Origin[]
Ethereal Eessence is the most common and scientific term to describe the extra terestreal energy that many people in new world japan are able to maniuplate and harness for their own uses. The cause of the great flood was namely due to an extra large object that fell from the sky and into the japanese sea waters. The size of this shard was so large and intense, that once it hit the water, the water responded with an abnormality rarely seen. The water would ravage the vast and wonderious lands of japan and everything it was worth! Destryoing everything in it's path and creating a braan land that people had to rebuild from on their own. Outside and other nations came together to aid in this time of crisis, as japan is the number one country which experiences natrual disastes, but none like this. Nothing of this calibur or scale.
Scientist and divers went to discover the origins of what caused this tidal plauge, and discorved a large crystal like substance. Which apartantly according to other parts of the world at large, they've recived similar giant shards that fell into their waters, and aparantly some of them have been there for 1,000's of years. Theorist speculate that this numbr may be falst, as pre recorded events may date the apperance of these shards back to B.C times. After taking samples and analyzing them for chemical compounds and structures they came to the conclusion that this had to be other worldy as it's compnenets did not match anything ANYTHING that was on earth at any point in time. This baffled scientist, but it baffleled them even more when an interesting development came up into the crystals being. It eventually split! A fissure erupted from it as it then split into multiple peicees and floated across the waters surrounding japan, and formed something similar to "ice glaciers." These "Glaicers" ocasionally melt and leak a strange purple liquid that takes house into the sea of japan which in turn takes place into the water supply. The chemicals were tested by the health deparment as harmless, but they have made stronger filters for people who do not wish to in gest the water. This natrually lead to the poor being the ones to ingest of this water than the rich. Depending on one's weath and supply, would also dictate how much of this water they take in or not, as of now modern day today, it still exsist as it's to large of a supply to completely filter out and detoxify.
The Exodus Syndrome[]
The E-Syndrome, awesome known as The Exo Syndrome. Which is also used to label people with the syndrome calling them e.x.o's. A virus is a small infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of other organisms. Viruses can infect all types of life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. About 5,000 viruses have been described in detail, although there are millions of different types. Viruses are found in almost every ecosystem on Earth and are the most abundant type of biological entity. The study of viruses is known as virology, a sub-speciality of microbiology. Virus particles (known as virions) consist of two or three parts: i) the genetic material made from either DNA or RNA, long molecules that carry genetic information; ii) a protein coat that protects these genes; and in some cases iii) an envelope of lipids that surrounds the protein coat when they are outside a cell. The shapes of viruses range from simple helical and icosahedral forms to more complex structures. The average virus is about one one-hundredth the size of the average bacterium. Most viruses are too small to be seen directly with an optical microscope. The origins of viruses in the evolutionary history of life are unclear: some may have evolved from plasmids—pieces of DNA that can move between cells—while others may have evolved from bacteria. In evolution, viruses are an important means of horizontal gene transfer, which increases genetic diversity. Viruses are considered by some to be a life form, because they carry genetic material, reproduce, and evolve through natural selection. However they lack key characteristics (such as cell structure) that are generally considered necessary to count as life. Because they possess some but not all such qualities, viruses have been described as "organisms at the edge of life”.
Viruses display a wide diversity of shapes and sizes, called morphologies. In general, viruses are much smaller than bacteria. Most viruses that have been studied have a diameter between 20 and 300 nanometres. Some filoviruses have a total length of up to 1400 nm; their diameters are only about 80 nn. Most viruses cannot be seen with an optical microscope so scanning and transmission electron microscopes are used to visualise virions. To increase the contrast between viruses and the background, electron-dense "stains" are used. These are solutions of salts of heavy metals, such as tungsten, that scatter the electrons from regions covered with the stain. When virions are coated with stain (positive staining), fine detail is obscured. Negative staining overcomes this problem by staining the background only. A complete virus particle, known as a virion, consists of nucleic acid surrounded by a protective coat of protein called a capsid. These are formed from identical protein subunits called capsomeres. Viruses can have a lipid "envelope" derived from the host cell membrane. The capsid is made from proteins encoded by the viral genome and its shape serves as the basis for morphological distinction. Virally coded protein subunits will self-assemble to form a capsid, in general requiring the presence of the virus genome. Complex viruses code for proteins that assist in the construction of their capsid. Proteins associated with nucleic acid are known as nucleoproteins, and the association of viral capsid proteins with viral nucleic acid is called a nucleocapsid. The capsid and entire virus structure can be mechanically (physically) probed through atomic force microscopy.
Many viruses (e.g. influenza and many animal viruses) have viral envelopes covering their protective protein capsids.The envelopes typically are derived from portions of the host cell membranes (phospholipids and proteins), but include some viral glycoproteins. Functionally, viral envelopes are essential to entry into host cells. They may help viruses avoid the host immune system. Glycoproteins on the surface of the envelope serve to identify and bind to receptor sites on the host's membrane. The viral envelope then fuses with the host's membrane, allowing the viral genome to enter and infect the host.
This specific type of virus that was and is dubed the "Ethereal Plauge" It was dubbed this because studies and reports were showing that people who had been exposed to the virus were beginning to experience "changes" in their biologies. The Virus takes hold in the immune system and bonds to the genetic DNA, aand thanks to the structure of the virus, immune systems and anti bodies can't penetrate. Growing and developing powers and odd abilities that some would consider out of the norm or completely supernatrual in natrure. Scientist tried to rid people of this by creating a anti virual serum to try and stop it, but it didn't work. The biolgoy of the virus was to poetent and strong to counter act, ass cuh it left many people to their own devices and srurvival. Eventually the governmen decided to instead of trying to ride the vrius, to find a way to let people control their plauge, and possibly use it as an advatage. As such the milltary and police department do have divisions for people with powers in order to give these people a change instead of shunning them from advent society. As time went on and studies concluded it was advently deduced what could and could not be done with this virial energy source. While seen as it negitive it can also be seen as a possitive. However the virus is more so dormant than any kind of ultimate dominating force. It namely only breaks it's shell when people have a high enough radiation or call upon it subconciously during times of undying stress and "fight or flight" situations even then it does not apply to all people as it must first bond to ones DNA. Other than that the virus can stay dormant inside of a person for many years and never take manifestation.
Effects & Direction[]
Sutides have shown that the virus within the body tends to emit a coporeal/non coporeal energy like substance similar to that of "chi" or "aura" that floods the body but actually does not harm to the body. Researchers have determined the the virus actuall doees more harm than good as the virus has the capability to fend off other advent diseases, though there are some man made toxins that can render the virus lower in potency, but never quite ride of it. Similar to the common cold which can't be cured, only supressed and fought against. This energy or it's universal and scientific name "Ether" can actually manifest itself as similar earthly elements or raw potentent energy itself, in an external Display, which often coincides with things like people blowing ice breath or shooting beams of light from their fingers. Then there is another brand of manifestation, which has show cased itself and abled people to lift cars, trucks and even tanks. People popping up with bullet proof skin, and able to puncture tungesten steel with their heads, have shown the virus taking a physical manifestation in a person's body, giving them bodies of enhanced proportions. Studies have shown people can even reach an Inbetween phase, thought this is not witout consquence. By popular demand it has been broken down as such, how the virus works on the body.
Physical[]
Physical manifestation of the virus is exactly as it sounds. A person who uses the ethereal energy to enhance their physical condition weather it be speed, power, or agility. Even perception, mental processing, or cognitive ability. They typicall become "Physical Tanks" amongst men, able to achieve the ultimate fighting potential and able to take care of any task that reqiuires physical ability Over time they can achieve a complete state of Enhanced Condition though they virus can only achieve Enhanced conditioning, it simply maxes out at the users natural capabilities as a species.. Should they continue on this path their ability will eventually cause their bodies to Mutate. Mutating is what happens when those who persue the physical path, allow their bodies to continue growing and advancing twoards the condiditon they want it to do so. Not something that would cause a person to grow an extra limb or a tail, though this is FULLY a possibility depending on how one uses their virus.
External[]
External manifestation is often a variating one depending on how one manifest it. A person who uses the etherial energy to discharge their Ether from their bodies from point A to point B similar to the archaic "Ki blast" so to speak. Some can discharge this Ether in a phsyical form that, depending on ientent of course, can blow away or destroy an object in it's path. This can varry as some can discharge their Ether in the form of something more familer such as an earthly element. Ranging from Fire, Water, Earth, and or Air. The unique thing about this virus is that based on the users knowledge of assimilation and how they're using their Ether, it can effect other elements or materials with similar or identical chemical make up for example someone who could manipulate earth, would be able to effect various other types of earth and rocks, instead of just the baisic pebbles. Better yet one who could use their Ether to magentize objects, would have their ether mimic the property of magnetisim to do so. This could be seen as an advantage and disadvantage because what ever property they use is still subjugated to earthly weakneses (ex: Fire users can be doused by water, or lighting discharges lighting would stil be applicable to lightning rods). Those who continue on the external pathway are able to Evolve. Simply put a person who uses lightning blast, might be able to make their lightning blast more potent, or become able to shape that lightning blast into a sword or something of the sort. Anything that deals with using that ability in another or more powerful way is considered a form of Evolution or evolving.
Synergy[]
There are a rare breed of people who can use this energy in perfect synergy, or fusion of one another. Able to take the advantages of physical and external usage of Ether and balance them out perfectly for their own usages, however the word "perfectly" is a bit of an understatement. If one was to partake in equal usage of both Physical and External usage they would gain "buffs" and "debuffs" simialr to high calibur abilities in video games where certain abilities may boost a person, but it may also give them a disadvantage. the best way to put it is thus: if you shoot lightning 5 times and can lift 2 trucks, you've reached a point of synergy. However because of this synergy, if you could shoot lightning 5 times, your lightning might losei it's potency and become less powerful. Where as if you were able to lift 2 trucks, your strength might be great, but the increase in muscle mass will cut your speed and agility making you less of a free moving person. The pros and cons are there and cosistent but can be worked around if one figures out how to use their strengths and their weaknesses to their own personal advantage
Ethnic Background[]
Because these shards have been around for a long amount of years and what not, different people might not call the energy "Ether". This can dramtically shape how a person uses their ability and what it mannifest as. For example in the streets of urban, when in a tight situation a person may experience a physical adreniline rush and do something out landish like break down a brick wall. This person might describe it as a "Pulse" which is and has become a popular term for physical usage of the energy and what some people know it as. Where as a chinese monk who's praticed with this "Ether" for years and discovered it has come to call the energy "Chi" or "QI' Using it to enhance and stablize phsycial properties and quantities. Depending on the person and what they know, will determine how a person uses it and how they grow with it.