Were all our efforts wasted? *spoilers*

[Cendres]

To be honest, I think that is the point. We're not "supposed" to survive the 7th Umbral Era and in the kinda prophecy we're told of the 7th Umbral, is that it's the fact we did something that saved us total destruction. Well that's what I got from all the quests.

We've just witnessed the end of the Astral Era, which was a long time of peace. But with the 7th era which is Umbral there will be a lot of conflict which is maybe the real reason why Adventurers are needed.

Are they going to continue the echo power thing? Or is that over with now that Bahamut was release and the Twelve's powers didn't work? Also I think religion and faith will be a big deal as the lack of faith in people in general MIGHT be why the Twelve weren't very strong combined with the lack of Aether to go around.

So in the era of peace people got complacent or just miffed with the Twelve as they flooded Eorzea at the end of the last Umbral era which brought in the current 6th Astral Era..... And when the Garleans ravaged Ala Migho it was a slap in the face of Eorzea that rudely woke parts of it up. Then the echo sounded in trying to prevent Bahamut's release? hmmm.