Legend of Mana : City of Flickering Destruction
This fanfic is a telling of the tragic ending of the Jumi race, set 100 years or so before the game itself in Etansel. It will be divided into two separate stories. One being the events at the Bejeweled City and the other being the Adventures of Lady Blackpearl. Most of the Jumi are original characters though there will still be interaction with the canon Jumi that are known from the game.
Chapter 1 The Keys of the Heart
Aquaros, the Knight of the Aquamarine made his way through the inner sanctum of Etansel, the beautiful bejeweled city that was the home of the Jumi. The race who's very souls were contained within the jewel cores on their chests. Through the aqua colored v-wrapped shirt that the knight wore, his own aquamarine core was clearly visible. The light blue gem was the size of his fist, a perfectly rounded dome that rose from his chest. A clear marker to all just what the man was. His blue arabian style shoes, that softly hit the jewel encrusted path with each step, were the same color as his shirt aside from a white stripe that ran down the middle from ankle to toe. As were his pants, eyes and even hair. His hair was slicked back and flowed down his to the nape of his neck just like water. He also wore a white belt, white leather greaves, and bracers. The greaves and bracers all had aquamarines that were embedded in the center of them. A spear was strapped to his back as he continued his search.
'I must find the keys… then Diaminitia and I will finally be able to see the world together.' He thought as he scoured the city for the elusive keys to his love's heart.
To preserve the race, The Stratum of the Lucidia, run by Rubens and Diana, had made it law that guardians were not allowed to leave the city without being accompanied by a knight. Not that it really mattered anymore, since they had all lost their ability to cry. The very thing that they had best been known for, their tears of healing, had been lost over the years since they had withdrawn into their city. Still though it was important to protect their remaining numbers, especially those who could not fight. This was why now more than ever the ceremony of the Keys of the Heart was so important to them. It was a test of devotion to the guardian.
This was the very reason, that Aquaros sought to complete the ceremony as soon as possible. Not only to further his connection with his love Diaminita, but also to enable them both the freedom to travel, which he knew she wanted to see the world so much. He just hoped that none of the other knights would find the keys before he did. Since he loved her and she loved him, it seemed unlikely that anyone else would have the connection required to see the keys. However, he couldn't be sure that was the case. He hoped that the keys would be easy to find so that he could awaken Diamintia from her petrified state.
"There's one!" He couldn't help but shout out loud as he saw one of the keys sitting on a table, in a room that seemed to be primarily a storage room. Barrels and boxes holding different things lay all over the floor.
He walked toward the key and grabbed it, examining it for a moment as his aquamarine core shined brilliantly emitting a chiming sound that echoed through the empty room. The key also shined briefly and he closed his eyes as he heard a voice in his head. It was her voice, crystal clear, sweet and soft.
'This is the Key of Hope. A part of my soul… I hope for a day when our sorrows will end. And our cores will shine brightly once again.'
"I hope so as well." Aquaros murmured in response to the message.
The voice faded away as did the light and Aquaros held the key close to his core before he turned and left the room. There were two more keys that the knight needed to find. He could sense them, the other two were definitely still in the city. But whether they were in the spiraling inner sanctum, or down in the surrounding city, he wasn't sure yet. He continued down the spiraling path, walking down the stairs and through the gate to the next level down, trying to sense the keys as he went not even acknowledging anyone that he walked past.
"In such a rush that you don't even say hello to me, Aquaros I'm hurt." A man who the Aquamarine knight had just walked by said. His guardian walking right beside him.
The knight turned to look at the man who had spoken to him, his aqua blue eyes meeting the deep green eyes of another knight, Despite his haste he smiled at him.
"My sincere apologies Emeralides, but I am in a hurry…." Aquaros tried to explain only to have him raise his hand at him and chuckle.
"No need, I am aware that you are searching for the keys to your lover's heart. Off you go, may your core always shine brightly." The Emerald Knight replied as he slowly lowered his hand.
"May yours as well." Aquaros replied with a nod of his head as he turned his attention back to the path and his core as he continued to try and sense the keys.
"Why did you have to give him a hard time when you knew he was in a hurry?" Aquaros heard Emeralides' guardian, Topira ask of her knight as he continued on.
On the lowest level of the inner sanctum he found the next key, this one laying on a bed in one of the rooms, this floor of the inner sanctum was typically used for housing the injured while they recovered. As he reached out his hand to grab the key the same occurrence happened again. His aquamarine core chimed, echoing through the empty room, and the core flashed brightly as did the key.
'This is the Key of Despair. A part of my soul… I am in despair because I feel useless. I am a guardian who cannot cry and thus I feel like I cannot help anyone.'
"That's not true… You're not useless at all." Aquaros said, as if to correct the voice that he heard.
As before the chiming sound ended and the light faded and Aquaros placed the key in his other hand, holding them tight as he turned and walked out of the room. His core continuing to lead him farther down, it became fairly obvious to him now that he was going to have to go the outer city to find the last key. He walked down the final set of steps and through the arch into the surrounding city. The city itself, unlike the spiraling palace of stone and jewels was much simpler. The houses and shops made out of stone. A few of them had large gemstones inlaid into them above the door way, usually representing the Jumi who lived there. It was a way of distinguishing them apart mostly, since they all looked so similar.
The Jumi city had been made centuries ago, carved from the very stones and jewels that they had such an affinity to. They were made out of stone, because it was the best thing to hold up to all of the rain that the city received. It would often rain in Etansel because when a Jumi cried the world would cry with the Jumi. Even though only the Clarius could cry, it rained often. It was no surprise that many of their race were beginning to question her health as often as she did cry. The tears of healing were a wonderful blessing, but at a cost. Part of the healer's own life was used.
The large maze of alleyways between houses and the sheer size of the outer city were the very reasons that Aquaros had hoped that the keys had not been scattered this far. However, he was thankful that it was only the last key that had made it all the way to the city. It was very easy to get lost in the alleyways since the only thing that marked the buildings were the gemstones laid on them. When he entered into the main streets he would see artisans at work, doing their crafting to make items to sell or to use. Merchants would approach him trying to sell him their wares but he would politely refuse each time. He continued his search, hoping soon to sense something from his core that might give him a hint where it might be.
What he heard though was a different sound entirely, yelling and wood smacking against wood. The yelling sounded like it was coming from a teenager or young man, Aquaros couldn't help but smirk, he knew the sound all too well. He rounded the corner into the alley the sound was coming from to have his suspicions confirmed. A young man stood with his back to the knight. He wore primarily dark blue and had dark green hair that usually hung down into his eyes. He looked like a typical young Jumi except for one unique feature. His entire right arm was made out of pale blue crystal, his fingers almost claw like and the crystal jutted out slightly past his shoulder. In the crystalized hand was a curved wooden blade, the young Jumi held it by the blade, just above the hilt guard as he swung it at a pole that had another pole lashed to it perpendicularly shaped like a cross. Attached to the two poles were wooden targets where the hands, chest, and head of the "enemy" it represented would be.
"Working hard as always I see Elazul." Aquaros said with a smile as he looked at the young knight in training as he practiced.
The Lapis Knight to be turned his attention to Aquaros as he spoke, setting down his wooden sword and walked up to him. His lapis lazuli core clearly visible as the folds of his shirt came together below it.
"Master Aquaros, here to give me a lesson?" The young Jumi asked.
Aquaros was the one who was helping Elazul learn to fight and prepare to be knighted. He had to work very hard, especially hard to get him back into the fighting spirit after the accident that had resulted in Elazul's arm becoming crystalized. The Aquamarine knight had been training with Elazul when the young man had cut his arm deeply on a sharp rock as he tried to dodge an attack. It was the first time that Aquaros had become aware of something happening to the Jumi race. As someone tried to heal him, Elazul's arm became completely crystalized. He had stayed near him as the the lapis boy was forced to endure pain that the Aquamarine knight couldn't imagine. Now the ability to cry was lost to all of the Jumi aside from the current Clarius, Florina.
"Not right now. I am actually looking for the final Key to Diamintia's Heart." Aquaros replied, "Later though alright?"
Elazul nodded his head. "So, you're finally going to become her knight eh?" He asked of his master.
"Yeah that's right. I'll see you later Elazul." The knight replied as he walked out of the alley and back into the maze of streets as he continued to try and sense the final key. He would have stayed and spoke with his pupil longer, but he was in a rush now. As long as the keys had been scattered for he felt lucky that he had found the first two unimpeded, he needed to find the last one soon.
He had lost track of how long he continued to meander the streets, searching for any indication of the key's location. The hot afternoon sun was shining down upon him. He would not give up though and turning another corner his patience and determination were rewarded as he sensed the key through his core.
"Finally…" He said with a sigh of relief, now that he could sense it, It was now simply a matter of following the feeling in his core.
As he continued to walk through the city, The sun became covered by grey clouds and it began to rain lightly. Right now it was nothing more than a sprinkle, but it felt very good since the knight had been searching under the hot sun for so long.
'Someone has been injured it seems…' He thought as he looked up at the dark clouds that had so suddenly appeared, as if out of no where.
All the Jumi knew all too well that when they cried it would rain, another blessing of the tears of healing, it helped to keep the civilization stable. Though the rain was not essential to their survival, it definitely made their living in the desert that surrounded them much more bearable. The rain had become more infrequent over the years though since the Jumi had all but lost the ability to cry. The Clarius' tears were now only used to mend damaged cores, or if the wounds were severe enough that they could be life-threatening.
At long last he finally found the last key of Diamintia's heart, lying on the ground near a torch near the outer wall of the city. He recognized it as the place that she would often retreat to when she was upset, she would watch as all the Jumi left the city to go to markets to sell their wares or get supplies, and she would wish that she could leave with them. He kneeled down to pick up the final key and just as what had happened with the other two there was a bright flash of light and chiming sound from his core. Her voice audible only to him yet again.
'This is the Key of Compassion. A part of my soul… I feel compassion towards all of the Jumi. I wish to do whatever I can to help, no matter what.'
He held all three keys in his hand, pressing them all gently against his core and closed his eyes as the rain continued to fall lightly. He was enjoying the feeling of the cool drops as they landed on his skin. He felt so much closer to Diamintia after going through this ordeal, he felt he had a much deeper understanding of her very soul. The keys representing the three most prevalent feelings in her soul. He had to wonder if this is how every knight felt after completing the ceremony. If they did, he doubted it was to the extent that he felt it since they were actually in a relationship and not just guardian and knight. The only others he could think of that were that way were Rubens and Diana, but that was just by his memory, he would be very surprised if there weren't others.
He found his way back to the main road and from there it was a straight shot up it back to the main gate that led to the inner sanctum. He jogged up the main road, fighting his hardest not to sprint. The rain had stopped and the sun was beaming down on his back yet again. He didn't want to push himself too hard, despite his haste to get to Diamintia and restore her to the flesh instead of stone.
He began his ascent up the spiraling path of the Inner Sanctum, making his way toward the top where the Throne of the Clarius was. It was the room where the ceremony had started, and it was the room where it was to be concluded. In the presence of Stratum of the Clarius, as well as the Stratum of the Lucidia. The Keys of the Heart ceremony was a very big deal to the higher ups, they wanted to make sure it was completed properly. Now more than ever, guardians needed to be protected by knights.
At his current pace, it didn't take long at all for Aquaros to go up the path and through the three gates and up their stairs to reach the top of the "palace" of stone. He pushed open the large door and entered into the room where the throne of the Clarius was. The expected audience all turned their attention to the door as he entered, and he looked at all of them with respect as he walked toward the statue in the center of the room. His eyes fixed on the closed eyelids of his petrified love, Diamintia. He looked around and noted that two of the expected people were missing, Florina and her knight, Lady Blackpearl. However, not much more then a minute later they entered, Lady Blackpearl supporting Florina as she led her to the Throne. The Knight helped the young Jumi lady sit on her throne and then took her place at the right side of the throne. The Fluorite Guardian looked up at Aquaros and smiled lightly before coughing a few times, and then raising herself up into her throne.
Florina wore a green robe that had a wide tan leather belt around her waist that was almost like a corset, and a long green skirt that covered the whole of her legs and feet. The robe had an opening at the neck, only wide enough to reveal her green core completely. She wore a cylindrical hat, also green that had tassels at both ends of it.
"Please forgive our late arrival, there was someone in need of healing." Florina spoke, her voice soft and timid, a testament that she really was quite young for a Jumi in her position. "Please commence with the ceremony."
Aquaros nodded his head in understanding and took his place in front of the statue of his love. He held the three keys in his hand and looked yet again into her closed stone eyelids. Her voice ringing through his mind as he recalled the words that he had heard as he picked up each key. He held the first one up to Diamintia's diamond core.
"The Key of Hope." Aquaros said as there was a flash of light and the key vanished, becoming enveloped by the core, restoring it to its rightful place.
"The Key of Despair…" He repeated the process and yet another flash of light emitted as the key vanished, "and the Key of Compassion."
He finished, placing the third and final key against her core to have it disappear in a flash of light. With the return of the final key the core itself for the first time gave off a brilliant flash of light. The light did not fade though as it glowed brighter, forcing those watching to shut their eyes as it began to erupt from cracks forming in the pale grey stone form of Diamintia. The cracks fissured into each other as more light continued to break free of its stone prison.
When the light finally began to fade, Aquaros slowly opened his eyes to see standing before him his love, Diamintia, returned to the flesh. Her pale yellow eyes shining brightly as she looked into her love's eyes. A bright smile gracing her face. Her long silver ponytails that nearly ran down to her ankles, bobbed slightly as she leaped at Aquaros, wrapping her arms around him, holding him close. He smiled brightly at her in return as he wrapped his arms around her holding her briefly before letting go and turning his attention back to the people in front of him. He helped position Diamintia beside him.
Rubens, the Ruby Knight of the Lucidia now stepped forward, a small smile on his face as he looked at the two of them, immediately realizing that their connection was much more then just that of guardian and knight. It was the same bond that he and Diana shared. He wore a flaming red shirt and pants, both of which had flames of yellow licking at the cuffs. A yellow scarf fell down around his head from the silver band in his hair that helped to hold the flaming red hair that threatened to fall into his face.
"This Keys of the Heart ceremony is now complete. Congratulations Aquaros, Knight of the Aquamarine, all shall now know that Diamintia is your guardian, and you are her knight." Rubens said and then backed away to stand beside Diana, who remained silent.
Lady Blackpearl then stepped forward, her eyes examining the two, as if appraising them. She wore a sleek black dress, starting just below her core and billowing out into a clam shell shaped skirt, the outside of it black and the inside was red. The collar of her dress, billowed out behind her back in the same shape and pattern. She wore black healed shoes with black pearls embedded in them and black gloves as well. Embedded in her forehead, just below her blonde hair was another black pearl just like her core. Her long hair falling down in almost a spiraling ponytail. She held in her right hand a large hammer, as tall as her that that seemed to be made out of a shell of some kind, with a powerful looking head coming out of the opening of it. Her expression was fierce and determined. Truly she was a very intimidating knight and her expression didn't change very often.
"It is always pleasing to see a new pair of knight and guardian confirmed through this ceremony. This ceremony is designed to not only test the devotion of the Knight to the guardian, but to also allow the knight to see the deepest part of the guardian's soul. Remember though, that this is a great responsibility, one that may require that you lay down your very life to protect your guardian. Never forget that." Lady Blackpearl concluded and moved back to stand beside Florina.
"May the Mana Goddess bless you both and may your cores always shine brightly." Florina said with a smile, a blessing was the traditional way to conclude such an occasion or any other formal meeting for that matter.
"May your cores always shine even brighter." Aquaros and Diamintia said almost in unison.
They both then bowed deeply to the four figures standing before them, both of them with smiles on their faces as well. When they finished their bows they both turned and left the Throne room, hand in hand to begin their new life together as a knight and his guardian.