The presence of Atma, the Shape of Balance, had brought something precious and unprecedented to Esperia: a simpler understanding of the importance of balance.

Why was this so important for the Espers who were trying to build a civilization in harmony with their planet?

Because every action has consequences.

There are, of course, the consequences we hope for and intentionally seek when we take action.

But there are also unwanted, unknown, or invisible effects at first glance, for ourselves, for others, or for the environment.

For the Espers, using magic seemed like a perfectly harmless action. It had brought them benefits that had once been unimaginable.

Blinded by the seemingly endless potential of magic, their civilization had never considered its other effects…

Indeed, using magic also consumed a small part of the Aether, the life source of the planet.

This precious Aether had taken millions of years to form and had made life possible on Esperia: the plants, the trees, the forests, the animals, on land as well as in rivers and oceans.

The Espers, too.

The world after the War of Chaos had revealed one truth: until then, the consequences of the Espers’ actions had remained limited for their planet. But the use of magic had disrupted the planet’s fragile and delicate balance, devastating it and leaving its mark forever.

Plants, trees, forests, and animals, on land as well as in rivers and oceans, had perished.

The Espers, too.

The time had finally come for everyone to think about the consequences of their actions.