The Silver Soul

16

"Scared of me, Will?" Chara coos, standing over me. She had been exceptionally brutal tonight. Blood gushes from my stomach and a gash on my collarbone. I cough, gagging on the metallic taste on my tongue, and struggle to sit up weakly, and only manage to make the wounds hurt even more. Chara laughs at my pained expression.

Toying with the blade I have come to fear so much, she steps forward, ready for the final blow. I shut my eyes as her arm swings down.

White-hot pain. Then, nothing.

Undyne takes training extremely seriously.

"Right. I want you to do fifty laps around the perimeter of this room, no cutting corners. GO!" she yells.

As unwilling I am to do exercise, I also don't want to be impaled. With a groan, I start off in a jog, staying close to the walls. The wet, slightly humid air makes me start sweating quickly.

After around ten laps, I can feel my muscles start to ache, and my breaths become shorter. I can't help but slow down.

At this point, Undyne brings a new strategy into the game. "Force your magic into your legs!" she shouts. "And your chest too!" Wait, what does she mean by 'forcing my magic to my legs'? Undyne doesn't bother elaborating either, so I keep running.

Focusing on where you're going whilst trying to do magic is extremely difficult. I can only draw out half the power I normally use, because otherwise, I'll crash into one of the walls. So, with one eye shut, I reach an invisible hand into my magic. The flames leap and roll, desperate to be released. I grab a handful, and then, using as much concentration as I dare, shove it into my right thigh.

I almost fall over. The flames start burning so hot. Quickly, so that I don't topple over, I 'force' magic into my other leg. That one starts to burn to. And the entire time this is happening, I never stop running.

The fire starts to spread uncontrollably, going through my chest, and down my fingers. I clench my jaw, and focus on controlling the fire, smothering it slightly.

But it's working. My legs aren't burning with exhaustion anymore, even though they're still burning with magic and it hurts like hell. My chest and arms too. They feel so much stronger. I speed through another thirty laps with ease, earning an approving shout from Undyne.

And in true 'Will style', I muck it up just as it seems to be going well.

Something happens, something in my head, something I can't explain. It's like having a full bath and then pulling the plug and having all the water rush down the drain. Something rushes into my head. It hurts so much. I can't help it. I stop, and all my magic dissolves completely. My body can't take the sudden temperature change, and I slide to the floor, holding my head. Then I hear a voice. One that is painfully familiar.

"Hurry up Will!" The little girl rushes ahead, not bothering to stop for the older girl behind her.

"Stop, Sia. The park is still going to be there," the older one yells back, trying to look exasperated, though she can't keep the smile from her face.

"But Willow! What if the park isn't there when we arrive? What if giants ate it up?" Willow grins and picks Sia up. they touch noses, looking into each other's eyes, which, though peculiar, are exactly the same. Cobalt-blue flecked with copper. The love between the two sisters is obvious.

"If the giants are eating the park, then I'll tell you what will happen. We'll get there, and the giants will see us and say, 'Oh no'", Willow says, making her voice deeper, "'it's Anastasia Blackwood and her sister, Willow Blackwood. If we eat the park up, then they will have nowhere to play!'" Sia giggles.