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Epic died.
Now he has absolutely nothing wrong with this he’s died hundreds of times, many of them being his own suicides but none of them were permanent. Epic couldn’t die, his eye made sure of that, but now he has.
In the past Epic would have thought of this day as a joy, but now? All he felt was regret and guilt but most largely of all of his conflicting emotions he felt confusion.
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He’s dead, why in the multiverse is he still aware? Epic is almost sure he shouldn’t be, you’re not supposed to be aware after death, he knows this! He was never aware when he died! So what was different? Was it because it’s permanent? Wait… yeah, that’s probably it.
He felt around him to see where he was, was he still in his au? Epic moved his arm in search of something to grab but all he could feel was grass. Grass? He died in the judgement hall, there’s no grass in the judgement hall.
He shot up from where he was lying, his au! Gaster’s still alive! He has to help them, sure, he’s one of the weaker beings in his universe, but it’s Gaster they need all the help they can get!
Suddenly he heard something move. “Who’s there!” He yelled, looking around to notice he was lying in the middle of a field surrounded by forest, how did he get here? This most definitely wasn’t in his au.
“ Hello Epic.” A gentle voice greeted from behind him, but something was off, the voice felt familiar. Epic turned around to see Reaper standing behind him. Reaper looked at him in what has to be the most gentle look Epic has ever seen.
“Hey Reaper, you got any idea what’s going on right now? Or where we are?” Epic questioned, he still felt very confused on where they were but Reaper seemed at peace here.
“Yes, I do.” He replied calmly, Reaper still had his voice gentle as though he was trying to calm Epic down. It reminded Epic of when he would see Queen Toriel talk to her children. Epic would admit it was working, a little too well, he was starting to get tired.
“Hey what’s up with your voice? It’s like you added italics to your font, it’s starting to make me tired.” He meant it, he was having a struggle keeping his eyes open, if he didn’t have trauma resulting in insomnia he likely would already be asleep.
“I apologize, I often add those when I feel panic in a soul, I find it works very well for calming down a new soul.” Reaper explained.
New soul?
“A new soul?” He repeated the question he was thinking.
“Correct. A new soul is someone who had just died. They are often confused and slightly panicked as death often happens at unexpected times, although I feel as though that is not why you are alerted.” He explained.
“But I’m not a new soul!” He argued. “I need to get back to my au! My Gaster is back and he’s going to kill everyone!” No longer falling asleep, Epic tried to explain as quickly as he could but still get the point across, he had to get back.
“I apologize Epic, but you are a new soul therefore, I cannot do that for you. My job is to take souls so that they may rest, you have not rested in a long time, Epic. You deserve to rest after everything that has happened to you.” Reaper tried to make Epic understand that he deserves to rest and that he should rest. Reaper can know so much by looking at the soul, but Epic had died so many times, he kept dying and then living again through his torture for years. He deserved to rest.
“But I can’t rest, they’ll all die if I don’t go back, you have to understand,” Epic was starting to get desperate. If he didn’t go back his family would die .”Please let me help them. Let me save them.” Epic flinched as Reaper’s gaze became sharp yet still somehow kept a soft look, like a parent scolding their child.
“You are not your universe’s rock.” He stated sternly.
And Epic didn’t know how to respond.
How was he supposed to respond? He couldn’t admit Reaper was right, that would mean he couldn’t go back to help his brother. But Epic knew Reaper was right. He wasn’t his universe’s rock and he never was expected to be, Reaper is trying to make him understand that he shouldn’t try to be something he can’t handle when people never expected him to be that something in the first place.
“I’m sorry Reaper.” Epic looked at him in the eyes despite how much it hurt to. He could tell Reaper understood what was going to happen and he had no power to stop it.
Reaper just looked at him in a sympathetic and apologetic way . “You cannot run from death forever, child.”
“I don’t plan to.” And he meant it, once he was done he would go back here, and go with Reaper to wherever he wants Epic to go. “What universe are we in?” He asked, just to make sure he could return.
“There is no need to return this land, I will find you.” Epic knew he would. Reaper won’t stop until his soul is where it belongs and currently, it does not belong in this realm.
Finally, he teleported away.