Dragon brand (an Undertale Au with multiverses on multiverses)

I see you in the begining

In an almost empty Au, housing only bare, rolling hills, a portal opens. It's larger than life, it's glitching border looking like it's trying to swallow the purple grass in a single bite. It wouldn't be the first time a universe of its kind was swallowed whole but luckily, or unluckily, the "world eater" who summoned the portal finds himself actually lacking in appetite for once. Though that's not exactly fair, he usually doesn't feel hungry, nor does he destroy Aus to satiate a desire to consume anything. No, this time he will not be destroying this Au (though it is doomed none the less)

After checking that the cost is clear, a dragon finally steps through the portal, allowing it to collapse in on itself as soon as the very tip of his tail is free from the void between the dragon's previous location and this one. The dragon itself is immense in size, having to duck slightly despite the portal's grandeur. Even with his dark wings pressed against his sides in a way that highlights their (already unnaturally visible) bone structure and with his cobra-like neck curved into an elegant 'S' shape, he still manages to take up so much space.

Aware of his inability to hide, Error scans the Au for any life that wasn't there before. He already scoped this spot out but he can never rule out Vitality (the life-giver) visiting such a "empty place" and filling it with insects and whatnot that just love to flock to the blue pulse of the destroyer's magic (as if any of the Aus he's seen her do that to where nearly 'empty') He's seen the Antivoid before he took the time to decorate a little, he knows what real emptiness looks like.

Error shakes his head as if it would somehow banish the thoughts completely, that's not what he's here for. The dragon lets out a heavy sigh that causes the grass around him to rustle in a ripple-effect that soothes his anxieties somewhat. He can already feel the temporary layer of magic Dreamcatcher cast on him thinning, he needs to carry out his plan as quickly as possible.

With that thought, the dragon finally takes a step forward, starting his treck to the shrine they all agreed to meet him at. He's surprisingly light on his feet for such a large creature and but he makes good time, crossing a large distance of rolling earth in such a short amount of time. Maybe he should have been more specific with his portal location but to be fair he wasn't sure how long the opportunity to slip past the commotion would last and he wasn't about to risk getting caught in no man's land again over a few hundred miles.

The brevity of the treck doesn't make him any less relieved when a small stone structure comes into view. Well, small in comparison to him. He's not sure how large the build really is since he's never seen any " regular mortals" in one of these ancient meeting ground Aus (neutral lands from before the dragon age, characterized by vast rolling hills and seemingly random structures of unknown origin).

It suddenly hits Error that this structure in particular is about to be the key to his escape a well deserved break. It's not much, just six or so ornate pillars holding up five sections of delicate stone roofs, each housing a different sized well and a miniature bell tower that houses somthing more akin to a giant wind-chime.

A simple exhale is all it takes for Error to ring the bell. A crisp but heavy ring fills the air where only a slight breeze was and the pale blue sky suddenly plunges into the deep purple of night.

" hello?"

The chime fades into the chirping of a voice, more and more joining until they create a soft buzz. Spirits, keepers, gods and the like all fade into some sort of tangency before him, the silhouettes of creatures of all shapes and sizes coming to life with a soft white glow. They all hold (or at least used to hold) some sort of power over the physical world but there are really only six that catch the dragon's eyes, they also happen to be the ones he can hear much clearer.

The humanoid shapes of the old gods fade into existence and prescrivait beam up at the dragon. At the chitter of their voices and an exaggerated wave, Error lets himself be beckoned down to them. The indescribable buzz that accompanies the touch of a god fizzling against all sorts of spots on his muzzle as he's greeted as an old friend, even if they have only ever spoken briefly since he was a child. At least their touch doesn't make his skin feel like it's turning inside out, even if it's not comfortable.

"Error!"

"You made it"

" how are you doing, love?"

" how long until you are in need of healing? If you're running out of time we are ok if we just rush"

And other sweet words that mean nothing welcome Error, though the creeping exhaustion forces him to actually be honest in letting them know that he doesn't have much time. His wounds from the, now corrupted, guardian of negativity's first rampage are still yet to see some actual healing and he does not want to be anywhere where anything from this world can find him when the thinning layer of magic dissipates and he's forced to actually feel any of the fresh injuries.

The fading gods understand, of course, and it's likely would have been forced to hurrry anyways. They're all just relieved that they convinced Error that they can retrieve him once they actually have need of him, otherwise he never would have agreed to leave.

You see, Error is a proud dragon and he is one that rejects and vulnerability. It's incredibly common for him to neglect his own needs and even with the sudden imbalance and the battles that could only be declared as war he would never agree to sit safe and sound in the Antivoid, let alone letting the gods show their (basically oldest) child some favoritism if he thought there was someone with a greater need.

But for better or for worse, Error is tired. When Nightwatcher was corrupted, he may have been hurt the worst (both since he was standing closest to the nightmare and because the two had been close friends even before the mirror). Even before that he had been losing his motivation, his will, his drive. All he wants is to be able to give up and through giving up this way he can keep his pride.

And so the gods gather together, pooling what strength they have left to make sure this doesn't end up a disaster. Error watches as they take each other's hands and reach upwards. The entire fabric of reality ripples under their touch before they deliberately start to tear.

It opens like a gash in the side of the very sky, a shimmering and overwhelming darkness, unlike even the void seen behind the mirror, making reality's gaping wound all the more clear. It hums with an unwelcoming energy but Error hardly thinks about it before he's stepping through. He felt a shift that foretells the arrival of something else in that Au and he doesn't need to waste the god's dwindling strength.

Error steps into the tear in reality and steps through the fabric of a new one.

At the same time, as if it was torn away by the very void itself, the destroyer feels a million unpleasant sensations crash into the barrier of healing magic that had been keeping him sane, making it give way.

Honestly? he just hopes the multiverse he stumbles into is a lucky one that won't slaughter him in his sleep or somthing... but then again, when has Luck ever been on the same side as Error?

Then again, at this point? What's the worst that can happen to him?

(Woo! Welcome to my new fic, that I hopefully actually posted despite my brain deciding that no new things can be posted even though that's how to make it more likely that I finish it- if it's isn't a one shot in the first place. If you are seeing this, great! This idea gives me a quite few vivid images that I probably won't do justice but I'll do my best to tell this story despite that. Hope you enjoy!)