Chapter 22

“Alright! Are ya ready, kids?!” Piper yelled.

“What…?” Grillby gave Asriel a confused look. Piper had made them stand on either side of Frisk, all three facing the barrier.

“Aye aye, captain!” shouted Frisk.

“What is happening…?”

“I don’t know,” Asriel muttered. “I think it’s a human joke…”

She laughed. “Everyone, present your SOULS. Everyone is counting on us.”

The trio nodded. Asriel and Grillby pushed their SOULS out towards the barrier. Frisk pushed theirs out last. The seven SOULS glowed with  a bright light as their magic synced up with that of the barrier.

The very earth beneath them trembled with pure power as the ancient magic that had made the barrier began to fade away. Frisk whined in fear, but was comforted by Piper sliding in and hugging them from behind. “Yer doin’ great, bebé… I’ve got ya…”

“I-I’m scared…”

“Don’t be. This’ll work. Ya gotta have faith!”

They nodded and held tight.

A crack started to form, continuing to run down the barrier and spread like wildfire across it’s surface. The trembling got worse as the cracks spread, until even Grillby and Asriel were having a hard time standing up.

“HOLD ON!!” Grillby growled as the crack finally reached the edges of the barrier. When the whole barrier was covered, it shattered like glass. Shards rained down of them, and the two monsters had to cover the humans to protect them from the blast. The earth shook so much, the humans on the other side would certainly feel it.

As suddenly as it began, it stopped. The world was full of the intense silence that came after a storm. Piper’s ears rang a bit from the blast, and she couldn’t stop her body from trembling from the adrenaline rush.

Grillby gently stroked her hair and pulled her close. “Shhh… we did it…”

“We.... we did…?”

“Yes…” He smiled and pulled away to give her and Frisk a little room to breathe. Asriel did likewise, rubbing the child’s shoulder. “The barrier is down… we’re finally free…”

A giggle trickled out of her like a spring, but within second it was full-on laughter. She tackled Grillby in a hug and kissed him roughly. She only stopped when she needed air. “We did it! We… oh… I’m sorry…”

The fire monster just lay under her with the brightest blush she’d ever seen.

“Are… are you okay…?”

“... Wow…”

Frisk giggled softly. “I think you broke him…”

Piper couldn’t help but join in. She got up and pulled Grillby to his feet.

Asriel stood as well. The SOULS of Patience and Perseverance were cracking. Before anyone could warn him, the SOULS shattered and disintegrated into dust before vanishing. His body glowed once more, decreasing in size until he was about Frisk’s height. When it faded, he was a child again, just like he was so many years ago. The SOUL of Kindness floated over his chest.

He looked himself over before patting his body to make sure it was all real before laughing in triumph. “I’m me again! I-I can feel things!” He hugged Piper’s leg and Frisk as he cried tears of joy. Little bleats of happiness were muffled by her pants.

Piper smiled at him and stroked his fur gently, looking up at Grillby. His SOULS of Justice and Bravery were cracking as well. With a kiss on his cheek, she watched him transform back into a form more like his own. He lost some of his height and the tail and horns, though his now normal-ish hands were covered in the volcanic rock. Some of the rock was still on his temples.

“PIPER!” echoed the calls of the king, as well as his thundering footsteps as he ran. “FRISK! GRILLBY! IS EVERYTHING-” Asgore stopped when he entered the chamber, his eyes wide with awe. “... alright…”

“We’re fine… And I think someone wants to say something to you.” She gently nudged Asriel away from her legs. His father’s eyes pinned to him instantly, a look of disbelief and shock clear on his face.

Asriel rubbed his ear shyly. “H-Hi, Dad…”

Asgore was speechless. Instead of saying anything, he ran and scooped his son into his arm, crying as he held him in his massive arms. “M-My son…! How did- this is…” He kissed the top of his head, unable to say anymore. Asriel was crying again, clinging to his father’s chest as if the little monster would disappear if he let go.

Piper pulled out her phone and called Undyne. “Yo, fish stick. Get the message out. The barrier is down. Tell everyone to pack up. We’re leaving.”