Yrion - The High Aether

Yrion also known as the High Aether, the Cerulean Veil or the Heaven Ablaze is a realm, a specific portion of the infinitely vast universe of the Unfolding Dream.

Yrion rises like an emanation or a white-blue flame, dancing around the bright Pillar of Eternity, right above the Exalted Planes - other celestial realms that lack the depth and substance of Yrion, but are lively and vibrant homes of other noble and kind beings.

This white-blue flame is called the Flame Eternal. It is the primordial quintessence of everything. It is the white flame of creation, and represents the might and superiority of the purest aspect of spirit and force. It is a power of creation, healing, great intensity and magnitude, and therefore also capable of destruction. It transforms and kills, but also purifies. It is the essence and weapon of the divine Ashar, the ancestors of the Aethons.

Yrion consists of various Spheres that represent the highest aspects of existence. The Spheres mark the celestial origin of individual Aethons, thus branding them with different gifts and powers. 

There will be an individual extensive post dedicated to the Spheres, but the eight most well-known spheres are the following:

- Halon: The sphere or light, radiance, and nobility.

- Kaeros: The sphere of conflict, retribution and glory.

- Azon: The sphere of freedom, purity, power.

- Naema: The sphere of fate, compassion, and insight.

- Toredas: The sphere of primordial force, strength, energy, virility.

- Kurodun: The sphere of labor, creation, and tenacity.

- Herion: The sphere of hope, inspiration, revelation.

- Elcas: The sphere of mystery, change, transformation.

Each Sphere is a Domain within Yrion containing a host of divine realms of breathtaking beauty that are different exaltations of their Sphere. Therein the Aethons and the Ashar, before them, have built miracular abodes, in praise to the powers of creation, and the aspects of the Spheres.

The crystalline paradise of Arallor is such a place - a near-infinite span of quartz landscape rising over crystalline, azure waters, beneath a starlit sky that carries the haze of a soft, rosy dawn. Therein, mountains of quartz hover in the air, and upon them palaces and citadels, or colossal statues of exceptional beauty carved on the face of the perfect crystals.

Aesadar, is another - a huge ring of ice-blue crystal mountains circle the pillar of eternity itself, before which a colossal mountainous throne is carved - the fabled Throne of Arcaon. At the foot of the throne glitters majestic Yrasis the jewel of the High Aether, where the Aethons of all Spheres, as well as many other denizens of Yrion and the Exalted Planes meet together freely.

Besides the Ashar and the Aethons, Yrion is also home to a host of other creatures, with varying degrees of power and sentience. Many such beings, including the Ashar and the Aethons themselves, could easily be considered gods in the terms of relative power. The natives of Yrion are indeed powerful, immortal creatures.

During the ancient War of Light and Shadow, Yrion remained the last untainted bastion in the whole universe, that the power of the Shadow did not manage to mar. Though many other realms and worlds were recovered after the War, and some balance was restored, many more were never recovered, and fell under the sway of the Black Flame.

Thus, even though the War of Light and Shadow was over, the overall conflict was far from over. As some ancient warriors of the Ashar used to say "Nothing in the Cosmos outlasts our war with the Enemy".

This long conflict shaped the realms of the Unfolding Dream, dividing it to heavens and hells, and, ultimately, leading to the formation of the Prime Worlds, those important realms that became beacons of destiny. More importantly, this long conflict wore out the forces of the High Aether, diminishing their power with the passage of time.

The War seemed to come to an end when the Shadow God was ultimately defeated upon one of those Prime Worlds, but one evil, merely gave birth to a myriad others. With his fall, the Shadow God gave rise to hundreds of impostors all of them struggling to bring down the powers of the High Aether that had already been weakened significantly by that time.

It was then, as if in the midst of the dream of creation, that the mighty Archon came - as an embodiment of the great father of creation - he rose into the crumbling High Aether and set it ablaze once again, with his power, giving birth to the Aethons. Then the Archon ascended beyond - none knows exactly where, leaving the Aethons to defend the Unfolding Dream.

Time passed, as a measure of glory was restored, and the Aethons brought harmony and balance to the unfolding dream. But ultimately Akronas, the hungering tyrant-god of Arandor, arose into godhood. With his newfound powers, Akronas snatched a portion of Yrion and defiled it, crafting his own domain - a twisted and sickening reflection of the tyrant's distorted ego. 

Although the Aethons and the Ashar were quick to act, and managed to cast out the usurped domain, the domain itself generated its own sickening emanation of Akronas' overbearing force, acquiring energy and momentum, by devouring other, undefended portions of the Unfolding Dream.

The emanation became an undying hunger, a ravenous beast, a cold death-fire. As the flames of Yrion had given birth to the noble Aethons, the etheric cold fire of Akronas' realm gave birth to the vampiric Akehar - ethereal evangels of Akronas' dominion.

Worse yet, Akronas has somehow created a link between the Prime World of Arandor and his godly realm, able to send his evangels to intervene on his behalf.

Thus a new war wages now between Akronas and his growing powers, and the defenders of Yrion. But this time, Akronas has an unprecedented advantage: The dominion of an entire Prime World, and thus the unconquerable power of Destiny is by his side.

The only means to stop him is an extremely dangerous gambit for the Aethons: To be reborn as mortals in the world of Arandor, to incarnate as Empyreans and bring down the Hexad and the power of Akronas once and for all.