World of Dark Souls
Ron arrived in the atmosphere of the ruined world.
He looked around slowly. This was not the first time he had come here. The broken land, the endless darkness, the dead silence—everything felt familiar.
Ron closed his eyes and focused, sensing Dr. Thomas's Ki.
The signal was faint… but unmistakable.
Ron teleported.
In the next instant, he appeared in front of something colossal.
A tree.
But not just any tree.
This tree stretched endlessly into the sky. Its peak was impossible to see. Even the smallest leaf was the size of Earth.
Ron stood far away, observing it from a distance.
Darkness covered everything.
Except for a strange purplish glow radiating from the tree.
Ron frowned.
"What is this…?"
His eyes narrowed.
What are you planning, Wulkranoth? Ron thought.
Suddenly—
Footsteps echoed through the darkness.
Ron turned sharply.
Something strange was approaching him.
A red glowing circle moved through the air… almost like it was walking.
Ron stiffened.
What the hell is that?
The red circle suddenly closed, like an eye blinking shut.
Then—
Two violet eyes opened.
Ron's expression changed.
"Thomas?" he said.
Dr. Thomas stepped out of the darkness. The violet glow slowly faded.
A calm smile appeared on his face as he opened his arms.
"Ron… you're back."
Ron remained still.
"I brought the papers."
"Oh?" Dr. Thomas said with mild surprise. "So fast."
Ron's voice hardened.
"I'll give them to you… but I want something in return."
Dr. Thomas tilted his head.
"And what would that be?"
Ron stared straight into his eyes.
"Tell me about Dream's curse."
Dr. Thomas froze.
For a moment, his eyes widened.
"So… you found out."
"Dream told me," Ron said. "Now tell me how to stop it."
Dr. Thomas slowly turned his back to Ron.
Silence filled the darkness.
After a long pause, he spoke.
"You can't."
Ron's jaw tightened.
"Why? There has to be a way to save Dream."
"There isn't."
Ron's voice rose.
"Aren't you worried about your daughter? Are you even human?"
Dr. Thomas answered without turning around.
"Yes… she is my daughter."
"And I'm worried more than you could ever imagine."
Ron's eyes widened.
For the first time…
He saw Dr. Thomas soften.
Dr. Thomas turned back toward him.
"Tell me something, Ron."
His gaze sharpened.
"How would you feel… if your daughter, Ines, received a curse like this?"
Ron didn't hesitate.
"I would never let that happen."
His voice carried absolute certainty.
"I'd do everything in my power to fix it. And if nothing worked… I'd take the curse onto myself."
Dr. Thomas suddenly pointed at him.
"That."
Ron blinked.
"What?"
"That's exactly what I feel," Dr. Thomas said quietly.
"I wanted to do the same thing you just said."
His voice darkened.
"But I couldn't."
"There must be some way," Ron insisted.
"If there were," Dr. Thomas said coldly, "I would have turned reality upside down to find it."
"But there isn't."
Ron clenched his fists.
"I won't give up. I'll find a way."
Dr. Thomas studied him carefully.
Then he smiled faintly.
"You know… we're very similar."
"In many ways."
Ron frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"You'll understand soon enough."
Ron glared at him silently.
Dr. Thomas raised a finger.
"A piece of advice, Ron."
Ron nodded.
"Happiness doesn't come from outside forces," Dr. Thomas said calmly. "It comes from within."
"A truly positive person spreads that positivity to everyone around them."
Ron's eyes widened slightly.
"Do you know?" he asked quietly.
Dr. Thomas smiled.
"Yes… I know."
He paused.
"That you're from the future."
Ron's eyes widened.
"How did you know?"
Dr. Thomas chuckled.
"Come on, Ron."
"I'm much older than you."
"I even remember when you were a little boy… playing with Dream."
Ron exhaled slowly.
"Hey, Wulkranoth… isn't there a way—"
Dr. Thomas raised his hand sharply.
"Don't try to stop me."
"Don't you dare."
Ron's voice hardened.
"I don't care about your conflict with the Watcher."
"But if you're on the right side… I'll stand with you."
He paused.
"But if you ever become a threat to Hero Town…"
His eyes sharpened.
"Then we'll be enemies."
Dr. Thomas nodded calmly.
"That's exactly what I expect from someone like you."
Silence returned.
Ron remained standing nearby.
Dr. Thomas spoke again.
"So, Ron… what are your plans now?"
"Are you staying here…"
"Or returning to the future?"
"I'm staying," Ron said.
"With Dream."
Dr. Thomas nodded.
"You have almost one year before your present self returns from training."
"I know."
Dr. Thomas studied him.
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
Ron thought for a moment.
Then he realized.
The research papers.
"What's inside these papers?" Ron asked.
"Many things," Dr. Thomas replied. "Things you're not ready to understand yet."
He flicked his finger.
A chair appeared out of thin air.
Dr. Thomas sat down calmly.
"The papers in your hand…"
He leaned back.
"…are only a tiny piece of my work."
Ron frowned.
"You mean you have more research?"
Dr. Thomas smiled.
"More?"
"I have an entire ocean."
"And you're holding… a single drop."
"The papers you have are practically useless."
He extended his hand.
"Now then…"
"May I have my research papers?"
Ron didn't move.
"Wait."
"Answer one more question."
Dr. Thomas leaned forward slightly.
"Of course."
"Ask anything."
Ron's eyes narrowed.
"Tell me about…"
He paused.
"…Foster."