I believe that in order to understand a story you must first understand how the main aspects of the universe in which this story is set work.
This page will act as the main storehouse of knowledge about how the universe in which Otesian Age is set works.
Mysti
Mysti is the primary energy of the universe. It is everywhere, without exception. It is used both to form the most basic aspects of existence and to characterize concepts that cannot even be seen or touched. Regardless of the type of Misty possessed by someone, it will always be the user’s level that will be the decisive factor for victory. Those who own and utilize any Mysti is called “Mystics”.
Mysti is basically all there is. However, this energy exists in different forms, many of which are divided into a few types. Each type is below or above the others in the hierarchical pyramid of the mystis.
Types of Mysti
Mysti Pure
Mysti Pure, as the name suggests, is this energy in its initial form, which is the mysti that is sent out into the universe. Having a white color mixed with an iridescent appearance, pure mysti has the ability to transform into any other mysti imaginable. Having this ability, it was the first mysti to be injected into the universe, and from it all the others were formed. Since the moment of Creation, pure mysti have continued to be sent into the universe.
Because it is the mysti responsible for generating all the others, it is not normally found, because the moment it enters the universe, it immediately transforms into the others. Even so, it is not impossible for a being to acquire it, gaining the power to create anything, even new aspects of existence. Even so, the task of achieving it is absurdly difficult and unlikely, since even the greatest beings in the universe are unaware of its existence.
Mystis Primordials
Primordial Mystis were the first to be formed in Creation. They form a trio that is present throughout the Cosmos. Present since the beginning, their mere function is to exist so that the universe has a basis for remaining balanced.
The Mysti Primordials are:
Mystis Pillars
Mystis Pillars are those known as the “Frontier” mystis, because unlike the primordial ones, living beings can acquire them with an affinity of persnonality, just like the mystis below the pillars. Thus, they are the ones that mortals most recognize as a symbol of power, being the highest, in the hierarchy of mystis, that someone can acquire naturally.
The Pillars represent 6 aspects of the beings in the universe. Unlike the Primordials, the Pillars represent forces that actually act actively in the universe, each of them even having total dominion over a part of the universe, these parts being known as “Branches”, with only one of the 6 not possessing this Branch, but rather another type of dominion.
Each Mysti Pillar has a series of personality virtues that each of the 6 values. To awaken a Mysti Pillar by affinity, the person does not need to have all of them, which is practically impossible. However, each Mysti Pillar has a minimum virtue that is necessary for the person to awaken it in this way. Having the Minimum Virtue, the Mysti Pillar does not force the user to have the rest, but it will reward those who do.
The more aligned with one of the Pillars, the more immersed their personality is in that Mysti, the more power the user will receive from it.
The 6 Mystis Pillars are:
Extremity
Each Mysti Pillar has its own list of powers, however each has a power that is called “Extremity”, this being the most powerful, but can only be achieved and used by those who possess only that Mysti Pillar and no other of the 5, and it’s needed to have this mysti by affinity. Basically being a way for these energies to reward a person’s loyalty to them.
Mystis Basics
Mysti Basics is the type responsible for the natural materials of the universe. All the elements that exist and naturally make up the universe are the basic mystis. They can be acquired, as can the pillars and everyone below them, by personality affinity.
Given their immense number, it’s impossible to list them completely, but it’s enough to think that they all exist and make up the universe naturally. Things like fire, water, air, earth, and their derivatives; as well as more sophisticated elements like mercury; and even non-physical aspects, but which certainly exist like gravity or even time. Even living beings, such as animals for example, can be considered Basic Mystis.
Regardless of where you are in the universe, if something exists naturally, it’s a Mysti Basic. And anyone can awaken them and use them, if that mysti is important enough to them.
Mystis Kalin
Kalin Mystis are the base of the pyramid of mystis, being at the bottom, but being the most numerous. These represent anything that is artificially created, and are even called Individual Mystis.
While the Basics represent everything that exists naturally, the Kalin represent everything that is made. For example, metal is something natural, so it is a Basic Mysti; but a sword, even though it is made of metal, is produced, so it is a Mysti Kalin.
Things like swords, chains, masks, or anything else produced by someone can be considered Mysti Kalin.
Fisys
If the mystis are the energies, the Fisys are the abilities. Even though the Mysti Pillars and those above them have their powers that are made available for their users to use, it is preferable that the mystics do not remain restricted to the standard powers of their mystis.
A mystic with a basic fire mysti, for example, can produce fire freely, but if he wants to do something other than throw fire at others, he will have to create a Fisy.
Fisys do not have rules for the abilities created, the only rule for creating a Fisy is that the ability must be based on, at least, a mysti, of any type. It is not possible to base your abilities on something you do not have. And the only limitation on the power of the Fisys is the user himself.
The more powerful he is, the freer he will be to create physys capable of incredible feats even with the most basic and common of mystis. Change the environment, harm the opponent, enhance one’s own body, unleash powerful explosion attacks, summon beings created by the user. Fisys are limited only by the mystic himself, the more powerful, the more freedom he will have to create the ability he wants and with the mysti he has at his disposal.
Joint Fisys
When two or more mystics are in such harmony, synchrony and with such a high level of friendship, they are able to develop a Fisy that can only be used by all of them together. Reaching such a level is rare, as it requires not only the will to create a strong ability, but also a real friendship and companionship that reaches the levels of fraternity. To compensate for the difficulty in creating it, Joint Fisys are naturally more powerful than any Fisy used solely by one of their mystics.
Tekyns
Tekyns are natural powers awakened by beings that have souls. Most people live and die without ever awakening their Tekyns, and there is no rule for their awakening. Even so, it is most commonly seen in people with great life experience or combat potential, even though the most humble and common of people can also awaken on any given day in their life.
Each person has only one Tekyn, and this power is completely random and beyond the user’s choice. Once awakened, the person will have to live with it, and it is rarely something negative in their lives.
Since it is a power granted suddenly, training and getting used to this power is highly necessary for anyone who possesses it.
Eye Beams
Being exclusive to mystics, Eye Beams are a true symbol of high power. When a mystic reaches a level of power above average, the Mysti of his body and soul becomes so great that it becomes visible, usually through the eyes shining in the color of the user’s predominant Mysti, but this glow normally only appears when there is an intention to use Mysti or in moments of intense use.
When this level of power is reached, the user’s Mysti can be fired through his eyes, as a form of additional attack, literally letting his enormous amount of Mysti leak through his body. The eyes are the most common form of this release, but there are times when the power released is so great that it is violently fired through the mouth.
If the user has more than one Mysti, he can choose which one to fire, usually the one he has the most affinity with. Regardless of the Mysti and type, the beams have the main function of causing damage, but they can also apply additional or different effects depending on the properties of the Mysti fired. Holy Mysti’s Eye Beams, for example, can heal instead of dealing damage, just as Ice Mysti’s Eye Beams apply freeze in addition to the damage.
Eye Beams are usually a sign that the user is getting close to achieving a Transty.
Mystesis
Mystesis are basically energetic beings made of pure mysti. They are born naturally in places with a huge concentration of mysti, mainly from the Branches, in the case of the Pillar Mysti. Elementals are great examples of mystesis of Mystis Basics.
They rarely have the ability to speak or be intelligent, being only physical materializations of the mysti of which their bodies are composed. These creatures come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but their nature tends to be hostile towards those who possess the mysti they represent. Mystesis are most commonly found in the Basic, Pillar, and Primordial mystis.
Lightshower Elemental from Hearthstone. Artist: James Ryman
Mysti Trees
Mysti Trees are trees made entirely of mysti. They grow naturally in places with high concentrations of mysti, and can even be seen in the environment, however, it is not uncommon for them to grow in completely random locations.
When every tree reaches a certain point, it develops a Mysti Tree Core embedded in its center, like a heart. This Core, shaped like a pearl, acts as an unlimited supply of energy for the tree. These trees are completely indestructible, and can even continue to be active in the void of space, as long as they still have their Core.
These trees have the characteristic glow of the color of their mysti.
Mysti Tree Fruit
Like any tree, Mysti Trees bear fruit. These fruits have a glow equal to that of the tree. When consumed, the person receives the mysti corresponding to that of the tree, however this form of obtaining it can cause problems, as the fruit can give more power to the person than they can bear. In addition, another type of problem that can result from the consumption of the fruit is instability. If someone consumes the fruit of a mysti with which they do not have an affinity, it can result in an incompatibility that ends up causing harm to the user through the conflict of their personality and the nature of that mysti forced into their body.
Mysti Tree Core
Another thing that can be ingested from the tree to gain power is the Mysti Tree Core itself. After the difficult task of extracting the Core from within the tree, the person can ingest it. The pearl-shaped Core then becomes visibly embedded in the person’s body. Among the many ways to acquire mysti, this is the most powerful, as the Core is a source of unlimited energy. Unlike the fruit, the Core does not cause problems due to incompatibility. The person’s only concern is being powerful enough to withstand so much energy in their body. If they cannot, the person explodes from the inside out in a glow of raw mysti. Once the Core is ingested, stabilized and controlled by the person, it is not worth ingesting another one, as the gain in power after the first one is infinitely diminished. If the person is interested in ingesting more cores, it is better that they are from different mystis, so that they will have several mystis with a high level of power. Once removed, the Core cannot be replaced, and the tree will begin to lose its shine and life, eventually withering and rotting.
Zuhaitesys
When a fruit from a mysti tree goes a long time without being picked, the seed inside it begins to transform into a living being. The fruit itself begins to function as a womb, gestating the seed until it completely transforms into a being called a Zuhaitesys, that means “Born From The Tree”. Once ready, the Zuhaitesys hatches out of the fruit like a chick from its egg.
Zuhaitesys, like mystesis, are beings made of pure mysti of the type from which they originated. However, Zuhaitesys always have intelligence and the ability to speak, in addition to being extremely more powerful than any mystesi, regardless of size. Mystesis, even the most savage and primitive, naturally feel the difference in power of the Zuhaitesys, simply avoiding any conflict with them, when they do not follow and obey them out of pure instinct.
The Zuhaitesys, like the Mysti Trees, are large concentrations of their respective mystis, and can be used in a variety of ways, and even as a way to amplify attempts to contact other beings of their mystis in the cosmos. The most common Mystis Trees to be found are the Pillar type, followed by the Primordial, of which only Light and Darkness are possible.
Even when alive, a Zuhaitesys is the seed that should have been a new Mysti Tree. Therefore, they are literal gardeners of their mystis. Since they were born from the seed of an unpicked fruit, they now have the ability to generate new trees from their bodies, whether through bloodshed or a lost limb; everything in a Zuhaitesys’s body has the potential to generate a new tree. This is the way the mystis found for the seeds that were too late to make up for lost time.
In the event of death, if left alone, the Zuhaitesys’s body is sure to generate a new tree.
Ways to acquire mystis
Affinity
The most common way to get a misty, as it does not depend on anything external, only on the person themselves. Any being can awaken a mysti as long as they have an affinity for it, whether by personality or taste. However, ordinary people who lead normal lives, despite having potential, never awaken their mysti because they do not need to.
People who train and live in wars will naturally awaken their mysti throughout their lives. If a person has several mysti, it is unlikely that they will be awakened at the same time. The type of mysti also does not influence the order.
The only types of mysti that can be obtained by affinity are:
- Kalin
- Basics
- Pillars.
Irradiation
When someone spends a lot of time in an environment rich in a certain mysti, they end up being irradiated by the energies present there. However, this mysti can only be gained temporarily, if the user has spent a short time being irradiated. But if the person spends a lot of time in this environment rich in mysti, the gain can be permanent, but usually some kind of physical, and even mental, modification occurs in the person when a mysti is permanently gained in this way.
The only types of mysti that can be obtained by irradiation are:
- Basics
- Pillars
- Primordials, only Light and Darkness.
Donation
The person receives mysti from a highly powerful being.
The only types of mysti that can be obtained by Donation are:
- Basics
- Pillars
- Primordials, Light and Darkness only.
Fruit
The person receives mysti after consuming the fruit of a Mysti Tree.
The only types of mysti that can be obtained by eating the fruit of a Mysti Tree are:
- Pillars
- Primordials, Light and Darkness only
Mysti Tree Core
The person receives mysti by ingesting the Mysti Tree Core.
The only types of mysti that can be obtained by ingesting the Mysti Tree Core are:
- Pillars
- Primordials
Artefacts
Even if the person loses the mysti when separated from the artifact, it still counts as use. In some cases, it is even possible to extract the mysti from the artifact and pass it on to someone else.
The only types of mysti that can be obtained by artefacts are:
- Kalin. Rarely, but possible.
- Basics
- Pillars
- Primordials. Light and Darkness only.
Transty
In simple terms, transtys are the transformations of mystics. Contrary to what one might expect, the transformation does not result in an increase in power, but rather it is the result of an increase in power.
A good metaphor used to explain transtys is that of a jar and water. Imagine that someone’s body is represented by a jar, and the water inside the jar represents their power. As a person’s life goes on, their power increases, and can reach the point where the water overflows the jar and even starts to damage it. In order to contain this increase in the amount of water, the jar needs to undergo a transformation. And this transformation represents the transty.
Once a person reaches the point of having at least 1 transty, their power begins to be divided. Take, for example, a person who has one transty. In other words, they have their normal form and their transty. Therefore, their power is divided in half for each form. If a person in these conditions defeats an opponent in their normal form only, it means that they won using at most half of their power. For someone who only has one transty, the more transformations, the greater the division of power. Rarely does someone go beyond one transty or even two.
Transtys are simply reactions of the body to the person’s increased power, a true visual representation of their progress. However, transtys do not take into account external power increases such as the Mystis Tree Core or the Hestini state. Only the person’s own power gained through training and experience results in a transty.
No matter how many transtys a mystic possesses, they do not grant any significant features such as wings, tails or huge claws; they are merely visual, giving the user no capabilities beyond those of their power.
Transtys are more common in mortal beings, that is, those who were born without great prospects of power. For a being who was born extremely powerful, any gain in power is irrelevant, and the acquisition of transty is not even necessary.
Planes
Planes, also also known as “Planes of Existence”, are, precisely, different layers of the universe itself. For every space that exists, there is a corresponding space in every other plane. Metaphorically, if the universe were a building, the planes would be its floors, exactly the same size. This makes every plane always close to every person, no matter where they are.
There are a total of 8 existing planes that follow a depth sequence, with only 7 being known by the common knowledge. Although there is an order, the difficulty of reaching a distant plane is not necessarily greater than reaching a nearby one. The Planes of Existence, in sequence, are:
| Material Plane / Mortal Plane |
| Ethereal Plane |
| Elemental Plane |
| Oneiric Plane / Dreams Plane |
| Spiritual Plane |
| Bright |
| Dark |
All the Planes are the same size, but none are the same. Each one is a different layer of the universe, with different aspects, different landscapes, different scenarios, different inhabitants and different rules. It doesn’t matter how close one plane is to the other, whenever someone enters a different one, it’s a new universe that they have to adapt to. It is extremely harmful or even fatal to enter another plane without knowledge, experience, preparation or alliances on the other side.
The Planes follow the expansion of the universe equally, with none having more or less space than the others.
Even if every space on one plane has a corresponding space on the others, there is no guarantee that this space will have the same conditions on all planes. For example, if someone is on a planet in the Material Plane, when they move to another plane there is no guarantee that they will have anything under their feet to step on.
Despite being different layers of the same universe, with the same size and corresponding locations, the Planes don’t share the same history. Entire planets on the Mortal Plane can be vacuum space on the Ethereal Plane. Seas on the Elemental Plane can be desolate deserts on the Oneiric Plane. And so on. Anyone crossing the Planes can faithfully expect a place of arrival, but nothing guarantees that it will be like the place they left.
Exarts
Exarts are beings capable of connecting with the Planes of Exitence. Only mortal beings, those born on the Mortal Plane and native to it, have this ability.
The power to interact with the Planes is something exclusively linked to the minds of mortals. An exart who has died and become undead no longer possesses this ability, as their brain is dead, even if their body continues to function. In the same way, a brain that is kept alive, even without a body, is fully capable of continuing to interact with the Planes.
Even though every being of a race originating from the Material Plane has the potential to connect with the Planes, those who actually demonstrate this ability are considerably rare. So, although all mortals have the capabilities of an Exart, this term is only used for those who can actually have extraplanar interactions.
Because of its proximity to the Material Plane, it’s normal to imagine that connecting with the Ethereal Plane is easier than with the deeper Planes. This is true for some, but it is also common for Exarts to have natural attractions to other planes, regardless of their depth. Connecting with the Dark of the Material Plane, for example, can be extremely laborious, if not impossible, for most Exarts, for some others it is considerably easier. And that goes for any Plane. However, normally Exarts who have a natural attraction to a certain Plane, find it very difficult to connect to anything other than their original Plane and the one they have an affinity for.
Exarts Capacities.
The capacities of an Exart vary for each person. The weakest are only able to hear other Planes, if not just one, and the creatures that live there. At this level, this connection is involuntary and is not even noticed by beings from other Planes, as listening to them is not an active form of communication.
The greater an Exart’s abilities, the rarer it is. There are those who are able to see the Planes, try to call out to the natives of other Planes, and some are even able to cross the veil of reality and go to other Planes.
The ability to cross the Planes is the most impressive thing an Exart can possess. For, with just a thought, they are able to escape certain death on one Plane to the safety of another. Even the ability to cross Planes is quite wide-ranging, there are Exarts who can take only themselves, some who can create portals for more beings and objects to pass through, even the rarest who can transport their own environment to another Plane, taking everything and everyone in the area against their will with them.
Another important ability is that of extracting and using power from the Planes. Some Planes have unique natural energies that can be mastered by those who can connect with them. However, it’s not as if the Exart acquires this power; whenever it wants to use it, it has to connect with the Plane again.
The more powerful the Exart’s ability, the more it will demand of your mind. The simple connection with the Planes already begins to tire him out, and it’s not possible to abuse this power for long. Whether it’s just listening, or even drawing power and crossing the Planes, every action and second that an Exart uses its power tires and wears out their mind.
Magic, Wizards and The Window
If Mysti is the primary energy of the universe, used by mystics, Magic is the secondary energy, used by wizards. Unlike Mysti, which focuses heavily on individualism, Magic focuses on collectivism. This happens because of the place from which wizards draw their power. This place is the Window.
The universe continually receives Mysti Pure, causing an enormous excess of this Mysti capable of transforming itself into any other. The place where all this excess Mysti Pure is contained is called the Window, being the space between all the Planes of Existence. Being just an enormous space of Mysti Pure, the Window is an entirely white place with iridescent characteristics, just like the Mysti it contains.
Because it is between the Planes, the Window can be accessed through mental capacity, so it is important for a wizard to have a high intellect, although it is not a rule. Since wizards draw their power from the Window, they use Mysti Pure, but they do not have it like mystics naturally have their Mysti, being necessary to access the Window every time they want to use their spells. Unlike other Mystis, whose powers and abilities are well defined, the Mysti Pure is capable of transforming itself into anything, which is why wizards have such a variety and possibilities of what to do with their power, being capables of to do basically anything, depending of their level of power.
When a mystic creates his abilities, he creates them from his own individual ability, making it practically impossible to teach this to someone else. When a wizard creates a spell, by using the Window, this spell is forever recorded in the immensity of Mysti Pure. Everything that is done to use a certain spell is recorded: words, gestures, movements. Since the Window, like all Planes, is present in every corner of the universe, a wizard in another galaxy can cast a spell from a wizard from Eredwyn, and vice versa, if he, even by accident, performs exactly the same casting action. This makes the Magic used by wizard easily teachable to other wizards, while the abilities of the mystics remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Still, it is not forbidden or even impossible for a person to use both Mysti and Magic, as this is a person with a very high variety, adaptability and unpredictability in combat.
Soul and Essence
To quickly separate the difference between Soul and Essence, it is best to define the beings that possess them. Soul is carried only by mortal beings, from races originating from the Material Plane. Essence is carried by beings from all other Planes of Existence, being non-mortal beings.
Soul
The soul is the source of vital energy that every mortal being is born with. Each person’s soul is identical in appearance to the person themselves, with the detail of having a spectral gray appearance and being reasonably transparent.
Unlike the body, the soul stops aging at the person’s physical peak, be it in disposition, beauty or form. Souls are completely indestructible, they cannot lose limbs or suffer changes such as burns or deformations due to impacts. However, they can be injured, cut and pierced normally. The difference is that after the blow, despite feeling all the pain, the damage disappears the moment the blade no longer touches the soul’s skin. For example, if someone pierces a soul’s heart with a sword, it will feel all the pain of having a giant sword pierced through its chest, but the moment the sword is removed, there is no more pain or injury.
A Body Without Soul
A living body without a soul remains in a coma. All bodily activities are maintained. The brain still thinks, the heart still beats, the lungs still breathe, but without a soul the body does not have the strength to move on its own, although there are some exceptions to this case, and it is possible for a person to continue moving even without a soul, although it is rare.
Different Mind and Soul
It is possible to place someone’s soul in someone else’s body. The body is controlled by the mind, the soul simply functions as a source of energy that allows the fulfillment of one’s wishes. However, if the soul and mind are from different people, there will be a natural discord and desynchronization, resulting in a strangeness, as if there is something in the person that does not belong to them, something that is simply not right. It is not uncommon, in addition to the strangeness, for the person to have a change in their behavior resulting from the conflict between their mind and soul. This is even more aggravated when there is a gender incompatibility between the body, mind and soul. Having a body and mind with the soul of another person is similar to having a strangeness about yourself.
The Pulls Of The Souls
In any Plane of Existence, a soul that is no attached to a body, an object, or anything that binds it to the world, disappears instantly in a fraction of second. It is not as if it is erased, it simply disappears as if it were pulled by a force beyond.
A few very rare people have managed the feat of keeping their soul in their world even after death, even without being attached to anything, only with their own willpower. And all of these people say they feel the same thing: “There is something pulling me at all times.”
Body and Soul Separated
It is possible, in some ways, to separate the Soul from the body by one’s own will. When this happens, the soul remains connected to the body and does not disappear.
However, there is the possibility that the soul may separate from the body without the person’s will, usually happening at the will of enemies. This can result in the rare scenario of the soul not disappearing and the body, without a soul, continuing to function. While together, the body, mind and soul are in perfect harmony and agreement, but from the moment the soul separates and the body remains active, they become two different beings.
Both can be identical in personality until the moment they are separated, but they begin to have different experiences from that moment on, and may develop completely different opinions and mentalities.
Even when separated, the active body and soul have access to the same Mystis, Fisys and Tekyns. But they can acquire and develop new energies and abilities as they exist.
If the soul and body that have separated and become quite different personalities come together again, it will result in a discord similar to having another person’s soul in your body.
Arimeza
Arimeza is probably the most important thing about souls. It is the energy of souls. Every soul, whether sentient or not, naturally generates Arimeza, while this energy functions as stamina for souls.
At all times, souls produce and consume Arimeza. Simple actions such as walking and talking do not consume more Arimeza than is replenished. However, more intense actions, even minimal ones, such as running, fighting, and, especially, being injured result in a loss of Arimeza in the soul, similar to fatigue. When the Arimeza level becomes too low, the soul faints and falls asleep. It will sleep until its Arimeza levels are naturally stabilized. Even though souls cannot be killed or destroyed, they can be defeated in combat.
Arimeza is an incredibly useful energy, and can be used for anything. Whether it is to quickly increase the power of an attack, to heal yourself; or, in greater cases, serve as raw energy for machinery or a food source for creatures that feed on it.
While alive, a person’s soul does not lose Arimeza, as all the effort is done by the body. However, it is possible to extract Arimeza from a living person, this being an ability of the Mysti Pillar of Death, and the sensation of having Arimeza extracted from one’s soul is similar to that of being skinned alive.
Contrary to what many people think, souls are not immortal, but they exist for a long time. But the removal of soul’s Arimeza by another person reduces this time, even if it is little compared to all the years that this soul will still have until it finally disappears forever. Every soul has a limit of Arimeza that it will produce throughout its existence. Every time it is spent beyond the minimum it brings the soul ever closer to this limit, and once it is reached, when there is no more Arimeza to be produced, the soul meets its eternal end.
Essence
Essence is the equivalent of the soul for non-mortal beings, those born on Planes other than the Mortal, such as gods and spirits, for example.
Essence, unlike the souls of mortals, is not a separate aspect of the body and mind. Body, mind and Essence are all one in beings from other Planes.
The greater the power of the being, the greater its quantity of Essence, which can be separated, divided and used in any way the being wishes, such as placing part of its own Essence in objects. This separated Essence, however small, is not part of a being’s personality or mind, but rather a smaller copy of it. Beings with a constant increase in power, and consequently in Essence, face a dilemma of what would be the best way to optimize the use of their own Essence.
When a part of a being’s Essence is separated, it becomes an individual being, but being only a small part of a much larger whole, this part generally remains faithful to its motivations and plans. Despite being considered “immortal”, beings from other Planes can be mortally wounded. However, it is practically impossible to destroy all of a being’s Essence, even if its Essence ends up being reduced to little more than a conscious wind flying through the world. No matter how small the Essence remains, it is possible to rebirth any entity from which it is formed, either by gathering several lost pieces of its own Essence to form it again, or by obtaining Essence from other beings so that this being returns, even if different, perhaps even more powerful.
A good way for a being to remain active even with its main body “dead”, is to separate its Essence by creating small versions of itself, thus remaining active, even if with limited power, to plan its return to its old, complete and powerful form.
Hestinis
Hestini (End of the Path) is a state in which an individual reaches the end of one of the 4 paths of Pheslak, the emotional crossroads. Once one reaches the end of the path, one can rarely take a single step back to the center.
Emotions, or the lack thereof, function as motivators for people’s actions and also as a true fuel capable of providing motivation and strength to anyone. In this sense, Pheslak is a crossroads made to symbolize the paths that a person can follow to guide their feelings, being divided into two horizontal paths, Positive and Negative; and two vertical ones, the Whole and the Null.
Regardless of the point reached, becoming a hestini does not grant a new power or ability, but rather an increase in those that the person already has or will have.
POSITIVE
Upon reaching the right end of the Phelask, a person becomes a positive hestini. In this state, the individual renounces all his dark, violent and hateful feelings. Composed of pure kindness and empathy, this hestini is incapable of hating even someone who has caused him some supreme harm.
Despite having no malicious intentions against anyone, a hestini of this end is not an absolute pacifist as most believe. Although some renounce any type of violence, it is not necessary to stop competing or even fighting to be a person made only of kindness. Quite the contrary, the positive ones are fully aware that there is evil existing in the world and that it must be stopped, they just do not agree to fight through a path that makes someone worse than their enemies.
The positive path is the absolute supreme in the art of defense. A positive hestini receives an immense increase in shielding and healing abilities and in more extreme cases is even able to resurrect after death. They are known for having incredible stamina and the ability to fight for long periods. Although causing damage is not their strong point, their enemies are often defeated by sheer exhaustion, especially after expending all their power and energy only to see a positive hestini smile peacefully, practically unharmed and as far away from defeat as possible.
Being practically incapable of taking damage, positive hestini are the embodiment of kindness and true empathy for good, and a genuine fight against evil without ever losing their motivations.
NEGATIVE
On the left end of the Phelask is the point reached by the negative hestini. In this position, the person is driven by any destructive feelings they may feel, such as anger and despair. The person has renounced any good or friendly feelings, making them distant from anyone who does not understand their choice.
The negative path is the apex of brutality, violence, and destruction when it comes to combat. These hestini are strongly focused on pure, raw, powerful attacks. This path guides the combatant to always cause more and more damage to their opponents, literally using them as a way to relieve their stress and satisfy the fire of negative feelings that burn within them. The offensive combat style of the negative path is focused on mutilating, tearing apart, destroying, and finishing off their opponents in the quickest, most violent, and brutal way possible, even against people who have never even offended the user.
Despite being driven by destructive feelings, the negative hestini can indeed be capable of good deeds. After all, anger directed at the right person, at a malicious person, is not necessarily a bad thing. What defines negative people is that they don’t care who gets in their way; they will trample over everyone, leaving a trail of bodies behind, until they reach their goal, whether good or bad.
In addition, they are not as reserved as most people think. Even though their bad mood and explosive temperament drive people away from them, there are those who can still live, or at least try to, alongside people filled only with negative feelings.
The life of a negative hestini is marked by absolute offensive power and immense destructive capacity, but they will also have to deal with an existence filled only with bad feelings, even after the source of their anger is killed by their own hands. Some can deal with this and live reasonably well, even with a constant bad mood, and in better cases, they know how to ignore the constant anger they feel, while their faces disguise what they really feel.
However, in more common cases, they succumb to their feelings. Once the person they hate dies or when they finally get what they were desperate to get, they will have to deal with this feeling that works with an insatiable hunger that needs to be satisfied. In this way, the hestini direct their lives towards satisfying their feelings, seeking to quench this bloodlust against anyone who seems strong and who can put an end to their destructive life.
WHOLE
At the top of the vertical of Phelask, the hestinis of the Whole are those who have achieved the perfect and absolute balance of all their emotions. They are hestinis who completely accept everything good and bad that exists within them, without rejecting anything. Upon reaching this state, the person begins to have a more comprehensive understanding of the world, being able to hate their allies as much as they love their enemies. In this sense, a hestini of the Whole feels everything for everyone at the same time, being incapable of treating someone differently from another, regardless of the person’s morals.
For these hestinis, each person is so individual that concepts such as good and evil no longer matter; the person is just themselves, nothing more, nothing less. Likewise, this person is not worthy of hatred or love more or less than any other living being. The hestinis of the Whole simply feel everything for everyone at all times, being incapable of favoritism or preference for anyone.
In the aspect of combat, they are the most unpredictable of all. They do not have an absolute defense like the positives, nor a brutal attack like the negatives. Their power is simply their ability to deal with any opponent equally. There is no defense they cannot break, nor attack they cannot withstand.
Without compassion or hatred, the balance of their emotions allows them to have an attack and defense at such a high level that people would find it impossible to raise these two aspects equally. Therefore, it ends up being necessary for true monsters and geniuses of combat to find a solution on how to defeat them, because weaknesses are something that the hestinis of the Whole rarely show, many consider them the supreme warriors.
As for behavior, this varies from person to person. Although they all have the same worldview, some seek a peaceful life, fighting only when they are attacked. Others seek to test the level of other fighters, fighting anyone without any distinction; no one is defeated by them with more or less violence or mercy. As much as their feelings are balanced, this does not prevent them from getting involved in great events or making choices. Whether it is to save or kill, their choice is not affected by anything external; nothing but their own belief and will decide their actions. Killing villains and helping heroes are noble actions in the eyes of ordinary people, but for a hestini of the Whole, they make as much sense as killing heroes and saving villains. What changes from a hestini of this path to the other is only their personal will, but whatever it is, they will have no pleasure or displeasure.
A curious aspect of this particular state is its near immortality. Normally, people are consumed by their emotions throughout their lives, whether moderately or extremely. But when a balance is reached between all emotions, they begin to function in a circle, generating vitality for the person, instead of consuming them. Although it seems like immortality, the person simply ages much more slowly.
NULL
At the lower vertical end of the Phelask are the null hestinis. While their counterpart, the hestinis of the whole, have managed to achieve the perfect balance of all their emotions, the nulls have given up all of them, becoming literally insensitive people. To reach this state, the person must reach a high level of apathy or have suffered so much that they renounce any emotion just to not suffer anymore.
What most differentiates the nulls from the wholes is how they react to the world. The wholes decide whether they will be good or bad, and they will be good or bad with everyone. The nulls, on the other hand, are not capable of being anything with anyone, they are simply incapable of having opinions or thinking anything about anyone. They are people who truly no longer see anything of value in life, nothing that excites them or that makes them feel anything, be it good or bad. This makes them completely indifferent to either evil or good.
Even though they feel nothing, they still live their lives, even if it doesn’t mean anything. Nulls do everything a normal person does, but without any emotion or pleasure, just an emptiness that cannot be filled by anything in this world. Still, they claim to be so far from suicide that no one would be surprised if one of them committed it. The justification some give is simple: “Feeling is not necessary to live. Being alive is enough.”
There is no bad food that they complain about, no bitter and repulsive drink that makes them feel disgusted, no material goods that make them satisfied, or pleasure that excites them. In this sense, Nulls are much more detached from worldly things than Wholes, living specifically with only the bare minimum just to not die.
With a mentality completely devoid of personal taste, it would be difficult for them to develop powers and abilities, since things like that require the user’s personality to be developed, but it is quite the opposite. Even though they are devoid of tastes, they once had emotions, that is, they once liked something, and that something, however unique and distant it may be, still serves as the basis of their powers.
Compared to other hestinis, the nulls have a huge advantage: they are not distracted. The others have emotions that guide them, even if it is towards the least efficient path. The nulls have immense focus and concentration precisely because they lack the ability to be distracted. This makes them true monsters, with an increase in power thanks to their almost complete use of training time.
In real combat against an opponent, however, they are overly analytical. Since they do not care about themselves, they end up focusing almost entirely on their opponents, understanding in seconds powers that took months to perfect.
Highly powerful and efficient in a short time and effort, combined with the ability to understand and deal perfectly and immediately with techniques that their opponents have worked hard to refine, as well as a face of extreme apathy in victories that some would kill to be able to achieve, all this makes the nulls the most depressing envied winners that exist.
Many end up feeling angry at the nulls for treating their most powerful abilities as simple tricks that are easily understood, and also for not considering great victories and achievements as mundane and boring feats, which for most is a life goal, for the nulls is a simple task to be accomplished in a short time.
Focus, lack of distraction and extreme understanding of anything precisely because they do not think about anything, makes the nulls a simply problematic opponent to face and even incomprehensibly impossible to defeat.
Spontaneous Rifts
Spontaneous rifts are nothing more than portals that appear randomly throughout the universe, leading to even more random places. They appear anywhere and at any time. They are completely unpredictable for most people, but there is equipment that predicts where, when, shape, size and where the rift will lead. These people use these rifts to travel through the multiverse. Many call these rifts the “Metabolism of the Universe”. Only those who really know why this phenomenon happens know that “Metabolism of the Universe” is more than accurate to define Spontaneous Rifts.
Universal Gods
Universal Gods are gods with a presence in virtually every corner of the universe. No matter the size of a civilization, these entities can be called upon and respond. Each Universal God is affiliated with a Mysti Pillar and has an affinity for one or more of the others.
Profane Universal Gods
Droine (Profane/Death)
Eiban (Profane/Order)
Horblash (Profane/Holy)
Vestian (Profane/Life)
Floint (Profane/Chaos)
Chaos Universal Gods
Grotali (Chaos/Profane)
Life Universal Gods
Bultraxa (Life/Profane)
Holy Universal Gods
Order Universal Gods
Dimera (Order/Profane)
Death Universal Gods
Arsagat (Death/Profane)