The
Dune series used the idea of the "Spice" which was, well, a spice... that was really a hardcore drug (LSD...). There was a race of people who used so much of it that over 4000 years it deformed them into these new superpowerful ... things... creatures, that, because of this superdrug, are able to 'fold space' with just their minds.
There are only a few of these creatures, it's taken that they live very long and they are the key of the universe and to all interstellar travel. The problem is that they are these giant, hideous beasts because of it.
One is shown in the original Dune movie, encased in an aerated spice chamber:
..It's not really what you are talking about (which sounds really goodl) but I was reminded of it and I always thought it was a unique concept.