The Red Wings, a once honorable forthcoming military unit wielding powerful majestic airships, has been commanded by the kingdom of Baron to snare and obtain the magical Crystals of Earth by any means necessary. The head of the Red Wings, a highly ranked Dark Knight, is demoted for questioning the barbaric nature of these attacks. Confused and astonished at this unorthodox action, he questions his loyalty.

     Meanwhile, the world is slowly being engulfed in monster attacks for a reason that is unkown. Elsewhere, a being slowly manipulates the others for his own ends, masterminding every move, while others who know the truth await a hero's arrival, a holy knight to bring truth to the prophecies of old.

     Thus begins the legendary journey of Cecil and his companions. Together with his friends, both new and old, one man vows to cast away the darkness within his soul in order to find the truth long denied him and to defeat the most powerful evil of all.

     However, the power given off by these crystals has slowed considerably. Keeping with ancient prophecies, a sudden brutal meteor strikes rain over the landscape, causing the crystals to immiently shatter. The result cuts off the magical forces of the elements. Worse yet, as the crystals explode one by one, the very vile, evil force the crystals were made to restrain is released.

     A unlikely group of warriors, from a princess to a pirate, to a young warrior to a wise old man, must find the courage and strength through the powers of the crystals and the trials they encounter in order to save not one world, but two.

     However, the Empire has grown curious and power-hungry for the ancient power known only as "magic". Their leader and a slightly insane general crave this power, and are willing to destroy anything that comes in their way. With the finding of an ancient Esper, a seemingly vital source of "magic", the Empire is poised to take full control of this mysterious power.

     Several warriors, from all walks of life, must band together despite their differences in order to save the world from one who would conquer it, and who would destroy it.

     However, the real battle lies not with a corporation, but a force much more competent from the distant past. A long-thought dead warrior bent on becoming more and more powerful, coupled with the Planet's drained energy, threatens the very existence of everything sacred.

     Now a small rebel group emanating from the slums must quell the various dangers toward the innocent, and one mercenary for hire must look amidst the lies and deception and find the man he is within.

     To counter the turn of events, various leaders head combat training schools, known as Gardens, that turn out elite fighting forces. Known as SeeDs, they defend, serve, and protect humankind from the sorceress. The sole purpose of these academies is to vanquish the sorceress and save humanity as we know it, although they take many other assignments for the right price.

     A small, loose-knit group of SeeD graduates find themselves wrapped in a much bigger endeavor than simple military combat. Now, a gunblade specialist, together with a diverse group of young heroes, must set aside his fears, face the emotions he's run from, and become the leader that he never wanted to be.

     Enlisting the aid of mere bandits to kidnap Princess Garnet of the Alexandria Empire, for information and interrogation, Garnet and her bodyguard actually join Cid's cause, knowing full well the outlandish recklessness of the governing Queen, who counterattacks with an onslaught of warriors. Thus begins a crossfire that would engulf the world in something far worse than political standoffs.

     Out of the band of thieves, one boy along with his entourage must battle his way through several awe-inspiring challenges to restore order and peace.

     The Beoulve family, a pivotal high-ranking political force, governs the main forces of the Larg sect, one side of the Lion War. Two young men, Delita Hyral and Ramza Beoulve, fight side-by-side, each trying to bring pride to their respective families -Ramza's Beoulve heritage and Delita's commoner blood keep them separated by the line drawn between the nobles and the lower classes.

     The true motives of those behind the war are hidden, however, with each his or her own ambitions for conquest or riches. Ramza finds himself cast into a seeming tide of treachery and manipulation, and to uncover the truth and flush out the injustices, he must overcome not only his friends and family, but the devil himself.