The Forest of Spirits (精霊の森, Seirei no Mori^?), known as the South Forest (南の森, Minami no Mori^?) in the present, is the place in Tales of Phantasia where the Great Tree Yggdrasill rests. It is to the south of Belladem, Toltus, and Miguel.

Geography

The Forest of Spirits is comprised of thick greenery which forms barriers against passage, but the path through is straightforward. Trees and rocks litter the area, and a placid stream covers the bottom portion of the forest. At the end of the Forest, hidden in its core, is Yggdrasill, Aselia's Great Tree and the source of all mana.

History

Tales of Phantasia

Present Timeline

In the present, the South Forest is merely a place of hunting for Toltus's villagers. One day, Cress Albane and Chester Burklight head to the forest in order to hunt. They chase a boar through the forest and end up in front of a giant, dead tree. Cress has a vision the tree in its healthy state as well as a a woman pleading that the tree not be defiled. Their hunt, however, saves them from Toltus's massacre, and they return to the village with their lives intact after hearing Toltus's bell.

Past Timeline

When Cress and his friend Mint Adenade return to the past and help Claus F. Lester out at Lone Valley, the Wind Spirit Sylph asks them go to the Forest of Spirits to see Yggdrasill's Spirit Martel. Once there, Martel tells them that the Tree is dying, and when it dies it would take mana, magic, and Spirits along with it. Martel disappears, and Mint attempts to heal the Tree to no avail. Deciding that it would be best to do what they can, the party decides to look for Luna. After defeating Dhaos and sending him fleeing to the future, Mint, after obtaining the "Unicorn Horn", proceeds to heal the Tree using the Unicorn's might. Assured that the Tree would now survive to the future, they return to the present and defeat Dhaos, heading to the future not long after to chase the havoc he wrecks there.

Future Timeline

After obtaining the Techbirds, the group return to the Forest to see Yggdrasill still strong. Martel greets the party and tells them that she is fine. She states that mana consumption returned to normal, so both she and the Tree are all right. She tells them of a handsome man who watched over her as she slept, and then she returns to sleep. Dhaos then attacks them at the Tree but refrains from a full-fledged battle to prevent harm to it. Dhaos and the party part ways. When Dhaos is finally defeated, the party returns to the Forest to speak of what Dhaos revealed. Deciding that his planet need not suffer, Mint erects a barrier around Yggdrasill in order to prevent too much mana from being drawn to it. After the heroes depart for their separate times, Martel uses the gathered mana to send a Mana Seed back to Derris-Kharlan for his people.

Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon

While undergoing the Ordeal of Spirits, Mel and Dio need to enter the Forest of Spirits in AC. 4354, where the Spirit of All Things Origin now rests. The Hero of Eternity Suzu Fujibayashi calls it the "Lost Forest" (まよいのもり, Mayoi no Mori^?) and gives them the key: a haiku by the poet Kobayashi Issa: "come and play with me, orphan sparrow" (われときて　あそべや　おやのない　すずめ, ware to kite asobe ya oya no nai suzume^?).^[1], and she explains as best she can the various meanings associated with it. If Dio talks to the girl Calypso in Valhalla Village in a "Prince" costume, Calypso will begin to fawn over Dio, and a boy, Ulysses, grows jealous. Wishing to become brave enough to attract Calypso's attention, Ulysses enters the Forest of Spirits but becomes trapped by his fear. If the party gives him a pair of "Winged Boots", he leaves the dungeon. Inside the forest, after navigating its twists and turns with the aid of stone tablets, Mel and Dio find Origin, who tests them in combat. Finding them worthy, he imparts to them the knowledge of absentmindedness as well as of nothing, the opposite side of his creation.

Tales of the World: Summoner's Lineage

After finding resistance at Miguel, some of the Demon Lord Xex's minions head to the Forest of Spirits to report to Xex. Fulein K. Lester and his party follow not long after. Xex has warped the very forest to exclude anger, and when Fulein arrives the fairy inhabitants are surrounding a woman. After warding them off, the witch Elmira joins the group.

References