They enter the next room, another dark room with a green circle in the middle, where Flowey suddenly appeared, and started talking.
Flowey: "Clever, very cleeveeer~. Using her shattered and broken heart against her~. The love of a mother against herself~. Making her remember her own son by appearance, and touching her motherly side of her to surpass her~. HA! If you really think you can just continue with this pacifist crap, try! I can't wait to see how long you play this, after all, you already killed multiple monsters~. From now here, monsters will only attack when they see your soul~. Have fun~"
Flowey then went back under the ground, while laughing, amused to see how this path progresses further.
The children step into the next room, the atmosphere immediately changing as they cross through the gate. The air grows colder, their breath visible in the chilly air. The room opens into a vast snow-covered forest, the sky above obscured by towering trees with snow-laden branches. The ground crunches softly beneath their feet, the silence of the forest broken only by the occasional sound of wind brushing through the trees.
Kaeltherion: "This place is... different. It feels colder, heavier. The Ruins were quiet, but this... this is something else."
Velthara rubbed her arms, glancing around the towering trees. "It's unsettling. Like we're being watched."
Lymtherion stepped ahead, his sharp senses scanning the treeline. "We probably are. Stay together, just in case."
Elyssara: "Do you think Flowey was serious? About monsters attacking us if they see our souls?"
Zalthirion sighed, the faintest hint of frustration in his tone. "It doesn't matter if he was or not. We just have to be ready, no matter what. Keep moving forward."
They followed the narrow, snow-covered path through the forest, the towering trees on either side casting long shadows over them. The crunching of their footsteps echoed faintly, but there was an eerie stillness that seemed to press down on them.
Suddenly, the sound of twigs snapping nearby made them all freeze in place.
Elyssara: "Did... did you hear that?"
Kaeltherion nodded, his hand instinctively resting near his blade. "Yes. Everyone, stay close. Whatever it is, it's not friendly."
The snapping grew louder, coming from different directions, as though something—or someone—was circling them. The tension in the air grew heavier with every second.
Lymtherion narrowed his eyes. "Whoever you are, come out. Now."
For a moment, the forest seemed to hold its breath. Then, from the shadows, a figure began to emerge, stepping into the pale moonlight filtering through the trees.
The figure was cloaked, their face obscured beneath a hood. They moved slowly, deliberately, their steps light and quiet.
Velthara's voice was a whisper. "Who is that...?"
Before anyone could answer, the figure stopped a short distance from the group. A faint chuckle escaped from under the hood, low and gravelly, sending a chill down their spines.
???: "Heh. Looks like I've got some... interesting travelers on my hands."
The figure reached up, lowering their hood to reveal a grinning skeleton with hollow, dark eyes that seemed to pierce through them.
Sans: "Name's Sans. Sans the skeleton. And you? You don't look like the usual crowd I get around here."
The group exchanged glances, unsure of what to make of this peculiar new character.
Kaeltherion: "We're just passing through. We don't want any trouble."
Sans leaned against a nearby tree, his grin widening slightly. "Trouble, huh? Nah. Trouble's not my thing. I'm more of a... laid-back kinda guy. But I gotta ask—what brings a group like you to a place like this? Ain't every day you see souls like yours wander outta the Ruins."
Elyssara: "We're trying to find a way back to where we came from. We don't belong here."
Sans tilted his head, his grin softening into something that almost seemed... sad. "Don't belong here, huh? Well... you're not the first ones to say that. But this place? It has a way of keeping people. Whether they want to stay or not."
Velthara crossed her arms, her tone cautious. "Are you saying we're stuck here?"
Sans shrugged. "Not sayin' you are, not sayin' you aren't. That depends on how far you're willing to go, I guess. But hey, you seem like a determined bunch. Maybe you'll make it."
His words hung in the cold air, a strange mix of encouragement and warning.
Lymtherion: "If you're not going to stop us, then step aside. We don't have time for riddles."
Sans chuckled again, his hands slipping into the pockets of his hoodie. "Fair enough. But a word of advice... stick to the path. The forest has a way of... playing tricks on people who wander too far."
With that, Sans stepped back into the shadows, his skeletal frame blending into the darkness almost instantly. The group exchanged uneasy glances before continuing down the path, their breaths visible in the icy air.
Kaeltherion: "Let's keep moving. And stay on the path, just like he said. Whatever's out there... I don't want to find out."
They pressed on, the mysterious encounter with Sans lingering in their minds as they ventured deeper into Snowdin Forest.
The snow-covered path eventually widened, and the children found themselves approaching a small wooden bridge, spanning a shallow, frozen stream. The sound of crunching snow beneath their feet was interrupted by a faint, energetic voice shouting from somewhere ahead.
???: "HUMAN!! PREPARE YOURSELF, FOR YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENCOUNTER THE GREAT PAPYRUS!! NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!"
The group stopped in their tracks, exchanging uncertain glances.
Kaeltherion: "What... was that?"
Before they could process the bizarre declaration, a tall, lanky skeleton in a bright red scarf and matching boots bounded into view, practically glowing with enthusiasm. His toothy grin radiated pure excitement as he struck a dramatic pose, one hand on his hip, the other pointing toward them.
Papyrus: "BEHOLD! I AM PAPYRUS, THE GREATEST PUZZLE DESIGNER IN ALL OF SNOWDIN! AND YOU—" He faltered for a split second, his sockets widening in surprise as he took in the group's unusual appearance. "OH. OH MY! YOU'RE... NOT HUMANS?"
Velthara whispered to Lymtherion, "Is he serious?"
Papyrus, however, seemed to answer his own question almost immediately, recovering his composure with gusto.
Papyrus: "NO MATTER! EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT HUMANS, YOU MUST FACE MY CLEVER TRAPS AND PUZZLES! FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL STOP YOU IN YOUR TRACKS! THEN I SHALL CAPTURE YOU, AND—" He hesitated, tapping his bony chin with one finger. "ACTUALLY, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH CAPTURED... UH... NON-HUMANS? SANS DIDN'T COVER THIS IN HIS TRAINING!"
Elyssara raised an eyebrow. "Training?"
Zalthirion sighed. "This is... ridiculous."
Kaeltherion stepped forward, crossing his arms. "We don't have time for your games. Step aside."
Papyrus gasped, clutching his chest as if Kaeltherion's words had physically struck him. "WHAT? STEP ASIDE? OH, HOW DARE YOU INSULT MY INGENIOUS PUZZLES BY NOT EVEN ATTEMPTING THEM! NYEH! IF YOU THINK YOU CAN SIMPLY WALK PAST THE GREAT PAPYRUS, THEN YOU'RE GRAVELY MISTAKEN!"
Kaeltherion groaned in frustration, but Velthara placed a hand on his shoulder, suppressing a laugh. "Wait, wait. Let's see what he has. This might actually be... entertaining."
Papyrus puffed out his chest, clearly taking her words as a compliment. "AH-HA! AT LEAST ONE OF YOU HAS THE SENSE TO RECOGNIZE TRUE GENIUS WHEN YOU SEE IT! VERY WELL! ALLOW ME TO PRESENT... MY FIRST PUZZLE!"
He gestured dramatically to a set of what appeared to be thin wooden posts in the snow ahead, connected by ropes. It vaguely resembled a barrier, but the ropes were so loosely tied that they sagged onto the ground.
Papyrus: "BEHOLD! THE UNSTOPPABLE, UNSOLVABLE PUZZLE OF ROPE AND STICKS! ONLY THE WISEST AND MOST DETERMINED INDIVIDUALS CAN FIND THEIR WAY THROUGH!"
Lymtherion blinked, clearly unimpressed. "That's it? We could just step over it."
Papyrus's grin faltered, but only for a moment. "AH... YES, BUT... BUT THAT WOULD BE CHEATING! AND CHEATING IS... AGAINST THE RULES! SO IF YOU WANT TO PASS, YOU MUST SOLVE THE PUZZLE PROPERLY!"
Elyssara gave a soft giggle, earning a glare from Kaeltherion. "Oh, come on, Kael. Let's humor him. It's... cute, in a way."
Kaeltherion sighed but stepped forward with the others to "solve" the puzzle. With minimal effort, they adjusted the ropes, tying them securely to the posts.
Papyrus practically vibrated with excitement as they finished. "YOU DID IT! I KNEW YOU COULD! BRILLIANT! INGENIOUS! SUCH RAW TALENT—PERHAPS EVEN RIVALLING MY OWN!"
Velthara smirked. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you say."
Papyrus stepped aside, flourishing dramatically. "VERY WELL! YOU MAY PASS... FOR NOW! BUT KNOW THIS: I SHALL CONTINUE TO TEST YOUR SKILLS WITH EVEN MORE DIABOLICAL PUZZLES! SOON, YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUE MEANING OF CHALLENGE! NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!"
As they walked past, Elyssara glanced back at him. "He's... harmless, isn't he?"
Zalthirion shrugged. "Harmless, maybe. But persistent. Let's hope his 'puzzles' don't get in the way too much."
From behind them, Papyrus called out one last time. "FAREWELL, TRAVELERS! BUT REMEMBER—THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL ALWAYS BE WATCHING! AND HELPING, IF NECESSARY! NYEH HEH HEH!"
The children exchanged amused glances as they continued down the snowy path, the sound of Papyrus's laughter fading into the distance.