Before Jenova came to the Planet, as most now know, the Ancients lived in
relative harmony with the planet. Their cities- as hard as it is now to
believe that they existed- still stood, elegantly sculpted from the
Planet's materials: wood, stone, plant. The Ancients had a theory that
there were three parts to everything, and they based their philosophy on
this.
Three Ages- the Age of the Calamity From the Sky, the Age of the Calm, and the Age of Death. As you can probably guess, the age of the Calamity From the Sky was when Jenova fell to the planet, killing or mutating all but a select handful of the Ancients. They had to learn to rebuild their cities, rebuild their culture around this foreign entity. That was the Age of Birth, the Birth of new cities and new cultures. The Age of the Calm lasted nearly 2000 years and was the second longest age. During this time mankind was born from the Planet; how was not questioned by the Ancients, for they knew that the Planet's decisions were for the best. Some believed that the humans were born to revenge the Planet for Jenova and the mortal wound She had caused- the Northern Crater. But, as the humans eventually learned to build reactors with Mako, that belief died as quickly as the plants and animals who once lived near the reactors. Somewhere between the Age of the Calm and the Age of Death humans learned technology, and how to use it to their advantage. The Age of the Calm was the Age of Life, the Planet in its prime, with all races living in harmony.
The Age of Death is the one most of you are probably acquainted with, as that was the last age and the current one also. The Shinra corporation drained energy from the Planet to fuel the vast city of Midgar, one of the reasons the Planet was so wrath with the entire city during the time of Meteor. A human scientist named Hojo (no one knew him by any other name, any flattering one anyway) had worked out how to use Jenova cells to "upgrade" humans. But not perfectly. There were side effects, on pregnant women especially. A son born to a woman who had been infused with Jenova cells. Sephiroth, the would-be saviour of the planet.
"What?" you ask. "The saviour? How, when he summoned Meteor to destroy the very world we live on?" Remember that the Planets' choices are not always those which would benefit mankind. By summoning Meteor and destroying the Planet he would have effectively eliminated Jenova from the Planet forever. Although it would have taken the Planet with it, better that than having the virus of Jenova forevermore instead. Ironic, because according to some sources who knew the man well he thought of Jenova as a mother, unaware that his mother had been a mere mortal. Until she had been infused with Jenova cells, making her something else.
And yet one woman stood in the way of his plans. An Ancient. Those who were fated to protect the planet. Her first line of defense failed. Summoning Holy only resulted in the Planet drawing on the immense power needed to summon it to aid Meteor to the Planet. Next the woman called on the Lifestream to aid her. Because the Lifestream essentially made up a great part of the consciousness of the Planet, having it drained left the Planet defenseless as the Lifestream was guided to destroy Holy. Mankind's selfishness would forever be its downfall. The spirits in the Lifestream apparently didn't want the Planet destroyed any more than those still living did, and because of that Jenova still lives, looking for Her next carrier. And so the Age of Death still continues, the dying song of the Planet. How many more years? Estimates have been made for 100 at most, if the Planet hasn't lost its will to live from the sheer weight of supporting everyone on it, including Jenova and her carriers.
Yes, the woman had to die for that, and for that we grieve, for an unnecessary death. But if you had been there when Sephiroth's sword first pierced the flesh of that girl, you would have noticed something odd. Why did she not bleed, as others would have? Was it because she was an Ancient?
Though this document may seem as though it's outlining a grim future for the Planet (and it is too), this is the story of the Ancients, and what they first gave to the Planet for that dubious gift.
Three Ages- the Age of the Calamity From the Sky, the Age of the Calm, and the Age of Death. As you can probably guess, the age of the Calamity From the Sky was when Jenova fell to the planet, killing or mutating all but a select handful of the Ancients. They had to learn to rebuild their cities, rebuild their culture around this foreign entity. That was the Age of Birth, the Birth of new cities and new cultures. The Age of the Calm lasted nearly 2000 years and was the second longest age. During this time mankind was born from the Planet; how was not questioned by the Ancients, for they knew that the Planet's decisions were for the best. Some believed that the humans were born to revenge the Planet for Jenova and the mortal wound She had caused- the Northern Crater. But, as the humans eventually learned to build reactors with Mako, that belief died as quickly as the plants and animals who once lived near the reactors. Somewhere between the Age of the Calm and the Age of Death humans learned technology, and how to use it to their advantage. The Age of the Calm was the Age of Life, the Planet in its prime, with all races living in harmony.
The Age of Death is the one most of you are probably acquainted with, as that was the last age and the current one also. The Shinra corporation drained energy from the Planet to fuel the vast city of Midgar, one of the reasons the Planet was so wrath with the entire city during the time of Meteor. A human scientist named Hojo (no one knew him by any other name, any flattering one anyway) had worked out how to use Jenova cells to "upgrade" humans. But not perfectly. There were side effects, on pregnant women especially. A son born to a woman who had been infused with Jenova cells. Sephiroth, the would-be saviour of the planet.
"What?" you ask. "The saviour? How, when he summoned Meteor to destroy the very world we live on?" Remember that the Planets' choices are not always those which would benefit mankind. By summoning Meteor and destroying the Planet he would have effectively eliminated Jenova from the Planet forever. Although it would have taken the Planet with it, better that than having the virus of Jenova forevermore instead. Ironic, because according to some sources who knew the man well he thought of Jenova as a mother, unaware that his mother had been a mere mortal. Until she had been infused with Jenova cells, making her something else.
And yet one woman stood in the way of his plans. An Ancient. Those who were fated to protect the planet. Her first line of defense failed. Summoning Holy only resulted in the Planet drawing on the immense power needed to summon it to aid Meteor to the Planet. Next the woman called on the Lifestream to aid her. Because the Lifestream essentially made up a great part of the consciousness of the Planet, having it drained left the Planet defenseless as the Lifestream was guided to destroy Holy. Mankind's selfishness would forever be its downfall. The spirits in the Lifestream apparently didn't want the Planet destroyed any more than those still living did, and because of that Jenova still lives, looking for Her next carrier. And so the Age of Death still continues, the dying song of the Planet. How many more years? Estimates have been made for 100 at most, if the Planet hasn't lost its will to live from the sheer weight of supporting everyone on it, including Jenova and her carriers.
Yes, the woman had to die for that, and for that we grieve, for an unnecessary death. But if you had been there when Sephiroth's sword first pierced the flesh of that girl, you would have noticed something odd. Why did she not bleed, as others would have? Was it because she was an Ancient?
Though this document may seem as though it's outlining a grim future for the Planet (and it is too), this is the story of the Ancients, and what they first gave to the Planet for that dubious gift.