us."

"...Hate?" I interrupt their somewhat rehearsed spiel, curious as to what they are talking about.

"Yes, Tyler. Hate." Katrina sighed, floating over to my side.

"You see, when you feel a negative emotion, you feel bad, right? So, just imagine feeling like you want to break free of your soul trait, and rebel? It's more of a pulling sensation in your soul telling you something is wrong." She tries to explain, but just ends up getting me even more confused.

"Suffering leads to fear. Fear leads to hate. I guess- you could technically call it a completely different soul trait." Martin simplifies for me, and I nod, pretending to understand.

"So...Cruelty?" I question, pointing towards Katrina. She nods sharply.
"Deceit..." I start going around the circle, naming their vices.

"Recklessness...Apathy...Vengeance...
and Frustration is Martin. Am I right?"
The six souls all give a simultaneous nod.

"So that means... I'm..." I try to think, but come up with no ideas. Shrugging at the others, they start thinking of ideas.

"...Doubt?" Tip suggested.

"Yeah! Doubt." I agree, nodding.

"So, Tyler." Justin coughs.
"We told you why we got here. So...why did you-"
"STOP." I yell, the six around me silencing immediately.

"...I don't want to talk about it..." I say bitterly, turning my backs on them, and making my way back to the surface.

"Hey Tyler, wait-"

---------[SAVE]---------

* I am not filled with determination.
* I am filled with spite.