Sequel: The Tower of Salvation (2) ›
Tales of Symphonia Story, Sylvarant Chronicles (1)
Tales of Symphonia Story 56
QUIZ START: Right after you leave the Tower of Mana, Colette collapsed.
"Professor Sage! It's Colette's Angel Toxicosis..." Lloyd worried,
"I see. Let's rest here for today." the Professor suggested. Colette opened her mouth, there was a small gasping noise, you heard her say
'I'm fine.' but confusion crossed her expression. You heard her say 'What?'
"What's wrong, Colette?" asked Lloyd *Something's...wrong?* you wonder.
"...I would assume she's lost her voice." Kratos said calmly, everyone stiffened,
"What?!" asked Genis.
"But I..." you start. Everyone looked to you "I...I can still hear her." everyone, event the Mercenary, started at you, shocked,
"You can?" asked Sheena.,
"Yeah." Colette opened her mouth, and you heard,
'Do you think it's like the fact you can hear humans once they've turned into monsters?'
"Maybe." you said. Everyone looked at either you or Colette somewhat strangely, "Oh yeah." you tell them what Colette had told you,
"I see..." Kratos murmured.
A few hours later after a quick dinner, you were all sitting around the campfire in relative silence. You sat next to Kratos, leaning against Noishe similarly to what he was doing. Sheena sighed softly, as though coming to a decision; she stood
"Everyone, I have something to say." she announced. Everyone turned towards her.
"Huh?" asked Lloyd,
I want to explain to everyone why I was trying to assassinate the Chosen." she said,
"All right. Were listening." Raine told her, "Tell us about your homeland. A land that doesn't exist in this world." *Doesn't exist in this world...* you think, the thought of a nother world sounding familiar,
"You knew?!" asked Sheena.
"No. But you said it yourself that 'Sylvarant will be saved'." the Professor explained. "That must mean you aren't from Sylvarant." *Not from Sylvarant...* you think *Maybe...just maybe...I'm not either... No... That's impossible!*
"Yeah...you know. It's really a shame that your intellects bing wasted here." Sheena told her. "You're right. My homeland is not here. Not in Sylvarant."
"What does that mean?" asked Genis.
"My world is called Tethe'alla." she explained. You stiffened abruptly, you've heard that name, you recognized it. A small tingle of pain rang through your head, but you ignore it,
"Tethe'alla? You mean the moon?" asked Genis.
"N-no..." you say. "It...it's a different world." everyone turned towards you, surprised that you also knew what she was talking about.
"How do you know that?" asked Sheena curiously,
"I-I don't know...I just do..." you respond weakly, "That sounds stupid...doesn't it...?"
"No, it doesn't." Kratos told you, "You haven't regained your memory yet; we can't expect you to remember everything all at once... doing such will take time."
"Well, Auras right, it's a different world. Even I really dont understand the specifics." Sheena explained, "But there is another world that lies entwined with Sylvarant, as shadow is to light." *This is so familiar... it's like I've been there...* you think, rubbing one temple slowly *Maybe... Maybe I'm from Tethe'alla...* "That's Tethe'alla...my world." Sheena finished.
"Two entwined worlds?" asked Raine.
"The two worlds lie directly adjacent to each other--" the Summoner started,
"They just can't see each other." you finish quietly,
"Aura, are you sure you don't know what Tethe'alla is?" asked Lloyd,
"I'm not so sure anymore. It just sounds...familiar is all... It sounds like I've heard this before..."
"Well, another point for you, Aura." Sheena complimented, "You're right. They can't touch, or see, each other, because our scholars say they exist on shifted dimensions. But they do in fact exist next to, and affect each other."
"What do you mean 'affect each other'?" asked the brunette,
"This part I think I know." you ask,
"Go ahead." Sheena urged,
"The two worlds affect each other as in they vie for the supply of mana. When one world weakens, the reason is the mana is going to the other. Which means, one world is always flourishing, while at the same time the other is waning. Sort of..." you searched for something to compare it to, "Sort of... like an hourglass... right?"
"To know all this, I don't think you're even from Sylvarant." Sheena told you,
"I...I guess I'm not..." you respond softly.
"Wait." Genis asked, standing "So, right now Sylvarant is..."
"Yeah. Sylvarant's mana is flowing to Tethe'alla. Therefore, Sylvarant is in decline." Sheena explained, "Without mana, crops won't grow and magic becomes unusable. If there is no mana, the Summon Spirits that protect the world alongside the Goddess Martel can't survive in Sylvarant either. As a result, the world slips even further down the pat of destruction."
"Then the Chosen's world regeneration is actually the process of reversing the mana flow?" asked Raine.
"Exactly." she complimented, "When the Chosen breaks the seal, the mana flow reverses, and the Summon Spirit that governs the seal awakens. I was sent to prevent the world regeneration from happening. I broke through the supposedly impassable dimensional fissure for the sake of protecting Tethe'alla."
"In other words, to assure the decline and destruction of Sylvarant?" asked Lloyd.
"You can say that." Sheena told him "But your journey of regeneration is also an attempt to destroy Tethe'alla. Were both doing the same thing."
"It's hard for me to believe all of this..." the Professor said, doubtfully.
"I'm the proof. I possess summoning arts that have been lost from this world." Sheena argued.
"I am to." you agree standing. "I know almost as much about the different dimensions as Sheena. Maybe...just maybe I've been to Tethe'alla before. In the past...that I still don't remember."
"How is that possible?" asked Genis.
"I dont know." you respond, "But each town we've been to here... it's been familiar, sort of, but I can tell you now... I haven't found my home. For all I know... the reason is because my home is in Tethe'alla."
"Hey, I broke the dimensional barrier. Maybe you could have to." Sheena said,
Colette opened her mouth you heard her say,
'I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen.' you didn't have to translate, her expression was enough.
"...Please don't look at me like that, Colette." Sheena asked meekly, "I know that wasn't your intention. I don't know what I should do either. I came here to protect Tethe'alla...b-but this world is impoverished and everyone is suffering. But if I allow the world regeneration to occur then Tethe'alla will become just like this."
"But right now you're helping us, right?" asked Genis.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I can just abandon Tethe'alla!" Sheena insisted, "I...I don't know what to do. Isn't there any other way? A way for Sylvarant, Tethe'alla and Colette to all be happy?!"
"I want to know too!" Lloyd agreed determinedly
"Have you considered that perhaps nothing that convenient exists in the real world?" asked Raine patiently.
"...The best thing we can do right now is to save Sylvarant from its current crisis." Kratos decided,
"What if we don't regenerate the world and just defeat the Desians?" asked Lloyd,
"Although we succeeded in destroying a ranch, we cannot possibly eliminate all the Desians. The mana...will eventually be exhausted." the Mercenary responded.
"Is mana really that important?" asked the brunette desperately,
"I suppose only magic users and scholars worry about it." Genis responded, "But mana is even more important to life than water. Without it, the land will die. Mana is the source material which composes everything. At least that's what I've been taught."
"Unfortunately the Giant Tree of ever-flowing mana in fairy tales doesn't exist in the real world. We live by chipping away at the limited amount of available mana." Raine sighed, "Why do you think the ancient majitechnology was lost?"
"Because mana disappeared from the world." Sheena finished.
"Correct. Majitechnology consumes large amounts of mana. If things continue the way they are now, Sylvarant will eventually lose its mana. Just as it lost its majitechnology, and be destroyed." Colette looked at you, and opened her mouth
'I'll try asking Remial if theres a way to save the two worlds.' and you tell everyone else what she said,
"...If it doesn't work out, I may have to kill you after all." Sheena said sadly,
"Sheena!" exclaimed Genis.
'Aura' you look back at Colette 'Tell this to Sheena:'
"Alright." you nod,
'When that time comes...I may fight back. Because I love Sylvarant too.' and you tell everyone what Colette told you.
"...I understand." Sheena responded, "You intend to become an angel no matter what. Don't you?"
Silence passed for a bit, and Sheena broke it by saying,
"It's a good thing you could hear her, Aura." she smiled slightly, "Or who knows how we would have known what she was saying."
"Yeah...I guess so." you respond simply,
"You...okay?" she asked, noting how your tone wasn't light and happy anymore.
"I'm fine. Just...I just need some time to think over all of this, is all."
"Okay. If you want to talk to someone, I'll listen." she assured,
"Thanks, Sheena."
"Professor Sage! It's Colette's Angel Toxicosis..." Lloyd worried,
"I see. Let's rest here for today." the Professor suggested. Colette opened her mouth, there was a small gasping noise, you heard her say
'I'm fine.' but confusion crossed her expression. You heard her say 'What?'
"What's wrong, Colette?" asked Lloyd *Something's...wrong?* you wonder.
"...I would assume she's lost her voice." Kratos said calmly, everyone stiffened,
"What?!" asked Genis.
"But I..." you start. Everyone looked to you "I...I can still hear her." everyone, event the Mercenary, started at you, shocked,
"You can?" asked Sheena.,
"Yeah." Colette opened her mouth, and you heard,
'Do you think it's like the fact you can hear humans once they've turned into monsters?'
"Maybe." you said. Everyone looked at either you or Colette somewhat strangely, "Oh yeah." you tell them what Colette had told you,
"I see..." Kratos murmured.
A few hours later after a quick dinner, you were all sitting around the campfire in relative silence. You sat next to Kratos, leaning against Noishe similarly to what he was doing. Sheena sighed softly, as though coming to a decision; she stood
"Everyone, I have something to say." she announced. Everyone turned towards her.
"Huh?" asked Lloyd,
I want to explain to everyone why I was trying to assassinate the Chosen." she said,
"All right. Were listening." Raine told her, "Tell us about your homeland. A land that doesn't exist in this world." *Doesn't exist in this world...* you think, the thought of a nother world sounding familiar,
"You knew?!" asked Sheena.
"No. But you said it yourself that 'Sylvarant will be saved'." the Professor explained. "That must mean you aren't from Sylvarant." *Not from Sylvarant...* you think *Maybe...just maybe...I'm not either... No... That's impossible!*
"Yeah...you know. It's really a shame that your intellects bing wasted here." Sheena told her. "You're right. My homeland is not here. Not in Sylvarant."
"What does that mean?" asked Genis.
"My world is called Tethe'alla." she explained. You stiffened abruptly, you've heard that name, you recognized it. A small tingle of pain rang through your head, but you ignore it,
"Tethe'alla? You mean the moon?" asked Genis.
"N-no..." you say. "It...it's a different world." everyone turned towards you, surprised that you also knew what she was talking about.
"How do you know that?" asked Sheena curiously,
"I-I don't know...I just do..." you respond weakly, "That sounds stupid...doesn't it...?"
"No, it doesn't." Kratos told you, "You haven't regained your memory yet; we can't expect you to remember everything all at once... doing such will take time."
"Well, Auras right, it's a different world. Even I really dont understand the specifics." Sheena explained, "But there is another world that lies entwined with Sylvarant, as shadow is to light." *This is so familiar... it's like I've been there...* you think, rubbing one temple slowly *Maybe... Maybe I'm from Tethe'alla...* "That's Tethe'alla...my world." Sheena finished.
"Two entwined worlds?" asked Raine.
"The two worlds lie directly adjacent to each other--" the Summoner started,
"They just can't see each other." you finish quietly,
"Aura, are you sure you don't know what Tethe'alla is?" asked Lloyd,
"I'm not so sure anymore. It just sounds...familiar is all... It sounds like I've heard this before..."
"Well, another point for you, Aura." Sheena complimented, "You're right. They can't touch, or see, each other, because our scholars say they exist on shifted dimensions. But they do in fact exist next to, and affect each other."
"What do you mean 'affect each other'?" asked the brunette,
"This part I think I know." you ask,
"Go ahead." Sheena urged,
"The two worlds affect each other as in they vie for the supply of mana. When one world weakens, the reason is the mana is going to the other. Which means, one world is always flourishing, while at the same time the other is waning. Sort of..." you searched for something to compare it to, "Sort of... like an hourglass... right?"
"To know all this, I don't think you're even from Sylvarant." Sheena told you,
"I...I guess I'm not..." you respond softly.
"Wait." Genis asked, standing "So, right now Sylvarant is..."
"Yeah. Sylvarant's mana is flowing to Tethe'alla. Therefore, Sylvarant is in decline." Sheena explained, "Without mana, crops won't grow and magic becomes unusable. If there is no mana, the Summon Spirits that protect the world alongside the Goddess Martel can't survive in Sylvarant either. As a result, the world slips even further down the pat of destruction."
"Then the Chosen's world regeneration is actually the process of reversing the mana flow?" asked Raine.
"Exactly." she complimented, "When the Chosen breaks the seal, the mana flow reverses, and the Summon Spirit that governs the seal awakens. I was sent to prevent the world regeneration from happening. I broke through the supposedly impassable dimensional fissure for the sake of protecting Tethe'alla."
"In other words, to assure the decline and destruction of Sylvarant?" asked Lloyd.
"You can say that." Sheena told him "But your journey of regeneration is also an attempt to destroy Tethe'alla. Were both doing the same thing."
"It's hard for me to believe all of this..." the Professor said, doubtfully.
"I'm the proof. I possess summoning arts that have been lost from this world." Sheena argued.
"I am to." you agree standing. "I know almost as much about the different dimensions as Sheena. Maybe...just maybe I've been to Tethe'alla before. In the past...that I still don't remember."
"How is that possible?" asked Genis.
"I dont know." you respond, "But each town we've been to here... it's been familiar, sort of, but I can tell you now... I haven't found my home. For all I know... the reason is because my home is in Tethe'alla."
"Hey, I broke the dimensional barrier. Maybe you could have to." Sheena said,
Colette opened her mouth you heard her say,
'I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen.' you didn't have to translate, her expression was enough.
"...Please don't look at me like that, Colette." Sheena asked meekly, "I know that wasn't your intention. I don't know what I should do either. I came here to protect Tethe'alla...b-but this world is impoverished and everyone is suffering. But if I allow the world regeneration to occur then Tethe'alla will become just like this."
"But right now you're helping us, right?" asked Genis.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I can just abandon Tethe'alla!" Sheena insisted, "I...I don't know what to do. Isn't there any other way? A way for Sylvarant, Tethe'alla and Colette to all be happy?!"
"I want to know too!" Lloyd agreed determinedly
"Have you considered that perhaps nothing that convenient exists in the real world?" asked Raine patiently.
"...The best thing we can do right now is to save Sylvarant from its current crisis." Kratos decided,
"What if we don't regenerate the world and just defeat the Desians?" asked Lloyd,
"Although we succeeded in destroying a ranch, we cannot possibly eliminate all the Desians. The mana...will eventually be exhausted." the Mercenary responded.
"Is mana really that important?" asked the brunette desperately,
"I suppose only magic users and scholars worry about it." Genis responded, "But mana is even more important to life than water. Without it, the land will die. Mana is the source material which composes everything. At least that's what I've been taught."
"Unfortunately the Giant Tree of ever-flowing mana in fairy tales doesn't exist in the real world. We live by chipping away at the limited amount of available mana." Raine sighed, "Why do you think the ancient majitechnology was lost?"
"Because mana disappeared from the world." Sheena finished.
"Correct. Majitechnology consumes large amounts of mana. If things continue the way they are now, Sylvarant will eventually lose its mana. Just as it lost its majitechnology, and be destroyed." Colette looked at you, and opened her mouth
'I'll try asking Remial if theres a way to save the two worlds.' and you tell everyone else what she said,
"...If it doesn't work out, I may have to kill you after all." Sheena said sadly,
"Sheena!" exclaimed Genis.
'Aura' you look back at Colette 'Tell this to Sheena:'
"Alright." you nod,
'When that time comes...I may fight back. Because I love Sylvarant too.' and you tell everyone what Colette told you.
"...I understand." Sheena responded, "You intend to become an angel no matter what. Don't you?"
Silence passed for a bit, and Sheena broke it by saying,
"It's a good thing you could hear her, Aura." she smiled slightly, "Or who knows how we would have known what she was saying."
"Yeah...I guess so." you respond simply,
"You...okay?" she asked, noting how your tone wasn't light and happy anymore.
"I'm fine. Just...I just need some time to think over all of this, is all."
"Okay. If you want to talk to someone, I'll listen." she assured,
"Thanks, Sheena."