The End of the Aether

"I think the only solution possible here is...suicide. The destruction of everything so you two can enjoy a better tomorrow."

- Nikolai Belinski "Kill yourselves...for me? Just who the hell do you think I am?"

- Samantha Maxis The End of the Aether is the final game of Phase Two of the Crisis series. It serves as an alternate ending to the Aether storyline of Treyarch Zombies. Our heroes have been given one last chance to defeat fate and bring peace to their timelines.

Background
By the end of Infinity Crisis, several major events changed the course of the zombies storyline roughly after Monty has teleported the Primis to the 13th century, restarting the cycle.
 * Both Monty and the Shadowman are dead.
 * The Ultimis are dead.
 * The Primis died, but because of the cycle, there will appear again.
 * The House has been destroyed.
 * Eddie's location is unknown.
 * Samantha Maxis has her body back and is currently located on Earth-1.
 * Primis Maxis has died. Ultimis Maxis' location is unknown.

Reunion
Eddie awakens on yet another morning on his hell on Earth-Ultimis. Following the attack on the House in Infinity Crisis, he attempted to escape with Samantha into a teleporter, but an explosion separated the two. Samantha remained at the house while Eddie was transported to Earth-Ultimis in the year 2025. For some unknown length of time, Eddie roamed, killing zombies, scavenging for food, cursing his existence yet unwilling to end it all, despite a voice in his head gently suggesting he do so. Eddie eventually arrived in Washington, where he reprogrammed a broken robot Tedd to be his companion. They eek out a meager existence in a dying world.

After going through his morning chores, Eddie suddenly falls asleep and receives a vision. He sees what appears to be an older version of himself dressed in a German officer's uniform. The man explains that he is indeed an alternate version of Eddie, known as Ultimis Richtofen; it was he that caused so much suffering and now roams as a spirit until this last bit of redemption is achieved. And this last bit of redemption is truly, finally saving the world from the zombies.

Richtofen tells Eddie that he will receive unexpected visitors soon, and with them, they will form a team that has a chance to end the cycle of suffering. But, most importantly, no matter how dark things seem, no matter how bleak the world is, to never give up, because there will always be a chance for victory and happiness.

Richtofen begins to dissipate. Before he goes, Eddie asks him if Samantha is okay; Richtofen smiles, and his spirit fades into the fog. But emerging from the fog is Samantha. Eddie is unable to comprehend this for a moment, but then moves to embrace his sister. However, he realizes that now she appears to be just as old as he is, if not older.

Samantha explains that she has her own body back and was living on Earth-1, but the affects of remaining in the MPD for 70 years has resulted in her body aging more rapidly than usual. But, what's important is that she came to Earth-Ultimis was to not only find Eddie, but to finish this conflict, once and for all.

Samantha explains that through her research, she discovered that the cyclic nature of the zombie universes - Earth-Ultimis and Earth-Primis - was a way for Monty to cheat his death; he has returned and taken control of the zombies. Though she doesn't know why Monty kept her and Eddie around, she does know that they were merely pawns for his plans.

Samantha introduces the man with her - Pablo Marinus, a former test subject and soldier who has acted as her guardian in this world. Together - Samantha, Eddie, Pablo, and Tedd - they will save their world and defeat Monty.

But first, Samantha hastily adds, Monty probably knows they are there. The low rumbling sound of approaching zombies confirms this. As the four lock and load, Samantha tells them that Monty will likely take away the Mystery Box and wall weapons to ensure their defeat. Fortunately, Samantha didn't come to this world unprepared; with the help of scientists from Earth-1, she produces a device which casts a wave of energy over the map, bringing back everything from Zombies maps we know and love.

Eddie releases the safety on his M1911 as the first zombie breaks through.