In the expansive blackness of the Astral Realm, the deity floated gracefully. The ebon curtain of Ir-Vaeri’s domain, which usually seemed like a boundless night sky, was now punctuated with streaks of luminous Astralis Lumen. One of his additions to the Khodex of Creation, Lumen moved in harmonious waves, painting the vast expanse with a soft, stary luminescent glow. Everywhere he looked, the deity could sense the undulating, rhythmic ebb and flow of Lumen—vibrant and ethereal, it was a living testament to the connection it held to both himself and the realm.

With a thought, the deity vanished, only to reappear moments later at another location within the Astral Realm. His movements were fluid, a series of rapid blinks through the vastness. One moment he would be in deep space, with nothing in his immediate surroundings, then the next he would be somewhere deep underground—the layer upon layer of rock making up the majority of the unknown planetoid posed no inherent difficulty to his immaterial form. At each stop, he would mark locations with a special, glowing sigil—a tracking mark, shimmering with divine energy. These locations were places of heightened Lumen concentration, areas where the astral energy was most potent. Taking note of these locations could prove to be useful in the long run.

As he moved, a particular location caught his attention, making him pause. Before him stood one of Mae-Alari's unique creations: a Vein of the Cosmos. This Vein had somehow pierced through the protective barrier separating the two realms, creating a true spectacle to behold. Its rich prismatic hue throbbed, the arcane energies cascading outwards, reaching into the Astral Realm, with tendrils of Lumen attempting to breach into the Material.

What intrigued him more, however, was the surrounding area. The deity's astute eyes observed an unusual crystalline ore structure having taken shape around the Vein. He had noticed a different but similar phenomenon elsewhere as well, but never to this extent. Much like dewdrops forming on the tip of a leaf during the cool early morning hours, Lumen, when amassed in significant quantities, naturally began to converge and condense. This transformation, evidently, was particularly strong—and so much more intricate—near the Veins. 

Lumen, after having normally condensed into liquid form, intertwined, stitching together glowing patterns that danced with light and energy. Then a shift had seemingly taken place—from a liquid-like state to a solid. Additionally, this solid didn't just sprout as isolated, sporadic crystalline structures. Instead, it bore a striking resemblance to mineral "vines." These vines, resembling root structures, traversed outwards from the Vein, growing and branching organically. As they spread, they integrated seamlessly into the fabric of the Astral Realm, the natural currents of Lumen dictating their growth direction and patterns.

As the deity’s eyes followed one of the branches, he noted special nodes on the vine—places where the concentration of Lumen peaked. These nodes, much larger than their surrounding structures, stored vast quantities of Lumen, acting as reservoirs of this mystical energy. The entirety of the vine was sturdy, withstanding the constant fluctuations of the Lumen currents. Nevertheless, when he approached, touching one of them in the process, the node shattered into pieces, scattering and merging back into the astral currents. It seemed that, as resilient as they were, they weren't immune to strong disturbances, whether from the natural disruptions of the realm or deliberate interventions by powerful entities.

The deity, lost in contemplation, realized that these structures held potential far beyond what met the eye. To tap into one of these vines was to tap into raw power, and to meditate near a node was to embark on profound spiritual journeys. As the Vein of the Cosmos pulsed before him, he could do nothing but guess as to how many more of Mae-Alari’s veins would someday find their way into the Astral Realm—poking holes where they didn’t belong—interacting with Lumen and creating more crystalline structures like the one in front of him.

He knew how power could both help as well as corrupt, mortals and deities alike, and was under no illusions that this material, should it fall in the wrong hands, had the potential to break the careful balance between the Material and Astral Realms. But then, he was reminded of his encounter with one of the first ever astral consciousnesses; allowing the mycelium to remain as it had, had proved to be quite a fruitful decision on his part.

[b][i]“I should not be hasty, they might prove to be use—”[/i][/b]

As he made to fix the hole in the barrier around the Vein, he noticed the structure reacting to his divine essence; absorbing the foreign energy at a rapid pace, the crystal vine very quickly filled in the empty space on its own, forming a faux bush that effectively plugged the hole shut.

[b][i]“Well, I’ll be damned.”[/i][/b]

[hider=Summary]In the Astral Realm, Ull'yang observes the flowing Astralis Lumen, the inherent energy of the realm, and as he navigates through various locations, he marks areas with high Lumen concentration. Upon encountering a Vein of the Cosmos crafted by Mae-Alari, he's drawn to surrounding crystalline structures that resemble mineral "vines", born from Lumen's unique condensation process. While these structures hold potential, touching one reveals its delicate nature, disintegrating under his touch. As he contemplates their significance and remembers past decisions, Ull'yang hesitates in action; however, when he tries to mend a barrier breach, the crystalline structure unexpectedly self-heals, leaving him in awe.[/hider][hider=MP Summary]None spent this post—9 remaining. 

PS. The 1 MP used in the [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5484204]creation of The Capped Ones[/url] counts towards obtaining the Mind Domain. [b]1/8 MP currently spent towards this goal.[/b][/hider]