To explain: In the NEXUS, anything is possible. It's outside of space and time, beyond all laws of reality. If you can come up with an idea and have the determination to follow through with it, then it can be done.

———⭐️———

'You're never alone, Thread! I'll always be here for you! I promise!'

"I broke my promise before," growled a familiar voice, a younger-sounding version of Ink's. "NEVER AGAIN!"

"Glad to see you back, old friend!" Called a voice from beside Error, one that sounded like a younger, less time-worn and glitchless version of his own. "Let's keep that promise! Together, right now!"

Turning to look, Error could see what did most certainly appear to be a younger version of himself- the tear tracks were nowhere to be seen, and otherwise he looked nearly identical.

"Oh, it's ON!" Cried the other, who seemed to be a younger version of Ink.

The two seemed completely oblivious to his presence, and provided a wonderful distraction for Fate.

Error took the chance to look around the battlefield. Paint was splattered everywhere, some even floating in midair as if caught in some sort of time-freezing spell.

As he looked straight across, he could seem a glowing orb. A fine thread of light seemed to be linking it to the monstrosity that Fate had become.

'Could that be the source of Fate's power?' Error wondered. He decided to sever the link, whatever it was. As he had freed himself from the chains a while back, getting over there was as simple as a snap of his fingers- easier, really. Shortcuts were wonderful things.

Summoning a sharp-edged bone as the younger versions fought Fate, he sliced straight through the string.

"Huh. I expected that to be more difficult, really."

"Oh, trust me, it would've been, had I not been helping you on the other side," said a familiar voice from behind Error.

He jumped like a cat, and nearly shrieked, turning to face a semitransparent version of his Ink, the one he'd fought both for and against. The idiot who had tipped the balance, and destabilized the entire Multiverse, forcing Error to come here, to the NEXUS, a place where no mortal should ever set foot.

"The [BLEEP] was that for, you stupid ghostly squid?!"

"Heya, Error," said Ink, smiling for an instant before wincing. "Mind destroying the rest of that before we chat? Fate's taking my powers and twisting them into things that shouldn't exist. If she keeps going like this... she'll destroy the entire Multiverse. Not like that'll matter to her, she can probably make a new one, but it matters to me, and I think it matters to you too, right?"

Sighing, Error nodded, and started wailing on the glowing orb. As it dimmed, the Ink next to him got more and more solid, and from what he could hear of the screams and splats, Fate seemed to be having more trouble fending off their younger selves.

"Is that it?" Error asked.

"I'm pretty sure it is. Let's go help out our old selves," said Ink, his eyelights transforming into the shapes of a target and a flame.

"Yeah. But... later, we're going to have a serious talk, okay? After this fight is over."

Ink nodded, before his face took on a more thoughtful appearance.

"Hey, Error?" He asked, sadly. "I'm truly sorry about what I did, by the way. I wasn't in my right mind, and she kept taking control whenever I realized what I was doing... who I was fighting."

"It's all good for now," responded Error, although his face and voice said otherwise. "We'll talk about it later, okay? We've got a goddess to beat."