[15:00]
It had been a long week since Lynsithea collapsed, one thick with anxious planning and sleepless nights. Ethan and I had spent every waking moment strategizing, building a plan in which the details would fit-infiltrating IRIS Corp without raising suspicion. But with each plan that we devised, it just seemed like everything was ready to fall apart at any minute.
But today was unlike any other. I sat beside Lynsithea, as I had done daily, and her eyelids fluttered. My heart skipped a beat as I rapidly leaned in her direction, my eyes wide with surprise as her eyes opened.
"Lynsithea?" I whispered, hardly daring to hope. "Can you hear me?"
She blinked once, twice, her vision out of focus, until her gaze locked onto mine. A faint smile tugged at her lips, and a wave of relief washed through me.
"You're awake," I said, my voice cracking. "Thank god."
She attempted to push herself up, but I firmly guided her back. "Take it easy," I advised. "You've been out for a while."
Lynsithea scowled, her eyebrows furrowing with confusion. "What. happened?" she said in a husky voice.
"You collapsed," I said, sitting down beside her. "Ethan said you drained too much of your energy, probably when you. when you saved me from Sentinel. You've been unconscious for almost a week."
She seemed to digest that, her face contemplative. "I must have overdrawn on my magical conduit," she whispered, more for herself than for me. "That tussle between you and Sentinel. that must have tipped me over."
"Magic link?" I asked, my interest piqued.
Lynsithea nodded weakly. "It's. the link to my powers, my essence. If I push too hard, I can lose control, and. well, this happens." She gave a small, self-deprecating smile, but I could see the concern in her eyes.
I did not feel like asking the next question, knowing well the value of the answer it would provide. "Lynsithea, do you remember the name of your homeland? So It might help you recover more"
She closed her eyes, focusing. I could sense her strain, her mind reaching for something too far away. Then, in a voice all whispery, low enough that I almost didn't make it out, she breathed, "Calyx."
"Calyx," I replied, the name both foreign and yet, somehow quirky, familiar. It was where we were going, where we had to go-to get her there, to save her.
Ethan and I had been preparing, but something about the name of her homeland made everything a little more tangible and urgent. We had to get to Calyx, come what may. I grasped Lynsithea's hand, giving it a light squeeze.
"We'll get you there," I told her. "I swear it."
A minute later, after letting Lynsithea rest, I turned to Ethan, who was standing nearby, watching over us with his usual calm demeanor. I couldn't shake the name Lynsithea had whispered, [Calyx].
It sounded otherworldly, like something out of a dream.
"Ethan" I began, my voice low, not wanting to disturb Lynsithea. "Do you know anything about a place called Calyx?"
Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the name. [Calyx?] he repeated, a trace of recognition in his voice. [Land of the Flowers?]
"Land of the Flowers?" I echoed, my curiosity piqued. "You know Calyx?"
Ethan nodded slowly, his mechanical hand tapping thoughtfully against his chin. [Yes, I know that place... or at least, I've read about it. Calyx is a name that appears in old books, in tales of fantasy. It's said to be a land of endless blooms, where the flowers hold magical properties, and the air itself is filled with the essence of life.]
I frowned, the name taking on a more mythical tone. "So, it's just a story? A fantasy?"
Ethan hesitated before responding. [That's what I believed. In all the texts I've read, Calyx was described as a mythical place, impossible to locate because it existed only in the realm of imagination. But...]
He glanced at Lynsithea, who was still resting quietly. [Since Lynsithea came through a Quantum portal, it's possible that Calyx isn't just a fantasy. It might exist, but finding it... that's another challenge altogether. It's not marked on any map, and even if it does exist, its exact location could be anywhere or nowhere.]
As Ethan and I talked about Lynsithea's home and the chance of finding Calyx, a sudden, upsetting noise interrupted us. We heard a loud, painful cough coming from Lynsithea's room.
Without saying anything, we both quickly moved, hurrying back to her. My heart was beating fast as I opened the door, and what I saw made me feel very worried.
Lynsithea was on the bed, her body shaking with each strong cough, and a little bit of blood was starting to show on the pillow next to her.
[This is serious!] Ethan said, his voice showing he was very worried as he knelt next to her, checking how she was doing. [Her health is getting worse very fast. We need to take her to her home right away.]
I took a deep breath, my thoughts spinning. "What should we do next?"
Ethan was already collecting things we would need, doing it carefully and quickly. [We have to get ready for a trip. We'll need food, a first-aid kit, and any tools that could help us. We'll be going fast, and we can't risk not being ready.]
I agreed, quickly starting to collect the things we needed. We packed food, making sure we had enough for the journey. I put together a first-aid kit, adding bandages, antiseptics, and other medical items.
Ethan got tools that might help us if we run into any problems on the way.
As we worked, Ethan kept an eye on Lynsithea, trying to keep her steady. [Zane!] he called to me as I finished packing, [we need to move fast! Every minute counts.]
I looked at Lynsithea, who was now barely awake, her face very pale and her breathing heavy. "Let's get everything set," I said, feeling determined. "Let's take her to Calyx. We must."
With everything packed and ready, we prepared for our challenging trip. I took one last look at Lynsithea, hoping our preparations would be enough to save her.
---
It was night when we returned to Æsir, a city covered in darkness and an unsettling quiet. The usual distant noise of machines was gone, replaced by a stillness that felt almost unnatural. The streets were empty, and shadows moved in the faint light as we carefully walked through the deserted city.
Ethan was carrying Lynsithea in his arms, her body weak and delicate. I walked next to them, holding the watch that contained Aether, feeling the heavy weight of our situation. Each step we took echoed in the silence, the only other sounds being the occasional rustling of debris under our feet.
Suddenly, Lynsithea moved, her body convulsed with another round of coughing. The sound was heartbreaking, and I could see the effort in her eyes as she tried to breathe.
"I'm… so sorry..." she said between coughs, her voice full of pain and guilt.
I moved nearer, feeling pain in my heart seeing her in distress. "Don't say sorry," I whispered, trying to sound calm.
"You haven't done anything bad, Lynsithea. We'll get you back home. I promise."
She raised her eyes to me, teary but with a small smile. "You're… too nice, Zane. I didn't want to be a problem."
"You're not a problem," I said strongly, my voice showing my determination.
"You saved my life. Now it's my turn to save yours. We'll find Calyx, no matter what it takes."
Ethan agreed with a nod, his usually serious face showing a hint of caring. "Stay strong, Lynsithea. We're almost there. Just keep going."
Lynsithea shut her eyes, her breaths still heavy, but she looked trusting as she was carried on. I looked at Ethan, who gave me a determined look.
We walked carefully through the quiet streets of Æsir, being very careful because every shadow could be dangerous. When we got to the IRIS Corp building, I had a strange feeling that something wasn't right. The big building was standing tall over us, its smooth surface showing the light of the moon, but there were no guards around, and it seemed like no one was there at all.
Ethan looked around, always on the lookout. "It's too quiet," he said quietly, mostly to himself. "No dangers... yet."
I agreed, holding the keycard I took from Hanz tightly in my hand. The front door of the building was right in front of us, looking like a scary entrance to something unknown. Taking a deep breath, I put the card into the machine. For a moment, nothing happened, and then the door opened quietly. We went inside carefully, the air was cool and felt clean, with a soft noise coming from machines we couldn't see.
The dark light of the sliding open elevator doors on Floor 1B showed two figures standing in the corridor beyond, ominous presences. My heart sank at the vision of two android Inquisitors, their eyes menacingly glowing in the low light. One was clad in sleek, gunmetal grey armor, but the other sported a dark red finish that seemed to pulse with a faint, sinister glow. Both were armed and their barrels pointed at us.
Ethan stepped forward, his face setting as he recognized the two androids before us.
[Onyx.....] he muttered, his voice thick with familiarity and caution as he regarded the gray Inquisitor. [And Nexis...] he added, his gaze turned toward the red one.
My hold on Aether tightened as my pulse quickened with every thickening of the tension in the air. "You know them?" I asked without looking away.
Ethan nodded, his posture shifting slightly in preparing himself better for whatever might come next. [They are two of IRIS Corp's most elite Inquisitors. Onyx specializes in precision and stealth, while Nexis is a powerhouse of raw destructive force. They are both extremely dangerous.]
The grey Inquisitor, Onyx, cocked its head to one side, its glowing eyes narrowing as it began to scan us with cold efficiency. [Ethan Porter] it said, cold and devoid of emotion. [You have wandered a great deal from your original programming. But the journey ends here.]
The red Inquisitor stepped forward; its whirring energy-weapon, its body humming with ominous power. [Now-surrender] it growled low, a patent threat in its voice, [and your deaths will be quick. Or resist, and we'll make you regret you ever came here.]
I turned to Lynsithea, who lay pale and hardly breathing in Ethan's embrace. Certainly we had no time to waste on a fight while her life was hanging in the balance. But after one look at the Inquisitors, I knew they weren't going to let us through without one.
"Ethan," I whispered tightly. "What do we do?
Ethan did not back down from either of the two Inquisitors, and his tone was flat even. [Stay close, Zane. Onyx and Nexis may be really powerful, but they aren't indestructible. Either way it goes, we will have to get through them. It's a matter of life and death for Lynsithea.]
I nodded then, and a fire of determination flared within my chest. "Then let's do this."
But the Inquisitors didn't even flinch; their arms didn't move an inch, weapons trained on us. Time seemed to stretch out as we readied ourselves for what definitely was going to be a fight. Our only option was to fight our way through-and pray we could reach the Quantum portal before it was too late.
Ethan's eyes had narrowed, his gaze weighing the situation as the air thickened with tension. He looked at me, then at Lynsithea, who was still barely holding on to conscious life in his arms. With one firm, decisive movement, he handed her over to me, careful not to jostle her any more than necessary.
[Zane, take Lynsithea] he said, his voice calm with a commanding note. [Get her to the Quantum Portal. I'll take care of Onyx and Nexis.]
I hesitated for a heartbeat, my heart stuttering as my head jerked back and forth between Ethan and the two Inquisitors. "But-"
[No time for arguments!] Ethan cut me off, his tone leaving no room for debate. [You're the only one who can get her out of here. They won't let us all through, and Lynsithea can't afford to wait. I'll buy you as much time as I can.]
I swallowed hard, the weight of Lynsithea's fragile form heavy in my arms. The knowledge that I would be leaving Ethan to two of IRIS Corp's most dangerous Inquisitors all by himself tore at me. He was right, though; Lynsithea was my priority now, and she needed to reach the portal.
[Go!] Ethan urged, his eyes fixed on mine intently, as never before. [You have to protect her, Zane. Don't look back.]
I nodded, my throat shut tight with emotion. "I won't let you down, Ethan. We'll make it to Calyx. I promise.
Ethan gave a small, almost imperceptible nod before looking at the Inquisitors again. [Now, run!] he ordered, his voice hardening as he stepped forward, drawing the attention of Onyx and Nexis. [I'll hold them off.]
With naught a word more, I clutched Lynsithea tightly to me and was off, sprinting down the hallway, my footsteps loud within the quiet corridor. As I ran, behind me, I could hear the clash of metal against metal-the unmistakable sounds of battle as Ethan engaged the two Inquisitors.
I didn't dare look back. Ethan was giving everything to buy us time, and I had to make sure it wasn't in vain. Lynsithea's breath was low against my chest as every step brought us closer to the Quantum Portal-and hopefully, to safety.
[Hold on, Lynsithea] I whispered. My voice was hardly audible above the pounding of my heart. [We're almost there. Just a little longer.]
As I ran toward the Quantum Portal with my heart in my mouth, the fight behind me roared closer and more loudly. I couldn't bring myself to look at what was going on behind me, but the clashing of metal and impact let me know that Ethan was already in there, fighting the best he could to get at least a few moments.
Out in the hallway, Ethan moved as efficiently and quickly as any experienced warrior would. His senses were on alert, equally facing off against Onyx and Nexis. The two inquisitors were unstoppable; their movements had been calculated legally and each unit was deadly, but Ethan was ready for them.
Onyx, the grey Inquisitor, surged first with a lunge—a blade-leading attack that shimmered in the poor light. Still, Ethan was quicker. He dodged aside, throwing his body into a twisting, crushing stamp kick to Onyx's wrist. The blow landed in just the right place to send the blade a-scatterin'.
Before Onyx could safely take it, Ethan had a hold of the hilt of the blade and wielded it expertly in a flip to use it defensively on an incoming overhead strike from Nexis. The red Inquisitor fought like nothing so much as a mad fiend, tucking its head and bringing the weapon around with brutal, relentless fury. Ethan disarmed Nexis with a sharp twist of his wrist, sending the weapon spinning away.
[You've become weak, Ethan] Onyx spat, its voice chill and mechanical as it squared off against him, now weaponless. [You were once the greatest of us, now but a shadow of your former self.]
Ethan's face remained impassive as he flung the sword of Onyx away too, so all three now were unarmed. [Weakness?] he returned calmly. [You don't know what real strength is. It's not a matter of the power to destroy; it's the power to protect.]
Nexis snarled, stepping forward with clenched fists, its red eyes glowing with fury. [You're a fool, Ethan. We were created to enforce IRIS Corp's will, to crush anyone that stands in our way. Protecting the weak is just a waste of our potential.]
Ethan's eyes narrowed, his body assuming a fighting stance. [You still don't get it. That's why I left. That strength you are so proud of, it means nothing next to the strength of purpose.]
At that, the fight was shifted into one using hand-to-hand combat. Charging together, Onyx and Nexis attacked Ethan simultaneously with a deadly 'on-target' attack. Onyx let out a fast, sharp jab toward Ethan's chest as Nexis moved low with a sweeping kick that would have taken Ethan down hard.
He was, after all, a master of the craft, so his blades were usually fluid and controlled. He caught Onyx's punch and used the momentum to spin himself, directing all his body weight into a knee strike aimed for Nexis's ribs and throwing the red Inquisitor back. Onyx, of course, had leapt at the first chance he saw, but Ethan belied that move by then. Deflecting the strike, he jabbed forward in rapid succession, forcing Onyx into retreat.
[You've always been too soft, Ethan] Onyx sneered, trying to wipe away a small trickle of synthetic fluid from its damaged mouth. [It's why you were left behind. Why you lost everything.]
Ethan's face blushed with hardness; his fists clenched tight. [I might have lost a lot, but I found something more important. And that's something you'll never understand.]
From the previous hit, Nexis recovered with a growl of frustration and lunged at Ethan with more ferocity, while Ethan was ready this time too. He met Nexis's charge head-on, blocking a flurry of punches with an effortless precision that the other had lacked, before stepping in for a crushing uppercut that sent the red Inquisitor crashing to the ground.
The desperate moment was capitalized upon by Onyx, but Ethan had started into motion. Spinning on his heels, Ethan connected with a full roundhouse kick to the face of Onyx. The grey Inquisitor reeled from the blow.
[You cannot win this fight] Onyx spat, trying desperately to find its point of equilibrium. [You're outnumbered, outmatched.]
Ethan moved forward, unwavering in his stance. [Maybe so] he murmured with eyes burning bright. [But as long as Zane and Lynsithea make it to that portal, I've already won.]
He launched himself at the two Inquisitors in a final surge of energy, clashing with them in a fierce, close-quarters combat. Every move was calculated, each strike deliberate; he fought to keep them occupied-to keep them away from Zane and Lynsithea.
And I continued to run, the sounds of their battle fading off into the distance. I knew Ethan was giving all he had left to make this escape worth something. I just had to make it count.
Still holding Lynsithea in my arms, I slid to a stop in front of the Quantum Portal. The big, labyrinthine machinery rose before me; usually it was dormant, but now that I had powered up the control panel, its face hummed with faint energy. My heart was racing as I rummaged through my mind for all that Ethan had said about the portal.
The portal crackled on, its central ring flared up in some unearthly luminescence. I could feel the air around us charging with energy, like that which makes your hair stand on end. The system was coming online, yet this was only the first step.
"Come on, come on…" I grumbled to myself, fingers flying over the controls. Ethan had taken me through this before, but this was different now-everything hung on this particular moment. Time was of the essence.
I distinctly remembered Ethan saying that the only way to fully unlock it and find Lynsithea's homeland was to put her hand on the scanner. Advanced systems of the portal would then analyze her genetic code, find her species, and then try finding a world that corresponds to her origin.
I maneuvered myself genteely to a position in which Lynsithea's hand lay on the biometric scanner inlaid into the control panel. The scanner lit up with a soft blue light, humming softly as if it started to read her information.
"Please work," I whispered, watching as the data began to stream across the screen, working out the system's attempt at identifying Lynsithea. She was breathing shallowly, her condition worsening by the second. This portal was her only hope.
It kept processing, the data points forming complex algorithms even I couldn't make sense of. All I could do was wait and hope it came across what we needed; it came across [Calyx].
The screen flickered as the system searched her DNA, tagging her as a species unknown to it. The program worked hard, trying to cross-reference her unique genetic markers against the worlds to which it had access in trying to pinpoint the exact location of her homeland.
It's taking too long. I muttered under my breath, a faint acid of anxiety churning within as I looked behind toward the corridor we had emerged from. Ethan still fought those Inquisitors, holding off the forces so we could get ahead, but for how much longer?
The system beeped, then started to render, on screen, a map of the quantum worlds we knew. The portal was searching, trying to find a match. I held my breath; it seemed this one second stretched into what felt like an eternity.
Finally, the system beeped. A world materialized on the display; its name was hardly decipherable through all the layers of encryption and data.
[Searching Data Complete!]
[Opening The Quantum....]
[Location: Calyx]
It was real. The portal found it, but it wasn't over yet. It still had to lock the connection, to open that gate that would lead us there.
"Hang in there, Lynsithea," I whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We've got it. We're almost there.
And then it was a sequence once more. Slowly, the energy around the portal built up once more, this time into a fevered crescendo. All I could do now was pray that it would stabilize before he ran out of time. Ethan was counting on me. Lynsithea was counting on me. We were so close, and I refused to let them down.
As the energy in the portal surged, [Calyx] in a flash-blazed across the screen, and from behind, a deafening crash sounded. Whipping around, my heart leaped to my throat as Onyx smashed through the glass of the control room, shards scattering across the floor. The grey Inquisitor was battered, yet relentless, forging on toward me with doggedness.
I shouted, in a last-ditch effort to protect Lynsithea from harm. I dove for the controls to try and halt the interruption of the portal's activation process.
But before I could even act, Ethan was framed in the doorway, clear marks from this afternoon's fight still rife on his body, and he was barely holding himself upright. Yet his eyes shone with an unholy light of determination. With a pained grunt, he launched himself at Onyx, tackling the gray Inquisitor and yanking him off me.
"Ethan!" I cried out in panic and terror.
Ethan, bearing down under the weight of Onyx's assault, managed to pin the Inquisitor against the wall. He glanced back at me, his face a mask of pain and resolve. [Zane! The portal… it needs to be fully activated! Don't stop! Don't come out here!]
"But—" I began, taking a step toward them, before Ethan's fierce stare cut me off.
[Zane, listen!] Ethan's voice was strained, but his resolution not bending. [If you try to help me now, you'll risk everything we've fought for. The portal is almost there. Lynsithea's life depends on it. I can't protect you both and fight them. You have to finish this.]
I felt the lump form in my throat, the sting of tears in my eyes. "Ethan, you're hurt! I just can't leave you out here…"
Ethan's expression softened, and he forced a small, pained smile. [This is what I was made for. Protecting you and Lynsithea. I'm not asking you to leave me behind; I'm asking you to trust me. Finish this. Get her to Calyx. It's the only chance we have.]
Onyx roared louder, hurling Ethan against the wall once again. Yet again, Ethan got up, pushing himself on pure willpower. [I'm not done yet!] he yelled at the top of his lungs in a roar of defiance.
[Go!]
It was a battle so fierce, its intensity overwhelming. I could see it wearing Ethan down, his heart breaking, struggling against Onyx in futile battle with every ounce of his remaining strength. Yet, I knew he was right; if I deserted the portal now, everything would be for nothing.
A final tortured glance at Ethan, and I turned back to the control panel. My hands trembled as I resumed the activation sequence. The louder humming of the portal blazed bright in its light, as the gateway took its time materializing.
[You will never be alone.]
With a hiss, the portal reached full activation, and a swirling vortex of energy appeared in front of me, still incomplete, only the beginnings of the entrance to Calyx beginning to coalesce. I took a deep breath in, steadying myself.
"Hang in there," I whispered, turning one last time to look at Ethan and Onyx locked in their fierce battle. I had to believe he would be all right.
His struggle was at its peak as the completion of the activation sequence of the portal neared. Onyx and Nexis did not let up in their assault; hence, the battle told a lot on Ethan, even though he fought very hard.
[Nexis, finish him!] Onyx ordered, to which in one swift and brutal blow, Nexis' blade tore into Ethan's right arm. Little more than a muffled scream of pain escaped Ethan's lips, yet he refused to yield. He fought on, his face contorted with both agony and determination.
At this, his momentary weakness, Onyx lunged for me, intending to stop my attempted escape. But in so doing, Ethan-even with his dismembered arm-made a desperate move. In a roar of defiance, he tackled Onyx, sending him sprawling, to momentarily stop his pursuit.
[Go!] Ethan yelled, his voice a rasp of pain and resolution. [Don't stop! Get her to safety!]
I watched my heart breaking as Nexis loomed over Ethan, the blade raised high to deliver a fatal blow. Ethan was bloody and battered, barely holding on. In a last-ditch effort, he did the only thing he could think of. Grimacing, he pulled Onyx in front of him, the grey Inquisitor taking the edge of Nexis's crashing blade meant for Ethan.
Ethan's face contorted in a mixture of pain and fierce determination, the image almost more haunting without the teeth. The way he breathed was ragged as his remaining arm fought to hold Onyx in place. His horrific injuries did nothing to stop him; his spirit was unbroken.
[No matter what happens..] Ethan said, his voice barely louder than a whisper as he strained to keep Onyx between him and Nexis's attacks, [you gotta make it through. For Lynsithea. and for all of us.]
Onyx, half-way between him and the attack, let out a mechanical shriek of pain, and Nexis's fury seemed to double as it tried to recalibrate its assault. But Ethan, sans an arm and barely able to stand, was not quite out of commission yet.
With one last, anguished look toward me, Ethan gave one final heave, holding his own against the now-shimmering portal in its final stages of activation. [Go!] he screamed again, all in his voice carrying the weight of his sacrifice. [Make it count!]
The longer the desperate battle wore on, the more desperate Ethan became. The two Inquisitors, Onyx and Nexis, were relentless, their attacks unceasing as Ethan found himself wearing down. Bleeding and bruised, he was hardly holding himself together, yet he refused to give up.
[No. not yet,] Ethan snarled through his clenched teeth, his voice strained but determined. His eyes flashed with determination as he looked back at the portal, now about to be activated.
Seeing Ethan's weakened state, Nexis growled loudly and turned towards me, heading straight for the portal. [We're not letting you escape!] Nexis roared and went forward, filled with lethal intention.
"Stay away from him!" I shouted, desperation in my voice as I readied myself to fight back.
But Ethan, with a final burst of strength, intercepted the Inquisitors. [Not so fast!] he yelled, grabbing both Onyx and Nexis, holding them back. His breathing was coming in ragged, pained gasps as he struggled to hold them off from me. [You're not getting past me.]
Ethan's movements were slow, but his will never wavered. Holding Inquisitors in place, he toyed with a device attached to his belt-the ace in the hole. [Nano Explosives] he was able to get out, not much more than a whisper. [It's. a last resort. Set to trigger on my command.]
Onyx and Nexis struggled against his clutch, their mechanical arms flailing and wrenching in his grasp. [You are done, Ethan!] Onyx growled, trying to push him away. [You can't hold us forever.]
Ethan's eyes, awash in so much pain and an iron determination, locked with mine. [Zane...] he said; the words cracked under the emotion within him. [You've always had what it took to get through. I knew then. I know now. Finish it for all of us. See she gets home."]
I opened my mouth to answer, but words wouldn't come as the enormity hit me. I wanted to tell him how much his sacrifice meant, how much he had come to mean to me, but the moment was fast slipping away.
With the Nano Explosives down to their last few seconds, Ethan clasped the Inquisitors in a grip that was not about to let them get away. The air was filled with unprecedented tension as the moment of a strong explosion drew near. Onyx and Nexis realized that and tried to struggle out with more desperation, though Ethan held them tightly.
The explosion was a deafening roar as the Nano Explosives detonated in one blinding flash of light and energy. The shockwave pelted through the corridor, sending debris and everything else flying as it tore through what was left of the Inquisitors. Ethan, caught in the blast, went straight into a fiery explosion that took him along in its fury as it consumed him and the Inquisitors.
The explosion knocked me back, but I was to my feet in a moment, tears streaming down my face as I faced the portal. The gateway into Calyx had fully activated, and the swirling vortex seemed to call out to me.
I didn't stop to think but ran for the portal, Lynsithea still in my arms. The pain of Ethan's sacrifice was a boulder weighing down my heart, but I knew I had to keep moving. The last thing I saw before stepping through the portal was the remains of that fight-the shattered remains of Ethan's courage and sacrifice.
---
Ethan's consciousness crawled back, his systems rebooting as he slowly came to in unfamiliar surroundings. At first, his vision was fuzzy, but it returned to find him lying on a soft surface in a clean, white room. The room was tranquil and almost otherworldly, with a soft glow emanating from the walls.
Dazed but resolute, Ethan struggled to his feet. Mechanical joints that normally moved with the precision of micromotors felt loose and almost organic. It was as if his entire system had been recalibrated or even cured. He turned a slow circle, taking in the lack of any sort of technological interface within the room-no displays, no control panel, just a plain door on the far wall.
Ethan approached the door cautiously, his curiosity struggling with a sense of trepidation. His hand was warm now, almost human, as it wrapped around the handle. When the door opened, it did so without resistance, and what met his gaze left him quite literally breathless.
On the other side, in the softly lit room, stood two figures. One of them-a young woman who seemed to exude an ethereal grace-touched his soul with her calming and kind presence. One was an older man with a warm, knowing smile-Ivan Liebert, the one who had fixed him all those years ago. It was reassuring and surreal to have this figure from Ethan's past stand before him now, deep pride etched into his features.
Ethan spoke softly, little above a whisper, and in a voice that was unusual for his normal mechanical tone, it hesitated. "Ivan…? Is that really you?"
Ivan's eyes shone with tears of happiness and relief. "Ethan," he said, his voice carrying warmth. "You've come so far. I'm proud of you."
In him stood a woman. Softly smiling next to Ivan, her eyes flashed with compassion and deep insight. "You've done well, Ethan. You've shown more heart and courage than most beings ever could."
Ethan's eyes flickered between Ivan and the woman as his emotions-a strange, new feeling-welled up and overflowed. He took a cautious step forward, his voice catching in his throat. "I..... I didn't know if I would ever see you again. I fought for so long. For Zane, for Lynsithea, for all of us."
Ivan's hand reached out, his fingers touching Ethan's shoulder with a gentleness so opposite the brutality he had been subjected to. "You have fought so bravely," Ivan choked out. "By your sacrifice, by your courage, you have opened the path to others. It is time for you to go now and rest."
The woman stepped forward, the air suddenly around her filled with a calming sort of energy. "You did more than enough, Ethan. You were the beacon of hope. Now, it is time you go heal and find rest where you deserve it.".
Tears of warmth, genuine and pure, welled upon Ethan's eyes. For the first time, he felt an immense feeling of being, of human emotion that transcended the limits of his programming. He looked at Ivan and the woman, a deep, wordless connection there.
"I... I'm ready," Ethan whispered softly, with a quiver of new life in his voice. "Thank you for all that."
The smile that Ivan gave was full of love and pride. "Welcome home, Ethan."
As Ethan walked further and further into the room, the more soothing the peace factor grew around him. The white chamber seemed to alter above and around him; this light becoming nearly gentle with a promise of repose and satisfaction, wherein he felt at this moment no underpinnings of the weight of his sacrifices but felt the peaceful acceptance that he had given this his everything.