Ponytale: The Lonely Soul.
The flower bed was glowing before Asriel, it was encased in a golden hue that could slice through the bleakest darkness. The young child collapsed into the golden paradise roughly, body badly beaten as crimson blood drenched his outfit.
He watched the world around him spin out of control, it was harder to breathe now as the sense of dread began to crawl over him wickedly. His heart aching for his Father or Mother, tears filling his eyes and cascading down his cheeks warmly.
He didn’t want to die.
But it is the fate, he was given on this day.
Fear held him close today but little did he know, it would soon never embrace him ever again.
He would soon become numb.
The world grew silent as his limbs went limp, he couldn’t catch the sweet gift of air within his lungs. He felt so cold and alone, crying in his own tomb, he prayed that someone would be at his side during this time.
He strained for air, he shivered in despair.
All went black.
All was at an end.
The dark was endless, he could feel the abyss crawling over his very soul. Tearing and ripping at his emotions like a rabid wolf, devouring his spirit within seconds the claws and fangs of the unknown feeding on the new essence before it.
Asriel felt the hooks of shadow stab into his fur and yank hard, soon a large chain would fly out of the abyss and slice into his back. It would burrow into the meat wildly, until it reached the soul. Grabbing onto it and never letting go, forever holding him in place.
He lifted into the nothingness, hung by chains like a common swine slaughtered. His cries would echo much line squeals, ignored in agony for all time. Why give this world such glee?
He would hold in his pain and swallow the fear, his soul on fire beyond that of the normal creature. Soul echoing into the realm of death, catching the attention of the horror within. Such a wonderful and wicked monster, selfishly holding in the agony.
She had to meet him.
He might be of some use.
“What a dire fate, lucky for you I’m looking for a date.” A soft melodic tone echoed from the darkness, it was far to sweet to be from this horrible place.
Asriel felt his body ache in horror and pain, he wanted to reply to the voice but feared his screams would escape into the valley of death.
“Such a sweet creature, why though do you own such a feature?”
He winced and gazed around the darkness, the voice so close but so far. Was it an innocent soul lost in the dark or perhaps something far worse.
“The soul burns with such delight, please my dear continue to fight.”
He could feel the chains tighten in place, threatening to tear his very soul apart.
“I see you are special indeed, perhaps you could help a friend in need?”
Asriel slowly gazed upward into the abyss trying so hard to pinpoint the voice, yet he could suddenly feel a rough lashing upon his back. The chains and hooks leaving his torn body, swiftly returning to the hellfires they had come from.
The young child trembled in pain and fell to his knees, holding back tears as crimson blood trickled down to the shadows below. Fading into nothing, no sign it ever existed at all.
Was this his fate?
“Rest now you are off the slate, now my dear let’s talk about your fate.”
The giggles of a horrible monster echoed around his broken body, his mind following suit closely as he fell into the darkness. Swallowed into the pool of nothing within seconds, he wanted to fade away now.
But as this world would have it, he still had miles to go before he was done.
“Please do not make me wait, I’d hate to place your soul back onto the slate.”
Asriel groaned in pain, though the devices of torture were gone, he could still feel them digging into his soul and heart even now. The pain never giving him a sign of respite, the darkness clinging to his determination.
“I will give till the count of ten, back to the slaughter it will be then.”
The child wanted to open his eyes, he just felt too weak. The fire that drove him being suffocated, the memories of those he loved becoming nothing but faint visions.
“Two, four.”
His Mother’s words cold.
“Six, eight.”
His Father’s touch numb.
“I guess you’ve chosen your fate, back to the blood stained slate.”
Chara’s smile…
“No!” Asriel snapped in anger as he lifted up off the ground, his soft caring green eyes looking into the abyss and could see only nothing.
“Good you are awake, now we can make a deal for your sake.”
“Who are you? Where am I? Why Can’t I see anything?” Asriel coughed aloud in pain as he took a step forward, only to fall to his right knee in agony.
“So many questions with so little time, I can answer one though you might find it a crime.”
The chains stained in blood and rust lashed out of the darkness, plunging ever deeper into his chest from the front. The metal crunched and slithered around his heart wickedly, he could only gasp and groan aloud, warm crimson flowing out of the sides of his mouth.
Within seconds the wicked metal snakes lashed outward, taking a bright piece of himself with them. The piece of his heart fading into the darkness, finally overcome and devoured within its jaws.
Asriel quivered in place his eyes fading into a dark crimson red, he slowly lifted his head upward. A gigantic and powerful volcano towered above him, large dark storm clouds swirling over the top wickedly.
This place was filled with dust of the fallen and gone, the stench of death was vastly overwhelming as he fought back the urge to vomit.
“What did you do to me?” He gritted his teeth in anger.
“I tore away your hope from the root, so you may see the truth.”
The crimson color of the volcano gently faded away, turning a lighter green hue as all around him was plunged into a cool green setting. The faint sound of humming off in the distance, accompanied by what sounded like the innocent playing of a piano.
Enchanting as it was disturbing, what did this thing want with him?
A wicked giggle echoed around him, as if she were reading his deepest thoughts.
“You see dear, those who come here.
They are the lost, those who all faded alone.
Those who are usurpers to the throne.
They come here to be free…
Unfortunately their souls belong to me!
The rusted chains of this world sliced through the darkness around Asriel, swiftly forming the outlines of webbing around him in a blood stained circle.
You see I catch them within my web!, the web of dread!
The souls scream out from the web!
The web of dread!
Poor little things can’t believe that they're dead…
Her voice gave a faint sound of sorrow, yet this was cut short as two rusted chains lashed him across his lower back. He fell to his knees in pain, wincing tightly to fight back any emotion.
Now little one, don’t think this is the end of your fun!
I might have a deal, that could get you back to the sun!
All you would have to do see…
Is just a small little favor for me!
Asriel glanced to a small opening in the twisted webbing, he tried to lift up from his paws slowly as the voice sang. Though it was in vain, the chains shifted and closed the gap tauntingly.
You see I caught you in my web!, the web of dread!
You might think your soul is lost.
But perhaps one could retrieve it…
For a cost!
More chains sprang to life from the black sky, wrapping around him like webbing from a spider. The chains crushing him tightly into place, he gasped for air that would not come. The sickly sounds of his bones, crushing and cracking filling the air.
You see a soul like you, is something absolutely brand new.
I try to peel away the screams, yet they fight away and hide in the seams.
I’d rather have a weak soul…
One that I could control!
The wicked webbing let him free, tossing him down to the floor with a thud. Such torture would’ve earned delicious screams of agony, yet this child selfishly hid them away.
So how about you be free from the web!, the web of dread!
Find me that weak soul and see…
That I’d be willing to let you free!
A delicate blood stained chain crawled out of the darkness, gently lifting his chin upward soothingly.
Only for a cost you see.
Her voice sounded more nurturing and sweet now.
So dear, will you listen to me? “
“You want me to find a creature to take my place?” Asriel spoke aloud softly, the color of this world returning back to a dark crimson.
“Yes my dear and don’t you fear. I’ve picked out the one, simply find her and you will be done.”
“I just need to find her?”
“Find her first, then have her die alone of course.”
Asriel sighed a part of him could feel sick at the mere thought of killing another creature, yet deep inside he wanted to be free and see his loved ones again.
“I agree.”
“Good little one, her name is Fluttershy in a land much like your own. A world filled with odd creatures, find her living alone.”
“How do I do the deed? What kind of creatures?” Asriel asked the world around him fading away quickly.
“Don’t worry and have some fun, I’ll be waiting, till you are done.”
The blinding light encased the small child, he could feel a warmth return to his body. It was that of love, it made all the wounds across his body feel better while the pain faded away.
Happiness filled his heart.
Joy grew within his soul.
These emotions flooded back to him, one by one filling his frame. Completing him, yet deep within, no matter how he tried. He could not find the hope, that he could complete his task.
Instead any action to feel this, would cause him to feel ill again. The pain of the realm of darkness returning once more. A loud thud would snap him back into reality, he groaned in pain as he hit a large open meadow of flowers.
The sky above Asriel was a soft and lovely blue. The day he escaped the underground, to return Chara home, the sky was the same, filled with hope and the unknown. Would this quest end the same, was he destined to fail at all he did?
The small goat child lifted up, this world was indeed beautiful. The meadow alone was filled with such wonderful scents and colors, the grasslands stretched for miles around him.
His mind raced at what kind of creatures could own such a realm?
“Look out below!” A loud and colorful voice echoed from high above, Asriel lifting his snout high up to the sky once more.
Just in time for what looked like a falling rainbow to smash into his weakened frame hard, He could yelp aloud in pain as what felt like hooves kicked his head roughly, he did no less than three cartwheels off into the distance.
“No! Please don’t be dead! I said “Look out below kid!” Oh spilt cider!” What looked like a rainbow colored pony gazed down to him in worry.
“Equines...but why?” He groaned softly, watching this odd creature canter in place frantically.
“Hey! What is that supposed to mean Goat Butt!?” She rolled her eyes to him before all went black.