The remaining Eight Monarchs were in panic.
Ignis (Fire) shouted, "We must burn the corruption! Burn the forests! Burn the infected cities!" Vita (Life) screamed, "No! We must heal them! We must pour more life into the seal!"
The Monarchs turned on each other. Ignis burned Vita's forests. Terra (Gravity) crushed Ignis's volcanoes. Ferro (Metal) built walls to isolate his own kingdom, leaving the rest to rot.
The guardians of humanity became the destroyers of humanity. They had forgotten their duty. They were terrified of the Thing beneath their feet.
In the chaos, Guan (Silence) sat on his tower. He did not fight. He watched. He saw that the noise of the war was waking Ren faster. "Fools," Guan thought. "You are screaming at an avalanche."