When he had cried himself to the point of dehydration, Herobrine raised his head as an idea came to him.

"Glowstone. We need glowstone. A portal made of glowstone. And a bucket of water." He said shakily. Orion heard the desperation in his voice and convinced the others to comply. He and Lucy ran off the find water while Honeydew and Xephos collected glowstone from the ceiling.

Herobrine carefully set down Lydia's body and took the bucket of water from Orion. He then threw it through the glowstone frame the heroes had created. It glowed with blue energy. He walked back to Lydia's body and picked her up, his arms cradling under her knees and neck. His eyes were downcast.

"You're going to the Aether aren't you?" Orion asked. Herobrine nodded. "Well then we're coming with you!"

"No…" Herobrine said, his voice hallow. "You're not."

"The hell we are!" Lucy shouted. "We're been through too damn much for you to tell us that we can't!"

"We've saved the world twice." Honeydew said thoughtfully. "We deserve a reward." Herobrine didn't say anything. He simply walked through the golden portal. Orion, Lucy, Xephos, Honeydew and the others followed.

They were in a valkarie temple. The walls glowed with light stone and a seven foot tall Valkarie with golden wings and hair looked at them in astonishment. But she recognized Herobrine.

"Lord Herobrine! W-what are you doing here?"

"Take us to my brother." He said simply. She was about to reply, but thought better and led them through the winding halls of the temple.

When they emerged from the temple, Herobrine scowled. The sunshine mocked him with its brightness. Several moas fluttered around the clouds surrounding the temple, chattering happily. His jaw tightened. The world shouldn't be happy. The world should be gray.

They walked down a sky wood bridge that led to Notch's massive marble palace. Honeydew and Xephos whistled.

"This is a nice place." Honeydew said.

"Well he is the creator…" Xephos said. "I mean if I was the creator, I'd have a huge palace. Well maybe not a marble one, probably diamonds, or something, but a large palace none the less." Orion and Lucy shot them the kind of glares that said, 'Shut up or we'll cut out your throats'. The tow heroes' mouths snapped shut.

The valkarie bowed when they reached the front door, but Herobrine didn't acknowledge her. He simply used his foot to open the door. The ghost servants that were working in the front parlor stopped and all began talking, asking if he needed help. But Herobrine blocked it all out. He walked up the stairs to his brother's study.

Notch was sitting comfortably at his desk, shuffling through papers and various ledgers. He didn't look up as his brother walked it.

"Herobrine, it's nice to see you again. Though it's only been about 18 hours since your last visit. What can I-" He looked up. "Oh my…" Herobrine's head was down.

"Do something brother." He said quietly. Notch scratched his short beard.

"Why don't you do something?" He said smirking. Herobrine looked at his brother with tear rimmed eyes.

"If I could do it myself, do you think I would be here pleading?" He shouted, his fingers gripping Lydia's body in anger, Notch looked at his brother's eyes, their cool gray bloodshot and clouded.

"Oh little brother…" He stood up and walked around the desk to the crying man. He carefully laid a hand on his brother's bloodied shoulder. The blood evaporated and Herobrine didn't feel the stinging pain anymore. "I only create life. I cannot bring it back. You have to go to her." Herobrine stiffened.

"No…mo I won't do it!" Notch smiled weakly, an older brother sort of smile.

"It's not for you. It's for her." Herobrine looked down at Lydia's lifeless body, now cold and gray with death. Notch leaned down and whispered. "You can go alone. I'll keep the others here." The younger brother nodded. Notch gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Then he turned to the others.

"Heroes, the world owes you a great debt! A feast is in order! Come with me." He herded them out of the small study. Herobrine took a deep breath and left the room, heading in a different direction from the others.

He left the palace through the side door and walked down the rolling green hills. He walked for almost an hour before he caught sight of the beautiful temple settle on a low hanging island. The temple was a creamy peach marble and had thin columns wrapping around the outside of its round base. It had a dome of polished silver that gleamed like fresh dew.

"Herobrine?" A small voice said from behind him. He turned and saw a ghost under a nearby apple tree, her body translucent and wavering. He once green eyes were large and her hands shook. "Is it really you?"

"L-Lydia?" Herobrine asked, looking down at the body in his arms. It was still there and still cold.

"Is that me?" She said shakily. He nodded, not trusting his voice. "S-so I'm really dead?" He nodded again. She slowly neared him and tried to touch his face. But her foggy hand dissipated as she got close to his warm flesh. She drew back, horrified. He didn't say anything, but his eyes cried out in pain. She couldn't touch him. And he couldn't touch him.

He turned away, his gaze hard. "Come on." He said harshly. He began to walk towards the temple, a new resolve in his step. He couldn't see or hear her, but Herobrine knew Lydia was following him. He could feel it.

The reached the edge of the island and a rope bridge hung between their island and the temple's. It swung slowly, back and forth like a baby's cradle. Herobrine stepped on the first plank fearlessly.

"Be careful!" Lydia called as he trekked farther over the bridge.

"I'm not afraid of falling." He said. "If I die, at least I'll be able to be with you." Lydia smiled and flitted over the bridge after him.

The inside of the temple was like the outside, elegant and shinning brilliantly. The dome had a bubbling black cloud hovering in it. Below the cloud was a silver chaise, on which an elegant woman laid, her face very serene. Her hair was long and white with black streaks and she wore a stark white dress. Her thin, delicate wrists were heavily laden with silver and gold bracelets, as were her ankles. She slowly blinked her sparkling black eyes.

"I've been waiting for you, my son. But you've taken too long." Herobrine bowed his head.

"I am sorry mother. I did not mean to stay away so long." The woman remained serene, a calm smile adorning her pale face.

"You did not mean to, but you did. That of which I do not understand." His already fragile demeanor cracked and the tears began running down his face again.

"I did not want to disappoint you anymore." He choked out. She carefully rose from the chaise and placed a hand on Herobrine's shoulder.

"You have never disappointed me, my son. Your creations are wonderful and you are wiser than anyone. I am proud of what you have made and what you have done in the overworld. You would never be able to disappoint me." He felt a twinge on his chest, then lightness. Everything had been lifted from his heart. The only thing left was…

"Mother, there is another reason I came." He shifted the cold body in his arms. She took it from his arms and laid it gently on the chaise. Then she turned to Lydia.

"So you are the ghost of that body?" Lydia nodded. "Well you can't stay a ghost when my son misses you so much." She beckoned Lydia forward. Then she pulled down some of the blackness from the dome, shaping it into a body like shape. "I can make you a different body. A better body. What have you always dreamed of looking like? Skinnier?" The blackness shrunk. "Perhaps more voluptuous?" The curves on the black figure became more obscene. "Bigger eyes? A deeper lower lip? Maybe curly brown hair instead of strait red." The figure changed so much, Lydia didn't recognize it. Herobrine stepped forward and hit the figure, causing it to evaporate.

"I liked her old body, just the way it was." She turned back to Lydia's old body, stiffly lying on the chaise.

"Fine." She sighed angrily. She took Lydia's hand and shoved her into the body. The color returned to her cheeks and the dried blood flaked off of the healed skin. Her green eyes flew open and she gasped for breath. She sat up and looked down at her body.

"I…I…" She stammered.

"Hush child." The woman said. "I am not the one you need to thank. I did not carry you body through the heavens." Herobrine fell to his knees nest to the chaise.

"Lydia…I am so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen…I tried to protect you….I really did…Please forgive me." Lydia swallowed and took her a shaky breath before flinging her arms around him.

"There's no way I couldn't forgive you." She said, her voice choking with tears. "You've saved my life so many times." She felt the slight brush of his hair against her hand. "When did you cut your hair?" He smiled and a chuckle ran through him.

"A few hours ago…Do you like it?" She nodded.

"It's more you." He stood up, pulling Lydia along with him.

"We should return to the others. They'll notice I'm gone." They were about to leave the temple when the goddess stopped them.

"Wait, my son. You are forgetting something." He turned and she kissed him on the cheek. "You are now a god again." His remaining wounds healed and he felt the hum of power in his hands. But then he thought of something.

"What about Lydia?" She looked at her son with eyes filled with compassion and a small streak of wisdom.

"I cannot make her a god…she has no divine blood." Their shoulders fell in defeat. "But I suppose I can make her immortal. If that is what she desires." Lydia nodded and the goddess kissed her on her cheek. Lydia immediately felt healthier and younger.

"Thank you." Lydia breathed, unable to contain her joy. Herobrine tugged on her hand and pulled her out of the temple and across the rope bridge. Hand in hand, they walked through the pale green hills back to Notch's stunning marble palace. They walked through the main hall and into the dining hall where a long table was piled high with pork and beef, chicken and stew, breads and cheeses, fruits and wine, cakes and puddings. Lucy saw Lydia and nearly fell out of her chair. Orion, who was sitting next to Lucy, calmly sipping a glass of ruby red wine, glanced towards the door to see what had startled his friend so much. He sputtered and coughed. This got the attention of the others. Notch stood and threw an arm around his brother.

"Brother! You've returned. I take it your, uh, mission was successful. Come, let us talk." He led the younger to the head of the table and a servant brought out two cups of tea for them.

Lydia went over to Lucy, who had righted herself, and hugged her.

"Lydia!" The Skylord shouted. "You're alive! Or alive again."

"Just the way I was." The redhead replied. "Well sort of. But I'm so glad you two are alright, and not fighting anymore. She sat down in a chair Orion had pulled between the three of them. No sooner had she sat down, when a plate piled high with food was shoved in her hands. "Guys, I'm fine. I don't need so much food." Her stomach growled in protest.

Xephos looked at Honeydew who had just downed another glass of wine.

"You know, I've been thinking." The dwarf grunted.

"Yeah?"

"I think I might change my name to Lewis…"