Tales of Symphonia; The Releasing Orb
Prologue 'The Birth of Symphonia'
"It was said, once upon a time, there existed a giant tree that was the source of all mana. A war, however, caused this tree to whither away, and a hero's life was sacrificed in order to take its place. The tale continues of a goddess who slept while the world was left in turmoil. Before she went into her deep slumber, she left this edict with her angels, 'You must wake me, for if I should sleep, the world shall be destroyed.' The angels bore the Chosen One, who headed towards the tower that reached up unto the heavens. And this was said to have marked the beginning of the world regeneration. Such a tale was told to bring comfort to those who hadn't any hope. The people of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla clung to this false hope, and put everything into believing the Chosen would sacrifice themselves to save their world. However, one boy, an idealist, challenged the beliefs of Martel, the sleeping goddess, and defeated the creator of false hope.
This tale is told that holds truer than any other. It is of eight companions who set out on a journey to end the vicious cycle of the world regeneration. With the weight of their sins, and the hopes and dreams of all those sacrificed, they fought the old tale that the world so dearly held onto. The idealist, Lloyd, fought for a world where there would be none to sacrifice. His ideas carried him on a journey of true regeneration of the two competing sister worlds that had long since been separated. With the Eternal Sword Lloyd mended the break between the two worlds, and Symphonia was created. As time past the people of Symphonia began to forget the false hopes of before, and embrace the peaceful ways that the eight heroes labored for, for so long.
I too, once hung on so dearly to the idea of a world without discrimination. I followed an old companion, Mithos Yggdrasill, who sought to end discrimination by way of twisting the world where only soulless creatures thrived. I too, was willing to sacrifice the lives of so many to achieve a world where everyone was the same. My son Lloyd, however, showed me that there does not always have to be false hope in order to achieve peace. He always preached of a world that could be created where there wasn't anyone needed to be used as a sacrifice. He saved Symphonia, and saved me. With so many people rescued there was only one journey left for him... a journey to relieve the souls still enveloped in the Exspheres."