“Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: Humans and Monsters. One day, war broke out between the two races.”

“The monsters, having much weaker souls than humans, eventually had no choice but to surrender, and were sealed underground by seven human mages.”

“After some time, the monsters discovered that the seal could be broken with the use of magic equivalent to that of the seven mages. By obtaining seven human souls.”

“As time went on…”

“...”

“As time…”

Toriel let out a heavy sigh, clearly struggling to continue her story. Frisk sat on the floor next to Toriel’s large cushiony reading chair, listening closely, her eyebrows scrunched up with concern at her mother’s distress. She glanced up at her, not sure what to say at first. 

After a moment, she spoke.

“It’s okay, mother. If…if it’s too much-”

Toriel shook her head and smiled slightly, stopping Frisk mid-sentence.

“No, my child. It is fine. This is a story you must know. You are nearly 13 now and I have waited far too long to tell you about our history. About…the reason why it is dangerous for you to ever go outside. You need to understand.”

Frisk was simply quiet for a moment, then just slowly nodded her head and waited for her mother to continue. After a few seconds, Toriel took a deep breath and continued.

“As time went on, the occasional human would accidentally stumble into the world of monsters…and one by one…the monsters…successfully gathered six human souls…”

Toriel paused briefly, her eyes closed. She remained silent a moment before finally opening her eyes again and looking down at Frisk.

“Do you understand, child. They…have collected six human souls. You are the seventh. The final soul. If you are ever discovered…if anyone out there were to ever learn of your existence…”

She stopped talking to let it sink in. Frisk looked at her mother for a moment before slowly looking to the floor, then nodded again.

“I understand, mother.” She said simply. 

Frisk gripped the hem of her sweater slightly, her eyes shifting to look at something vaguely off to the corner of the room. Thankfully, she was looking down, so her mother didn’t notice the very obvious tell that she was clearly hiding something.

Toriel let out another heavy sigh and stood up from her chair.

“I’m glad to hear, my child.”

She turned to look at Frisk on the floor, observing her with an almost concerned expression. After a moment, she kneeled down next to Frisk and embraced her in a gentle hug.

“I only wish to protect you. I do not wish to see you meet the same fate as all the others.”

Frisk smiled warmly and returned her mother’s hug.

“I know, mother.”

After a few moments, Toriel gave Frisk a small squeeze before letting her go. She stood back up and turned to leave, grabbing a wicker basket that sat next to the front door of their house.

“Alright, my dear. I must go and fetch some snails for tonight’s dinner. I will return in a few hours. I trust you will behave yourself.”

Toriel offers Frisk a small smile at that last sentence. She often leaves Frisk alone while she leaves to gather snails and she knows fully well that Frisk will behave herself, but she always likes to ask anyway.

Frisk giggles slightly and gets up off the floor. She positions her hands behind her back (crossing her fingers), puts the most innocent looking expression on her face and nods at her mother. Toriel laughs before walking out the door, leaving Frisk in the house all by herself.

Not a second passes before Frisk’s feet are already in motion. She quickly runs over to the stairs that lead down into their basement, which she knows all too well are strictly off limits. She’s leaping down the steps 3 at a time, turning the corner into the corridor, dodging that one rock that used to trip her up, and zooming down the long derelict hallway until finally…she reaches the large and very solid door at the end. The door she can never get open and that Toriel has told her leads to the outside. The door that just so happens to be the only thing standing between her and a world of monsters beyond, that would stop at nothing to retrieve her soul. You’d think any human in their right mind would stay far away from this door - but not Frisk. To Frisk, this door is where she wants to be the most. This door is her favorite place to be in the entire world. This door…well…

Frisk eagerly extends her arm towards the door and knocks on it twice.

KNOCK KNOCK

She waits. Her heart is pounding. Impatient, she extends her arm again to knock a second time, but right before her knuckles can make contact with the door again - she hears it.

KNOCK KNOCK