World Lore

This page will openly tackle the lore and themes of the project. At the moment, it will not be organized into different pages.

## Origin Story

Time began when the ancient guardian opened its eyes. Did it awaken from a deep slumber or was it just born? It is unknown when exactly this happened, but the universe had existed the moment this creature had acknowledged its own. It found itself in a world with no one, but above it has countless stars for its eyes to see. A creature that had every power imaginable but no company to share with.

One day, eight of the brightest stars fell down the earth. The guardian picked up these stars one by one and with it came life. The guardian gave each a name as its first gift.

As life grew, the desire to explore the earth grew as well. When the right time came, the ancient guardian gave a part of itself. Like beautiful jewelry, a unique set for each. Whatever power they desired, the guardian gave them as a parting gift.

In the end, the ancient guardian shared all of its own, had nothing left but its eyes that see the past, present, and future. With this, the guardian was satisfied and said:

"With these gifts, go forth and become the new guardians of this world."

A million stars fell down the earth thus a million life was newly born. Like their predecessor, the eight guardians gathered theirs, shared their gifts and they soon began to shine like their own.

As life continues to grow and evolve, they have built their own society and civilizations in honor of the guardian that protects them. As more stars come down the earth, it can't be helped to leave some of it behind. The old guardian that simply watched, took pity and picked up these fragile stars. It took them to a land far away from the rest. Here, these stars could thrive and live in peace without the need for power and gifts.

Life naturally wants to give something in return. Surprised, the old guardian explained:

"I am a powerless guardian. I simply watch this world. I no longer have the power to give protection."

"This safe haven is a gift more than enough. Let us return the favor by offering something you can't have."

As the ancient guardian already knew what it is like to have everything, it, however, lacked one thing.

A name.

"With this peaceful, quiet life as a gift, we name you, Arcadia. And with it, we shall now name this land after you."

And so the ancient guardian retired, changing forms to visit one successor's domain to another. Blending in as a helping hand. Just as somebody with the name Arcadia.

Time went on as endless as the horizon, the watcher witnessed the return to the sky and fall. With each person happy on their own, under their guardian's protection, the watcher was greeted with a surprise. In the land far away from the rest, a traveler appears, claiming it has finally found the girl named Arcadia.

### Author Notes

* The ancient guardian, Arcadia or simply the watcher, does not have an exact gender due to its spiritual form. It can be described as a shapeshifter, taking form of whatever to its liking during its visits. Its appearance is more like a translucent gem, with 3 eye-shaped crystal on its head symbolizing the way it sees the past, present, and future.
	+ A particular consistent feature on any of its disguised form is a small gem on its forehead. This comes in very significant much later in the story.
	+ Despite its appearance mainly in a crystal-like symbol of purity, it has a tinge of blue.
		- The sanctuary it resides in is only where blue roses bloom. Blue roses signify mystery and attaining the impossible as its color do not naturally occur in nature. This theme's significance is established under the Origin of Daemons.
	+ It is called the "watcher" as it simply exists to watch the world unfold, As guardians tend to have a specific theme attached to them, Arcadia's thematic is time itself.
		- The flow of time began with its existence, the world was born. It has an eye to see the past, present, and future.
		- Despite the Crystal being strongly related to its character, one may think it should be "The Crystal of Time" instead but the project is titled "The Crystal of Light" for a different and equally significant reason.
* The first eight guardians (in order): Ifrit, Leviathan, Odin, Ramuh, Titan, Sylph, Bahamut, and Diabolos. They will be further discussed in their own story page.
	+ Obviously, the Guardians are heavily inspired by Final Fantasy's Summons, Eidolons or Aeons. Although they will not be accessible in a similar manner as the inspiration, i.e. summoned into battle, their iconic abilities are weilded by their Champions themselves.

## Origin of Daemons

Well, this is problematic. Out of all the eight guardian, this traveler seems to hail from the one settled farthest from all. This person claims to have traveled from one domain to another for many years just to find her in a very enthusiatic manner. Another thing is that the watcher made sure to take a different form each visit. A man, a woman, a child, or an animal even. So the watcher dismisses it as 'you got the wrong person' but the traveler insists because he has 'an amazing memory.'

This 'dude', as the people call it, is 'nuts.'

"I can never forget the goddess that saved me when I was a child. I have always been mesmerized by your golden eyes, your hair like the night sky bathing in the moonlight."

This is a bad day to take a form which is an accidental duplicate. And a reminder that guardianless humans have significantly shorter lifespan compared to those outside this place, for this person spent countless years jumping from one place to another searching for that form which he still clearly remembers while looking fresh and young.

How many years ago was that exactly, a century feels like it passes in a blink of an eye. The guardian could look into the past but it's 'such a pain.' When the traveler was asked, he answers 'I dunno but I remember ya.'

What does a person do in this kind of situation?

The watcher as observed all life, but this scenario can't help but feel bizarre.

The village elder just chuckled on the story. Out of all that lives, he is the only one that knows the watcher's blending existence.

"You've watched everything unfold from the beginning and you have more time to spare compared to us all. You've seen life from start to end, so why not experience it?"

The watcher guardian was eventually convinced by the village elder who has been its old friend. It kept its form as the young lady, which features are very significant as you can guess at this point. The watcher continued one as this "Arcadia", whom this traveller "Vitas" hailing from the domain of Diabolos, is infatuated with.

To prevent the young man to know its true origins, she sealed its power away which turns it to an ordinary being as the rest and her body to flesh. They interact and learn about one another, to which the watcher gains her sense of humanity more and more. She learned how to feel need, feel pain, feel all shades of blue and of course, she felt love.

The home that Vitas and Arcadia built eventually bore a bundle of love. A child was born, bearing the features of the watcher's disguise. Hair as dark as night, eyes with golden shine. Paired with the father's horns turned gold and pointed-shaped ears. It is an otherworldly creature of new life.

But as the watcher becomes more aware of life and slowly realizes how her current state is affecting her body, her vessel is deteriorating for such form is not meant to be used for a long time without her power. With the strange absence of the traces of the watcher, the other Guardians have also began to seek for its presence. It is time to go back.

As the time dawns that the watcher must return to its rightful place, her mortal time to tell Vitas the truth marches closer. Vitas, however, had the gist of it from the very beginning. During their parting, he thanked her as the watcher, for choosing him to spend a lifetime, even if its short, with him. As the watcher will continue to exist beyond his time, he promises his soul be returned to the sky; so he will continue to watch over her as a star forevermore.

The mortal flesh passes and the watcher returns to its spiritual scared form, time passes so differently and like a blink of an eye; a new star was seen at the night sky.

The child's flesh and blood carried over to the next generations, forming a new lineage. Soon after, they were called as the Daemons, praised for their beauty, strength and intellect. They are called that name for resembling the sacredness of Guardians. Time went on, and they've been revered as the strongest territory, even independent of a Guardian's protection.

Little did any living being knew, the daemons are direct descendants of the ancient guardian.

And soon, will be its very downfall.

### Author Notes

* "Arcadia" is derived from the Latin word which means (figuratively) "an ideal region of rural and idyllic contentment; a pastoral utopia." Its meaning resembles the paradise similar to Eden. As the watcher guardian has provided as safe haven for humans, it was a perfect name choice for the character's peaceful nature.
* "Vitas" is a Latin word for "life" which makes a direct connection to his character and to the watcher guardian. He had showed her the meaning of life, created new life with it and in the end, became a symbol of what's beyond it.
	+ One of the first guardians that seek Arcadia's advice shortly after returning to her sacred duty was Ramuh, who was asking the watcher to name his domain's capital on behalf of his people who has specifically requested it. Vitas' name was provided and so his legacy was unknowingly immortalized up to the present age,
	+ Symbolically, with the central theme of the life's origin from the stars; Vitas returned from whence he came.
	+ Augustus would have a certain resemblance with Vitas in a symbolical way, being both related to the guardian, Diabolos.
* "Daemon" is derived from the term Daimon (Ancient Greek: δαίμων ("god", "godlike", "power", "fate")), was a generic term for minor gods or spirits. They were not considered good or evil as a whole, but rather, they had the same moral capacity as humans to be either good, evil, or morally ambiguous.
	+ It was chosen for its meaning due to the daemon's unnatural existence. All daemons are techinically a form of minor Guardian spirit because of Arcadia.
	+ The term is commonly mixed with the term "demon", in which it is an exclusively evil spiritual being in Christian meaning. This fact will also play a part into the story, in which most people would react more negatively towards them.
	+ It is an interesting piece of mythology which can be read further here.
* The appearance of daemons are strongly influenced by the appearance Arcadia took form, golden eyes and dark black hair. Mixed with is Vitas' heritage from his domain guardian, Diabolos, bearing pointed ears and horns but turned gold. It is the most common depiction of a daemon.
	+ One of the very reasons why people tend to be confused of Niro's lineage. She is a hybrid, born of a human and a half-daemon. She lacks pointed ears and golden horns, she also doesn't have an intimidating aura at all, making her resemble a human more than a daemon. But due to her innate abilities, her lineage was usually up to debate, ends up in confusion, and eventually everyone agreed to disagree.
	+ As daemon eventually evolved, any hybrids with always result to the black-gold appearance as it will always be the stronger ancient gene.