The Empire is reviving the force of "magic," unseen for over 1,000 years. Terra, a young girl cruelly enslaved for her magical talent, escapes and joins the rebelling Returners. She and her friends struggle against Emperor Gestahl and his demented general Kefka. Meanwhile, Terra's own dual nature (half-man, half-Esper) threatens to unravel the fragile alliance from within. The Empire tries to harness the power of the Goddess Statues to gain the ultimate authority. At the last moment, however, Kefka stabs Gestahl, unaligns the Statues, and brings about the end of the world. The party is scattered to the ends of the earth, and all seems lost. One year later, the world is in ruin: cities have been leveled, continents have sunk, the seas have dried up, and life is barely worth living. Kefka rules (or at least gleefully harasses) with the Light of Judgement from atop his tower. The party struggles to regroup and dethrone the deranged Kefka. After struggling to understand their place in this world, the party launches a final three-pronged assault on his fortress. Kefka falls, his tower crumbles, and peace returns.