The steam from my cup curled lazily into the cold, thin air, swirling like ghosts of forgotten thoughts. I stood at the mountain’s peak, where the world below was veiled by a thick blanket of mist. Up here, silence reigned, a quiet so profound it felt like I’d drifted to the edge of existence itself. The icy wind carried whispers of the past, but the serenity of this place could not calm the tempest that raged in my mind. Each sip of tea was like an anchor, grounding me in the present as memories of the Radiant Dawn clawed at my consciousness. These fragments—faint laughter, fleeting sorrow, sharp pangs of joy and despair—tangled together, a knot I couldn't untangle. The harder I tried to focus, the more distant they became, like water slipping through my fingers.
My fingers trembled slightly as I set the cup down beside me. The act of writing, of recording these experiences in my testorium, had always brought clarity before. But now, even with pen in hand and parchment laid before me, the task felt insurmountable. My heart beat loud in my ears as I tried to remember what had once been so vivid, yet now felt just out of reach. The mountain breeze, which should have been invigorating, only deepened the feeling of isolation within my thoughts.
I tried to concentrate on those voices and feelings rather than forcing my way through, I could feel the memories flowing in once again but in a gentler manner, makes it seem like I’m being transported back, back to the setting that change and pushed the realm towards another evolutionary state.
Once again, I found myself in the early days of the realm, everything I see, touch, fell, smell feels as if I have truly gone back to the early days of the realm, but it all a vision, I exist in some sort of astral state, where I get to witness these events just like reality, I do not have the ability to physically pull myself away from these events been shown to me. But somehow once I’m back to my conscious self, my testorium is usually been filled with words describing everything I have witnessed during my time diving within the flowing surges of memories including this as well. As for the current memories, I could see the netherspire continuing to grow and increase in power, the kyrexi also continued to generate more power in respect to the netherspire, this increased growth in power went on for five hundred years and this marked the end of the fifth millennium and the beginning of the sixth.
As the hands of time struck upon the sixth millennium, the eye of the netherspire burst forth netheric energies as a beam of light that reached the heavens, it radiating dark red glow engulf a large portion of the sky as the sea trembles and became chaotic and wild, as turbulences and waves raged against each other as they clashed. The kyrexi was not any stable either, the energies that trickled from the fractured heavens to the earthly realm became more intense. The overwhelming force created a sphere from beneath, the intense pour of energy seems to be condensing into a singular point and that point became a tiny sphere that grew as it sucked in these energies. Beneath the sphere lies something that takes the resemblance of tree roots, this so called aetheric roots spread all across the land. The netherspire was of no difference, within the eye lies a sphere that absorbed the netheric energies generated by the spire while using it beam of energy to project the immense energy being gathered. As more energy funneled into the sphere, its surface shimmered and rippled, expanding until it grew into a cocoon, nearly opaque now, but still pulsing faintly. The energy within the cocoon was no longer the same as that which fed it from below. Inside, the raw power underwent a subtle transformation, becoming denser, more concentrated, and yet... different.
The same also went for the kyrexi, as the cocoon drank the aetheric energy that poured from above, its tendrils glowed with a soft, blue light. The absorbed energy swirled within and became more concentrated. The cocoon radiated a new kind of energy, one that defied the basic structure of aether, it was as if the energy itself was undergoing an evolutionary transformation —purified, refined, and something more. Time passed, though it was quite hard to tell how much but I estimate around six hundred years, so this marked the year six hundred of the sixth millennium (6m 600y). The netherspire cocoon remained suspended above the sea and the kyrexi cocoon remained suspended to the rugged terrain below, a silent witness to the forces that created it.
As the cocoons reached its peak of energy accumulation, the very fabric of the realm’s reality trembled. The netherspire’s wild and chaotic energy and the kyrexi’s soothing and calm energy burst out of the respective cocoons, unleashing a cataclysmic event known as the Ripping Convergence. From within the cocoon’s, two astral beings emerged, these entities which are now known as the first living intelligent entities to be born into the realm, the first sentient life form or should I say omni-form called the Great Ones. These entities are living manifestation of their respective energies, they embody the essence of their realms. The aetheric entity whose name was eventually known to be called Astraea meaning the radiating dawn or dawn’s radiance had it majestic astral form to dissolve, reforming slender arms and legs along with height towering mountains, to be coalesced into a humanoid figure with delicate expressions, adorned with aetheric astral dress that shimmered like stardust with a beautiful blue glow. I haven’t seen such beautiful before, it was like no other.
Astraea’s gaze fell upon its new form, and it recoiled, bewildered.
“What…What am I?” Astraea whispered, voice like a gentle breeze. “How did I come to be?” Long, dazzling hair cascaded down its back, framing a face both familiar and strange. Astraea’s eyes, once shining stars, now sparkled with curiosity. With it blue shinning eyes Astraea looked ahead “Another,” Astraea murmured, sensing an echo of itself elsewhere. “Similar, yet…..yet different.” A shiver ran down its spine as it felt the other presence more, like a discordant note in a symphony. The sensation was unpleasant, repelling Astraea.
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“No” it whispered “I cannot…I mustn’t, at least for now.”
Astraea’s gaze lifted to the sky, fascinated by the breathtaking landscape formation above where the gentle stream of aetheric energy poured down to the rugged terrain, the place of it birth. The aetheric being blue glowing eyes locked onto the highest point of dense air, where the skyscapes converged.
“Ohh…and what would that be? Said with a gentle soothing voice and ethereal smile, Astraea reach it palm slightly forward as raw aether began to haze out only to envelop it body afterwards. The being soared upward at blasting speed, leaving turmoil of its newfound existence behind. Meanwhile, in a distance, within the shimmering sea, the netheric being bestowing it name to be called Khora’gnix meaning stirring void or the growing abyss had it transformation mirror Astraea but with subtle differences like shorter white hair, broader physique, beautiful dark red glowing mantle and eyes.
“I…..see,” the nether entity said with a smooth and alluring voice. Its gaze fell upon its new form “Oh? A prison? No…that’s not it, more like a shell to house the true me”. It look straight above only to sense another like and not quite like itself only to advert it gaze elsewhere the next minute “That can come later”, the response had an unsettling feeling within me. It looked below the spire only to see that the netherspire ripped a little hole to another plane beneath the very realm’s earth, khro’gnix moved closer and used it hands to rip the hole wider, within was a distorted and chaotic plane “This should do nicely” the netheric being dived within the eye of the netherspire. As Astraea reached the highest point of dense air, it gazed out upon the realm only to take it time to embrace the beautiful essence of this majestic plane of existence. Astraea, with its immense power, focused its energy to create a plane that would serve as a sanctuary and reflection of its beauty. B \y channeling its essence, Astraea generated a concentrated burst of aetheric energy, which coalesced and formed the Aetherial Barrier. This barrier separated Elysium, the domain of the aetheric radiant omnikon from the earthly domain, protecting it and isolating it sacred nature.
The Aetherial Barrier is a translucent, crystalline structure infused with aether. It pulsates with a soft, ethereal glow, allowing filtered sunlight to pass through while keeping darkness and malevolent forces at bay. The barrier happens to be impermeable to physical harm and objects, permeable to energy and responsive to aether’s will.
“Ha….so….Beautiful!! I can spend eternity here just gazing upon the wonder of this world. This world brought forth a gift to me….a gift I will be eternally grateful for….my existence… and I shall pay such generosity back by making it my eternal purpose to ensure the peaceful flow and growth of this realm.”
Astraea had a beautiful and soothing smile with it eyes glimmering with hope and desires, truly this is the first of all kind, the first thinking beings to walk the realm. “Within me, I sense an enormous power, power beyond comprehension. This power…let me see how far I can utilize these abilities y experimenting. This isolated space will surly help me”. While stretching it arm forward, Astraea could manipulate the etheric structure of the few landscapes in it domain by breaking down and restructuring the aetheric bond within the elements, this altered their original natural make up into a modified version of it choice. With this Astraea was able to craft an earthly material that surpasses the thickness and strength of natural earth. Using this new crafted elements, Astraea was able to create towering structures that divided its domain into five layers or level, this levels are known as the seats of Elysium. The purpose of this structures and partitions are still unknown of at this point, but what I do know is that the structures and partitioning took one hundred standard years (6m 700y).
Elysium wasn’t only home to towering structures and landscape, it was also home to zilt, a special type of crystal that only formed in Elysium, the crytal had a special property of absorbing aether amplifying growth while radiating it in a form of a blue-white tint. These crystals are said to be multifaceted. It serves as a symbol of balance, reflecting the celestial equilibrium that governs Elysium.
The landscape surrounding the structure wasn’t merely an afterthought; it was an extension of Astraea's very will. Rolling hills, radiant with soft, silvery light, sloped toward the base of the structure. Gentle rivers, filled not with water but with liquid aether, shimmered in hues of pale blue and lavender, flowing endlessly in perfect symmetry. Waterfalls cascaded down from the high cliffs, their source seemingly from nowhere and everywhere at once, as if the very air bled light. Each section of this tower structure was unique. Other sections, equally grand, carried their own mysteries. Some appeared to be untouched, great forests, where trees glittered with dew-like drops of pure energy, bordered fields of smooth, reflective grass. Towering mountains, their peaks lost in clouds of light, these areas were vast, seemingly without end, as though they defied the very concept of space and time. And yet, they were undeniably linked to the structure's heart.
The fifth and final section, however, was Astraea’s true domain. The pinnacle of her creation. It wasn’t just another part of the tower it was the Heart of Elysium, her personal seat of power. The very ground shimmered as though made of polished crystal, yet it felt soft underfoot, like the finest woven silk. Towering pillars, made of a material that resembled liquid moonstone, reached into the star-filled sky, supporting an open vault through which the cosmos itself seemed to gaze back. Rivers of light flowed from the base of the pillars, their currents slow and deliberate, guiding those who walked through this domain. The waterfalls here cascaded more softly, their streams trailing in midair as if gravity obeyed Astraea's will alone.
Standing at the heart of her domain, Astraea surveyed the sprawling beauty of her creation. Her gaze lingered on the endless expanse before her, and though her expression remained serene, there was a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes. A pause, a silence, as though the entire realm waited for her next command. With a quiet breath, she spoke.
"Now, let’s see how well you all function."
The words lingered in the air, subtle yet weighted. There was no direct explanation, no revelation, but the meaning was unmistakable. Astraea had created something something sentient, perhaps. Something that would soon awaken and serve a purpose she had yet to reveal. And as the final echoes of her words faded into the endless sky, the realm itself seemed to stir, as if whatever she had brought into existence was finally ready to begin its work.