On that subject, I find it a little weird that we started having premonitions of the world's end after Zodiark was dealt with as our Echo has previously never functioned in such a manner.

Perhaps it was a warning from Etheriys itself? If the Ancients were the original life somehow born in both body and soul from the star, they may have possessed a deeper connection to it with the Echo being a product of that, as there's no indication their creations like the Loporrits also possessed it.