This longish one-shot was lovingly ripped o—I mean, inspired by Kasan Soulblade's excellent fic "Forgotten Legend." My story is similar in idea, an account of the story of Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World told centuries later with details lost to time. Unlike Kasan's story, which is written more formally and is meant to be narrated by Kratos, my story is more meant as a charming tale recited by storytellers or among friends and families. I also take one or two liberties with the story. It's not nearly as good as "Forgotten Legend," but I hope you enjoy and please, I would dearly love a review.
You may already know of the legend of the True Regeneration of the world. It will not be retold in full here, but this tale is closely linked to that one. It began at around the same point in the ancient past, when the child-God had yet to make himself the Lord of Heaven. He and his companions were attempting to stop a great war with the aid of the ancient Spirits. Among them was the Great Spirit of the Tree, a god whose strength rivaled that of the King of Spirits. He also acted as the Lord of Monsters and the guardian of the door to the netherworld. The child-God befriended the Great Spirit and the he gave him an emblem which would enable the boy and his companions to travel to the original home of the Ancient Spirits.
But the child-God betrayed the Spirit, taking the Spirits' home for himself. With this and the raging war, the Great Spirit grew to detest humans, blaming his kindness and conscience for preventing him from eradicating them. He quashed the emotions that he thought made him weak, but by then he already lost too much power to act. Soon the war killed the Tree and the child-God had to split the world in two to save it. This put the Great Spirit and his eight Beast-Spirits to sleep.
A long time past, and the worlds were one again. Yet all was not well. The differences between the two former worlds was so great that the people were uneasy with each other. Disputes and eventually violence arose between them. At the same time, nature itself seemed out of balance as the climate changed dramatically, deserts froze over, lakes dried up, and monsters became fiercer. A new Mana Tree had been born, but its Spirit was much weaker than the Great Spirit and could not balance the source of life itself. Though the child-God and his angels suppressed knowledge of the Great Spirit, a Young Scholar rediscovered it through ancient texts and lore. He was a brilliant youth, somewhat unstable but an idealist and kind of heart. He and his half-elven companion, once a quiet man forced to work in the cellar of a great academy until now, went out to find the Great Spirit and ask him to set nature right.
Along the way, they found the Water Beast-Spirit. She led them to a World Between Worlds where the Great Spirit slept and the gate to the netherworld lay. They awoke the Spirit, begging him to restore nature. The Spirit, however, was still enraged at humans and half-elves and felt that if left alive, they would once again kill the Tree and put the planet in peril. He ordered his Beast-Spirits and monsters to rebalance Mana, then to massacre the people. The Young Scholar pleaded with the Spirit, saying that humans and half-elves were important, but he ignored the young man and his own now weakened conscience.
The Great Spirit killed the Young Scholar with a blast of power, and said, "This world is no worse off without that parasite." Seeing his dear friend dead and hearing the Spirit's callous words, the half-elf became filled with rage and threw himself at the Great Spirit. Though the Spirit was weakened from a long slumber, he was surprised at the Vengeful Half-Elf's strength with his flashing blades. The Great Spirit seemed to fall dead, but instead his body faded and changed into a large red gem. The Water Beast-Spirit told the Vengeful Half-Elf that in order to truly kill the god; the gem had to be destroyed. Just then, the Beast-Spirit of Darkness, shocked at the Water Beast's betrayal, took the gem and went off to parts unknown.
From then on, the Vengeful Half-Elf would seek out and slay the Great Spirit. He made pacts with vile demons of the netherworld, asking for the resurrection of the Young Scholar in return for the Spirit's death and power to aid him in this task. He also met a man, descended from old kings. The Would-be King wished to aid the people of the once dying world from the more advanced one and created an organization for this task. The Vengeful Half-Elf told the man of an ancient powerful weapon that could be powered with the crystalline essence of the Great Spirit. This weapon could intimidate the stronger lands and liberate the people of the weaker ones. The half-elf also gave the Would-be King the jewel-essence of the sleeping Earth Beast-Spirit. In this state, the gem drove people mad and slowly the Would-be King became more unstable, wanting to turn the ancient weapon on the people of the former prospering world.
In truth, the Vengeful Half-Elf manipulated the Organization for his own devices, using it to locate the Great Spirit's jewel-essence and those of the other Beast-Spirits. He also used it for more secretive missives, though they all went back to the demise of the Great Spirit. The Spirit's gem-essence was finally located, but it was just as quickly stolen away by a young girl. She was the daughter of the Would-be King and had become horrified at the increasingly radical efforts of her father and the Organization. The Dark Beast-Spirit had told her of the Great Spirit and that he could restore balance to nature. Wishing to help the world and stop the Organization she played a part in forming, the Atoning Girl took the Great Spirit's gem-essence away.
However, she came to a place embroiled in massacre and flames, a large harbor town of the former dying world. Members from Organization of the Would-be King were found by knights of the church and slain. The knights also killed many innocent people, labeling them guilty of harboring the dissidents. Among the knights was an unlikely figure in red. It was the son of one of the angels who once served the Lord of Heaven, an idealist swordsman who had two years before restored the world and helped the Chosen to plant the new Mana Tree. He took part in the slaughter, saying that those who undermined the church and the Chosen were deserving of death.
The daughter of the Would-be King was cornered by several members of his now radical Organization. Though her frail appearance belied her agility and prowess in battle, even she could not stand against all of them. She begged the Great Spirit still sleeping in his gem to help her. The jewel-essence flashed and the girl lost consciousness. Moments later she awoke, the dissidents were gone and instead there was a boy with brilliant green eyes. He quickly left, but she would remember that face and believed that he saved her.
The Green-Eyed Boy came across a dying woman, struck down by the fallen hero. This woman was his mother and he became distraught when he learned who it was that killed her and his father. He went to live with his aunt and uncle in a town that idolized the Red Swordsman. They did not believe the Green-Eyed Boy's account of the bloodshed committed by the Swordsman and treated him harshly, his already timid nature making him more withdrawn.
One day the Green-Eyed Boy heard a strangely familiar howl. It seemed to come from the dried lake, a place now swarming with monsters. The townspeople blamed him for this as well. He was then accosted by two young men who saw him glaring at a statue of the Red Swordsman, who had saved the town two years ago. The two young men were then scared off by a stranger to the town. By some interesting twist of fate, it was the Vengeful Half-Elf. The half-elf was startled to see that the Green-Eyed Boy was remarkably similar to his dead friend, the Young Scholar. Thinking it some odd coincidence, he gave the Green-Eyed Boy some words of wisdom. The boy thanked the man and the Vengeful Half-Elf asked him if he had seen a girl with a red jewel in her forehead before leaving.
With the small bit of confidence given to him by the Vengeful Half-Elf's, a man he now greatly admired, the Green-Eyed Boy investigated the source of the strange howl, going to the dried lakebed. There he was saved from a beast by the daughter of the Would-be King. She recognized the Green-Eyed Boy as her savoir from the massacre months ago, but he did not remember the encounter. She goes off, but not before he saw a red gem on her forehead and he then returned to the Vengeful Half-Elf. The Green-Eyed Boy accompanied the man into the lake bed cave, but was startled to see him attack the Atoning Girl. He tried to defend the girl, but the man called upon the Water Beast-Spirit, who summoned a monster to force the boy out. The Dark Beast-Spirit then appeared; the one who drew the boy with his howls. He made the boy a Knight of the Great Spirit so that he would have the strength to defeat the monster and save the Atoning Girl.
The boy's brilliant eyes turned a stark blood red and he defeated the monsters easily. "It is the power of the Lord of Monsters" the Dark Beast-Spirit explained. It was this power that changed the boy's disposition and increased his strength in battle. He pursued the Atoning Girl and the Vengeful Half-Elf, eventually finding him injured on the ground. The Red Swordsman had entered the cave and attacked the man. After helping the man, the Green-Eyed Boy went to find the Atoning Girl, eventually coming across her locked in combat with the Red Swordsman. Despite the boy's new powers borrowed from the Great Spirit, the Swordsman defeated them easily.
When the boy and girl awoke they discovered that the Red Swordsman had stolen a strange jewel from the cave. It was the gem-essence of the Beast-Spirit of Light, and the cave an altar to it. The Atoning Girl and the Dark Beast-Spirit then told a partial story of Great Spirit, the other Beast-Spirits, and their mission to recover all of the gem-essences in order to awaken the sleeping god. The Great Spirit's gem-essence was the red jewel now embedded in the girl's head. When they arrived back at the lake town, the boy and girl saw that knights from the church were searching for her and were threatening to raze the town if she did turn in the Great Spirit's gem. At first the boy blamed her for brining ill to the town, but upon learning that the removal of the red gem would mean her death, he drove off the knights using the Great Spirit's power.
On awkward terms, the Green-Eyed Boy left the lake town with the Atoning Girl and the Dark Beast-Spirit. The Green-Eyed Boy was confused by all that had happened. The Vengeful Half-Elf was kind enough to help the boy, but he also wanted to kill the Great Spirit and would murder a girl if he had to. Even so, he would help the Atoning Girl and confront the Red Swordsman, who was after the same gems that she was. Though the girl would soon become infatuated with the boy, he was grateful to finally have a friend.
The pact with the Great Spirit also enabled the Green-Eyed Boy to befriend monsters who fought alongside the boy and girl. As they sought the gem-essences of the Beast-Spirits, they were even accompanied by the Red Swordsman's old friends, the ones who helped him to regenerate the world. First was the Chosen of the former declining world. Though the Atoning Girl hated her for her part in creating a Twisted Tree that killed her mother, even she could not help but become friends with the cheerful young woman. They would later be joined by the serious yet kindhearted teacher; her magi-child sibling; the former assassin, now leader of her secretive clan; the once fallen and now redeemed nobleman; the silver-tongued Chosen of the former prospering world; and the once soulless child now rediscovering her emotions. They all wished to find out what had happened to their old friend, the Red Swordsman and the terribly stories people told of him. They befriended and aided the Green-Eyed Boy and the Atoning Girl in restoring the balance of Mana, hoping to find and speak to their dearest companion as well.
At first the boy ignored the girl's infatuation, unrealistic expectations of him, and exaggerations of his character. After a short time, though, he snapped at her, saying that she did not see him for who he really was. The Atoning Girl took the boy's words in, seeing how true they were and realizing what sort of person the boy really was. He may have once been cowardly, but he was slowly becoming a more assertive young man and finding courage. He was doing his best to protect the Atoning Girl. They apologized to each other and from then on grew closer. She fell out of her childish fixation and began to fall for the Green-Eyed Boy in earnest. In turn, the boy felt his uncertain feelings change to something more.
All the while the travelers avoided and fought with the Vengeful Half-Elf, the Red Swordsman, and the Would-be King's radical Organization. Two of their most dogged foes were a Sadistic Mage-Girl and her excessively loyal and mad with love Servant. As for the Vengeful Half-Elf, the Green-Eyed Boy suspected he was a very kind man forced to be harsh due to his mission, and every so often he accompanied the man in some secretive task. The Green-Eyed Boy and the Vengeful Half-Elf may have been friend if fate did not have other plans.
During their quest for the gem-essences, the Green-Eyed Boy's aggressive alter ego brought on by the Great Spirit's power seemed to take a life and personality of his own. The Green-Eyed Boy could no longer remember the times when the power took over him and once his Red-Eyed self was active for days. He seemed to resent his Green-Eyed self but also cared for the Atoning Girl's and her feelings. Meanwhile, the Green-Eyed Boy had terrifying dreams and sudden visions of the Vengeful Half-Elf apparently killing him, the man's eyes wild with loathing.
While searching for the Lightning Beast-Spirit's gem, the boy and girl along with the Clan Leader and the Redeemed Nobleman came to the great academy of the former prospering world for assistance, the same one that the Vengeful Half-Elf and the Young Scholar once worked. Sure enough, many noted the striking similarity between the Green-Eyed Boy and the Young Scholar, raising many questions about his true identity. Even the half-elven Teacher suspected that the boy's power-induced darker side was in fact a different person. Was he really the Young Scholar, or was he someone else? Who was this Red-Eyed being that took over when he fought? The Green-Eyed boy was understandably distraught. Through it all the Atoning Girl stayed by his side, reminding him that she traveled with him and knew who he really was. This eased the boy's tensions, as he knew he still had someone very dear to him.
Though the Red Swordsman would continue to be an adversary, the truth surrounding his involvement with the slaughter at the Harbor Town finally came to light. While saving the sister of the former prospering world's Chosen, the Swordsman was seen fighting with his doppelgänger. The Green-Eyed Boy correctly attacked the imposter, revealing him to the Sadistic Mage's Infatuated Servant. Using the Earth Beast-Spirit's power, he disguised himself as the Red Swordsman and committed many atrocities in his name. Even the massacre at the Harbor Town, where the boy's parents died, was perpetrated by the Infatuated Servant. The Knights were in fact members of the Organization trying to besmirch the church's name. Though she knew of her father's increasing madness, the Atoning Girl was still horrified that he would order such an attack. As for the Green-Eyed Boy, he could finally let go of his hatred of the Red Swordsman.
The man in question, however, demanded that the boy and girl give the gem-essences they had collected. When confronted with his old friends, the Swordsman fled. The hero of two years ago may not have become a mass murderer, but he still kept himself estranged and his true goals were still unknown.
Their confrontations with the Would-be King's Organization grew to a fevered pitch when they invaded and conquered the city of the Redeemed Nobleman. The dissident soldiers spread chaos around the world, keeping the military forces of the former prospering world too occupied to help. After a failed attempt at stopping the Organization, the Atoning Girl and the Green Eyed Boy were kept safe in the Secretive Clan's village, but the boy sensed that the girl was not at ease with the decision. What if her father were killed in the conflict? Maybe she could find a way to reason with the Would-be King. It was there that the boy learned that for all her fortitude and determination, the Atoning girl was in some ways like he used to be. She feared facing her father and she was used to leaving difficult tasks to others. The Green-Eyed boy gave some of the courage she gave him from before, and she resolved to face her father.
The boy and girl fought long and hard to reach the Would-be King. Tricked by the Sadistic Mage-Girl, they were separated for a time, but with help from the gathered Heroes of Regeneration, they found the Atoning Girl and her father. Sadly, the man was too far gone in madness for reason to work, and they were forced to battle the man. While the Earth Beast-Spirit's gem gave him immense power, the Would-be King fell, but to an unexpected source. The Infatuated Servant, maddened by his time with the jewel-essence attacked and nearly slew the Would-beKing, taking the object of power. The gem was taken back and the Would-be King regained his sanity. The Teacher slowed the drastic loss of his life's blood from the wound inflicted by the Servant, and he was quickly taken to a physician.
One ordeal was finally over, but there were more yet to be completed. The Red Swordsman was found locked in fearsome combat with the Vengeful Half-Elf. He had somehow grown much stronger than before, perhaps borrowing more power from the demons. This power gave out and the Half-Elf was forced to flee, but not before revealing the secret of the Green-Eyed Boy: He was, in truth, the Great Spirit in mortal form. Memories came flooding back, ones he could scarcely believe.
Much of what transpired was finally revealed when the Red Swordsman instructed the boy, girl, and his friends to travel to the Young Mana Tree. There the Tree-Guardian, once an angel who rebelled against the child-God, told much of how the Great Spirit came to detest human and half-elves. He too imparted that should the Spirit discover the Young Tree's name, he may well claim it for himself and regain all of his former strength. The Red Swordsman's strange actions of late were also explained: The Tree-Guardian made the young man swear an oath to gather the gem-essences and put a stop to the newly-awakened Great Spirit. He could tell no one for if they became mad from touching one of the gems, they may unwillingly reveal the Tree's name.
The jewel on the Atoning Girl's was not the Spirit but a clever, if unintentionally cruel decoy. In truth, the Great Spirit awoke when the girl cried for his help, taking the form of the Young Scholar to walk among humans unnoticed while he regained his power and memories. He took the identity of another dead child, unknowingly given to him by a woman he thought was his mother.
Though the Red Swordsman's initial task was to find and subdue the Great Spirit, the young man's idealism made him want to find another way. Perhaps the Great Spirit could have a change of heart. He came to believe that the Green-Eyed boy was the benevolence of the Great Spirit, the side that he deemed his weaker long ago. The boy's Red-Eyed self was the Spirit's strength, but also his aggression.
To calm the Great Spirit, they traveled to the altar of the Spirit of Heart. He could combine the broken Spirit and perhaps stop him from enacting terrible destruction. There was much uncertainty, though. Could the Green-Eyed boy disappear, or could his Red-Eyed self? The Green-Eyed boy felt hesitant, and the Atoning Girl only heaped more worry, as she did not want either of them to vanish. The Spirit of the Heart agreed to help, but only when the Green-Eyed boy wished it.
Suddenly the temple was attacked by fiends and the earth shook. The Spirit-boy's Red-Eyed Self attacked the Red Swordsman to take the jewel-essence he held and he awakened the Light Beast-Spirit. The tremors were caused by an attempt to open the door to the netherworld and the Great Spirit needed more power to stop it. The Vengeful Half-Elf's goals were coming further into the light. To slay the Great Spirit and bring back his dead friend, he would open the door and overrun the world with demons. The chaos caused by the Would-be King's Organization, much of it loyal to the Half-Elf, only fueled the demons' power. They had to confront and stop the Vengeful Half-Elf before he could do just that.
His Red-Eyed Self's actions, nearly injuring the Red Swordsman, appalled the Green-Eyed Boy. He called upon the Spirit of the Heart, having decided what to do about his more violent side.
On the eve of the battle, the Atoning Girl and the Green-Eyed boy met under the dual moons. It would perhaps be the last moment of peace they would have together, as even when the battle was won; the Spirit-Boy had to resume his duties as the guardian of the door. The girl tearfully embraced the first boy she came to truly love; the young man who pulled her down to earth and gave her support when she needed it most. She wanted to stay with him, but fate would not have it. The boy could no longer keep it to himself. He had to say it to the girl who gave him courage and friendship. He had to say it to the young woman who always stayed by his side, even when she was uncertain. He loved her as well. The two shared their first, and what may have been their last, kiss beneath those moons.
The Atoning Girl, the Green-Eyed Boy, the Dark Beast-Spirit and the Heroes of Regeneration traveled to the World Between Worlds where the Great Spirit once dwelt, a strange gap between our realm and the plane of demons. A trap left for the child-God ensnared the Heroes, as the Red Swordsman still held the ancient Emblem. As the boy and girl endeavored to free their friends, they found the Sadistic Mage-Girl and the Infatuated Servant. Blades slashed, monster fangs flashed, and spells flew in this ferocious clash. The Servant took the Green-Eyed Boy's blade in the back, a blow meant for his love, the Mage-Girl. When he expired, his blood pooling around his now limp form, the Sadistic Mage came to realize how much she too cared for the Servant, a man who would do anything for her. Her fury gave her incredible strength and she lifted the Servant's massive sword, intent on killing the Green-Eyed Boy. She too was slain with a spinning blade to her back. Though the Atoning Girl later felt guilt over the Mage-Girl's death, in that moment, all she thought of was her love's safety.
Not wanting to be forced to kill the Vengeful Half-Elf, a man who once showed the Green-Eyed boy kindness, the pair decided to attempt to speak him down. Once they found and freed their friends, they encountered the Water Beast-Spirit. Her love of the Vengeful Half-Elf and the Great Spirit's heartless murder of the Young Scholar drove her to aid and protect the man. She attempted to stall the group by turning herself into a monster, but was defeated and her gem-essence collected.
They all at last reached the Vengeful Half-Elf. He refused to listen to Green-Eyed Boy, who could only see him as the Great Spirit who slew his dearest friend. The Great Spirit would finally die, even if it cost him his life, and his body burst into flames. The battle was long and hard, yet despite his mastery over flames and enhanced power; he could not stand against the boy, the girl, and their new companions. Once the Half-Elf fell, the Green-Eyed Boy restored what he could of the damaged door. The Vengeful Half-Elf finally revealed his true plan: He worked with the demons, but would betray them in the end. Once the Great Spirit was eliminated and the Young Scholar restored, he would make himself an eternally burning seal on the door and prevent the demons' invasion.
It was then that the boy suddenly grabbed the Atoning Girl by her throat, demanding she release the Water Beast-Spirit's gem. The violent side of the Great Spirit had taken over, and despite the Green-Eyed boy's efforts, he could not be calmed. The Atoning Girl and the Red Swordsman fought and subdued the angered Spirit, intent on sealing him within the door to the netherworld. This, however, was an elaborate plan by the Green-Eyed Boy. He sealed his other self away within, intending to force his friends to turn him back into a jewel and both could be locked away forever. While the Great Spirit kept his compassionate side quashed at the time, the boy still felt that he was responsible for the Young Scholar's death. He would atone for it himself.
After the Spirit allowed himself to lose to the Red Swordsman and the girl he loved, she saw through his ruse. She chastised him for making his friends attack him and not confronting his other self. Taking her words, he looked within, facing his other half within his mind. The two dueled and the Spirit-Boy proved how far he had come by defeating the side he still saw as the stronger. They came to realize they were meant to be one, needing strength, determination, courage, and kindness. The broken Spirit became whole once more, at last resolving his millennia-long feud with himself.
The door to the netherworld was weakened, the demonic threat not yet over. The Half-Elf resolved to stay and act as a temporary seal as a means of atoning for his crimes. To repair it, much Mana would be needed. In an effort to make amends for the Young Scholar's death and to prevent the world from dying, the Great Spirit would wean the world off its dependence on Mana. Drawing the Mana and rewriting the laws of nature would take much time, but it would be nothing to an immortal Spirit.
The renewed Great Spirit bid farewell to his friends, save for the Red Swordsman and the Atoning Girl. The Swordsman felt they would meet again. As for his love, she knew that her heart would always be with him, a sort of immortality in of itself.
"I will always love you," were her final words to him.
The Great Spirit looked back at her, his eyes a familiar emerald hue and replied, "And I will always love you, too."
Strangely, no one is certain how this tale ends, though scholars and storytellers alike recite three possible conclusions. Some say that the Spirit stayed guarding the door from the realm of demons, never to see his friends or his beloved again. Others say that the Spirit fought too hard against his companions. He severely injured the Atoning Girl in the battle and thinking that he slew her, thrust his own blade into his stomach. Light rather than crimson leaked from the wound and he turned into a large red gem. Upon awakening, the girl cried out in anguish at his rash sacrifice. He stayed as a gem forevermore, acting as a seal, no longer thinking or feeling. Many say that this conclusion is the least likely, as today we no longer need the grace of Mana to survive.
The final ending is, perhaps understandably, the most liked. After the Spirit's mortal companions left, the Half-Elf and the Beast-Spirits proposed that he allow his Green-Eyed self a chance to live as a human. But was it right to be separated again? What of atoning for the Young Scholar's death? Yet the notion that he could live the life the Scholar never could was enough for him to decide. With help from the Spirit of Heart, the Great Spirit split himself once more, one in body of a mortal, the other as a gem embedded in the Half-Elf's forehead, both having the same Spirit soul.
The Green-Eyed Boy and the Atoning Girl reunited in the Harbor Town where she first awakened him. With an embrace that was both tearful and joyous, the two began their life together. The Spirit-Boy lived out the life of a mortal, always at the side of the Atoning Girl. He returned to his other half once his love drew her final breath, and has been guarding the door since then. Some say that their descendants walk among us today, no different from anyone else.
Regardless, this legend not only tells of how our world came to resemble then one we inhabit today, but also a more personal tale. It tells of a broken Spirit made whole, of courage that can only be gained from trusting others, and how true love can blossom as two souls come to truly understand one another, both aiding the other to grow in character.
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