Dyon gently set their coffins down, taking care not to wake them up as he wrapped the two in their ceremonial robes and took them into his arms. His heart trembled as he tried to control his emotions, but his mind was a mess. He was caught in between being ecstatic and being filled with worry.
"What is going on?" Dyon turned toward Junior, asking this question for the third time. But, this time around, his gaze and tone were decidedly softer.
"I was thinking for a long time after you came to speak to me about the Life Stone, but I couldn't figure it out. So, instead, I began to cultivate, thinking that things would sort themselves out eventually.
"But, when I did start to cultivate, something unexpected happened. I started to feel a deep sense of familiarity with the death qi that kept popping up. I didn't understand why though … It wasn't something as simple as my affinity for death will, it was something deeper than that."
Normal youths wouldn't be able to begin cultivating until their meridians matured. But, youths with more talent matured quicker than others. And, for Junior, who took the Martial Saint pill that elevated his meridians to the True Deity grade, he was even quicker. So, there was no issue with him beginning to cultivate so early on.
"It was then I realized that the sense of familiarity wasn't coming from me, but the remnant's of Orcus and his constitution. So, I focused in on that feeling, trying to tap into my constitution more. I thought that maybe if I did, I could find some of Orcus' lingering memories then maybe grasp something.
"I ended up making great progression in just a few hours, likely because my body was created with a much higher level of Death God Body than I currently have, so my progress is smoother than it would be for others.
"It was then I realized that the sense of familiarity wasn't exactly about Orcus either. Well, it was related to him, but not his body directly. It was as though it was some sort of outside influence I was instinctually feeling close to. But, this only confused me more…
"What could be related to Orcus and death qi, but somehow be unrelated to Orcus himself – or rather not directly related. I racked by brain, but I couldn't understand it. That was when I remembered that among the core teachings of Orcus you showed me, there was a dual cultivation technique!"
Dyon's eyes widened. That was right… He had completely ignored that technique because not only did he have a far better dual cultivation technique, one that would be coveted even on the Immortal Plane, none of his wives comprehended death will. So, it was next to useless to him.
"That was when I realized, the qi was familiar to me not because it was from Orcus, but because it was from one or many of his wives. I remembered then that you used the hearts of Orcus' wives to catalyze the creation of my body. That was why it felt so familiar."
"Still, none of this is enough for you to connect this to Mia and Bella." Dyon said.
"You still don't get it? They said that your smell was familiar and comfortable to them. But, they obviously hadn't felt that way toward anyone else. Haven't you understood why that is yet?"
As though on cue, Mia and Bella trembled slightly in Dyon's arm, their beautiful, large dark opal eyes opening.
In that moment, the cry of two phoenixes shook Planet Soul.
Dyon understood then… Mia and Bella didn't recognize his smell, per se… they recognized the scent of his death will.
...
Dyon didn't know where the time went for the rest of the day, but he had suddenly gone from reeling in researchers and believing Mia and Bella were dead, to those very same supposedly "dead" little girls running around in adorable black dresses with Little Aiden and Junior.
How Dyon had not had a single child, yet suddenly become the father of so many?... He had no idea. Life worked like that sometimes.
After this event, Dyon immediately went to speak with his grand teacher. Of course, Dyon had tried to ask the old man about Mia and Bella before, but he had no answer. This was one of the main things that made Dyon lose hope. But, he thought that maybe he would know something now.
~Hours ago
"I see…" Abraxus.
"What is it?"
"Well, I should have probably guessed that this would happen eventually, especially with the Ancient Battlefield about to descend on your Plane."
"When you say it like that… Does the Immortal Plane have an Ancient Battlefield too?"
"Of course it does. But, our Ancient Battlefield is... Let's say less important than yours is. In reality, the stakes are the same, but it's rarer for the true purpose of the battlefield to come to the forefront on the Immortal Plane."
"But how are the two related?" Dyon asked.
"There are certain things that the universe cannot do without, it's obvious that the representation of Death is one of those things. The Heavens have been thrown too far out of balance, so right now, it's trying to overcompensate."
"But… The Mortal Plane is about to collapse. Why would the Heavens create two new Dark Phoenixes instead of Ice Phoenixes? Wouldn't creating life be more appropriate now than creating death?"
"Like I said, there is a heavy imbalance. The Heavens are confused about what it should create as well. Or, maybe more accurately, the life it is trying to create is being interfered with.
"Still, the birth of Dark Phoenixes is incredibly important as well, a Mortal Plane without a concept of death doesn't mean everyone gets to live. More accurately, it means that death is without a wielder, without control, and thus far worse that it should be."
"You mean your second disciple is interfering with the birth of life?"
