Long ago, the Giant Kharlan Tree, the essence of balance and order in the world, withered and died.

By the will of the heavens, the world was cleaved in two.

Many years later, the Chosen of Regeneration planted a new World Tree to take the place of the withered Giant Kharlan Tree.

The birth of the New World Tree also brought about the unification of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla.

The two words were now reborn as one.

The world was at the dawn of a bright new era. Or so it seemed...

Palmacosta

Bloody screams rang across the city. Besieged with fire and fighting, several people ran throughout the city. Scrambling for water or the exit. Many didn't.

People were being killed here and there. People were running around everywhere. "There she is!" A man shouted, pointing towards one of the running people. She was a brunette, holding a gem in her hands.

They had her cornered at a wall, "Seize her. I'll follow Lloyd." One said and ran off.

The girl kept the gem to her chest

With their high level of technological prowess, the Tethe'allan civilization looked down upon the people of Sylvarant as barbarians.

The Sylvaranti blamed the Chosen of Regeneration for bringing this world into being, as they turned their backs on the Church of Martel that supported her.

Scorching hot deserts were blanketed with snow.

Bountiful lakes dried up and withered.

Forests burned to ash, as glaciers melted into the sea.

These phenomena fanned the flames of dissatisfaction within the hearts of the people, leading to the birth of a monster.

A resistance organization was formed by the oppressed people of Sylvarant to defend themselves.

United against the perceived evils of Tethe'alla and the Church of Martel, they called themselves the Sylvaranti Liberation Front, the Vanguard.

Elsewhere in Palmacosta

"Emil! Hurry!" A man called out to his son. He was holding his wife close to him, his son close behind.

The boy caught up with them when the one known as Lloyd Irving came into view... and attacked.

"L-Lloyd Irving!" The man shouted.

"The people of Palmacosta have aided the Vanguard and undermined the authority of the Church of Martel and the Chosen. The punishment for this crime is death!" Lloyd unsheathed his swords and stepped towards the two. The boy running towards them froze, scared to fight back for his parents.

"Mom!"

"Emil! Run away from here!"

Elsewhere in Palmacosta

"This way!" A girl, around the age of 16 shouted towards five others. The six ran across the city towards the exit.

"No one's around here." The youngest said, "Should we take off?"

The girl shook her head, "No. We could catch fire."

The youngest stopped again, "Wait! Someone's in trouble!" She spun around and took off in a different direction.

"Everyone's in trouble, Angel!" The second youngest shouted, clutching his head.

The young girl, only around the age of 8, continued to run. She stopped when she saw a brunette cornered by four men. "Help me! Help me Ratatosk!" The girl shouted. A bright light shone from a gem the girl was holding and both girls passed out.

When they came to, a boy in a white lab coat, with blond hair and green eyes was standing there. The four men that had cornered the brunette were on the ground unconscious.

He helped the 8 year old up first, then helped the brunette up, "Are you alright?" he asked.

The 8 year old shook where she stood, staring up at the boy. "Are you the one who saved me- us?" The brunette asked. The boy just stared for a few minutes when a howl rang through the area. The boy looked in the sound's direction.

"I have to go..." The boy said and ran off.

"Wait!" the brunette called out, "What's your name?"

The boy was already too far ahead. He stepped towards the scene where the man and woman had been attacked by Lloyd. He looked down at them when the woman looked up. "Emil, you came back!" she said. She frowned, "Oh dear, I can't even see your face!" She gave him a pained expression, "I... I won't last much longer. You have to live... You have to run before Lloyd comes back. Go to Luin. To your Aunt Flora. Hurry." With her final words she died.

"M-mom..." The boy said in a weaker voice than the one he addressed the brunette and 8 year old with. "Mom!"