The Elemental Guardians of Spira

Years before the Machina War and the rise of Sin, the known protectors of Spira were known as Elemental Guardians. These elements of Fire, Ice, Lighting, Wind and Earth brought harmony through Spira. For many years the Guardians would watch over those in their home lands the Fayth had assigned to them.

Fire, being the leader, lived in Kilila.

Ice lived at Mt Gagazet.

Lightning lived at Guadosalam.

Wind lived at Luca.

And Earth lived at Bikanel.

Each guardian would soon gather at Zanarkand to pick up a blade, crafted by the Fayth themselves, for them to wield their elements. But they warned that while each blade was powerful, they each had a trigger that if activated would fuse them with their weapons and spark uncontrollable actions.

'To our dear Guardians, please take our words and listen carefully.

Fire you should not let Rage overcome you

Ice do not let Sorrow hurt you

Lightning learn to accept Death

Wind let not Destruction harm you

And last Earth do not let Pain get to you.

These triggers will bring chaos among you and those in Spira so never let them take over…'

Years later the people of Spira thought there was one who brought life to Spira, and another that brought Death and led those to the Farplane.

The Fayth understood this and thus two children were born: one of a pure heart and the other of pure dark.

Thus the Guardians would train the two about their elements while teaching them about their own elements. The Fayth would also give them the two children their own weapons while also warning the duo of their own triggers.

'Child of Life, never let Regret in your heart and Child of Death, do not be Envious of those around you.'

At age 8, the Fayth sent the child of life to Besaid and the child of Death to watch over the Farplane. For years Spira would come to respect the child, asking for the child's blessing for those that would be born. The child, unable to speak would do a prayer gesture to bless them.

For the child of Death, he was never content with what it was assigned to do. In time the child would let envy take over him, but learned to control its rage from the blade. The child now hating Spira and the other Guardians would start looking for their weakness in order to cause them to fight. In order to get them all in one place, the child called them out to the Calm Lands.

The Guardians, though suspicious, agreed to meet there except the child of Life.

Using the triggers that weakened them, the child of Death launched its plan to turn all the Guardians on each other, thus starting the Elemental War. The Guardians blinded by their weapons would attack each other, leaving the Fayth unable to do anything to stop it.

Spira on the other hand fearing the war would reach their homes prayed that for something to end the rage of the Guardians, never knowing the only element that could end it was the Child of Life.

The Child of Life saw from its home the war that raged, but was lost at what to do until a Fayth appeared to the child.

'Child of Life, there is one power we never told you or the Guardians. Your power of sacrifice is the only thing that will end this war. Disharmony is among Spira as the people are losing trust due to the War. You are the only one that can defeat Death….'

The child nodded knowing what it had to do for everyone in Spira, and headed off to fight the Guardians and Death, despite that those on Besaid did not want the child to leave.

Arriving at the Calm Lands, it had become a barren wasteland due to magic used against each other. From above the Child of Death was watching as the Guardians would slowly begin to tire out from each other's attacks.

"Child of Death this war ends here! Can you not see what this war is doing to those in Spira?!" the child of life said.

"Dearest Life you and those Guardians were more respected while I was forgotten! Now Spira will fear Death and learn to respect me!"

Life, unable to hear those words dashed at Death but was stopped by the others.

"Oh… if you are planning to get to me… you will need to get past the others first"

Life glared at its opposite, "Using them to hide behind isn't that a little weak?!"

The 5 Guardians and life dashed at each other, but life would use them as a boost to fly at death, the staff glowing. "This war…. Ends here…." Life said slamming its staff at Death causing a large explosion, engulfing all of them and of the Calm Lands.
All of Spira gathered at the Calm Lands to see what had become of the Guardians and the two children. Though all that was left was their weapons they had used to carry. Pryeflies surrounded the weapons as the 7 different Fayths would appear picking up each weapon, becoming the protectors of them and carry them in search of those who had the Guardian blood in them, having have seen danger in the foreseeable future. But due to Life and Death's powers in the Elemental War, it would be 3000 years later till the next ones would appear…