Aether

Aether is a cosmic substance that is best described as "undiluted soul stuff". It is a complex substance made up of multiple components, which through natural processes separate on their own. It is the origin of souls and its alternatives in the multiverse. Aether typically is seen in a liquid form. It is found in blue hues of colour, constantly glowing and shifting in the blue spectrum. It may also form in blue crystals, which are often described as having stars in them.

The known components of aether include axiom and soul energy. It's generally believed to be composed of other types of energy that could severe the same purpose of a spark or soul, but simply do not occur in this sector of the multiverse due to the life conditions.

Study of Aether
It is one of the most hazardous substances in the multiverse to handle, due to the danger it poses to all sentient life in the multiverse. Aether energy also has a tendency to linger behind, making things exposed to it dangerous. Aether has the potential to mess with all soul-like entities severely, warping personalities and causing other oddities. It can also mess with matter in general. In the case of biological matter, it often causes detrimental mutations. It also tends to eat through materials. Specialized and expensive containment is often required.

For anyone studying aether, it is typical for them to first collect it and then add it to an aether component, such as axiom or soul energy. Aether is then added to this component in order to store it in a diluted form. Aether is generally safer when combined with other energies, and it has been found that it is easiest (not easy by any regard, however) to separate from one of its components. When pure aether is required, the energy that was used as a base is removed.

There have been multiple attempts to utilize aether throughout the multiverse. However, the exact inner workings of the substance have still remained unknown - not to mention obtaining it in the first place is as difficult as it is dangerous. What is known is that souls and soul alternatives react extremely strangely to Aether, with unpredictable effects on them that are typically detrimental. Attempts have been made to utilize Aether for more positive effects, but as far as the multiverse at large is aware, these attempts have failed horribly.

Aether Pool
Aether is known to be stored in a separate realm called The Aether Pool. There are no known successful attempts to directly enter the realm, though there are obscure ways to tap into the realm enough to obtain a small amount of aether. Attempting to find a way into the realm has proven extremely difficult, not to mention dangerous. This is mostly due to the hazard aether energy possess, never mind the actual difficulty in accessing the realm itself.

The Aether Pool is known to drain into multiple separate isolated yet still connected pools in smaller realms. These are mostly unknown, with purposes and properties that have not yet been uncovered in this sector of the multiverse. One of these pool types consist of the axiom pool. There have been attempts to tap into the other unknown pool types, but no known attempts have succeeded.

When any aether component is expended, it gets absorbed back into the aether pool.

Aether Based Species
There are two known species of aether based entities in the multiverse, and they both serve as important components in the cosmic processes of the multiverse.

Weavers are non-sentient entities that resemble spiders. They naturally create and maintain timelines. They are often referred to as the multiverse's mechanics, due to the fact they maintain it and ensure it functions properly. Some of the jobs Weavers do include stabilizing unstable time loops and repairing dimensional damage. In general, Weavers show up if the multiverse is on the brink of falling apart and ceasing function all together, or otherwise falling into a state of instability.

Reapers, meanwhile, are sentient. Reapers destroy aspects of the multiverse that can't otherwise be repaired. They are also responsible in dealing with situations that have to do with souls and other similar entities. Their sentience is required, as the situations they are involved in are often more complex than a broken cog in the machine. Reapers are much fewer in number than the Weavers, with only a dozen or so of them in existence.

Reapers and Weavers are often seen as counterparts in the megaverse, as what they do can be considered as an opposite to the other. Weavers create and deal with simple situations with a clear state of distinction. Reapers destroy and deal with complex situations that lack a simple black and white distinction. Of course, this is an extreme simplification as Weavers and Reapers are capable of destruction and creation respectively, but this duality is the basis of many religions.