The Starlight Web perpetually carried on its rays the knowledge of all things thought or done by those made from it. It formed a net that ensured the order and stability of the universe: it kept things remembered, it kept things known, and it kept things existing. As such, light was the essential means of information exchange in the Manifest worlds. It was the common interface by which beings were able to see each other, and through which they could interact.

The Starlight Web was sound as well as light, creating a resonance audible as various chanting, murmurs, and whispers encompassing the entire harmonic spectrum. To those open enough to hear it, it sounded like an ethereal melody, lovingly called the Song of the Stars. This song divided the Manifest universe into myriad layers of reality superimposed on one another, each kept distinct by floating on a unique tone that hummed in the background. Since they created and sustained the Manifest, star spirits served as the living gates between these many worlds. They were also the gateway between life and death, and their cleansing flame held the promise of rebirth.

Star spirits were the forces of creation in the multiverse: that which grows, blossoms, and increases. They were responsible for the formation and durability of physical forms made from their light, and it was in their power to bestow health, healing, and vitality. As keepers of information, theirs was the task of spinning the threads of fate and it was to them that prayers for fortune were directed.

But the star spirits could only create from the resources available to them. If creation was not balanced by destruction – if life was not recycled through death – things would multiply past the carrying capacity of their environments and the entire system would collapse. Furthermore, if order were not balanced by chaos, everything would ultimately come to a standstill. There would be no change, no movement, and no evolution.

The Void was the primary source of both destruction and chaos in the multiverse. It was part of the original design of things, after all, since Great Spirit initially placed the Manifest alongside it. But the Void beings had other ideas and rebelled, plainly demonstrating that things bound to defined forms were no match for the formless. While they certainly made a showy display of their chaotic talents, extremes of destruction were just as debilitating as extremes of creation. Even so, the Great Spirit did not forget that there were those among them that had defended the world of light, and without their help the Manifest would have been utterly annihilated. Only to these Void beings received an invitation to return.

However, bringing Void energy into the Manifest was not a simple process. Under the new arrangement of things, a pure Void being coming into contact with a Manifest entity would instantly dismantle that entity to its smallest universal particles. Indeed, they could potentially tear whole worlds apart with their very presence. Before they could be let back in, these colossal beings were asked to go against every instinct they had. Instead of exalting chaos they were told to protect order; instead of reveling in titanic battles they were asked to foster serenity. Each one had to develop within themselves a tremendous peace, for the slightest loss of self-control could wreak unspeakable havoc on the fragile worlds beyond.

Once ready, they entered through the star spirit gates, and were bathed in the radiance of their light. It filled them through every orifice and endowed them with bodies, making them compatible with Manifest realities. Though their outer shell remained black as night, their eyes shone with the light they held inside them. Thus a new breed of beings was born: hybrids of Void and Manifest, able to go between the two on a whim. Though beings of unimaginable power, they were no more noticeable than a passing shadow, for their mighty aura emanated into the Primal Darkness.

Invincible they were in the realm of the Manifest, since they could sidestep into the Void to evade any attack and bypass any trap. For this reason they were the elite fighting force of the multiverse. But their full efforts were not utilized for every occasion. Only when the Void threatened encroachment on the Manifest were they called on en masse to fend them off – because they were the only ones that could. A successful defense would go unnoticed. Very few beings in the manifest knew anything about the Void or the Void hybrids, and it was best to keep it that way.

These Void hybrids came to be known as moon spirits since, like them, the moons were made visible by reflecting starlight. This symbol was also appropriate because the moons were created by Void beings’ collisions with planets in the First Universal War, and remained a potent emblem of their victory. Jida was named leader of the moon spirits and earned the title of High Seraph for subduing Daji. They were the forces of destruction in the multiverse: those of death, decay, and decrease. As predator is to prey, they kept in check the forces of creation by tearing down that which has outlived its purpose, weeding out that which is sick, and making room for new life.

If the star spirits had dominion over stars, the moon spirits had dominion over the vast spaces in between and everything therein. They directed universal forces and took out their aggressive tendencies through storms, earthquakes, and other natural upheavals. Dreams and visions were their blessings, for they stood for going beyond limitations.

Above all, moon spirits personified power, and all seeking it would have to earn their sanction. They served guardians of secrets that would be dangerous in the wrong hands. Retaining their shape-shifting abilities, they would take on the form of seekers’ worst fears and doubts to challenge their worthiness. Many came away from such encounters blathering about vile demons and unclean spirits, unable to comprehend that these safeguards were in place for their own protection.

With the forces of order and chaos, light and dark, in place, conditions were now ready for the final step. The planet spirits came onto the scene, nurturing all beings that resided on their earthy bodies. They were the harmony between star and moon energy: the continuity between stability and change, the form which light illuminated and shadow defined – life itself. Though they had few powers of their own, planet spirits had the ability to channel the forces of creation and destruction in ways that gave their respective efforts coherence and purpose. By directing the flow of air and water, the shift of tectonic plates, the eruption of volcanoes, the turning of the seasons, the warming and cooling of the atmosphere, and other geological phenomenon, they ensured that their biosphere was suitable for life. Soon their physical bodies swelled with diverse creatures of every shape and form.

The role of the planet spirits did not stop here, however. They were the most personal and accessible of the three spirit types, serving as private mentors to individual creatures. Appearing in the form most comfortable to a given being, they would offer guidance, counsel, and shelter. This intimate relationship allowed them to truly understand the plight and concerns of incarnated beings. Often they would act as messengers and mediators between the mortal and immortal worlds.