The Ascentium is a name given to the collective of various incarnations of Chao Lingshen that exist across numerous worlds and dimensions. For the most part, there is practically no interaction between the individuals within the Ascentium, other than the original Chao becoming aware of these other incarnations when she travels to the worlds they inhabit using her Gateway Device. These alternate versions of Chao are referred to as her 'Aspects'.
Aspects of Chao Lingshen[]
The Prime[]
- Main article: Chao Lingshen
The original Aspect that readers are familiar with, Prime Chao is also referred to by the nickname "The Timesnatcher" and is the focal character throughout The Timesnatcher. In terms of relative power, the Prime Chao is clearly the strongest given that she is the sole one with the ability to manipulate time at will and even travel dimensions, at least insofar as she has discovered. When she discovers a new world that has one of her Aspects in it, she maintains a policy of letting them develop largely at their own pace, though she keeps a more careful watch on these worlds as they are more likely to present an existential threat to their inhabitants. In worlds where she has no Aspect, she is not above being more active, while still attempting to maintain as low a profile as possible.
PokéFiends[]
The second known Aspect of Chao resides in the PokéFiends universe, a world threatened by a resurgent Darkness that seeks to slaughter all of Arceus' creations. In this world, Chao leads the technological research and development manufactory Misriah Industries, located in the Republic of Seafoam. Here, assisted by her artificial intelligence Pheidippides, she develops advanced weapons, armor, and enhancement technology for humanity to use in their fight against the Darkness. Though the universe does not support time travel or magic, this Aspect had recently acquired a Fire plate releaed by Arceus that gives her the ability to generate and channel Fire Elemental abilities. Her having interacted with the Prime placed a mental block in place that prevents her from using the abilities except in the form of spells. Though not truly being spells, she must incant as though they were spells to use them.
Hydaelyn[]
The third Aspect of Chao.
The third known Aspect of Chao resides in the Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn universe, a female Miqo'te who resides in the Ul'dah city-state of the Eorzean region. Formerly conscripted by the Garlean Empire, where she used her great intelligence to develop and enhance their magitek weapons, she fled from the Empire with the assistance of other defectors from the Garlond Ironworks, and wishes to see the Empire destroyed and the Eorzean region preserved, but has yet to come up with a means for doing so. Aside from her magitek genius, she is skilled at hand-to-hand combat and direct-damage offensive magic, and spends much of her time upgrading and developing her magitek armor and her Allagan-derived combat android alongside Satomi Hakase, when not fighting off Garlean assassins. Having the same name as the Prime, she thus does not follow typical naming conventions for Miqo'te, and it is unknown whether 'Chao Lingshen' is her birth name or a pseudonym she adopted during or after her conscription by the Garlean Empire.
Appearances[]
- Ask the Kuro Crew (Non-canonical)
- Fires of Liberation: An Oral History of the War Against the Machines (Non-canonical)
- Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
- The Flight of the Cormorant
- Future Perfect: Chao Lingshen's Tale (First appearance)
- The Inquisition Mahora Epilogue (Mentioned only) (Non-canonical)
- Kuro Arashi: The Black Storm
- PokéFiends
- Project: MYTHOS
- The Timesnatcher
- The Unsung War