While Vomnichto burned away beneath Infinus' fury, somewhere at the very heart stood a paradise. Pink flower fields replaced calamity-ridden streets.
An apple tree swayed with the wind off in the distance. Giving off its sweet spring smell, the ones that reminded Threshers it was mating season.
Sugar-sweet aromas filled the lungs of both fallen warriors that rested within. One of which was covered in flowers.
He gasped, trying to take as much air as he could. So he would not die again the second he came back. In the middle of his panic, he realized something.
This world, it was beautiful. Ether stared off into the distance, watching a pink sunset that was paused in time. Instead of debating if this place was real or not, he crossed his legs.
Letting it all flow through him as he pondered. Every single thing he thought of came to life in this world. Starting with a much smaller version of himself.
Ether curiously inspected this familiar stranger, wondering if he could talk. When he thought about it, the stranger opened his eyes and talked.
"Hiii!" he said, in the same Yonie voice Ether rarely spoke in. "Err... you? Me? Aaaah! I looooveeee meeee!"
"I love you too," a female voice said.
Ether jumped in shock, wondering who was there with him. This was the other fallen warrior. When he turned to face her, he instantly felt his heart sink.
Right before him was Lya, in her purest form. Wearing the same armor as the day she went missing. Each plate still wet from the heavy rain.
"I thought he was lying... Shora, is this you?" her voice crumbled. "My - my little Yonie - my little love, Shora, is this truly you?"
Unsure of how to respond, he nodded. Ether was confused on so many levels. He remembered the painful experience he had lived through, and his slow death beneath the sand.
Now he opened his eyes to find himself naked in front of his mother, beside what appeared to be a Yonie version of himself. The same one Lya encouraged.
"Yes, Lya," Ether nodded. "It's me, your Shora. Your only Shora."
She brought her hands up to her mouth, tears started rolling down her cheeks. Lya was in shock, crying with absolute bliss at the sight of her son.
While she studied him, Ether started feeling the motherly love she had always displayed to him. The memories of her trying to reason with Solice about why he should be allowed to have a Yonie or Yomie flooded his mind.
Lya placed one hand on his cheek. "I missed you so much..."
Ether flinched upon feeling her touch. "How do I know you're real? Weren't you gone for so long, yet you look the same. What happened?"
"It's complicated, Shora. You won't understand, yet. Just know the Nine planned something for me and Solice. Ever since that night - you know which one - I have never been able to break through to him."
Despite her answer, Ether still felt cheated on. He wanted a valid answer, even if he wasn't smart enough to decrypt it. He still wanted closure.
"Give me a proper reason. I'm your son and I deserve this. You and Solice have been gone from my life for so long and - and now you come back? But why?"
Lya cleared her throat. "My little one, if you really want an answer. Best I can say is the one that walks with a purple heart is destined to endure that pain forever until it consumes itself in defeat."
Ether blankly stared up at her. "It's cryptic, yes. But it's what I wanted. But that doesn't answer my second question!"
"Solice is not himself anymore. He is too far gone, and now he is enraged. Furious of something, a creation birthed from his sacrifice. I am trying my best to prevent an all out war, but it's not working," Lya muttered.
"But where is he? And why is he this way?" Ether continued to ask.
Lya gently brought her son closer to her core. "You ask so many questions, little one. It's like those you used to ask me back then. 'Would I find a Yomie? Do I count as a Yomie? Will a Yonie love me?'"
"The answer to all those is of course. I already do, Shora. You're a Yomie, and I tried training you like one. But Solice destroyed you. Now you suffer so deeply... it hurts me, Shora. A lot."
Ether gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his feelings inside his mind. But it was impossible to. Deep down, he began to hate Shora as he matured.
Finding his other personality made no sense with paired with his Zegus side. It was a curse for him. One he could not rid himself of.
And many agreed. Zegus and Threshers are two different species, filling different roles in life. For Zegus, they form armies and conquer. Threshers form families and love.
But there was one person who was too stubborn to allow him to ignore Shora. Lya. She had given Shora that name. Even referred to Shora as Shora instead of Ether.
Two completely different Variants, sharing one common body. Tides of conflict tore them apart. Without any hope of bringing the two back together.
"You realize just how little affection you get, Shora?" Lya continued. "My little Yomie, are you sure raising a family with a Thawed is your correct path?"
Ether shed a tear. "Yes, Lya. Pearl, I adore her. She made me feel loved when you weren't here. And I feel horrible for leaving her behind... I regret it."
Lya smiled. "You may not realize it yet. But you are a Yomie. A protector, maybe not a life-giver. But a powerful protector nonetheless. I've seen your parenting skills, on par with a Yomie. One day, give it a try. Give a Yonie a try."
She warmly endured Shora. "He will adore you, make you feel like a treasured one. He would make you happy, very happy."
Ether hesitated to respond. The time he slept in an underground utopia, along with several other Threshers was still fresh in his mind.
He still remembered how many gentle whispers the Yonies told their partners. They wore their fur coats and over-sized shirts, turning them into lovable cuddle critters.
"If they are so great, why did you get with Solice?" Ether suddenly asked.
Lya smiled. "That story is complicated. Perhaps one day I can show you where I came from. But right now, you must take your first step in the right path."
Tellendor appeared out of thin air. It aimlessly levitated beside the duo, carelessly listening to their interaction.
As it floated, Ether recognized it was glowing. A blue mist shed from the silver blade, like many times in the past. However, the mist vividly resembled something.
"Are you ready to let it adopt something?" she asked.
Ether nodded, holding his hands out to the weapon. Like an obeying servant, it heeded the order. Letting go of its powers as it came into contact with his hand.
Lya stepped back, staring right at the hilt. "I want to guide you, Shora. Let me guide you."
"What?"
"Bring Tellendor to me," Lya ordered.
He listened. Moving his weapon closer to Lya with a gentleness to his move. Something odd to him. Despite his time being gentle with others such as Oria, Pearl, and Orako, this time it felt different.
"Will you let your edge take me as your navigator?" Lya asked.
Ether held Tellendor firmly. "Yes, Tellendor, do it. Let her bring me through this world."
On command, Tellendor began to glow. Mystic yellows blinded them both as it performed its own mini-ritual. Not the same rituals Thawed used, but something different.
Through its many mysteries, Tellendor was one thing. Alive. It wasn't a tool to spectate the Coros lineage, it wasn't the souls of their ancestors. However, it was waiting for something.
Lya began screaming manically. Her frame quickly disappeared from the paradise they rested on, sweeping away any and all traces of her existence.
By the end of the light, Ether stood alone. But this time, he stood with an upgraded Tellendor. Mother reunited with son. Together, they were whole.
Ether turned his attention to his Yonie version from earlier, checking to see if they were still there. But they weren't. An armor set took its place, his own armor.
The fragmented visors cut deep through his eyes. Showing him the real threat in that world was himself.
So he picked up the helmet, slowly bringing it down over his head. Once it was in place, he noticed every piece came into its positions and frames.
"I hope you are ready, it all starts with this one, Shora. I will be by your side, always."
With that, the world faded to black once again. Warmth tortured his skin, but it wasn't agonizing. Distant cracks rung in his ears.
When Ether opened his eyes, he realized he was behind his visors. Safe from the sand, but the sand wasn't there. Instead, melted glass took its place.
He swam to the top, feeling no heat whatsoever. Warriors screamed as they got engulfed by the molten glass and seething heat.
Off in the distance, an entity smiled.