Aethersphere

The Aethershpere is an ancient floating continent that was once home to the Aeth'er race in Tales of Destiny. As a result of the Aeth'er Wars, it was sunk into the sea only to be revived around 1,000 years later due to the actions of Hugo Gilchrist.

History
Around 1,000 years prior to the events of the story, a large, Lens-infused comet collided with the planet, enveloping the sky with a cloak of dust clouds. This, in turn, plunged the world into an ice age that threatened humankind. However, with the mysterious and powerful Lens of the comet, the crisis was averted. The people used the Lens to create and power a massive floating continent known as the Aethersphere, which was comprised of an Outer Shell (外殻) that housed several aerial cities (空中都市). The Aethersphere also yielded the fortress capital Dycroft, which made use of the superweapon Belcrant to prevent the people left behind on earth, known as the Er'ther race, from opposing the elite and privileged people of the Outer Shell, known as the Aeth'er race, who were led by Kronos. The tension between the two civilizations eventually erupted into a full-scale war known as the Aeth'er Wars.

A group of Aetherian scientists aided the Er'ther people by creating and bestowing upon their army leaders sentient swords known as Swordians. These army leaders used the Swordians to win the war, and the Er'ther people destroyed the Aethersphere, plunging its aeropolis cities into the depths of the ocean. As as result of the war, the remaining Aetherians were exiled to the harsh desert region of Calvalese, where they live in animosity toward the Er'ther people, who now dominate the planet. These events have long been forgotten by the modern population of the world. However, when Hugo uses the Eye of Atamoni to revive the Aethersphere, its capital, and the Outer Shell of aerial cities, a familiar threat spawns once again. The game's protagonists, led by Stahn Aileron, decide to infiltrate the Aethersphere to put an end to Hugo's maniacal plan of enclosing the planet with the Aethersphere, killing every living thing beneath the revived continent.