The Void Comes

"Open your eyes…."

Darkness…. Eternal darkness. What happened to me?

"Damn it! Open your eyes!"

Is that…?

"Roman! For the love of God! Open your eyes!"

Edrege?

Roman opened his eyes, slowly taking in his surroundings, the entirety of Dreemurr castle had collapsed. Fire and rubble were all that surrounded the scientist. He lost control again. He couldn't take it. This feeling of despair, brought only by the acknowledgement of his own power. It was unfair, and he hated himself for it.

"Thank goodness you're okay Roman… I thought… I thought you disappeared for good."

Finally Roman's eyes landed on the man who was once his best friend, and he looked worse for wear. Burns on his wrists, ankles and neck, his fur matted and dirty.

"Edrege? What… what's going on?" Roman asked, feeling as if he was hungover.

"You toppled the castle old friend, normally I'd be upset, but, you freed me in your rampage so I can only show my gratitude" Edrege responded laughing to himself.

"As always, you really struggle to hold back don't you?" The goat prince continued.

Roman looked away, gazing back upon the blazing rubble of the castle, stepping further into it with a frown.

"This is a problem Edrege. I had come here to get Chara, and now, she might be trapped in the rubble" Roman assessed regarding the situation.

"Or dead" Edrege chimed on

Roman shook his head, he couldn't reveal the truth of Chara's powers to Edrege, but he knew she couldn't be dead "That girl is far too resilient. Will you help me search for her?"

Edrege gave a soft nod as he gazed over the rubble of his old home "Asriel must have been here as well. Let's get to searching"

As the duo turned over rubble in search of any survivors, most specifically Chara and Asriel, Roman felt a strange sense of dread. As if this search was leading to their ultimate demise. He had to stop, and take a second.

He needed to breathe, he was about to run in fear when he saw it. A singular hand sticking out from the rubble. He couldn't waste anytime. Roman rushed towards the hand and began unburying the person beneath. Moving rock after rock.

"Edrege! Over here! I've found Asriel!"

Quickly, Edrege had made his way over to Roman and together they unburied the young Dreemurr boy who was almost entirely unconscious, muttering in his unconscious state.

"Ch…. Chara…. Chara"

Roman stepped back, his mind racing back to the time Asriel had tossed Chara over the railings. He remembered his dream of Asriel being pulled into the Machine, the vessel in which the void seeped through into their physical plane of existence.

He started to back up, the bad feeling he was getting, the overwhelming sense of dread. Roman was backing up as quickly as he could.

"Edrege, you need to step away from him, now!"

Edrege turned to look at Roman, but as he did, Asriel had stood up, his size had increased drastically as he was able to hold Edrege in the air by his throat.

Edrege tried desperately to escape the grasp but couldn't as intense pain filled his entire body. He was kicking and screaming as a thick black liquid began pouring from his eyes, the iris disappearing, the sclera turning an onyx black and pupil a bright red.

Asriel released his hold on Edrege who fell to his knees coughing up the same liquid that had been pouring from his eyes.

Roman didn't dare to approach, instead turning to run away but as he did a massive mace flung right past his head. Roman turned and saw Edrege now standing, staring at him with a crooked smile.

Next to him was Asriel with the same crooked smile on his face. The void was using Asriel as a vessel, but something was wrong, Asriel didn't consume Edrege as the void should do.

A chill ran up his spine as Asriel began to speak. "I see now… Roman. It was all your fault. We had a happy family… We had a happy life. But your greed, your selfishness. You strove for perfection and where has it lead you. Your ultimate demise. Your greatest fear realized, but I will take back what you've taken from me"

No… The Void wasn't using Asriel as a vessel. Asriel was piloting the void! He's in control! Roman couldn't run, he could only face this threat head on. He prepared himself for the two on one fight, but to his shock, Asriel left.

He wasn't sure what Asriel had planned but it couldn't be good. That's when it dawned on him. If Asriel is connected with the void, and Edrege is part of the void now too.. even Chara couldn't reset this.

If Asriel and Edrege aren't killed then they will never stop no matter what. Even then, would the reset be able to affect them? Roman had to wonder. Would killing them now be permanent, or after they die can they be reset?

Right now it didn't matter, Roman just smiled, knowing that once again he'd be facing his former best friend, who was now far stronger than ever before, somehow it excited him. Maybe he would be able to go all out without feeling guilty.

Or perhaps a darker urge, the prospect of killing his once best friend without need to feel guilty about it. Whatever it was, Roman was ready to fight.

________________________________________

Asriel warped himself deep into the laboratory, floating across from the three shocked women. Rose, Chara and Samas.

Quickly recovering from the shock, Rose pushed Samas and Chara to the side as Asriel rushed towards the Trio. Before Asriel got a hold of Rose she raised her hand, a thorn dagger piercing through Asriel's wrist, causing him to recoil.

Asriel couldn't retaliate as Rose disappeared from his vision before appearing once again behind him, plunging another rose dagger into his back.

"Quick! Get to the safe room! Now!" Rose cried out, begging for Samas and Chara to escape, but much to her shock, the two immediately joined the battle.

Chara rushed at the corrupted Asriel, summoning a glowing red knife in her hand and slashing him across the chest. Samas began firing her gun at Asriel as well, nailing every shot.

Samas' used magic bullets, allowing her infinite ammo to continuously burrow its way into Asriel.

Rose was shocked to see the two fighting with her, but found a new conviction to continue fighting despite the dire circumstances

________________________________________

Roman dodged another Mace flying past his head, pink flames bursting forth as he grabbed hold of the handle, ripping it from the hands of Edrege and spinning to hit the corrupted Edrege in the face and sending him across the capital.

Edrege seemingly took no damage rising to his feet and wiping blood from his face, a smile forming which was twisted and disgusting.

Roman felt a sinking feeling in his gut that he was going to die here, and that there was nothing to be done. Everything he worked for, he didn't even get to tell anyone about the bunker to protect them from the void.

He had a realization, everything he worked for had always been for nothing. His discovering of alternate universes which lead him to understand the void, creating his reset watch to be able to make resets of his own, torturing Chara, building the bunker. It was all worthless.

He couldn't help but start laughing, no longer paying attention to his opponent who was charging at him. He just laughed and laughed as Edrege smashed his weapon against Roman's head, sending him flying.

A vivid flash appeared in his mind of when Samas smashed his head open. He was launched through multiple building and buried under the rubble, but it didn't matter.

The rubble melted around him as he continued laughing, rising to his feet through the molten rock.

"It's all worthless… it's so worthless. If my choices don't matter it's not real…"

Roman was laughing uncontrollably, his insane laughter echoing throughout the underground.

He couldn't contain his laughter, it was impossible, even with Edrege closing the distance and beating on him.

He could feel his body, his skull, everything beginning to fall apart under the weight of his old friends blows. Yet he wasn't reacting, there was no pain anymore. All he could feel was absolute bliss.

Edrege was blasted away, flames bursting from Roman as he stood once more. His laughter had not ceased. His insanity had reached its peak.

"It's not real don't you get it?! None of it! None of this mattered! I can burn this entire fucking universe away and just go to the next! It never mattered! It's not real! A bunch of predetermined bullshit"

"No, I'm done playing these games. Fate? Destiny? If I'm not real I'll just make myself real! I'll burn it all away, every last shred of everything! Until there's nothing left!"

He roared as he now took the offensive, rushing at Edrege and landing a right hook into his opponents jaw. Roman followed this with a devastating combo, first delivering an uppercut before a left hook.

The moment the left hook connected, Edrege's lower jaw shattered, being blown off his face. Edrege's tongue was left rolling out of his disfigured face, only his upper jaw remaining. Blood pouring from his mouth.

It was like it didn't matter. Edrege swung at Roman, an attempt to regain ground but was met with a knee to the gut, toppling him over as Roman now stood behind him, holding his head.

"I'd almost feel bad if you were real, but you're not"

Edrege had no time to react as Roman swiftly tore his head off his body, crushing it in his hands and spraying both blood and viscera all over him. The once good doctor finally snapped. Seeing Edrege's lifeless corpse spew blood from where his head once was, falling over onto the ground, it brought him such joy.

He was ready to do yet even more damage to Edrege's body when a voice called out to him. "Roman?! What is happening here?!"

Roman turned, only to be met with the face of his dear brother, Dr Gaster. Gaster had been caught in the crumbling castle as he had been visiting with Asriel when it came crashing down. He had stopped by to do a wellness check and was on his way out, only freeing himself from the rubble as of recent

"Roman, what the hell is going on, the castle has fallen apart, and you've just… you've killed the crown prince?"

Gaster was horrified by his brother right now, walking backwards as Roman approached trying to avoid Roman getting close. His back was against a wall, allowing Roman to fully close the gap.

"So what? None of this is real. This fabric, this veil, a bunch of predetermined bullshit. If we don't have free will, what are we? No better than 1s and 0s… we aren't real. We never were real. I can be real though"

Gaster cried out in pain as he felt a deep dull pain. Roman had reached through the physical barrier and grabbed hold of his very soul. The sensation was unlike anything that could ever be described. The pain beyond anything imaginable.

Roman just smiled, hugging his brother tightly before speaking. "And you will be right there with me when I am"

Roman pushed his brother away, ripping his soul out from his chest. Gaster crumbled to dust almost instantly. Roman could no longer feel guilty, he only felt the need to progress. So, he absorbed his brother's soul, laughing a bit as he gained his brother's knowledge.

Although his joy was cut short as a large spiked weapon was brought to his face, sending him flying once more. Roman was in disbelief, there before him stood Edrege's headless body still functioning. He felt a sinking dread as the bones, the muscle, the marrow. It all slowly reformed.

"You can't kill destiny Roman. It's all that you are."

Roman couldn't help but laugh once more, slowly rising to his feet and glaring back at this horrific creature. He felt a fire in his heart, now not only did he have his desire and ambition, he had his brother's will to always push forward. Roman had no more weaknesses.

"Then I will just make sure destiny will never want to get back up"

The monster had no time to react as Roman closed the gap between them almost instantly, so quickly he didn't see it coming. Following suit, he hadn't realized twelve holes had been burst through his torso, fire bursting from his body as it was slowly falling to its knees once more

"How many times will I have to kill you I wonder? Before you finally stop moving once and for all?"

________________________________________

The heat was rising, alarms were blaring, but it didn't seem to phase the four fighters. Asriel was being pushed back by the onslaught, Chara's power, Samas' infinite supply of bullets and Rose's unrelenting attacks.

Rose was the core of this attack strategy. As long as Rose was an active player, he couldn't make a move on the other two.

Asriel frowned, taking every attack with a thoughtful expression, trying to come up with a plan, but there wasn't anything that came to mind. He couldn't reach into the shadow realm until this world had been consumed. The void was powerful, but even it had its limits.

There are three levels which dictate existence. Existence itself, the void and between. The between is impenetrable to the void, allowing existence safety. When resets happen, that line between the void and existence closes for a brief moment.

The line has continuously gotten smaller and smaller with each reset, which has finally allowed it to enter and claim a host, but even now it was still such a pain.

He cried out in pain as he felt the tendons in his ankle being slashed by Rose, they had been waiting for this moment. Rose jumped away from Asriel, grabbing hold of both Chara and Samas, dragging them to Roman's bunker and tossing them in.

Before she could climb in herself, Asriel had already healed, grabbing ahold of Rose. The other two tried to go after her, but before they could exit the bunker, Rose threw one of her thorns, slamming the door shut.

"Rose! No! You can't do this" Chara shouted through the glass, desperately trying to break through.

Rose couldn't afford to pay attention, she once more disappeared into the shadow realm, reappearing once more behind Asriel, but it didn't work this time. Asriel turned quickly and back handed her, sending her through the wall.

"It's very exceedingly rare for a being such as yourself to exist, accessing the world between so easily. I'm almost curious. Instead, I'd rather you die!"

As he went to deliver the final blow on Rose, the roof above him caved in and the chamber was filled with a pink flame, melting through nearly everything in sight. Everything, except the bunker was melting.

________________________________________

Asriel was shocked, he couldn't believe it, Roman came bursting through the roof with a horrifically burnt and mutilated corpse. It was Edrege, completely and entirely broken.

Asriel moved to attack Roman, but the flames pushed him back. Roman didn't hesitate, launching himself at Asriel and grabbed him by the throat, burrowing him deeper and deeper underground as they hurtled to the center of the planet.

Roman didn't care anymore he needed to prove to himself and the universe he was real.

________________________________________

Rose, watching the descent went into a panic, rushing over to the bunker

"Alright you can let me in now!"

Samas opened the door for the plant girl, allowing her in and quickly shutting it once more.

"What the hell was that?!"

Samas asked, she was terrified. It seems the changes were reverting, she was going back to her old self. Before the resets.

Rose turned to look at Samas, shrugging and taking a deep breath.

"It was Dr Roman. He's stronger than any of us gave him credit for. Thank God he's on our side"

________________________________________

They blasted through the outer core, straight into the center core, the world rumbling around them as they stood in the heat, the immense pressure weighing down on Roman.

Roman knew for sure that he needed to take out Asriel now. The Voids influence was small, Asriel was still weak, this was nothing compared to what he would face if the Void gained full influence through Asriel.

He winced as he felt the inner core melting below him under his heat. Laughing a bit as he began to understand himself further. Blasting Asriel with these flames deeper and deeper into the inner core, the iron and nickel melting and becoming solid once more as Roman continued his attempts to not just kill Asriel, but bury him in the core of the planet.

Asriel was screaming in pain from the intense heat of the molten iron and nickel, from Romans flames and from anger as he was slowly welded into the earths core.

Roman, seeing Asriel gone couldn't help but laugh like a mad man once more, looking up with a smile

"Listen here and now, I am Dr Roman! I control my own fate! My own destiny!"

Roman laughed jumping out of the hole he built himself. He knew that wouldn't hold Asriel for long, he just needed time, time that the void wouldn't allow. He needed to make it to the bunker.

Finally having climbed out he slowly approached his bunker, knocking on the door and looking at the three women inside. This wasn't the group he would have chosen, but maybe better.

Chara was extremely strong and agile. One of the best fighters in the underground. Rose's Connection to the world between was fundamental, a sure fire escape from the void no matter how limited, and Samas, a genius rivalling even his own, with terrifying and secret skills.

Yes, she would be quite useful. All of them would. The door to the bunker opened slowly, and he stepped in, his heat had died down, allowing safety for everyone involved.

The moment he stepped into the bunker he made his way to a computer, typing away.

"Roman, I need answers what the hell is going on?!" Chara was frantic, desperate for answers. Rose had passed out after ovexerting herself so much, and Samas was struggling with her morals returning, crying in a corner.

"It's, complicated. As I've learned it turns out the void is a conscious entity. It is aware. It's now merged with Asriel, amplifying his darkest thoughts and urges. Asriel seems to be in control while at the same time being manipulated."

"A dark, sick, twisted parasitic relationship. Don't be mistaken, it is still your brother, everything being done is on him. We need to go"

Chara wanted to ask more questions but was pushed out of the way by Roman so he could pull a lever, causing the bunker to begin shaking.

________________________________________

A rumbling began to occur in the planet's core, darkness seeping through cracks and slowly consuming it. Through the darkness Asriel slowly slipped out of the core, laughing to himself.

"Oh Dr Roman. You have always been a threat. I had no idea you could be so strong. You need to die, now"

Asriel slowly began to rise from the hole, his feet never touching the ground as he rose through the layers of the planet whilst each layer began to be consumed by the void, his laughing uncontrollable now as he approached the bunker, looking in at Samas and Chara. He couldn't hear them, but somehow, he knew they could hear him.

"You can run wherever you want, hide in whatever alternate universe you want. In the end it simply will not matter. I will find you if it's the last thing I do. Our family will be whole again thanks to me. Just you wait"

Samas and Chara were horrified, staying as far away from the door as possible, and right before Asriel's eyes the bunker disappeared in a flash of light.

No longer concerned for anything, he rose back to the main surface, the underground almost entirely consumed by the void.

Asriel appeared in what remained of the castle's flower garden, standing over two graves. Asgore Dreemurr and Toriel Dreemurr.

"You were taken from me unfairly, but that's okay. We will be a family again"

He extended his hands towards the two graves, as he did so the ground began to shake as the The King and Queen rose from their graves. Much like Edrege their eyes were a solid black with glowing red pupils and a black liquid oozing from their eyes.

The voids infection did not limit itself to life and death, but whatever Asriel wanted. Asgore and Toriel looked to Asriel with a horrifying crooked smile, one that Asriel returned as he rose into the air.

Slowly making his way to the barrier, Asriel waved his hand and instantaneously the Barrier shattered, Mt Ebott beginning to quake and split open. The skies above including the sun being blotted out by a powerful darkness.

"Disgusting humanity. Your resets, your everything. Across infinite timelines. Across infinite alternate universes. I can fix that."

Asriel waved his hand, and in that instant, 7 billion screams rang out, the planet itself being consumed by the void, but this wasn't the end. The universe itself in an instant fell as the void seeped in through the cracks.

Beyond the physical plane, time, space the very idea of this timeline was gone. Never to exist again.

"I'll find you Roman, because now, no world can resist my entry! All will become one with the void!"