MYTHOLOGY;

Final Fantasy VI  
Espers were magical creatures with awesome powers at their disposal. According to the history of that world, the espers were once human but were caught in the middle of the War of the Magi and were somehow changed into these strange creatures. After some time, the espers created their own world separate from the 'real' world and lived there in total isolation due to a barrier they created to them keep so. Their powers were harnessed by the use of magicite. When an esper died, their body turned into these stone shards -- magicite -- which could be carried by a human to bestow him the ability of magical spells.

Final Fantasy VII  
All life on earth begins in and returns to the Lifestream, a river of spirit-energy which helps protect and care for the planet. While the now-extinct people called Cetra or Ancients could communicate with the Planet and understand its needs, the humans who now populate it do not have such closeness with their earth. The fluid of the Lifestream is called Mako and can be used for many things, including an energy source. When Mako condenses or is forcibly condensed into small spheres, it is called Materia, and these small orbs grant the user different abilities based on its color: green, yellow, purple, blue and red. It is the red Materia which contains the power of the summon monsters. The Materia is placed into slots in a user's weapon and armor where it can grow until it is mastered. At that point, the materia duplicates itself.

Final Fantasy VIII  
The brilliant but cruel Dr. Odine of Esthar began his career as a monster-researcher trying to discern the nature of the mysterious sorceress power. When his country comes under control of an evil sorceress called Adel, Dr. Odine takes the chance to study her, thus becoming the first sorceress-researcher. Through his research he discovered the principle of para-magic and the existence of the Guardian Force, or GF. The Guardian Force is described as a an independent source of energy which enables the user with powers greater than a normal person. Through the complicated system of junctioning the GF to one's mind where it takes up residence in the memories, a human can possess powerful abilities such as drawing, -- the removing of spells from enemies -- magic-casting, and summoning. Because of he intimate relationship between a soldier and its GF, a GF responds faster to a call the longer it has been junctioned to that person, and it will take the physical damage of its junctioner until it has attacked.

Final Fantasy IX  
Summoning eidolons is a natural ability with which a person is born. Madain Sari was a town of summoners located on the Outer Continent which was completely destroyed by Garland's Invincible airship years before, with only two summoners surviving the attack. The Eidolon Wall there pays homage to the summoners and their spirits. The people of Madain Sari are born with small horns on their foreheads which allow them to communicate with their eidolons.

Final Fantasy X  
On the watery world of Spira, summoners are people who endure difficult training in order to control the ancient beasts of yore known as Aeons. Aeons are created from the soul of a deceased person and each are endowed with powers with which they will protect and serve their summoners. In battle, they act like any human warrior, fighting bravely to defeat the enemies. The Aeons reside in temples scattered across the world, and must be collected by the brave summoner who plans to defeat Sin, along with the help of his/her guardians. The Aeons are integral to Sin's defeat, one of the last steps being the collection of the ultimate summon from Yunalesca.

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