Echo of the Frozen Prayer

      The moment the control slackened, you recoiled. Your eyes remained fixed on Noelle. Her hand trembled slightly before she pressed it against her chest. For a split second, you thought you saw drops of blood on her skin. But it was only a mirage. A sick trick of an exhausted mind. “I’m sorry… Kris… I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you…” She looked up, her gaze the most haunted you had ever seen in your short life. “You… You didn’t do anything bad to me, right?” “Of course not,” you approached her again and placed your hands on her shoulders. “I am doing all of this to make you stronger.” She let out a soft, hollow chuckle. “Thank you, Kris.” You turned your head away. Anything, as long as you didn't have to look into those glazed-over eyes. “HEY! ANYONE ALIVE IN HERE?” Susie’s voice boomed.       You heard her footsteps rapidly approaching Noelle’s room. An unhealthy smirk flickered across your face. The Parasite was clearly planning something similar to what it had already done. “Please… Not her. Leave at least her alone,” you finally let go, completely ceasing the struggle for control over your body. The Soul pricked you in response several times.       A few seconds later, Susie burst into the room, bringing with her the scent of mild chaos and ozone. It seemed it had started raining outside. She took a few steps toward you both before freezing in bewilderment. Her gaze was locked onto Noelle. “Kris?” she turned toward you. “What the hell is wrong with Noelle?” You simply shrugged. Susie huffed and approached the doe. Noelle didn't even notice her crush’s presence. “Hey, Noelle. What’s up? You look like you’ve been hit by a truck.”       A strange, indescribable feeling swelled in your chest. Taking a couple of steps, you placed a hand on Susie’s shoulder. She looked at you in surprise. The smirk was long gone, replaced by a thin line of your lips. Your gaze had grown empty, losing most of its light. “Um… Kris? What happened to you?” You tilted your head toward the door and silently walked out into the hallway. Susie followed immediately. She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. “It’s rare to hear anything from you. Speak up, since you called.”       The Parasite chuckled inwardly while you simply didn't know where to start. The Soul didn't give a damn about your friends. To it, everyone was a mere toy to be discarded once they became boring. But with Susie… For some reason, the Parasite always tried to shield Susie and Ralsei from the horrors it inflicted on you and Noelle. “Please… Leave her be. At least her,” you whispered in your mind, feeling a burning sensation in your chest. “Well, you just gonna stand there? We still gotta get Undyne out of the Bunker and deal with that damn Knight,” Susie exhaled deeply. “How’s… your business? Find anything?” Your own voice was so weak and trembling. It seemed Susie wouldn't even hear it. But, judging by her sudden animation, you were dead wrong. “Oh! Right. Thanks for reminding me.” She pulled a note from her pocket and handed it to you. Your eyes scanned the text quickly. It was written in haste, but its content… No. You couldn't let her enter the Bunker so early. “Is this… a code?” Your voice was quiet. Almost silent compared to Susie’s vibrant energy. Even the Parasite seemed somewhat surprised by this, making you want to scream even louder. “The very one! Swiped it from Town Hall while Mrs. Holiday was distracted,” your friend rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, grinning from ear to ear. You forced a faint, pathetic half-smile. “Anyway, let’s not waste time and head to the bunker! My hands are already itching to kick that creep’s ass.” Before you could process anything, Susie snatched the note back, grabbed your hand, and tried to bolt forward. But you immediately felt a cold, almost icy touch on your elbow. You turned your head slowly to find Noelle there. She tried not to look your way. You didn't immediately notice the faint blush on her cheeks. “Um… Kris. C-can I come with you guys?” Susie looked back and forth between you and Noelle, as if searching for support. You only let out a heavy sigh, giving an inconspicuous shrug. “Uh… Yeah, come on. Just keep in mind that this stays between us. Got it?” “Yes, of course!” she gave a forced smile, and the three of you headed out toward the bunker.       The trip, however, proved to be incredibly short. Right at the exit, you were met by Carol Holiday herself. You were ready to bet a tenner that her gaze was colder than any of Noelle’s magical ice. Upon seeing Susie, her expression shifted drastically. Her hands balled into fists, and a very unkind glint flashed in her eyes. “You,” she stood before Susie. The latter was momentarily caught off guard, which was enough for the mayor. “I’ve heard rumors about a troubled child. But I always thought it was… something insignificant.” She exhaled heavily. “But stealing directly from Town Hall… That is the height of insolence.” “Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Susie shrugged, maintaining a smug grin. One thing she didn't account for was you, standing right there under the Soul's control. You slowly raised your hand and pointed at her jacket pocket, where the note lay. Carol noticed the movement and smirked as well. “In that case, show me what’s in your pockets. If they are empty, I will personally apologize to you. However, know that it won't happen.” Susie smirked again and confidently turned her pockets inside out. To her misfortune, with maximum grace, the piece of paper with fresh notes fell to the ground at Carol’s feet. “Um… honestly, someone planted that on me!” Carol merely rolled her eyes and dialed a three-digit number on her phone. “Which was to be proven,” she picked up the note and tucked it into her blazer pocket. “I’m afraid I cannot let this go unnoticed. Stay here and wait for the police. As for you two…” she finally looked at you and Noelle, who had been hiding behind your back the entire time. Though it looked comical, given she was slightly taller. “Come here.” “M-mom… you… you’ve got it all wrong… we just wanted…” As soon as you moved away from the stunned Susie, Noelle began to make excuses. Carol silenced her with a short gesture. “It’s alright, Noelle. I’m not angry. The most important thing is that you are okay. The rest doesn't matter.” You felt a slight prick in your chest. The Parasite was clearly enjoying the spectacle. And it seemed it was pushing you to act. To what exactly? That was a good question. “But… Susie is my friend! I wanted to help her…” “Noelle. Enough. I don’t even want to hear about you being friends with someone like that criminal.” Noelle clearly wanted to say something else, but… she was simply too afraid. Her head hung low, and her hands pressed to her chest. “If you want to help so badly, go to the Church. Rudy left… a holiday ornament there. I still can't understand why he carries them around.”       Noelle nodded briefly and walked away from the house at a slow pace. You watched her figure disappear behind the trees and buildings. “As for you, Kris… I’m sorry.” Carol approached and placed a hand on your shoulder. You felt even the Parasite flinch slightly; her touch was that cold. “I’m sorry you had to see this scene.” She placed a hand over her heart and gave a short nod. “However, I am glad you’ve started spending time with Noelle again. These past few days, she hasn’t been herself.” “What are you…” Hearing your voice, Carol stopped. The silence lasted until you clenched your fist. “Anyway, I won't keep you any longer. But remember, Noelle and I will always be happy to see YOU.” You felt the mounting tremor again. “By the way, why don’t you go help Noelle?” “Of course. Goodbye, Mrs. Carol.”       You wanted to leave the Holiday residence as quickly as possible. Did Susie’s dejected look stop you? No. The Parasite simply wouldn't let you approach her to apologize. However, as you walked past the hospital, a thought began to sprout within you. What if this was for the better? What if her absence could benefit someone?       The moment you realized this, you wanted to punch yourself. You knew these thoughts didn't even belong to you. The Parasite had already sensed your weakness, and if you didn't continue to show your character, it would turn everyone around you into dolls. “Don’t worry, Kris. I’m not so heartless as to ruin everything around me. Don’t pin the sins of all humanity on me,” the Soul spoke as you turned into the woods. It clearly didn't understand where you were headed, and so it didn't try to regain control.       The trees flickered past at an almost frantic speed. No, you weren't running. You were simply walking a trail you had known for years. A hum could be heard nearby; a slight vibration felt beneath your feet. The Parasite might not have understood where you were, but you were acutely aware that you had stopped dangerously close to the bunker.       Looking around to ensure no one was near, you raised your hand above your head and, with a sharp movement, ripped the Parasite from your chest. It stirred indignantly and glowed again, but you simply didn't care anymore. From your belt, you pulled out a knife. An accurate handle, a mirror-clean blade, and perfect sharpness. It was as if it had been created specifically for you.       You wanted to smile, but your face refused to form the emotion. Rage boiled within you, mixed with hatred and exhaustion. The latter outweighed the rest even more than you would have liked. The Parasite tried to break free from your grip a few more times but quickly gave up. You felt it begin to heat up slowly, as if mocking you.       You gritted your teeth and… made one precise strike into the edge of the Soul. The Parasite responded with an invisible prick. Another strike, and another identical response. Gradually, once you realized you simply couldn't feel the retaliatory pain, the blows grew harder. Cut after cut. Stab after stab. In an instant, this “ritual” turned into a senseless mess. You stopped noticing the passage of time, and your surroundings simply lost all meaning. “Perhaps you should stop? Humans rarely survive such heavy bleeding,” the Soul noted mockingly just as you raised the knife for a final blow.       Only when you heard the word “blood” did you manage to snap out of it. You heard your own heavy, wheezing breath. You felt something slowly trickling down your legs, leaving a viscous trail. Your eyes slowly lowered to see several dark spots on your sleeves and chest. The knife in your hand trembled. The Parasite chuckled softly. It broke free from your grasp and now hovered before your eyes. “You won't survive without me. And even Noelle’s bandages won't save you from a certain death in these woods.” You gave a raspy chuckle and tucked the knife back behind your back. Your surroundings blurred slightly; the growing pain and fatigue were taking their toll. “You’re… too… arrogant…” Your hand pulled a roll of bandages from your pocket. Your head felt slightly lighter for a moment. You almost fell but managed to catch your balance in time. “Perhaps. However, it was she who allowed me to do all this. Look around and tell me, what would you have achieved if I hadn't intervened?” “The same…” You gritted your teeth, tightening the knot with the bandages. Self-treatment clearly did you some good. The ringing in your head grew noticeably quieter, and your consciousness cleared somewhat. “Lies rarely lead to anything good. I know all your secrets. I know what you fear and what you hate.” The Soul suddenly flew close to you. You felt its rhythmic beating almost physically. It beat… in sync with your heart. “I know all your secrets. I know what you fear and what you hate.” “You are just… a Parasite.” Having secured the last knot, you exhaled deeply, hiding the bandages under your clothes. Your gaze caught the bloodstains again. Mom certainly wouldn't be happy about this, and that was quite unfortunate. “To you, yes. To the rest… To them, I am you. And you? You are nothing. None of them noticed the changes in your behavior, Kris. Not even your mother.” “I don’t care… Soon enough, I’ll be rid of you…” You heard the Parasite laugh loudly. “Really? Then you will regret your decision. No one will remember the real you. Susie, Berdly, Noelle, Ralsei. All those you love and cherish… they will be horrified by you.” “Then… why do you… act this way?” “Because it’s fun.” You expected any answer but this. The Parasite, despite your will, suddenly lunged into your chest, searing the skin under the bandages. “You, your friends, family, and loved ones. To me, you are nothing but pawns. And to make the best move, I am willing to sacrifice pieces,” it continued inside your head. You simply exhaled quietly, feeling the mounting weight in your chest.       Absorbed in your own thoughts, you didn't notice the Soul leading you to the Church. Near the entrance stood Father Alvin and Noelle. He was telling her something, but the doe wasn't listening. Her fingers toyed with the edges of her shirt, while her eyes were fixed in your direction. You approached and nodded to the priest. “Oh, Kris. Hello.” Alvin smiled softly, but as soon as he noticed the bloodstains on your clothes, his expression shifted. “Holy Angel. Kris! What on earth happened to you?” “Tripped and fell. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.” You smiled at him, but it didn't calm the reader in the slightest. “If you say so…” The turtle sighed deeply, adjusted his robes, and looked at Noelle. “What brings you here? Ms. Dreemurr said choir practice wasn't for a few hours.” “I… um… want to pick up a toy. Mom said Dad left it there.” Alvin chuckled softly. “So that’s it. Of course. Go on in, don’t be afraid. The doors of the Angel's abode are always open to everyone.” You gave the priest a short nod and hurried toward the door. Noelle didn't even ask why you followed her. She felt it was for the better. Touching the handle, you felt a slight tremor and an unnatural darkness within. It seemed your search for the toy might take a very long time. You looked around. Father Alvin hurried toward Town Hall, meaning he wouldn't learn of the fountain’s existence. A slight burning sensation was also felt in your chest. The Parasite craved adventure and was eager to go inside. “Well, shall we?” Noelle asked tentatively. Apparently, she felt the fountain's presence too. You nodded to her and threw the doors open.       In an instant, the surroundings began to lose their colors, becoming duller and colder. There was no time to delay, so you grabbed Noelle’s hand and, taking a short run-up, sprinted into the darkness. The door slammed shut behind you with a crash. The fountain's magic would no longer let anyone in.       Wind whistled in your ears. You continued to hold Noelle’s hand, feeling everything around you begin to change. The familiar walls, floor, and ceiling expanded, and the creak of wood underfoot turned into the thud of stone floors. The silence filled with low, prayer-like chanting.       Noelle, who until then was only trying to understand her surroundings, squeezed your hand tight. You felt the splinter in her finger grow thorns, as they dug into your hand, bringing pain. Gradually, the wind began to die down, and a floor was felt beneath your feet. You tapped it several times with your toe. Armor clanked sharply in response. “Am I… dead?” Noelle asked timidly when you touched her shoulder. In a way, you were glad she was near, but… in that same way, it was because of you that she was suffering now. “No. You’re still alive.” She immediately recoiled from you the moment she heard the Parasite’s voice. She pressed her hands to her chest, only to hiss in pain. A drop of blood was inconspicuously trickling down her arm. “Is this… another dream? Or a nightmare? We were… we just entered the church…” Her eyes darted around, trying to comprehend the environment. “Kris… where are we?” You wanted to explain to her, but realized it might take a criminally long time. “Oh, so there you are!” You heard approaching footsteps. From the shadows, Ralsei stepped out to meet you. He was smiling broadly, waving his hand, but as soon as he noticed Noelle instead of Susie, his joy turned into deep surprise. “Um… Kris… who is this?” “I’m… Noelle,” she said timidly, quelling a mild panic. “And you are…?” “Call me Ralsei.” The prince gave a short bow and looked around as well. “I felt a fountain open again somewhere. I managed to reach you by a miracle before the passage closed.” “Closed? Does that mean… we’re stuck here?!” Once again, panic seized Noelle’s mind. However, Ralsei came to her aid. He explained the situation to her as briefly as possible. Did it calm Noelle? Not much. But at least she didn't want to scream as loudly as before. “Now, we should close this fountain as soon as possible. Who knows what the Knight is up to this time?” You gave a short nod and took the lead of your party. “By the way, Kris, where is Susie?” “She was… arrested. She stole some paper from my mom and was punished for it,” Noelle replied. She walked behind you, stepping in your footsteps.       For a moment, it seemed to you that the shadowed walls of the sanctuary turned into the frozen stones of that dungeon. The hallucination vanished as quickly as it came, but it left an indelible mark on your consciousness nonetheless. “I see. That’s a shame…” Ralsei frowned slightly. “It was always… more fun with her?”       Gradually, the pitch-black darkness was replaced by well-lit halls. In the distance, dozens and hundreds of stained-glass windows depicting the Delta Rune were visible. Some portrayed Angels. Some… portrayed you. This greatly surprised you and Noelle. The windows looked like an exact copy of you, but… with minor differences. One of them—scarlet threads stretching to your hands and feet.       Voices could be heard in the distance. Gradually, disjointed sounds acquired a rhythm, turning into prayer-like chants. You tried to listen to the words, but the text seemed to turn into a senseless mush the moment it reached your ears. Passing by translucent monsters, you noticed a faint glow in the distance. Approaching, dozens of lights shone before you. After a few seconds, they formed an image of three heroes. “Is this… us?” Noelle asked timidly. She tried to make as little sound as possible, as her voice would have sounded very ragged. It was understandable. The ring dug even deeper into her finger, as if taking revenge for being removed. “Yes!” Ralsei exclaimed, reading the text. “You weren't there when I told the Legend of the Delta Rune. But… we are the heroes from the Prophecy.” “Oh. That’s… cool. And… what is it about, this legend?” “About two worlds. Your world—the Light World. And the one we are in now—the Dark World.” Ralsei adjusted his glasses and waved his hand. “It seems there are more images ahead. Forward, Kris.”       You gave him a short nod, leading your group. The monsters around you rarely paid any attention to you. Most often, they simply prayed or delivered sermons. “Fountains shall bring forth the Roaring. Titans shall take form,” Noelle said, stopping at one of the “fiery” pictures.       It depicted a creature of colossal size. Its body seemed to consist of pure darkness, while a bright four-pointed star glowed in the very center of its head. You felt you had encountered it before but couldn't quite remember where. “What is the Roaring?” Noelle approached Ralsei. He was somewhat distracted by the surroundings. You noticed his gaze was practically glued to the ring on her hand. “Um… the Roaring… it is the descent of the Titans upon the world. A fountain is already a concentration of Darkness. But… when there is too much of it, it becomes harsher, more dangerous, beginning to gain will and consciousness. That is how Titans are born,” Ralsei concluded somberly, terrifying the already nervous Noelle even more. “I… I see.” She hurried toward you again, as you were standing apart from all these images.       Your further path proceeded without the Prophetic drawings. Staircases were replaced by long passages and wide corridors. Even the chants began to acquire some meaning in your head. “They sing of warriors who will fight the spawn of the Light World,” the Parasite suddenly explained.       This came as a shock to you. Why such an unprecedented act of generosity? You knew it was up to something, and the words about the song were just a cover-up. While you were thinking over the Parasite’s words, you didn't even notice two monsters flying out to intercept you. They looked like ghosts, but the distant sound of water and the droplets dripping all over their bodies made it clear they were something else. “Kris, watch out!” Before you could react, Noelle pulled you back. You immediately felt a searing cold at your neck. “Kris, are you okay?” Ralsei ran up after. “I’m sorry, Kris. I was so engrossed in the surroundings that I didn't notice the enemies.”       A soft minty glow surrounded his hands. He whispered something under his breath, then made a short swing. The ground beneath him flashed briefly, and you felt the pain begin to fade. “Thank you…” you whispered, getting back on your feet. Your gaze returned to the monsters. “It’s time you became a little stronger, Kris,” the Parasite said with a slight smirk, forcing you to draw your sword from its scabbard.       You all took a combat stance. A long fight clearly awaits you ahead, meaning you should prepare for the worst. You felt the air around grow colder, and steam began to appear from your mouth. Noelle closed her eyes; blood was trickling down her hand. Your battle… begins.