The Revenant: From the Ashes

Chapter 1: Like a Drowning Man

"....How long has it been? Days? Months?.....".

"....Milliniums....?".

The once proud warrior wondered as he sat in the endless, pitch black realm known as the void. He looked around the darkness that enveloped him in every direction, his thoughts scattered in his mind in a crazed manner.

Gaster lost track of time a long time ago, as his mind began to slowly slip into insanity; slowly killing whatever sense of rational the doctor had left. His physical body also began to disintegrate, a consequence of being trapped for far too long in this prison.

Gaster tried to breath deeply to calm his raging mind and soul, but nothing worked.

He was restless, he was angry.

But most important of all: he was tired, mournful even.

Gaster spent the majority of his time cursing the cultists who brought forth Armageddon upon the Omniverse, who took away from him his best friends and his life. Because of them, everything that he knew was reduced to ash, everything that he loved was stepped on and butchered; leaving him alone to suffer for what seemed like eternity

What kind of cruel creature would damn their enemies to a fate that is worse than death? A fate similar to his?

But...this wasn't even the only reason why Gaster was so angry and remorseful.

Ever since the downfall of the kingdom, and the death of his unit; the Omniverse was not spared from the threats that immediately emerged, triumphant that no longer will anyone stand in their way towards their aspirations.

Through the window that separated him from the realm of reality, Gaster helplessly watched as entire universes were reduced to ash by these monsters, even enslaved by them.

Hopelessness almost consumed him, making him accepting the painful fate of having to see everything he worked so hard for being reduced.....to this, but something within the former scientist refused to give up; as if it was holding unto some kind of hope that he could escape this realm, that he can rectify all of this.

This tiny bit of hope that his soul desperately clung unto gave Gaster an idea, an idea that had very slim chances to actually succeed.

But he had nothing to lose now, didn't he?

So the once royal scientist devised a plan, perhaps the only plan that will ever work. He mustered what little power he had left to break the barrier that separated him from reality temporarily. With the little amount of time he was given, he sought the strongest individuals who possessed an awesome power so he can fuse with them.

He needed a very strong source of energy, if it meant that he will be able to escape the void.

Gaster thought over his plans over and over again as he carefully studied the consequences of such fusion. He realized that if he were to ever fuse with someone, then they will stay like this for the rest of their lives. Gaster would not even be physically present in the world, he would be like a ghost roaming the world but confined within the vessel.

In a way, Gaster would restore part of his freedom, but he was willing to sacrifice the rest of it.

If it meant to guard the Omniverse once more.

He would train his vessel to use his powers and abilities, and groom them to become the next Omniversal guardian. Gaster realized, with a heavy heart, that his days as the Omniverse's protector are long gone.

But...he at least had the ability to raise someone to take his place, to safeguard the innocents as he once did.

To carry over the legacy of the warriors who fell in battle, defending their home against Zalgo's tyranny.

So Gaster began searching. He used his extensive knowledge of the Omniverse to seek the individual who met his expectations, to fuse with them so he can revive the Legion of Peace once more.

Yet to no avail, there was not a single soul who possessed the abilities that Gaster had expected.

Gaster kept trying, he tried and he tried as he desperately kept clinging unto what little amount of hope he had left, like a man desperately hanging unto a rope to not drown.

But that man would eventually drown, deep down; Gaster's hope began to slowly fade as each and every attempt of contact miserably failed.

Alas, Gaster was close to finally accepting defeat, that Zalgo really earned the ultimate victory in the end. The Omniverse will never know the peace they endured millenniums (?) ago, and the innocents will keep falling unto the hands of the monsters that longed to spread havoc and destruction.

Gaster had failed.

Or so he thought.

A mix of malevolent and pure energy caught the attention of the void dweller, he turned his eyes to the right and he saw a trail of red and black flowing to a certain direction; as if it was tempting him to follow it.

"What is this...?". He thought to himself.

From the confines of the void, he used the mirror of separation to follow this trail. The trail eventually lead him to an unfamiliar universe, one that he never knew of.

And all of the sudden, the scientist was reduced to his knees by an unforgiving aura.

An aura that came from the same malevolent energy he dared to follow.

"What is this aura?!". Gaster exclaimed as he struggled to get up. "It's so....violent!".

Gaster was all-too familiar with power that spread an intimidating atmosphere around it, but this was new. Gaster never felt such hatred and malice, aside from Zalgo, that forced him on his knees.

It even bypassed the barrier between reality and the void.

"Just...What did I get myself into?". Gaster thought to himself as he desperately tried to get up.

Has he seriously gotten this weak? Or is it just this violent, malicious energy?

However, much to Gaster's relief; it wasn't the only source of energy that he felt.

There was a form of pure energy, an energy that was the literal opposite of the malicious energy he felt.

It was so kind and pure, Gaster would've thought that it was divine by nature. He was drawn to this power, whatever it was; he knew that it would suffice.

Could this be? Did he find what he so desperately sought during all of those years? Can this individual....would he trust him?

Gaster, in despair yet with a little bit of optimism, prayed that he would.

So he forced himself to stand once more, overcoming the overwhelming aura of darkness with every last bit of power he had, with all of what remained of his hopes and dreams.

And he marched forward.