They say that war never changes, after seeing it for so long I'm inclined to agree. I was too young to remember the war Monsters had against Humans but from what Chara told me it was a bloody conflict caused by greed and corruption, Even Frisk agrees with that statement so I guess it is. Despite that I have seen war, I've seen several actually. The first was almost right after Chara came back from the dead and it's known as The Great Griffon War. It was the first war the princesses and Equestria had as a whole against an outside force and I'd say it was when I was twenty... okay so that was my physical age but if you want to be technical I was actually around one thousand eight hundred and twenty three. Chara's the same age as me because she was still alive all that time I was a flower just as a soul that I hosted unless there was a human, but that beside the point. The point is that I've seen war for a long time and every time it's because of greed and corruption. Chara and I hate war but it always seems we get thrown into them no matter what we do.
The hardest part isn't copping with the actually killing part, on the field of combat, it's either kill or be killed and no matter how much I hate that mentality it holds true. No, what I hate is watching families say far well to loved ones as I march them to their death. Good ponies who only want to protect their loved ones and homes sent to die, Grillby tells me it will get easier but I don't think it ever will.
Is this what you endured father? Is this the weight you carried on your shoulders each day of the war and after? If it is I think I understand now, at least a little bit. If Chara ever figures out how to revive Monster Kind and you read this I want you to know I understand now. Heavy is the weight of leadership and the sacrifices we make... there is only so much we can bear till the toll of our sins crushes us underneath.
Asriel sighed as he closed the book he wrote in and placed it back in the bag he kept his positions in. With a groan he rose and exited the tent only to be met with a face full of wind and snow; Ariel frowned before bundling up his cloak and walking further into the cold. As he walked many soldiers looked to him their eyes shining with hope and faith though for what Asriel didn't even know, with a sigh he entered the command tent and looked at the Commanders standing at the table. "Right, give me a report." He said with a sigh.
"We have seven patrols currently scouting the area ahead." One in light leather armor said calmly. "But with temperatures getting colder and weather conditions progressively more server the current moral dropping so fast I doubt well even get to see the outskirts of the Empire."
Asriel frowned. "I warned Celestia and Luna this would happen." He said with a sigh as he took a seat at the table. "We're not prepared for cold weather combat." He said with a sigh.
The other commanders nodded and muttered agreements until the a scout entered the tent and cleared his throat. "There is something north by north west, the captain told to give a code Delta."
Asriel froze as the Scout said this and he looked at him closely. "You’re sure they said Code Delta?" he asked receiving a nod form the Scout. "Yeah, captain was pretty sure but Sombras’ forces are moving on that area quickly."
Asriel rose. "Then prepare the troop, Sombra can’t get his hands on what you’ve found no matter what." He said as he took a scroll and began to write on it before igniting it and sending it to Celestia. "I've alerted the princesses; hopefully they can alert Chara and she can get here in time." He said muttering the last part.
"Sir, if I may be so bold I was wondering where Commander Chara is?" one of the officers asked.
Asriel frowned. "She has her own mission, what it is I don't know but she told me once it is completed she will meet us here." He said as he leaned back in the chair tiredly. "Go prepare the troops to move out, we march for the Delta in ten minutes." He said with a sigh. The officers and commanders saluted and quickly exited the tent, Asriel sat in the chair for several minutes simply looking of in the distance before he slowly pulled a gold heart locket form his neck and opened it showing a picture of Him and Chara. "Where are you Chara?" He asked in worry. “You said your immortality was failing and from what I saw you’re in no condition to take on any missions so were are you?” He asked as he slowly closing the locket and returning it under his robes. With a groan he stood and exited the tent.
Chara sighed tiredly as her form leaning heavily on the staff she clutched in her hands, with a groan continued onward following a train only those who were phoenix could see. As she walked he felt her body weaken and were it not for the determination flowing through her veins she doubted she would be able to make it much farther. "Almost there." She whispered her voice coming out raspy and coarse as she began to cough. "God, I sound line a smoker who downs five pack a day." She grumbled as she walked.
After what felt like hours she finally reached a clearing with a fallen tree and a small pool, with a sigh she sat down before pulling out a gold heart locket from under her shirt and smiled. "Hope Azzy's alright." She murmured as she looked at her hands. They were bony and wrinkled, the veins in them glowing red with the determination flowing. Chara traced the veins up her arms with a faint curiosity as she removed the cloak the see that all her veins glowed with a groan she forced herself off the tree and over to the pool where she examined herself "Hm, interesting.” She said as she saw her reflection. She looked like someone who you would call a grandma or old lady, he face was wrinkled and marred by the glowing veins, her form was hunched slightly and she looked frail.
Chara frowned as she saw her hair was a snow white and seemed to have begun to fall out slowly however what concerned her most was her eyes, they glowed a pure red with determination. There were no pupils, iris or sclera, only a glowing red orb. "I need to hurry; at this level my determination is tearing my body apart." She muttered as turned away from the pool. "If I don't hurry becoming an amalgamate will be a mercy, I’ll most likely turn to dust." She said as she continued to fallow the trail.
Far above her several phoenix watched as she pulled the hood of her cloak back on and continued down the path. "She nears the Clearing of Rebirth, are you’re sure she is ready Elder?" one of them asked.
The Phoenix's looked to one who was a pure white. "We shall see child, for her to persist this long I feel she is worthy but we must see. If she survives the process she will be remade stronger than ever before, that is if she survives the process."
Asriel stood at the top of the snowy hill looking down at the arctic plains below, at the center stood a tall building not made like the others of this time, it was a massive metal and concrete brick of a place however what drew the attention of the old Prince of Monsters was the symbol that was carved into its walls.
As Asriel stared at the symbol one of the soldiers approached him in concern. "Sir, the enemy is entrenched on the other side of this Ice field. If we engage the enemy we will lose." He said in concern. "I suggest we destroy that place, whatever's inside isn't worth the troops we would lose to capture it."
Asriel frowned. "Normally I'd agree but that is an old Monster Kingdom Guard Base." He said as he turned to the soldier. "What's inside may actually give us an edge in this war as well as possibly contain a map to more bases perhaps even a location the Princesses and Chara have been searching for since I and Chara came to Equestria."
The Soldier frowned. "Is the Base really that important?" He asked however he only received a nod from Asriel.
"Prepare to move in, if we can get to the Base quick enough we can take what we need and destroy the rest if necessary." He said as he turned away from the soldier who saluted and ran back to the others.
Asriel turned back to the troops as they got into positions and stood before them. "Today we face Sombras forces; they plan to take an old Guard Base that belonged to the Monster Kingdom long ago." He said earning several murmurs among the troops. "If they take this Base then we risk them acquiring ancient weapons that could be used against us, I cannot risk this. As such we must secure this Base till Commander Chara is able to reinforce us." He said his tone dark.
"How can this facility hold such importance?" A soldier yelled and the others began to shout agreements however we silenced by one of the commanders yelling for quiet.
"We've all seen Commander Asriels magic prowess as well as the weapons he wields." The Commander said calmly. "Do you really want to risk Sombra getting his hands on that kind of power?" He asked earning concerned looks form the troops. "Besides, even if this Base doesn't have such things housed within we can still secure it as a forward base for all operations in the coming war." He said causing the troop to smile and nod. "Now you have a choice, either follow the commander or have Commander Chara deal with you as deserters." The Commander said causing the soldiers to freeze and their eyes widen.
"I love this plan! I'm excited to be a part of it!" A soldier yelled happily as others began to nod.
Asriel sighed. "Then let’s get going." He said as he turned and lead the forces onto the ice field. Before them stood an army of thousand in heavy dark armor, Sombras forces were marching for the facility.
Chara leaned heavily on her staff as she entered a massive clearing, the clearing was different form the forest that surrounded it as the ground was covered in burn marks around its perimeter several phoenix sat their feathers falling or their forms. Chara sighed as she sat down and leaned against one of the boulders in the clearing, as she lay there a phoenix with white flames landed before her. "Welcome young one." He said in a kind tone.
Char looked at the phoenix tiredly. "Hello, don't suppose you'd mind leaving an old woman alone for a time?" She asked in a weary voice.
The Phoenix chuckled. "You know you are the only one to survive the blood of a phoenix for this long, almost six hundred and forty-nine years and even still your undergoing rebirth and not simply turning to dust." The Phoenix said calmly.
Chara sighed. "As long as Determination still flows through my Soul I can't truly die."
The phoenix tilted his head. "Then why did the Ash phoenix give you his blood?"
Chara frowned. "It was after I ended the Griffon war, I used all my determination to temporarily bring back a being who was removed from reality by taking his place because of this I used all my determination and was going to die." Chara explained earning a nod from the phoenix. "I may have been invulnerable but I was not immortal, nothing truly is, if I lost my determination I was vulnerable to death but as long as I stayed determined I would live. Of course now that that I have phoenix blood in me I don't know how it works but that's how it was originally."
"And what will you do?" The phoenix asked. "With our power in your veins you could do as you please, imagine the possibilities." He said.
Chara chuckled. "All I want is to see those I care about safe." She replied as he body began to heat up. "I don't care for power, I've got enough of that as is and I don't need nor want more. I don't care for ruling or controlling others, no point to it at all." Chara began to cough as she looked at the phoenix before her. "I only wish to protect my family and wife, no more no less." She said as the veins in her body began to glow brighter as heat ripped her body apart.
"And you are willing to endure the flames of rebirth to insure this?" The phoenix asked.
Chara looked at the bird with determination shining in her eyes. "Yes." She said as he flesh began to gray.
"Then let the flames consume you child and be reborn from the ashes of death." The phoenix said as he turned from her and flew away. Chara watched him leave before sighing and closing her eyes, with her last effort she smiled and closed her eyes as her body began to crumble and as all monsters turn to dust.
Asriel grit his teeth as she slashed is sword through the neck of another enemy before quickly teleporting away from a beam of magic. "Alright, not bad." He said before thrusting his free hand out and summoning a Chaos Buster to fire upon the enemy before a leaping forward and returning to the fray of battle suddenly he froze as a cold sensation washed over him and he felt something inside him break.
When two Monsters have children they link their souls, if either parent or the child dies then it is felt by that link however this link is not mutually exclusive to the parents, siblings also share a soul link. Asriels eyes widened as he felt the link with Charas soul break and for a moment the world moved in slow motion, the battle around him slowed, the cold wind froze and world seemed to stop. "No... Chara..." He whispered as he lowered his head and the world slowly back speed up around him.
A Sombra soldier lunged at Asriel a smile on his face as he trust his blade forward only for it to stop as Asriel grabbed the blade and held it aloft blood dripping from his palm where the blade dug in. Slowly Asriel, looked up at the soldier his eyes completely black except for the iris's which changed colors every few seconds, the soldiers eyes widened as Asriel glared at them with absolute hate.
"All troops pull back." He yelled causing the guards to pause confused and turn to him only to widen. Everypony knew of that Chara and Asriel had different forms depending on what power they needed and their emotional state. Chara was known to have three forms, there was her Pacifist form, Arbiter Form and Finally her Genocide or as it was better known her Demon form which had three variants. Asriel however was known to only have two forms his Reaper form and the form known as the Angel of Death. While Asriel used his Reaper form several times he never used his Angel of Death form unless he was forced but this, this was not his Angel of Death.
As the Ponies gazed upon his form they felt a fear that resonated with some primordial part of their minds, they it was as if they were looking upon finality itself. One of the commanders shook his head before turning to the other troops. "You heard the Commander run!" he yelled snapping the troops out of their shock and causing them to run to the building with the Delta rune on it. As they ran Asriel watched before turning to the enemies.
"I never thought I'd ever use this power again but now I have nothing to lose." He said as he glared angrily at Sombras soldiers. "It's time I show you my Special attack." He said calmly as he raised his hand as an orb of rainbow energy appeared in his hands as he raised them. "Foolish warriors who fight for a Demon King I sentence you to wander this field of Ice and snow for eternity, forever bound to suffer in silent agony till the crimes you've committed are paid for and those you have harmed have forgiven! Special attack: Angel of Death!" He yelled as he unleashed a massive wave of rainbow energy as a barrage of comets appeared in the sky and rained down on the enemy forces. The soldiers tried to run but as they turned their bodies froze and they were forced to watch as their death, their bodies disintegrating as their souls were ripped from their bodies and bound to the ground they stood on while their corpses were burn, the flesh disintegrating to ash leavings only whitened bones.
As the attack ended the Equestrian troops cheered as their commander stood victorious however as Asriel returned to his normal form a tear fell from his eyes. "Chara, what happened to you? Where are you?" He asked before turning away and entering the facility the troops cheering and smiling. "Spread out and search the Facility!" He yelled and the troop scattered with smiles on their faces.
Asriel sighed before leaning against a wall and slouching down. "That form almost burnt out my soul." He said to no one, as he sat on the floor he carefully summoned hid soul and examined it. The Rainbow light it normally shined with had faded significantly and large cracks ran through it. "If I'd used that form for even another minute I'd of reverted to that flower." He said with a sigh as the soul faded back into his body and he leaned against the wall with a groan.
“Are you alright sir?” A soldier asked in concern
Asriel waved his hand tiredly. “I’ll be fine, that attack just took more out of me that I thought.” He said as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “Just let an old goat rest for a while.”