Saintly Sword Romantic Story

I dont own Legend of Mana. It rightfully belongs to Squaresoft (Now Square-enix.)

Note: I've been working on this fanfic for quite a while here, and this is a slightly different take on the Legend of Mana story. This fanfic will actually have two parts to it. Part one deals with the three main story arcs with some character development and a little bit of romance thrown in here and there. Part Two is when all the real fun stuff begins...

Enjoy the fanfic y'all. :)

Chapter One: Dreamscape: The Calling of the Winds of Fate

Fa Diel. A great land embraced by the heavens, and waters and earth. A land in which six moons hang in the sky, each in which honor an elemental moon god. Tryne, the merciful god of water, represented by her blue moon. Zea, the passionate god of fire, represented by her red moon. Barlen, the selfish god of gold, represented by his gold moon. Libleyt, the hopeful god of wood, represented by her green moon. Morphes, the wealthy god of earth, represented by his brown moon. And Ghazel, the whimsical god of wind, represented by his light blue moon.

It was said that, in the beginning, the six moon gods were all the children of the Goddess of Mana. They had created the seas, the lands, the forests and mountains, and the rivers and airs of Fa Diel. Each god had an elemental spirit. Undine, Salamander, Aura, Dryad, Gnome and Jinn. Along with Flammies, each Flammie sharing the same name as the elemental spirit.

Flammies were powerful, pure elemental beasts that resembled dragons with shimmering feathers. The Flammies were to serve the gods and protect the newly created land of Fa Diel. Whenever a Moon God would fall asleep, a another Flammie of that element would appear, and soon Flammies came to populate the land.

The Goddess gave each Moon God a shining crystal, representing their element. So thus, Fa Diel was at peace, and the Goddess fell to a deep slumber, becoming the Tree of Mana.

But tragically, the Moon Gods warred with each other, and as the Moon God Wars dragged on and on, the Elemental Spirits lost their luster, and Fa Diel was forever scarred. Cracks and wounds appeared in the Mana Tree, and waves of chaos and destruction appeared from the dimensions of darkness. These dark waves threatened to engulf and destroy Fa Diel.

Setting aside their differences, the Moon Gods summoned their Flammies and gave each of the mighty beasts their elemental crystal. The Flammies and their offspring flew into the heavens, and created a flying river of Mana.

Fa Diel was then filled with the power of Mana and began to heal itself. The power of Mana shut away the other realms. The Flammies returned to Fa Diel and tried to find the Moon Gods, but could not. For the Moon Gods had lost their memory and disappeared. Some say that they became beasts. In sadness and anguish, the Flammies cried out in despair. The waves in the air settled and became thought forms.

These thought forms were spirits and souls of the peoples that would soon populate Fa Diel.

Soon, the Flammies returned to the heavens and never returned. The Moon Gods became stars, and Fa Diel was safe. The Goddess granted the Elemental Spirits the power to govern the power of Mana and returned to the Tree. The Spirits, fearful of their responsibility, prayed to the Tree of Mana, which responded with soft pulses of energy.

Soon, the power of Mana gave life to the thought forms, known as souls, and became many types of life forms. Humans, Fairies, demi-humans and beast-men; and then there were the dragons who took it upon themselves to protect Fa Diel, much like the pure and divine Flammies before them.

Thus, a new age in Fa Diels history began. The peoples of Fa Diel flourished, creating many things and living in the peaceful abundance of Mana.

But sadly, for some unknown reason, wars for ultimate control of Mana broke out, and for the past nine hundred years, Fa Diel was a war-torn world.

But then the wars ended and Fa Diel returned to peace, and for the past twenty-five years, Fa Diel was finally in a peaceful era. But the essence of Mana was fading away, and Fa Diel is in danger.

Fa Diel is a great land, embraced by the heavens, loved by the earth and waters. A land in which many races of people inhabit, and ancient legends and mythology are retold countless times in song. A land that bears the scars of war and a tragic history. A land of destiny and a land of a mysterious and magical essence that can only be given one name...

"Mana."

Now, our story takes us elsewhere. For it was once told, by the wise words of Pokiehl the Story Teller of the Seven Wisdoms, that the world, in a sense, was made by imagination. Generations of people saw towns and cities prosper in lush fields, and with hard work, the towns and cities they envisioned in their heads were born.

Pokiehl also stated that love, not brute strength, nor an all-powerful weapon or magical instrument, nor even a special Mana-enchanted item, would save the dying land of Fa’ Diel. He always claimed that through understanding, forgiveness and love, there can truly be peace and bliss.

Believe it or not, but on one special night and in one special place, a single dream will forever change Fa’ Diel...

It was a beautiful, cool and breezy late-spring night. Libleyts green moon shone gently on the world below, and the thousands and thousands of tiny lights known as the stars were clearly visible. The eternal midnight-blue skies stretched on for as far as the eye could see.

In a cozy little two-story house, underneath a grand and magnificent tree, a girl lay sleeping. All snug in her bed, a strange and ethereal dream haunted her.

Little did she know that the cogs of fate had just begun to turn...

There was a darkness that enveloped her and everything nearby. She could easily be seen, as if the suns light was beaming down on her. But there was no warmth or light source in this darkness. At first, she lay there, seemingly floating harmlessly in the abyss. A thin mist began to float in as the girl sat up and surveyed her surroundings. The darkness frightened her.

She stood up and began walking, seeking out a light source. It felt as if she was walking in ankle-deep water, and the mist circled and swirled in an ethereal dance. Maybe there was something, or someone, to help her escape this horrid, lonely and cold darkness.

"Hello!" she cried out. The echo that followed answered her reply, but brought no comfort.

"Is anyone there?"

"Is anyone there?" replied the echo, as it slowly faded away.

Below her, the thin veil of mist swirled even more and rose up to cloud her vision. The girl yelped and stumbled backwards. She fell down on her rear, and shielded her face with her arms. Was something going to hurt her? She didnt know, and she was afraid to find out.

Warmth. A comforting warmth washed over her, and she opened her eyes to see the mist slowly floating away like harmless clouds.

And astonishing light appeared before her, and she was temporarily blinded. Such an intense and soothing light... Where did it come from?

She found herself in another place, a place that was much different than the darkness.

A pathway lay before her. Ruins of a city long gone was scattered here and there, and the forest was tall and strong and thick, seeming to be hundreds of years old. The sun and its warm light could easily penetrate the canopy, and the dappled light was everywhere upon the forest floor. There was a sense of comfort here in this place, and yet it was so strange and mystical.

The young girl pressed onward. There was something that was beckoning her towards an unknown destination. She didnt know what it was, for she was in a trance. One that was not so easily broken. If one wanted to free her, they could not do a thing; the trance only broke itself, some would say.

So with her eyes in a dazed expression and a magnetic pull taking her closer and closer to this place, she walked and walked down on the pathway. The sun continuing to warm the earth, the forest and the ruined city.

When the trance finally stopped, the girl found herself in front of what wouldve been one the grandest wonders of the world.

And it was. It truly was...

It was a tree. A gigantic, beautiful tree. It was lush, with leaves filling every branch. The branches themselves as wide as roads, covered with velvety moss and even some small flowering plants. Tiny orbs of light danced harmlessly in the bright and clear blue skies, and clouds rolled majestically across the horizon. The trees roots were wide, and dug deep into the ground, leading high into the plant itself. There were even giant branches that twisted and coiled around the tree’s trunk, forming small, dark caverns with giant glowing blue and lavender fungi growing inside.

The tree gave off a calming aura, glowing in many colors: blue, red, green, gold, never the same color twice. A pure, magical energy could be felt. A life-giving energy that spoke of many, many events passing into history.

The area around the tree was a lush and healthy field of grass, rolling softly in the gentle breeze. The ruins of the city from long ago remained, still with the overgrowth of ivy and other plants. The pathway was still clear and wide and easy to navigate. Rock formations jutted out of the ground, and little green, plant-like creatures with child-like faces wandered about.

This place had a holy air about it, and there was no mistaking it. This was the Holy Lands of Mana, and the tree was the fabled Tree of Mana.

The girl was in complete awe of the beauty before her, and felt obliged to continue towards the Mana Tree. Something, or someone, was calling her...

So thus, up the massive roots, and continuously climbing up the branches, sometimes even climbing into the twisted, labyrinth-like interior of the tree’s many branches caves, and higher up still. This tree was like a giant maze, a labyrinth with complex twists and turns. A place of beauty and mystery. No where else in Fa Diel was like this place.

At last, the girl came to a stone gate. It was simply a stone bridge leading to a place unknown, with pillars on both sides. Carvings on the pillars were written in a language from long ago, which spoke of tales of war and love so many eons earlier.

The girl stepped through the gates and into a sanctuary of sorts. There were multiple elevated limestone platforms, with pillars and old statues of gods placed neatly about in full view. In the center of each platform were small shrines of the gods. Carefully-laid stone pathways connected the shrines. It was obvious that the creators of the shrine had taken great care to construct this place, making it as beautiful and ageless as the Holy Lands around it.

In the very center of the sanctuary was a large building, built on a larger platform; it had an elegant oak door. Overgrowth of flowering plants covered this small temple, which only added to the atmosphere of the mystical whimsy.

The girl stepped inside.

Inside was a beautiful woman. No–beautiful was not the word to describe her supreme beauty. She was an absolute goddess. The woman was dressed in fine, shear linen robes, draped around her delicate body in flowing layers. She had long black hair and clear, silver eyes that looked on into the world of Fa Diel with the affectionate love a mother had for her child. This woman was the Goddess of Mana, the creator, destroyer and caring and benign mother of Fa Diel.

The girl was in absolute awe of the spectacular beauty of the goddess, and as she knelt before the goddess in respect, the ethereal woman gently touched her head.

"Do not fear, young one. I am not a threat." the Goddess spoke in a lyrical musical voice that made the voices of sirens and instruments become paler than pale in comparison. There was a saddened tone in her voice, as if speaking was something that caused great physical pain.

"Nine centuries ago, the Mana Tree burned to ashes. The power of Mana lived on inside Mana Stones, enchanted instruments, and artifacts. Sages fought with for control of these last remnants of Mana..."

The Goddess trailed off, her voice becoming nothing more than a whisper. The curious look from the girl urged the Goddess to continue.

"Then, after hundreds of years of war, as the power of Mana began to wane, those who sought it grew scarce, and the world returned to peace... After that, mankind grew afraid to desire. Their hearts filled with empty emotions, and grew estranged from my hands... Their eyes turned away from my infinite power, and were troubled by their petty disputes..."

The girl was shocked to see that the Goddess fade away into nothing. The Goddess called out.

"Remember me! Need me! I can provide you with everything!"

The girl suddenly found herself outside the sanctuary and the Mana Tree. The Goddess continued to fade away as she floated towards the tree. The Goddesss tone was sad and pleading.

"I am love... Find me, and walk beside me..."

The Goddess completely disappeared and the tree began to glow fiercely, eventually fading away completely into a bright light. The girl had to cover her eyes to shield herself from the intensity of the light.

The girl re-opened her eyes and saw a gruesome sight. The sky was blood-red, with golden hues from the fiery setting sun fading into the horizon and countless soldiers and warriors and mages in endless slaughter.

Blades clashed, singing their metallic songs of death. Magic spells were cast, sending fireballs and bolts of pure energy flying cross the battlefield. Arrows flew through the air, their points striking their targets.

Blood spurt out of bodies, like miniature geysers. The reddish-brown fluid spilled onto the ground, soaking the clothes and the armor of the fallen, pooling on the soil. The cries of the dying, and the pitiful moans of the wounded, merging with the endless shouting and battle cries of the fighters.

Arrows zoomed by the girl, and a cry of agony caught her attention. A young man fell over. Blood staining his clothes, his eyes wide open and glazed over with death, arrows jutting out of his thin frame like needles on a pincushion.

With a shriek, she stumbled backward, and right through another young man. This one was endlessly fighting off foes with a long and deadly blade. His eyes glazed with a cold glare, continuously fighting... slaughtering...

Another man in bloody armor came forward, wielding an axe. Blades clashed and sparks flew from the metal. The younger of the two, the swordsman, fighting with practiced grace and agility, his sword singing a metallic song of death and absolute power. The man in armor was swinging his axe with the ferocity of an animal; his armor and clothes stained the blood of thousands. This man had supreme strength, wailing down on the swordsman.

The swordsman was getting tired, exhausted from such a long and brutal fight. The gold and silver armored man seemed to have the endless vigor and energy of armies. Was he a demon?

Blood was spilt and splattered onto the ground. The man in armor had won, driving his axe into the young mans chest. The swordsman fell. The victor removed his axe and continued slaughtering others. No need to butcher this one. He had to defend himself...

The girl approached, almost fainting at the sight of blood. And there so much of it! It stained his clothes and pooled on the ground. But he was alive, and breathing ragged gasps of breath.

In a gentle gesture, the girl knelt before the dying swordsman, and held him in her arms. His blood stained her clothing, and a clouded look was in his eyes.

The swordsman murmured something, and before she could get him to repeat what he said, he was dead.

The girl stepped away and turned towards the endless fighting. Was this war?

Something caught the girls eye, and also the attention of countless warriors.

The Tree of Mana was glowing red. And it was getting brighter and brighter... The girl stood in awe whilst the army looked on.

In a horrendous light, the tree burst into flames, and huge chunks of land floated up into the air. Flames shot up from the ground, obliterating almost all of the fighters. The girl stumbled as an earthquake shook the entire land. Giant balls of flame shot from the tree and hit the ground. All around Fa Diel, various lands were being uprooted and disintegrating, transforming into items that suddenly flew into the burning tree.

The world below her crumbled and she began to fall into the darkness. Back into the abyss that threatened to swallow her up. She was afraid of the darkness...

The girl screamed, and reached out towards the fading light.

"Somebody help! Somebody help me!"

"Nine centuries ago, the Mana Tree burned to ashes. The power of Mana lived on inside Mana Stones, enchanted instruments, and artifacts. Sages fought with for control of these last remnants of Mana..."

"Somebody help!" the girl screamed again while the voice of the goddess rang out in the darkness.

"Then, after hundreds of years of war, as the power of Mana began to wane, those who sought it grew scarce, and the world returned to peace... After that, mankind grew afraid to desire. Their hearts filled with empty emotions, and grew estranged from my hands... Their eyes turned away from my infinite power, and were troubled by their petty disputes..."

"Somebody please me!! SOMEBODY!"

"Remember me! Need me! I can provide you with everything!"

"Please help! Please help!" the girl pleaded.

"I am love... Find me, and walk beside me..."

Tears streamed down her eyes as she gave one last scream that echoed throughout the eternal darkness.

"Heeeeelllllp!"

A flash of light came out of the gloom, and a flurry of voices began to speak.

"Woah! That was INCREDIBLE! Please! Make me your apprentice!"

"You shouldnt... You should stay away or... No, Im grateful..."

"What happens to your soul when we die?"

A figure came flying down. At first, the figure was a tiny speck in the calming light, but as the figure got closer...

"My my, you are quite the mercenary..."

"Why not get your pumpkins to do it?"

"Im sorry for the pain that I have caused you..."

The figure was an angel, one with pure, dove white wings. He flew down closer and closer, outstretching his hand. The girl reached out her hand as well. The voices continued.

"I dont need the power to cry... I just need the power to fight!"

"I dont need a thousand years to break a dragons curse..."

"Drakonis is in there... I can feel it. But I cant defeat him alone..."

"You are one of the most unique individuals Ive ever met."

The angel was a mere silhouette against the light, but he was close and had grabbed her hand. There was a comforting warmth to his touch... And there was one last voice; one that sounded like a young boy. Pain and sorrow strained his voice to that of a mere whisper.

"I promise you this, if something were to happen to me, I’ll come back to you... Even if it takes me ten years. I’ll come back and protect you...”

There was another voice running though her mind, the voice of a small girl that sounded vaguely familiar...

"What should I do until then?”

“Be strong for me...”

All she could see before she passed out, were the angels deep turquoise-blue eyes...

END OF CHAPTER ONE

It’s a relatively short chapter; normally I have at least a 20 page minimum, If not more. Anyway, Chapter Two should be up soon enough. I’ve been looking forward to writing a Legend of Mana fanfic for quite a while now... The Angelic figure is just metaphorical symbol; for what, you will find out later... )

Next chapter: The girl, weird vision-y stuff, and a courageous vow.

Edit 3/22/08: Went back and corrected the existing chapters per site standards. Also fixed some very minor grammatical and spelling errors.