Chapter 7 comes in three parts, and is the culmination of the Season 1 story. Here's some important terms and characters you should know by now:
Visions - The term FFBE uses for their "pulled" resources, visions are characters, either from other Final Fantasy games, from cross-over events, or unique to FFBE. You use your Visions to form a party that fight for you in battles.
Rain - Son of Raegan, Rain followed in his father's footsteps and became a knight. He does not bear much love for his father, however. Rain is a bit carefree at times, but is quick to help others out and has a big heart. Rain is stronger than Lasswell in swordsmanship, even though he doesn't practice nearly as much as Lasswell does, much to Lasswell's frustration. Rain has an awakening of power on the Dark Continent Gronoa and becomes even stronger.
Lasswell - Rain's childhood friend. Lasswell became an orphan at a young age, and was taken in by Raegan so was raised along with Rain. Lasswell has had an awakening of power and had temporarily surpassed Rain in swordsmanship. Lasswell is quite devoted to Rain, once telling Fina he wanted to stay by Rain's side forever.
Fina - A mysterious girl that first appeared to Rain and Lasswell as a being encased in a crystal. She has forgotten most of her memories and is quite naive as the game starts. She is now a dedicated part of the party. Sweet on Rain.
Lid - an airship mechanic who hopes to be the next Cid (a title given to master airship mechanics). Lid hopes to build her own airship one day, so is quite money-driven. Often quibbles with Jake. She's from Dirnado. Has always admired the first Cid.
Nichol - a strategist from the Olderion Federation. A bit stand-offish to the rest of the party at first. Nichol's brother Elle was killed by Veritas of the Waters, and his sister Luka immersed herself in the waters of Lake Dorr to purify the waters and soothe Leviathan.
Jake - The bastard son of the deceased King of Zoldaad. His half-brother Shera now holds the throne. Jake is a womanizer, but is a good fighter.
Sakura - Once one of the Sworn Eight of Paladia, Sakura is a 700-year-old girl with pink hair. She gives the party a "test" by asking them to escort her to Mysidia, where she tells them all about Aldore and Hess. Firmly on the side of Rain and the others.
Dark Fina - Also known as the Demoness of Hess, she is Fina with all of her memories intact. Lacks all of the sweet Fina's naïveté. In the past, she often fought against Earthlord for thrill of battle.
Raegen - The finest knight of Grandshelt, although he's been missing for a number of years. He dons the missing Frostlord's armor and pretends to be the Veritas of the Frost for a time, and makes the party fight each other to determine who is the strongest of them. Rain's dad and Lasswell's adoptive father.
Sophia - Rain's mother and Lasswell's adoptive mother. She was killed by Lightlord when the boys were young.
Veritas of the Dark - Also called Darklord. Leader of the Sworn Six of Paladia, determined to get revenge on Aldore.
Veritas of the Heavens - Also called Heavenslord. Looks down upon those who walk the earth. The first Cid, who brought airship technology to Lapis.
Veritas of the Waters - Also called Waterslord. She killed Nichol's brother Elle.
Veritas of the Flame - Also called Flamelord. A smith who forged Purple Lightning, the sword that once belonged to Raegan, who passed it down to Lasswell.
Veritas of the Light - Also called Lightlord. Sakura's sister. Devoted to Darklord. She accidentally killed Sophia, Raegen's wife. Believes revenge is all she has left.
Veritas of the Earth - Also called Earthlord. Once a friend of Dark Fina - they often fought one another for sport. Was very disappointed when Fina chose the side of Hess in the war between Aldore and Hess on Paladia.
Veritas of the Bolt - Also called Boltlord. Sakura's name as one of the Sworn Eight of Paladia. It is rare that she dons her armor now.
Veritas of the Frost - Also called Frostlord. Veritas of the Frost apparently died many years ago, but Frostlord's body was never found. So fond of battle that in the past, he created an arena.
Lapis - The name of the world that Rain and Lasswell are from, as called by the world of Paladia.
Aldore - A nation on Paladia. They have done research into immortality and created the Veritas.
The Sworn Eight of Paladia - Another, more common nickname, for the Veritas when they were on Paladia. It is said that Frostlord died during the war between Aldore and Hess, but his body was never found. The Sworn Eight were created to battle Hess, but were betrayed by Aldore and sent to Lapis.
Hess - A nation on Paladia. They use the power of visions. Aldore believes this power to be dangerous, and thus went to war with Hess to prevent Hess from using it.
The Eight Sages of Hess - A group from Hess who battled against Aldore. Includes Dark Fina (simply known then as Fina), who although being from Aldore, defected to Hess so as to face stronger enemies. The Eight Sages were sealed in crystals by the Sworn Eight in an attempt to end the war. The Sworn Eight had planned to give Hess their independence, but were betrayed by the leaders of Aldore, which sent the very land that the Sworn Eight and the Eight Sages were occupying down to Lapis.
Crystals - Eight crystals that were inhabited by the Eight Sages of Hess. We know of Fina, Babel, Bahamut and Dark Elf. The crystals distort the true nature of their inhabitants over the long years, leaving nothing left of Babel except his heart, and causing Fina to lose all her memories. The Crystals were sent to Lapis as a way to bind the portion of Paladia sent through the gate to the land. The Sworn Six plan to break all the crystals.
Gate - an interdimensional gate that exists between Paladia and Lapis. The gate opens every 100 years to let out power, as otherwise the built-up power would run amok. The Sworn Six plan to break the crystals, which should send the land back to Paladia. The destruction on Lapis would be incredible.