Hess' Eight Sages

Hess' Eight Sages, or Hess' Eight Philosophers, is an organization in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius comprised of the lieutenants of Hess' army, standing in direct opposition against the Sworn Eight of Paladia and Aldore in the war of Paladia. 
They appear at different points across the first and second seasons, ranging from supporting roles to antagonists. Due to being sealed for 700 years, the long slumber manifests as various side-effects, varying from physical to mental changes. Unlike the Sworn Eight, the Eight Sages' membership is not fixated on an elemental motif, and most of their members are not human.
==Members==
*Sol (deceased) / Light Crystal
*Dark Fina (crystallized) / Earth Crystal
*Elfdrit (deceased) / Water Crystal
*Behemoth K (deceased) / Dark Crystal
*Bahamut (contracted) / Fire Crystal
*Babel (active as the Invincible's core) / Wind Crystal
*Rowen (deceased) / Ice Crystal
*Amnelis (active in War of the Visions) / Lightning Crystal
==Story (Season One)==
The Sages are presumed to hail from the world of Paladia. Aldore rejected Hess' attempt to claim independence from the rest of Paladia through Visionary Magic, believing it to be too dangerous. This split the world into two factions, those loyal to Aldore who venerated science, and those loyal to Hess who preferred magic, and the world fell into war.
Although initially considered the weaker faction, Hess was joined by Dark Fina and put together eight individuals (Fina included) to serve as the faction's pillars, allowing them to stand in equal footing against Aldore's faction. Dark Fina became one of the faction's most infamous lieutenants, earning the moniker "Demon of Hess". The faction grew in power after it secured the support of several Espers.
Both sides began to incur heavy losses. Veritas of the Dark, leader of the Sworn Eight, devised a plan to end the war quick to prevent further bloodshed, which involved sealing the Eight Sages inside Crystals so that Hess' faction would be left without strength, giving Aldore an advantage. The Sworn Eight would then force the Aldore leaders to make peace with Hess, threatening to side with the latter should they attempt further use of force.
The Eight Sworn seal the Sages in Crystals, but Aldore began to fear the Sworn Eight's power and betrayed them, transporting them and the Eight Sages sealed in Crystal and the entire landmass they were in into the world of Lapis.
The Sworn Eight grew bitter at their leader's betrayal, but found themselves unable to do anything. One hundred years ago Veritas of the Light and her sister Veritas of the Bolt found a book in the Magic Library that contained information about the interdimensional gates. They learned that if they destroy the Crystal that acts as a seal, they could return to Paladia. Doing this would release the Sages as a collateral consequence.
During the course of their plan Veritas of the Dark and Bolt defected in favor of peaceful lives in Lapis and the remaining members of the Sworn Eight reformed under the leadership of a new Veritas of the Dark as the Sworn Six of Paladia.
Sealed for 700 years in Crystals, the Sages are affected by multiple unpredictable side-effects. Dark Fina remains in contact with Raegen in peaceful terms. Raegen is aware of his son Rain and the power the latter gained through touching a Crystal, which would be sealed away to protect the young boy. As a result of the long sleep Dark Fina spawned a weaker self.
===Grandshelt===
As Veritas of the Dark destroys the Earth Crystal he makes his way towards Grandshelt Castle where he attacks Rain and Lasswell. The attack is blocked by Fina who is encased in Crystal, releasing her, albeit with no memory of her past. The Sworn Six declare their names and leave satisfied while continuing their agenda of destroying each Crystal.
===Dirnado===
Rain's party faces Veritas of the Heavens a second time at the Wind Shrine. Able to trounce the first Cid and unmask him, the Paladian uses what's left of his power to destroy the Wind Crystal. This unseals the Heart of Babil, which activates the airship Invincible needed for the Sworn Six's plans.
===Zoldaad===
Bahamut is released after the Fire Crystal in the Zoldaad Empire is destroyed by Jake. Fina reveals Bahamut is the strongest Esper, but whether he will pose a threat to the world or not is unknown. Bahamut is witness to the Invincible being used by Dr. Lazarov. Seeing the airship awakened and claiming it carries "his heart", the Dragon King unleashes his Megaflare attack on the ship. The attack damages the Invincible forcing Lazarov to hide to repair it.
===Gronoa===
The party meets the Sages in Gronoa when Dark Fina senses the Dark Elf nearby, having been freed after Veritas of the Waters destroyed the Water Crystal in Olderion. The time imprisoned in the Crystal had turned him insane, making him murderous and destroying everything around him, enjoying his "freedom" and desiring more of it by causing further destruction.
Knowing he may approach the Dark Crystal, the party races to prevent the Sage from destroying the last Crystal. Sakura begins to wonder how the Dark Elf may have changed after his imprisonment. The party witnesses the Dark Elf opening a path with his destructive magic and continues to race against him.
The party faces the creature in Desolate Landing. Although they believed he was defeated, the Dark Elf unleashes the magic he was storing and blasts the party, resuming his quest for the Crystal. Veritas of the Light contemplates the scene and considers herself lucky to have this chance to kill them. She attempts to kill Rain but Sakura begs her sister to kill her instead. Light desists not feeling any thrill from killing weakened opponents. She pursues the Dark Elf, not wanting to let him destroy the Crystal to have the pleasure to do so herself. Sakura voices her worries knowing she will die, but Light reaffirms that won't happen as she already "died" twice, once when Aldore betrayed her and again when Sakura left her side.
Light catches up to the Dark Elf and duels him but is defeated. The party finds Light injured who begs Sakura to kill her. She refuses and Light tries to provoke Rain into killing her by revealing she killed her mother Sophia. Rain is shocked but decides against revenge, grateful to Light for the truth, now relieved that his father did not kill his mother as he cryptically once implied. Light is puzzled and insists Rain kill her, but he refuses, believing they should settle the score in a more adequate setting. The first time Rain saw the Sworn Six he believed them to be murderers, but as he got to know them, he saw their human traits. Rain leaves stating he won't fight them out of anger, as he understands their motives but does not approve their actions. Light threatens to blast him from the back and Rain tells her she's free to do so, mirroring the words Raegen once told her. Light is left unable to act, muttering that she could not do such a thing to him or to Raegen.
The party catches up to the Dark Elf and defeats him but the Dark Elf attempts to blast them again. Nichol suggests they use their magic in conjunction to cancel the Dark Elf's power. His opponent's attack is stronger as he's using his own life energy to power it up. The Dark Elf, still alive, attempts to target Rain with the party unable to move. The Dark Elf attacks, but Light intercepts and blasts the Dark Elf with an attack of her own, killing the deranged Sage for good.
===Final Chapter===
At the Forgotten Walls where the Dark Crystal was transported by Raegen and Sakura, the party encounters and faces Veritas of the Dark a final time. The Darklord is defeated and his identity is revealed as a Vision of Raegen during the War of Paladia. Although the party celebrates their victory, the Dark Crystal is destroyed by Sol who is accompanied by the Behemoth K. Sol voices his disgust for life and calling the party unsightly, he blasts them with a Holy spell. The Dark and Lightlords are separated from the party with the former shielding the latter from the attack. The Behemoth appears and kills the weakened Darklord causing Light to address him as Raegen and scream in despair.
Sol and Behemoth K proceed to the newly risen Land of the Crystals to force the Gate open and lead the destruction of Lapis. The party chases after them along the large crystalline structure where they attempt to ambush the Sages, but Fina collapses. Sol summons visions of monsters to stall them, but they are assisted by Veritas of the Waters and Light.
Fina is disappearing as both Finas cannot coexist, and Fina being a mere byproduct is vanishing. Dark Fina tells the Veritas in private she wants to teleport to the Earth Shrine and become the Crystal to buy time. The party catches up to Sol who has the Behemoth take care of them while he progresses. The beast is too powerful to be defeated so the Waterlord and Lightlord teleport away with the Behemoth to prevent him from being an obstacle.
The party catches up to Sol who casts a barrier built on Sage power, seemingly dooming their chances as Fina weakens. Dark Fina communicates with them and reveals her plan, letting Fina to live her life from now on as Dark Fina is satisfied with hers and becomes the new Earth Crystal. The saved Fina with sage power breaks the barrier.
The party confronts Sol who reveals his trump card, the Chaotic Darkness, a vision made up of the darkness of the human heart, gloating over the "proof" that human is unredeemable evil. The monster lays waste to the land below, creating a Floating Continent of several islands through distortions in the dimension.
The party travels the landscape but are ambushed by the Behemoth who teleports before them and shows off the helmets of the Light and Waterlords whom he had defeated. The Behemoth is drained of his power so the party launches and assault with Nichol and Sakura trying to avenge the fallen members of the Sworn Six. The Behemoth is defeated and as he lay dying regains his sanity and requests the party to free Sol from his madness.
The party again catches up to Sol who grows frustrated with their interference. Rain claims he will fight Sol to understand him as he was able to with the Sworn Six, and that they refuse to fight Sol out of hatred. Although Sol is defeated he gloats that the party fought him with hatred rather than love and Rain explains he hated himself for being unable to understand Sol. The Sage retreats, claiming Rain's existence to be most disgusting to him.
The party defeats the Chaotic Darkness and Rain and Raegen close the Gate. Sol pretends to propel himself to the Gate and use his own life to force it open. Rain clashes with him as both disappear, leaving the Crimson Saber behind. 
de:Acht Weisen von Hess
Category:Organizations in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius