Bravely Default II is set in a new world from prior games, on a continent named Excillant divided into five different kingdoms.[5] The game follows four main characters; a mysterious young sailor named Seth, a refugee princess named Gloria, a traveling scholar named Elvis, and a mercenary named Adelle.[5] The party sets off across the continent to retrieve the crystals of the four elements. These crystals were stolen from Gloria's destroyed homeland of Musa. Meanwhile, Elvis is trying to decipher an ancient book that cannot be read under normal circumstances, but occasionally reveals secrets of the past when it comes into contact with an Asterisk, which are powerful magical gems that grant knowledge and power.[6] The book doubles as the system the player uses to save their progress.
During their travels, the four become this age's Heroes of Light, fighting to prevent the misuse of the crystals by warriors of the Kingdom of Holograd, its leader Adam, and his advisor Edna. Periodically throughout the world's history, an ancient evil called the Night's Nexus must be sealed away, and the crystals choose four warriors to do so. Seth is chosen by the Wind Crystal, Gloria by the Water Crystal, Elvis by the Earth Crystal, and Adelle by the Fire Crystal. As the adventure continues, Adelle reveals that she is actually a fairy and that Edna is her sister. Edna hates humans and is trying to summon the Night's Nexus to destroy them all. Edna is the one who stole the Asterisks from the realm of the fairies to distribute to Holograd's forces, used them to empower Holograd's forces to seize the crystals through conquest or influence, and let humans drain the crystals' power on frivolous matters rather than their true purpose of suppressing the Nexus.