A Living Nightmare

Chapter Twenty Five

Nightmare had taken a shortcut straight to the lower floors of the dungeon at the bottom of his fortress. Unfortunately, not many had ever stayed there. Whether it was because he didn't really take prisoners or because he tended to release or dust them after a very short time, he couldn't remember. But that really didn't matter right now.

Navigating the often literal maze of rooms and hallways was second nature for the tarry skeleton, and he reveled in the cool dark of the atmosphere underneath his castle. Why don't I come down here more often?

He stopped in front of a large iron door, smile growing into a smirk as he opened the door and stepped into the almost pitch-black room before closing it behind him.

On the long table in front of him lay six glowing cylinders, each housing a colorful, floating, heart-shaped object. A fallen child's Soul, taken from Outer!Tale-Alpha/Original (where he had taken Dream captive... it seemed like eons ago. Funny how time flies) Since that AU was destroyed, these Souls were homeless and alone. If the Souls were let out of the containers, they would re-form as ghosts, since their world would no longer be able to summon them home. However, Nightmare had taken precautions in this room to make sure that his quarry didn't run away.

Because it would be such a shame if he had to get a bloodstain on his favorite jacket, now, wouldn't it?

Nightmare slipped a tentacle around each of the containers, carefully releasing the catch on the lid keeping them shut before retracting his tentacles and easing back to lean against the wall, watching with a narrowed eye as the lids of the cylinders slowly popped off, allowing the Souls to float up into the air.

Slowly, bright light enveloped the floating hearts, pulsing and growing until each Soul had a shining body of light.

....Where are we?
I dunno, it's dark and cold and I don't like it.
I wanna go home!

Would everyone just SHUT UP for ONE SECOND?!

Nightmare had to repress a groan at their voices, whiny and shaking, even though they were obviously trying to hide it. He kept quiet, watching them as he leaned against the wall. Ugh, why he even bothered with children was beyond his understanding... he was already regretting this. Their whimpers were giving him a headache.

Cyan, blue, green, orange, purple, and red. The spectral, floating children gave off different shades of light, matching their traits.
How cute.

The Souls paused, actually stopping their whining at the red one's insistent rudeness.

I mean it! Does anybody remember what happened?

The glowing, ethereal forms wavered, apparently trying to remember.

We fell down and Asgore was fighting us, right...? And he was too strong, and he put us in these containers?
Yeah, that's what happened!
So why did we wake up down here? What's going on?
I don't know! Did Asgore move us somewhere?
Well, I wish he had just left us! It's dark and cold here!
Yeah, I honestly preferred it back... wherever we were. I don't even know where we are now!

...As entertaining as their talk was, Nightmare was getting tired of their complaining. It sounded too much like his... minion's... idle chatter, and the stars knew he wasn't going to put up with more of that.
He flashed his eyelight as brightly as it could go, putting on a blindingly white smile as he stepped away from the wall he was propped up against, walking with slow precision to the middle of the room, feeling the 'eyes' of all six Souls on him as all chatter was cut short. Ah, blissful silence.