Half-Tale: The Fallen

Chapter 15 (2/2) - The Fall

Characters are not mine. Half-Life and Adrian Shephard belong to Valve Corporation, and Undertale and Chara Dreemurr belong to Toby Fox. Please support the official releases.

Chapter 15 (2/2)– The Fall

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The following room had a certain air to it.

Adrian was the first one to notice it—the air of finality. As if something was coming to an abrupt, yet worthy end. This air, in a sense, was familiar—he had brushed up the terrifying jaws of death countless times during his tenure as a member of the United States Marine Corps, HECU division, and he knew many older than him who had gone through a lot more, if he didn't count the events of Black Mesa.

As such, he would be the first to recognise such a dreadful, foreboding feeling. Every time it made its appearance, he wondered if that day would be the day where his life was to finally be claimed. And every time without fail, he managed to get through. At least, so far; he wasn't up to trying his luck, for he knew his time would be due eventually. It was all a matter of when and how.

And he didn't plan on dying here.

Chara, in the meanwhile, while not as attuned to such a sense, knew something was coming. It wasn't just her knowing what would happen—that was a given—but even she could recognise the stinges of finality. She sensed it once before, when she was traversing the RUINS with Adrian; she felt as if the run they were on currently was to be the last she would ever have to experience.

Just like before, however, there was no substantiation to such an odd feeling, but she knew better to go against her feelings at that point—all logic had lost its meaning when she witnessed Frisk kill everyone for the fiftieth time. It didn't mean she lost her ideals, not at all, but after everything she had seen thus far, it was only then that she realised things were much more nuanced than mere fact.

In this case, however, what was to follow was obvious.

...

But nobody came.

She looked around, up and down the nearby rocky mountain-like formation where Undyne would usually appear, and yet, nothing. Implying she wasn't here. Thoughtlessly, she commented to herself, eyebrows furrowed and eyes expressing a sense of confusion. "Where is she...?"

"She? Undyne? I knew something was off," Adrian surmised, walking a little forward. Nearby lied another chest, something he hadn't seen in a while. It reminded him of a small promise he made to himself, one he fully intended to fulfil. This was the perfect opportunity, after all. "She supposed to be here?"

It wasn't that she wasn't expecting deviations, quite the contrary, but with the odd feeling that disturbed the area, it was unusual that there was nothing here at all. "...Yes. Undyne should have  encountered you already. Maybe that Monster Kid really did manage to buy you some time. It would be wise to-"

"Hey, wanna find out what's in this box?"

Chara turned. "...yes."

"There's a reason why I've neglected to show you this before. Now that I've told you everything, there isn't any point in hiding this from you," Adrian said, standing over the box with intent. Slowly, with a knowing sigh, he took hold of the buckle and lifted it upwards—in time, it opened fully, and all of its contents were revealed. "Here it is."

Guns.

A lot of them.

An M16A2 and M203 grenade launcher hybrid, a Desert Eagle, an MP5, a SPAS-12 shotgun, an RPG, an M249 Light Machine gun, an M40A1 sniper rifle, a displacer cannon, multiple hand grenades, laser tripmines, snarks, satchel charges, and various other esoteric weaponry.