God of Restoration

Chapter One

Dream, Guardian of Positivity, doesn't know what to think anymore. Everything has been changing so fast, and it's becoming hard for him to remain optimistic.

Unlike most incodes, Dream had turned his back on his AU after what it did to him and his brother. There wasn't much of it left after the incident, anyways. Dream has regretted it every day for not seeing how Nightmare suffered. The villagers did not want negativity. They only wanted positivity, and Dream took their bribes and manipulation as friendship. He only realized it when Nightmare snapped. Dream has never once blamed him for it. All he's ever wanted is to try and mend their bond.

Ink found Dream after Nightmare's corruption. The Guardian of positivity was lost and now without a purpose or his brother. Unknown to Dream, this was shortly after Ink had created Error 404. The Creator had promised himself that no one but him would ever fight Error after that. Dream may have become another soldier if not for this. Instead, Ink took Dream from his crumbling world and offered him a home. Ink introduced him to the Multiverse.

Dream knows now that he could have been the next Paper Crane: fodder to fall to the destroyer. Alloy had found the truth, and it broke him. Dream was uncertain of how he felt about Alloy at first. Knowing Ink wasn't against it might be the only reason that Dream didn't initially try harder to get his best friend back. Alloy is very similar to Ink, but he's also Error. Ink was Dream's hero. That illusion has been shattered. Ink was not the good guy, and although Error wasn't exactly good, he wasn't as terrible as everyone thought.

And then Alloy was killed by one of Ink's weapons. Error 404 hates both Ink and Error. 404 refused to believe that they were gone, and thought that the new God of Balance was just Error being puppeteered by Ink. Alloy never wanted to fight after learning about how his two components treated 404. Combined with that and his poor combat skills, 404 was able to rip Alloy apart as his friends could only watch. Dream remembers feeling utterly useless as the young God looked up with utter terror. Of course, Dream has always seen himself as weaker than his brother. Nightmare was able to escape his bonds out of pure rage. Such strong emotions have never come from so far deep in Nightmare's soul since before the incident. He took back Alloy's soul and broke almost every bone in 404's body before Dream could convince him to stop. In a way, it was a blessing. Nightmare smiled at his brother for the first time in decades once the tar-like substance on his body retreated.

It got worse. Nightmare collapsed shortly after the battle. He was coughing up a mixture of blood and corruption.

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"B-Boss!?"

"Nightmare!" Dream screams, rushing forwards, he manages to grab onto his brother before he hits the floor, supporting Nightmare with one knee on the ground. Alloy's soul drops and hits the floor where it slides away. Blue picks it back up, shaking slightly, spooked from the recent battle. He watches numbly as Dream and Dust struggle.

"What's wrong him him!? Boss? Nightmare!? Can you hear me?" Dust is starting to panic now. He throws one of Nightmare's arms over his shoulder to help prop him up. The King of negativity is listless and unresponsive.

"We need to get him to Sci," Dream's voice is shaky. He can't loose his brother right after getting him back. But Alloy is dead.

"Take him, then. I'll look after Alloy," Blue mumbles. His eye lights are only pinpricks. He cups the soul delicately to his chest.

"Okay. Dream, open up a portal to Nightmare's mansion. The others can protect him and Alloy until we get Nightmare patched up," Dust nods, trusting Blue. Dream almost tries to argue. Almost. There's no time right now to deal with both Alloy and Nightmare. Alloy's soul is technically indestructible, unlike Nightmare. His brother may be dying.