Balanced States

On Earth, many, many things have existed in a state of balance—long before the human species began dominating the planet.

There was the natural cycle of water: clouds formed from the oceans, turned into rain, and flowed back through rivers to the seas.

There was also the natural movement of winds, as warmer air tends to rise while colder air tends to sink, creating a natural cycle on the planet—since some places are colder than others!

In the universe we live in, these balanced states are all determined by physical rules: how the Moon rotates around the Earth and pulls at our seas, creating the waves; how the Earth rotates around the Sun, leading to the four seasons—as beautifully captured in Vivaldi’s music.

Human beings, however, seem to be a bit different.

Unfamiliar with the concept of the Shape of Balance, Atma, this species evolved without considering the consequences of their actions—because they also didn’t know about Eklea, the Shape of Consciousness…

Want to share?


Comments

Leave a Reply


Our latest tales

  • Choosing Is Difficult

    Choosing Is Difficult

    Faya, the Shape of Willpower and a great element of Fire, had chosen this title to lead a debate about taking responsibility and the choices each Esper had to make regarding it. Even though the end of the Chaos War had brought a brief moment of communion for all, with the StarDust appearing before everyone’s…

    Read more

  • In All Simplicity

    In All Simplicity

    It is very easy and natural to believe that we are the center of the Earth. And in a society increasingly concerned with individual freedoms, this way of thinking can only spread. Yet it is just as easy to take even a few minutes to reflect on the situation as a whole. By zooming out,…

    Read more

  • Strength in Unity

    Strength in Unity

    The Seven Shapes had become the symbol that there is strength in unity. Each elemental land was represented, and while each element had its strengths and weaknesses, the Espers had understood that the union of the elements could create a force far greater than all of them separately. On an individual level, this developed the…

    Read more

  • Content with the Essentials

    Content with the Essentials

    Swept up in the whirlwind of everyday life, it is easy to lose sight of what is so often right before our eyes. Magic had made the lives of many Espers far more comfortable than those of even the most powerful kings of times past. But did that mean that all Espers were now happier…

    Read more

  • Perceiving Problems

    Perceiving Problems

    Vati, the Shape of Wisdom, had an important responsibility: she was, for the Espers around the world, the symbol of a new society founded on new foundations. As the Shape of Wisdom, one of her roles was to help the Espers perceive the existing problems. Why? Quite simply because we can only begin trying to…

    Read more

  • Population Regulation

    Population Regulation

    The Espers were at the top of the food chain. And since the use of magic, they had also acquired the means to raze mountains, devastate forests, and drain lakes. Their means of food production had developed, but history had shown that even though they were at the top of the pyramid, famines and epidemics…

    Read more

  • Time to Reflect

    Time to Reflect

    It had become one of the pillars of the new Esperia. Shala, the Shape of Time, allowed Espers around the world to remember the importance of taking time to reflect. Time that, for many, had been devoted to entertainment before the Chaos War. They absolutely had to kill time. The use of magic had made…

    Read more

  • Discussing Serious Subjects

    Discussing Serious Subjects

    The discovery of the StarDust throughout the world had made one thing possible for the first time: discussing serious subjects had finally become possible. The civilization of the Espers, until then bound by taboos, such as attitudes toward death, old age, and illness, had become aware of the need to confront social problems, without which…

    Read more