The Guardian and the Grimm

Long ago in a distant land, Aku the shape-shifting master of darkness unleashed an unspeakable evil.

But a samurai warrior wielding a magic sword stepped forth to oppose the demon.

Before the final blow was struck Aku tore open a portal in time and flung the samurai into the future where Aku's evil was law.

The warrior sought to return to the past and undo the future that was Aku.

Fifty years had passed but the warrior did not age.

Time had lost its effect on him.

Aku's grasp choked the past, present and future.

All hope was lost.

Until the samurai, aided by friends and allies fought Aku for one last time.

With the aid of Aku's daughter the samurai returned to the past and undid Aku's tyranny.

But even as he struck down Aku he did not realize the ripples in time he would cause.

Or just how much he would alter the future.

"Oh no…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Aku, the Master of Darkness howled as his daughter disappeared into the time portal with the Samurai.

He knew that the portal would take them back to the past and the Samurai would destroy him.

This couldn't be the end!

He was Aku!

He was Lord and Master of the Universe!

There had to be something he could do!

He wasn't even paying attention to the Samurai's allies who continued to attack his castle.

He needed a way to undo this!

Wait…

Aku perked up as the word popped up in his mind. 'Undo!'

He might not be able to stop the Samurai and his 'daughter' from slaying him in the past but perhaps he could still find a way to survive!

With renewed hope and desperation motivating him Aku tore open a portal in time like he did all those centuries ago to stop the Samurai from killing him.

This time he leapt into the portal himself, traveling through time.

As he traveled through time he could already see the Samurai slaying his past self and that caused ripples to form in time.

It was already changing.

Aku could only hope he had enough time to at least save part of himself.

He traveled into the past, reaching past the point in time the Samurai and his daughter arrived, watching as Jack delivered the final blow.

He moved even faster, coming upon the point of time he was searching for.

The point when he was still submerged in the pool created by the Ultimate Evil that had him.

He appeared over the crater, seeing it had only impacted the Earth over a few centuries ago with humanity already rising.

"I will not go quietly!" Aku boomed as he looked over the small black trees spawned from the evil essence. "The Samurai and his father, determined to destroy every part of me! My traitorous daughter who I gave everything to and she turns on me! If the world cannot be dominated by the great Aku it will be destroyed!"

Aku held out his hand and the crash site was bathed in dark magic, affecting the essence inside.

Aku grinned as he spotted red eyes appearing in the tar pool and knew that one day from this pool that would have one day spawned him will instead spawn a force meant to destroy everything.

"Yes, bring forth destruction and death to all in your reach! Do not stop until all the land is wiped clean of the scent of the Samurai's people!" Aku laughed, even now as he began to feel his body and essence vanish into non-existence. "Instead of joy and righteousness it will be a land of death, destruction, evil and grim! Yes…Grimm, a suitable name for the harbingers of this world's destruction! My essence will be carried in all of my Grimm children, spreading across this world! I…WILL…NEVER…END!"

Even if the Samurai succeeded in destroying him he would still exist in some form in the new world created by this alteration in time.

"SAMURAI JACK! YOU CANNOT EVER DESTROY ME! AS YOU CELEBRATE YOUR VICTORY I HOPE AS YOU WATCH MY TRAITOR OF A DAUGHTER FADE BEFORE YOUR EYES IT WILL STAB YOU IN THE HEART TO KNOW I STILL WIN! FOR HATE'S SAKE I SPIT MY LAST BREATH AT THEE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Aku laughed even as he vanished.

Even though Samurai Jack would enjoy his brief time with Ashi and the belief he had rid the world of Aku for good it was only a temporary setback.

Instead of ruling the world Aku would ensure it would burn, believing the best way of getting back at the people who destroyed him.

"When one story ends another begins." The Guardian, fully restored to life along with his time portal after the Samurai defeated Aku. "The prophecy spoke one day a warrior would defeat me and use this time portal. But when it failed and the Samurai found another way home it caused ripples to be felt across time and space."

The Guardian watched as Ashi disappeared the day she and Jack were getting married, a look of pity and sadness appearing on his face. "What Aku has done will change everything, including your fate Samurai Jack and mine."

A new prophecy would be made and he was already seeing it.

The Dark One, in his final moments is reborn.

A force of evil to ensure the world is torn.

What was once One chosen will become many.

A Warrior chosen, his heart filled with light.

He will share with others his might.

The Dark One and the Chosen One, now gone.

Becoming armies of One.

From the ash, gentles flames ignite.

From the pool, dark shadows crawl.

The Many united to save all of creation again.

"Maybe this time I'll have a little more fun." The Gaurdian mused.