God of Restoration

Chapter Nine

As Error only kept one beanbag in the Anti-Void, the group of ten monsters sit in a circle on the floor. One is technically laying down since he's still tied up and simmering in rage. Alloy is actually leaning against Scales, Horror curled on his side against Alloy's leg and Nightmare sitting cross legged on the other side. The rest are scattered about with all their attention on the god.

"So....... why are we in the Anti-Void? Error hated this place," Nightmare asks, looking around at all the empty space.

"I know right? This place gives me the creeps," Alloy shivers, "I mean, look at all this white! It's awful. And quiet...... no voices? That's a bonus........" He starts to ramble, avoiding the question.

"Alloy...... You know it's unavoidable, right? You have to tell them," Scales chides, moving his arm so that it jostles his brother. Alloy winces.

"That bad?" Dust sighs.

Dream is about to assure Alloy that nothing could make them hate him, but that's not the truth. There's a limit to anything, even love. Alloy is acting like this is more of a crime than anything Ink or Error have done.

"Okay, I will, but I've gotta do one more thing." Alloy gets up and crawls over to 404. He had been simmering quietly after exhausting himself with struggles, but he hisses and growls again when Alloy gets close. The god kneels next to him and opens up one of Error's famous windows. Alloy grabs it in his hands like he did in Ink's office and points it in 404's direction. "I really don't like doing this, but in this case, I'm only correcting a wrong," Alloy's says, mostly to himself. He's extremely on edge as he uses the screen to edit a few pieces of 404's code. It's wrong to mess with someone's being after they're given life. Thankfully, Ink could not do it. Alloy doesn't even want to think of what a soulless monster might deem necessary.

404 is struggling to shout and cures at Alloy, but the strings are wrapped tightly all over his body and mouth. What is that puppet doing!? Something binding in his code abruptly snaps. 404 goes limp as Alloy looks over at him, dropping the screen as it pixelates into nothing. 404 shakes his head and squints his eyes closed. When he opens them again, two bright blue eye lights look up in confusion. Alloy fixed 404's blindness. That's not all he's fixed. For the first time, there's no hatful gleam or angry threats.

"Ink created 404 with one purpose: to kill Error. It's all he can think about. 404's mind has been consumed in a haze of anger that won't let him ever rest. I know because I remember doing it. It's not right," Alloy glances around and meets the eyes of rest of the group. They have to understand that his death wasn't 404's fault. It's Alloy's in a weird way. "404, I took away your forced hatred. You can think clearly now about whatever you want. Your purpose is only what you decide it is." The purple stings uncoil and fade away.

Error 404 looks up at Alloy, still laying on the floor. He's never been without that guiding rage. New thoughts and emotions swirl and collide and fight to be heard, but more than anything else, he's tired. So, so tired. Tired of being angry and tired of fighting. He's spent so long trapped in his rage. But now, he feels..... lost almost. What is he supposed to do now? Alloy softens at this look and holds out a hand. 404 is hesitant. Didn't he kill Alloy a few days ago? A lot of it is a hazy red blur now. After a moment of indecision, Alloy huffs and grabs 404's hand to pull him up.

"Oh, and one other thing." The god raises one arm up, and the strings above begin to shiver. Red human souls of determination are shifted around above their heads until lighter souls are revealed underneath. Monster souls. "Error didn't kill the ones Ink sent after him. The strings have kept their souls intact. Subconsciously, maybe, he knew they could be- that I could bring them back."