MARIYAM: The eighth and ninth Vessels are for life and law, ensuring that the universe neither stagnates nor falls into chaos. Through beauty and understanding the universe becomes a home to living things.
MARIYAM: For Beauty, the water moshia. For Understanding, a faceted ice crystal.
APOC: not sure i really get the symbolism of the ice for understanding.
MARIYAM: It's more symbolic of law. Ice can fall in a form that is destroyed at the slightest touch or it can hold the weight of forty bulls. Law has no true power to compel, and yet paradoxically its strength is tremendous.
TAHOMAZ: Law literally does have the power to compel, it's called an army.
YUWEN: I have to agree with Tahomaz' point. A council with no army backing them can call themselves a nation, but without warriors any willing adherents of their law will be destroyed.
APOC: i also agree with maz but the metaphor does generally check out
MARIYAM: It's a good thing we're building a universe and not a kingdom, then, isn't it!
PNIMM: Well universes can have--
MARIYAM: May I finish??
PNIMM: Ahehe... sorry...