---

In front of you lies a sea of particles; they dance, surrounding and embracing every side of your consciousness. «Greetings, and welcome», a voice from afar rings clear in your thoughts. «Now that you've touched the ether», it continues, «everything becomes nothing; in the same way however, nothing develops into everything». Puzzling but familiar thoughts are evoked; is this not your first time dwelling into the stream? And yet, you fear to know nothing of it.

«Be not afraid, my faint halos: it is the nature of the human to live with limited knowledge. Here, let me guide you». As soon as the echo fades, the azure particles squirm around one last time before forming a shape similar to that of a human hand. You're drawn to it, and the feeling alone is enough to connect; various lights gently flash before your soul and, once they've calmed down, you sense what feels like some sort of gravity, pulling you down on a dark floor; the ground seem to be emitting blue and aqua glares, scattering in the vicinity. Soon, you're able to make sense of certain shapes: all around are blue benches with blue tables, decorated by blue vases filled with blue flowers. You're inside a structure of circular perimeter, similar to a dome, with a hole on top.

«This is the Hub», the voice from before breaks the silence, «although you can call it however you want - lounge, logscreen, etcetera. All of Aethyr, this room included, is designed to offer positive and relaxing stimuli to your energy; that way, once you are reunited with your corporeal body, you will hopefully be able to gain a new perspective on things with a calm sense of the world around you».

The voice fades, once again. Yet it is not silence that comes next, but flickering sounds; locating the source of them isn't hard: bright words are appearing, as if they were being etched, on top of a table nearby. As particles quiet down, you are able to make out the words: it seems to be some sort of guide for the things one can experience in Aethyr.