Encyclopedia Eorzea - Life and Aether: “Within all beings - whether it be man, animal, or even plant - does aether flow. It is the spark which grants life to the lifeless. Conversely, death can be said to occur once aether has left a corporeal object. From this it is clear to see why many scholars use the words ‘life’ and ‘aether’ interchangeably. It can be assumed that a young man of sound mind and body will possess a high concentration of aetherial energy in his humours, whereas an older man, or one inflicted with corruption, will not. Some scholars have expanded upon this hypothesis saying that the consumption of food serves not only to fill the belly, but to provide the body with aether lost through exertion. Aether is not by any means static. It constantly flows though creation, forming currents through earth, water, and air which ensure that life is sustained throughout the world. The stoppage of these currents would be akin to the atrophication of a limb cut off from the heart. Aether is the lifeblood of Hydaelyn, and without it She - and Her children - would perish.”

Nicia: “Before one might understand aetherial travel, one must first understand the substance that makes it possible - aether. What is aether you ask? Why, only the source of all being! Though it cannot be seen, it is everywhere… or should I say, it is everything. Aether flows around us and within us, and without it we would cease to exist.”

Mikoto: “Simpler… Right… Um… Aether is not only the building block of all things material, but those immaterial as well. Thoughts, memories, feelings, one’s very will are all understood to be aetherial phenomena, and can be measured as such.”

Beq Lugg: “Their bodies will naturally return to equilibrium given time… But this holds true only for their corporeal aether. Their incorporeal aether─that of the soul─is not so easily mended.”

Alphinaud: “Corporeal and incorporeal aether… I confess I have never had cause to make the distinction.”

Mikoto: “Every living being is comprised of corporeal aether of the flesh, incorporeal aether of the soul, and the aetherial residue of their memories. Were one to be possessed of only corporeal aether, they would be but a walking corpse. Conversely, entities comprised of only incorporeal aether are referred to in layman’s terms as ghosts. In either case, they may also retain some of their residual memories. Of course, a ghost that possesses residual memories could likely recall its past and retain self-awareness.”

Alphinaud: “Hmmm… In the past, when I sought to identify the true nature of ghosts, I came upon literature examining a similar subject. The soul was likened to a core that resides in the aether, and its presence is what differentiates us from such beings as sprites and arcane entities. Upon death, said core ordinarily dissipates alongside the aether that composed the flesh. However, it may be held together and bound to the corporeal realm, either by the will of its owner or by means of certain arts. In time, the soul may regather aether unto itself to assume another form, or find newly emerged life in which to abide.”

Beq Lugg: “But the soul is not a candle to be snuffed out and relit on a whim. In order to maintain a corporeal form, your souls constantly draw aether from your surroundings. This process must be halted, and the resulting surfeit of aether removed. Your minds would ultimately be separated from these faux bodies of yours, rendering you incapable of interacting with the world around you. A cruel fate under normal circumstances, but one which will be rectified upon your return home.”

Nicia: “When we die, it is believed that the shock separates our spirits from our corporeal forms. Our bodies are then broken down and are absorbed back into the aetherial river, while the soul is left to journey to its final destination in the afterlife. Some call this ‘returning to the lifestream.’”

Erik: “As I laboriously explained, aether is not only the source of all magicks, but also the fount of all life. Yet despite its ubiquity, it remains imperceptible to the senses of man. When a living thing dies, the aether comprising its life is released. It has been learned that when this discharge takes place, a portion of that aether remains, lingering in the physical world. No doubt you have come across aetherial crystallizations in the course of your travels. All scholars now agree that these are the physical manifestations of great concentrations of aether.

I have a theory, however, that they are not the only such manifestations. Allow me to give you an example even you can understand - that of ghosts, spirits, disembodied souls. Apparitions of the deceased come back to haunt and generally unnerve us? False! These are nothing more than the luminescent glow of aether in the atmosphere.”

Severian: “Now, each [person]’s aether has a unique color. When drawing geometries with enchanted ink, this hue is passed to the pages of a grimoire. There has never been a way to detect the shade of this aetherial signature. Until now, that is. I have a powder that renders this color visible to the naked eye. If my aether is purple, then sprinkling the dust over a grimoire I made will reveal the same shade of purple. I call it spectrolium…”

Hythlodaeus: “The color of your souls tells the tale. A hue that distinctive cannot be mistaken, no matter how thin the soul is spread.”

It’s shame that eats men whole. He was drowning in it. Drowning in the Ketterdam harbor.