//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7 - The Darkness Keeps Growing, 
// Story: Lost Dreamer 
// by Arceaion 
//------------------------------//

Hello Everyone, Arceaion here. I want to say thank you all for sticking with this story but also that that there is a lot that you haven't pieced together as to whats going on. Pieces that may seem arbitrary or random may actually hold important clues as to the true story that is hidden. Not everything is going to be spelled out and Not everything is an open book. Sometimes one must dig through the pages to discover the truth and other times The book that you have only gives half the answers.



Chara lay in a void of nothing that stretched out around her.  "💧︎□︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ◻︎●︎♋︎⍓︎♏︎❒︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ❍︎♋︎♎︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ❍︎□︎❖︎♏︎✍︎"
"So, the PLAYER has made there move?" Gaster asked calmly.

Cara nodded and sat up. "They have." 

The two sat in silence till Gaster sat up concern on his face. "💧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⬥︎♏︎♓︎❒︎♎︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ♒︎♋︎◻︎◻︎♏︎■︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎"
"Something weird is happening." He said as he turned to Chara.

Chara looked at him confused before closing her eyes and concentrating. "What do you mean weird, I don't sense anything anomalous in the Time Stream?

"👎︎□︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎♏︎❍︎♌︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♑︎♏︎■︎□︎♍︎♓︎♎︎♏︎ ❒︎◆︎■︎✍︎"
"Do you remember the Genocide Run?" Gaster asked.

"After what that thing put Frisk and then me through do you honestly think I could forget?" Chara asked in a sarcastic tone

"☠︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎🕯︎⬧︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♓︎ ❍︎♏︎♋︎■︎📬︎"
"No that's not what I mean." Gaster said as he face palmed. 
"👎︎□︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎♏︎❍︎♌︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♐︎♏︎♏︎●︎♓︎■︎♑︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♏︎❒︎❒︎□︎❒︎ □︎❒︎ ♒︎□︎◻︎♏︎●︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎■︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♌︎❒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎📪︎ ⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♐︎♏︎●︎⧫︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬥︎♋︎⧫︎♍︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎□︎❒︎●︎♎︎ ♑︎❒︎□︎⬥︎ ♎︎♋︎❒︎🙵📪︎  ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⧫︎◆︎❒︎■︎ ♏︎❍︎◻︎⧫︎⍓︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♎︎♏︎❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎ □︎♐︎ ♋︎●︎●︎ ●︎♓︎♐︎♏︎✍︎"
"Do you remember the feeling of terror or hopelessness that it brought, what it felt like to watch the world grow dark,  to see it turn empty and devoid of all life?" Gaster rose and looked at Chara in concern. 
"👎︎□︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎♏︎❍︎♌︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎⍓︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⬧︎◆︎♐︎♐︎□︎♍︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♒︎□︎⬥︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ◻︎◆︎●︎●︎♏︎♎︎ ♋︎⧫︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎❒︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⬧︎♋︎◻︎◻︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♒︎□︎◻︎♏︎ ♐︎❒︎□︎❍︎ ♓︎⧫︎✍︎"
"Do you remember the way it suffocated you how it pulled at your soul and sapped the HoPe from it?"

Chara looked away and didn't answer for a moment but finally she nodded. "Yes."

"✋︎⧫︎🕯︎⬧︎ ♒︎♋︎◻︎◻︎♏︎■︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎📬︎"
"It's happening again." Gaster said as he tuned away from her sadly.

Charas eyes lit up with red magic as she turned to him so fast he thought she teleported. "What do you mean it's happening again?!" She cried out in fear.

"✋︎ ❍︎♏︎♋︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♐︎♏︎♏︎●︎♓︎■︎♑︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ □︎■︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ❍︎♏︎♋︎■︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♑︎♏︎■︎□︎♍︎♓︎♎︎♏︎ ❒︎◆︎■︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ♌︎♋︎♍︎🙵✏︎"
"I mean that feeling, the one that means the Genocide run is back!" Gaster said as he raised himself up in anger before deflating and returning to his sad state. 
"✋︎⧫︎🕯︎⬧︎ ❍︎◆︎♍︎♒︎ ⬧︎●︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ♓︎⧫︎🕯︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎📬︎"
"It's much slower... but it's there." He sad sadly.

"So that means..." Chara took a deep breath and continued. "That can only mean one thing, right? Gaster said nothing. "It means that they're back... but how? How is this possible Gaster? I threw them into the void, ripped their body apart and scattered it to the wind!"

Gaster nodded. "✡︎□︎◆︎ ♎︎♓︎♎︎📪︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ 🙵♓︎●︎●︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♌︎□︎♎︎⍓︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❍︎♓︎■︎♎︎📬︎"
"You did, you killed the body but the mind." He said with a smirk. 
"❄︎♒︎♏︎ ❍︎♓︎■︎♎︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♓︎●︎●︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎📪︎ 🙰◆︎⬧︎⧫︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎ ♓︎🕯︎❍︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♓︎●︎●︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ❍︎♓︎■︎♎︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♓︎●︎●︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎📬︎"
"The mind is still there, just like I'm still here, their mind is still there."

"What can we do?" Chara asked.

Gaster sighed. "☠︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎"
"Nothing."

Chara's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean 'nothing'." Chara growled.

"❄︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎⍓︎ ⬥︎♏︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ ■︎□︎⬥︎📪︎ ⬥︎♏︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ♎︎□︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎ ✋︎■︎ □︎◆︎❒︎ ♍︎◆︎❒︎❒︎♏︎■︎⧫︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎❍︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♏︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ ◆︎⬧︎♏︎●︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎📬︎"
"The way we are now, we can do nothing. In our current forms we are useless." Gaster Replied.

Chara blinked as realization dawned and she smirked. "So what do we do?"

Gaster Laughed as he turned to her with a smile. "✋︎⧫︎🕯︎⬧︎ ❑︎◆︎♓︎⧫︎♏︎ ⬧︎♓︎❍︎◻︎●︎♏︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♎︎♏︎♋︎❒︎📪︎ ⬥︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎□︎❒︎♏︎ □︎◆︎❒︎⬧︎♏︎●︎❖︎♏︎⬧︎📬︎ ✋︎■︎⬧︎♓︎♎︎♏︎ ❍︎⍓︎ □︎●︎♎︎ ●︎♋︎♌︎ ♓︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ⬥︎□︎❒︎🙵♓︎■︎♑︎ □︎■︎ ♋︎ ♎︎♏︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎❍︎♓︎■︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ♌︎□︎□︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♋︎●︎●︎□︎⬥︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎♋︎♎︎⍓︎ ♋︎♍︎♍︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♓︎⧫︎🕯︎⬧︎ ◻︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎ ♒︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ⬥︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎⬧︎ ●︎□︎♍︎🙵♏︎♎︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎ ◆︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎♑︎❒︎□︎◆︎■︎♎︎ ♓︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎♍︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♋︎♌︎♋︎■︎♎︎□︎■︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎♋︎❒︎♍︎♒︎📬︎ ☜︎❖︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ■︎♏︎♋︎❒︎ ♍︎□︎❍︎◻︎●︎♏︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ♓︎ ♎︎♓︎♎︎■︎🕯︎⧫︎ ♌︎❒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎♏︎⬧︎📬︎"
"It's quite simple my dear, we restore ourselves. Inside my old Lab I was working on a Determination Booster that would allow monsters to have ready access to it's power however when the Humans locked Monsters underground I was forced to abandon my research. Even though it was near completion I didn't bring the notes."

Charas eyes widened. "If I used that I'd be at full power, the limiter on my body would be broken and I'd be able to use my magic at full power again!" She gasped in excitement.

Gaster nodded. "❄︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ ♋︎ ♐︎♏︎⬥︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⬧︎♒︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♌︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ◆︎⬧︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♓︎■︎ ❍︎⍓︎ □︎●︎♎︎ ●︎♋︎♌︎📬︎"
"There are a few things that should be of use to you in my old lab."

"You mean aside from a possible way to restore monsters?" Chara asked with a smile.

Gaster nodded. "👍︎♒︎♋︎❒︎♋︎📪︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♎︎□︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎■︎ ♓︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ⬥︎♋︎⍓︎ ⧫︎□︎ ❒︎♏︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ❍︎♋︎⍓︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ♌︎♏︎ ♓︎■︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ●︎♋︎♌︎📬︎ ✋︎♐︎ ♓︎⧫︎🕯︎⬧︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎ ⬥︎♏︎🕯︎●︎●︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎📬︎📬︎📬︎"
"Chara, you do know that even if there is a way to revive monsters it may not be in my lab. If it's not them we'll have to..." Gaster trailed off.

Chara looked away her smile fading. "If there is even a chance I have to take it."

The Void glitched and Chara shivered as The two occupants were changed. For a moment Chara was a Skeleton Monster and Gaster had the appearance of a man in his late twenties. "The Bleeding effect is growing worse." Gaster said as he returned to how he looked.

Chara groaned   "☠︎□︎⧫︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎ ♓︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ♎︎□︎ ♋︎■︎⍓︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎♌︎□︎◆︎⧫︎ ♓︎⧫︎📪︎ ♋︎♐︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ♋︎●︎●︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♓︎●︎●︎ □︎■︎●︎⍓︎ ♑︎♏︎⧫︎ ⬥︎□︎❒︎⬧︎♏︎📬︎"
"Not like I can do anything about it, after all it will only get worse." She said as she fell to her knees and returned to normal.

"If you don't then you'll be pulled into the Void." Gaster said as he rubbed his Skull. 

Chara nodded slowly. "I just need more time." Gaster hesitated but after a moment he nodded. Chara smiled sadly. "If we survive this it you owe me a drink." She said as the Void cracked.

Gaster laughed quietly. "✋︎♐︎ ⬥︎♏︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎🕯︎●︎●︎ ♌︎♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎□︎●︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♓︎🕯︎●︎●︎ ♌︎♏︎ ♐︎❒︎♏︎♏︎📬︎"
"If we survive this you'll be whole and I'll be free." He said. Chara laughed as the world Glitched and she was ripped from the Void.





Chara Gasped as she shot up her heart beating quickly as she gasped for breath. After a moment she winced and grabbed her chest in pain her mouth opening in a silent scream as her eyes glowed however it wasn't there normal red, instead Charas eyes glowed blue and orange. "⚐︎♒︎ ♐︎◆︎♍︎🙵♓︎■︎♑︎ ♑︎□︎♎︎ ♎︎□︎♏︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ♒︎◆︎❒︎⧫︎✏︎"
"Oh fucking god does this hurt!" She screamed in pain however her voice was distorted and overlaid with another. 

Slowly Chara got up but stumbled to and fell to her knees as the pain grew suddenly the door burst open and Asriel ran in looking around and seeing Chara on her knees clutching her chest. "Chara!" Asriel screamed in panic as he ran over to her and knelt next to her as his eyes glowed green and he placed a hand on her back as a green glow began to cover her. "Chara, are you okay?" He asked concerned.

"I'll be fine, just need a moment." After a moment she chuckled. "So this is what happens when my magic returns." She said calmly as she wince and rose. "How long was I out?"

Asriel sighed. "It's been a week." He said as he walked to the window and looked out. "We're at war with the Griffon Kingdom." He said.

Charas eyes widened on shock as he said this and when he turned to her a somber look was on his face. "The Princesses have ordered all Guards trained by us and prepped for real battle."

Chara frowned and walked over to Asriel joined Asriel at their window. "Are they sure Azzy?" She asked calmly. Asriel nodded and she sighed. "Call all guards to the training grounds, let's make an army." She said as she walked away and exited the room. 

Asriel sighed and looked out at the kingdom sadly before his eyes hardened and his face changed from sadness to a look of resignation, a look that had been on his fathers face for many years. "The time has come for the Reaper to walk the battle field again and for the souls of man to be Judged by the Arbiters of hell, for we are the monsters and they our prey." Calmly Asriel turned and walked away from the window his eyes glowing. "May God have mercy on them for we shall have none to give." Calmly he walked through the castle traveling the well remembered path to the training ground to see ranks upon ranks of guards standing at attention before Chara. Off to the side stood the princesses who wore a set of armor that reflected their spheres of influence, Celestia wore a pair of beautifully crafted gold armor while Luna wore a set of silver armor. With a sigh he calmly walked up and stood before the guards alongside Chara. Off to the side stood Grillby who now wore a set of armor emblazoned with the Delta Rune.

Chara sighed and then looked at the guards her eyes glowing red and her appearance change to her Arbiter form. "Stand at attention when superior officers are before you!" She yelled as she noticed many of the guards were relaxed. Immediately the guards jumped to attention and Chara frowned. "Drop every one of your weapons now." She said. 

Hesitantly the guards did so and she looked at Asriel who nodded and walked forward using his magic to levitate them away from the guards. "Until you can actually fight without weapons you will not be getting these back." She said angrily. "Now I don't know how to train guards so I won't be training you as guards. From here on out you are solders and you will be trained as soldiers. If you have a problem with that then the exit is that way pack your things and leave." She said as she pointed to the main gate. After several minutes on none of the guards moving she nodded and the gate slammed shut. "That was you one chance. Now we begin."

After that day Chara and Asriel trained the guard day and night. They taught them the basics of close quarters combat, basic tactics, strategy and planning. There was a lot of push back at first however Asriel and Chara made sure that if one of the guards caused problem then every single one of them would suffer a punishment, eventually the guards kept each other in line simply by not wanting to be punished and after several months the guards were competent enough to follow basic orders. Once Chara and Asriel were sure they were ready the guards were given wooden training swords and a set of extremely heavy armor before they were shown basic weapon maneuvers by Grillby, they were shown how to wield everything from a sword to more unconventional weapons such as a table and even how to use a helmet as a weapon. After this the guards were divided up in to groups of twelve, given their old weapons, a set of rusted armor and sent into the heart of the Everfree to survive for one month. 

During this time Asriel, Chara and Grillby divided their attention on what needed doing. Grillby went to the forges and taught them how to smith a proper weapons and armor made from steel, Orichalcum, Adamantite, Mythril and other metals. Asriel began drawing up battle plans and defensive lines for the up coming war with the Griffons, Chara continued monitoring the guards and often sent beast of the Everfree to attack the trainees that were doing too good. By the end of the month the guards returned pride emanating from them as they walked through the gates, their armor was shattered and their weapons broken but they had survived. Granted not all had made it but the ones who did stood tall and proud. 
When they returned they had stood before Grillby and Chara who had dismissed them to their barracks to rest. After returning to their barracks they found a set of newly made and pristine armor as well as a sword and spear laying on their beds. With these new weapons they trained harder both at the castle and in the forest, they were sent on missions to clear out monsters and protect the citizens till final after a month passed they once again all stood before the Princesses, Asriel, Chara and Grillby.






Chara and Asriel stood where they had six moths ago with Grillby off to the side and the Princesses watching after a moment the guards entered through the gates. The Guard had trained for a grand total of six months and as they stepped through the changes were as obvious as night and day. The Guards walked with pride as if they were a single entity rather than as a shambling crowd. The weapons they held shined in the light of the sun and their armor was as pristine as the day they had earned it. As they lined up they remained at attention, the discipline that Grillby and Chara ingrained into them showing. Many of the Guards had visible scars from their fights and there eyes were hard, a fire of determination burning within them.

The Princesses sat in shock as Chara and Asriel smiled. Grillby stepped forward and approached them. "At ease Guardsmen!" He shouted and the guard relaxed slightly but remained at attention. 

Once they had relaxed Chara stepped forward and spoke. "Six months ago you stood before your princesses as worthless men who could probably not fight your way out of a paper bag, today you stand before your princesses as warriors that have been forged into protectors and defenders. Congratulations are in order, you've passed your training."

"Thank you Ma'am!" The Guards shouted pride in their voice.

Chara smiled. "Six months ago Griffon invaders attacked us. They attacked this very castle, the heart of our kingdom, on that day war with the Griffon Kingdom was declared and we sent the best of the guard to fight them. For six months they have fought, bleed and barely held there ground against an invasion force of thousands of griffons. In three days we are leaving to reinforce those Guards and show the Griffons why they should fear Equestria! Today you earn the right of being Equestria First Guard, the sworn defenders who will protect this Kingdom." As Chara finished the Guards roared in applause. 

The next day the Royal Guard, lead by Chara and Asriel, marched out of Everfree Castle and through the village that surrounded it. As they made their way through the town the ponies cheered as the army marched through it and for the front lines of the Griffon Kingdom. However despite the cheers they received many of the guards had a sad look on their face for they knew that this war would claim many of them, and that it wouldn't be over for a long time. Chara watched them with a hint of pride, they knew the risks yet they remained loyal and marched, willingly to what may be their deaths.