The subtlety displayed in the ash-eating microbes and enhanced plants shows that Rashek got better and better at using the power. It burned out in a matter of minutes—but to a god, minutes can pass like hours. During that time, Rashek began as an ignorant child who shoved a planet too close to the sun, grew into an adult who could create Ashmounts to cool the air, then finally became a mature artisan who could develop plants and creatures for specific purposes. It also shows his mindset during his time with Preservation’s power. Under its influence he was clearly in a protective mode. Instead
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