Storm Cadogre
First it was just a rumor, that monsters were steadily disappearing one after another: so she sent the rest of the guard ahead to see what was up. But after a few hours, they still hadn't returned, leaving the truth undiscovered.
It was too much to just leave hanging, so she had gone ahead, embracing the chill of Snowdin to see exactly what was wrong--
The town was completely empty.
Dust of the deceased whirled amid dancing snowflakes, clinging to her scales and fins, and soon she ran about, calling for any survivors. Her shouts echoed clear, but nobody answered.
Underfoot, red fabric snagged on her boot, and Undyne stopped, eye glazed over as she reached down.
A red scarf lay ragged in the snow, coated in dust, and her soul dropped like a stone. Even the most innocent, friendly person in the whole town, one of her best friends, hadn't been spared.
This couldn't be just a freak accident-- no, this was nothing short of a massacre.
Soon Undyne turned back, plowing through the snow as it gave way to sticky marsh and reeds. The plated armor on her shoulders felt heavier than ever as she expertly navigated the rocky high route, watching for any signs of life.
The lower path, too, was alight with drifting dust. Not even the slightest movement danced in the shadows, no voices called out in a cheer to greet her.
It was completely empty.
What kind of person would do such a thing? There wasn't any way that a monster was capable of this: there was such unity and camaraderie in their struggling, dying community.
Unless.. it wasn't a monster at all, but a human. Undyne had heard about how a young human had fallen into the Ruins just hour ago, and eagerly waited to hear of their end.
It was inevitable: six more humans before this one had fallen in and eventually died, after all.
"One more human soul", she reminded herself, "one more and we'll be free"..
But that didn't even matter now, did it? Her soul trembled in her chest as she ran, calling out again and again only to find no answer.
No. It didn't matter.
Whoever, whatever was causing this... she was going to stop it with all her might.
Ultimately, Waterfall, too, was deserted.
She almost wanted to give up, the gravity of everything felt too heavy to bear, but she had to keep going. Maybe she would be able to make a difference, she'd be able to end all this--
Undyne came to a screeching stop as the sound of footsteps echoed across the boardwalk up ahead, and a spark of hope stirred within her. Blindly, she acted, magic already starting to manifest around her as she charged ahead.
It all happened too fast.
A small yellow monster, "Kid" or whatever their name was, standing on a cliffside; a humanoid figure lunging at them with some object in hand--
No thought, only action, and she forced the smaller monster out of the way, instead taking the full brunt of the blow.
In a single strike, she was cleaved in two.
A ragged gasp was the only sound that escaped her, a tremble seizing her form.
Yes, this was definitely a human-- just a child, younger than the last.
They gazed on with hungry intent, a strange glitter of confusion in their distant eyes. But perhaps more striking was the terrified wail that came from Kid as they recoiled in terror.
"Un-Undyne.. you're... you're hurt..."
Way to state the obvious, of course, when the only thing she could feel was searing pain, but.. she forced herself to grin all the same.
"Hurt? It's nothing..." she hissed, staggering as she tried to retain her shape.
She could feel it, the liquid ooze of her body starting to dematerialize, this was what happened to monsters when they were on the very verge of... of....
"Next time, listen when I tell you to leave somewhere, okay?"
Kid stared back, their bright eyes clouded with tears as they rapidly glanced to and fro. The human was unfazed, standing and watching from their distance... and no doubt waiting for an opportunity.
"Damnit, get out of here! I'll take care of this!"
Her roar came out utterly hoarse, drawing on what little energy was still left in her body. But it was enough to get the younger monster to finally leave, scrambling away into the dark.
Turning her head, Undyne managed a ferocious grin once more, forcing herself to stand-- and yet it was soon too much. A trembling, weak hiss gurgled from her throat as she began to collapse, grabbing at the ground for support.
It hurt so much, everything hurt so much. It wasn't going to just end here, was it? She wasn't going to just die like the rest, she couldn't, not when everyone else had failed...
Slowly, the human took a step forward, and then another; they stared onwards with a blank smile, fingers twitching restlessly.
It was almost like they were... enjoying this? They didn't have to act, they could just watch someone slowly die-- that was awful, so awful--
"No... I'm already.... al-already...
D-damnit.."
Another weak gasp for breath; Undyne didn't even look to see her body starting to steadily fall apart at the seams. It was too much, she couldn't even see the world in front of her.. what did it matter?
She really was just going to die here.. cold, alone, and in agonizing pain. All she could think of was the others, everyone she was failing. Papyrus, Alphys, even King Asgore.. they were all counting on her, weren't they?
One of them was already dead, it wouldn't be long until-- until Alphys and even the king were--
The thought was too much. A grating, growling cry left her, some last note of mourning as her body broke into a million pieces.. and yet she could still breathe.
No. It wasn't going to end like this, it couldn't.
Just thinking of them, the people she loved, everyone she could still save... a warm feeling bloomed and blazed within her, chasing away the overwhelming pain. There were still survivors, there were still monsters that believed in her.
If she listened close enough, she could hear them calling out. The thoughts, the hopes and dreams of many souls, wishing so ardently to survive.. it was almost as if they were cheering for her.
She wasn't alone, was she?
"This doesn't... doesn't mean anything about-- about monsters and humans anymore.. is it?" she finally asked, pulling herself fully upright and opening her eye. The wound that split her still oozed and melted at the edges, yet somehow, she held together.
"If you get past me.. you'll just kill them all.. won't you? Monsters, humans... everyone."
No answer, but even if there was, Undyne couldn't hear it. The distant chorus rose, cloaking her every sense with adrenaline and hope, and it was the most beautiful thing she had ever known.
"Our hopes... our dreams.. all just wiped out."
Every voice called out at once, each distant soul trembling in unison; brilliant white light began to surround her, a grand magic not quite her own beginning to stir alive.
"But I won't let you do that. Right now.. everyone in the world.."
The light, like blazing flames, began to engulf her more and more; soon the wound was no more, her armor beginning to melt and reform. Overwhelmed by this feeling, Undyne couldn't move a muscle as her body distorted, fed by this fantastic power. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was changing her, transforming her... even at the very brink of death.
It was too much, and yet it was beyond beautiful: the strength and hopes of every monster still left, everyone she wanted to protect-- they were with her.
"I can feel their hearts beating as one.
And together.. we've ONE goal... and that's to defeat you.
Human-- no-- whatever you are.
For the sake of the whole world.."
Her eyepatch burnt to ashes, excess energy beginning to stream out in brilliant, trembling light. She knew no pain, only boundless strength that burned through every cell in her body, and her voice rose into a roar.
"I, UNDYNE, will strike you down!"
For a moment, everything was blinding white light, warmth and the tremble of countless souls alongside her.
As it faded, she stepped forth, a surge of energy crackling over her as she conjured a magical spear in her palm. This feeling was ceaseless, infinite in its every feeling as magic poured off her body in a glorious aura. Where a horrific wound had once been, her soul seared through her body with a luminous glow.
Leveling the spear at the human, Undyne grinned, letting the sheer power begin to express itself. In her voice rang the notes of countless others, leaving her words to echo and ring in a way most unnerving-- and yet it was the most fantastic sound in the world.
"You're gonna have to try a little harder than THAT."
With no more hesitation, Undyne charged at the human, a downpour of magic bursting from her every step. Unreal power burned bright as she lunged again and again, aiming countless blows with everything she had.
There was only one feeling left within her, and it was ferocious determination.
This twisted genocide would end here and now.
Characters, base story and various visual assets are from UNDERTALE,
a PC game by Toby Fox and company.
Pet, profile, overlay, story interpretation and coding are by
Marine, with a little help from
Vaixation with those pesky z-indexes!
