I'm under the impression that the enemies of The Crystal Tower were primarily aether. When legends are believed to be true, and enough aether and crystal is consumed, it makes old legends become deities. But who could have summoned these deities? Was it Xande who summoned Cloud of Darkness through aether, or... was it Cloud of Darkness who summoned Xande?

Final Fantasy villains never die like others, their very life force spreads apart into the air. Where do they go? The Void? The air? Do they become aether?

Cloud of Darkness was the only one that didn't die when defeated, and her access to aether could have been when the Warrior of Light broke the tower seals. So is it possible that Cloud of Darkness was the same from Final Fantasy III, and it was all of her minions that were what were summoned? And... could the other final bosses be lying dormant in this Void state too?