The Mana Sanctuary, also known as the Mana Shrine or the Pure Land, is a vast, dense forest surrounding ancient ruins. According to legend, it is where the Mana Goddess transformed into Mana Tree and thus, where the Mana Tree resides. In most games the Sanctuary exists in a separate dimension, though there are means to reach it. Before it became separate from this world, the sanctuary was known as the island of Illusia.
Story[]
Final Fantasy Adventure/Adventures of Mana[]
- Main article: Mana Shrine (Adventures of Mana)
The Mana Sanctuary can be found on top of Mount Illusia, beyond the Temple of Mana. Julius brainwashes Fuji to activate the enchantment on the Great Waterfall, allowing them both to ascent to the Temple of Mana. Sumo arrives later after climbing the Dime Tower to return to Glaive, and battles against Julius in front of the Mana Tree. Though he is victorious, the Mana Tree is lost, and Fuji must become the new Tree in order to preserve Mana in the world.
Sword of Mana[]
- Main article: Mana Sanctuary (Sword of Mana)
Like most depictions, the Mana Sanctuary exists in a parallel dimension, accessible through Dime Tower or through use of the Mana Pendant.
Duke and Elena pursue Julius there after he used the Mana Pendant to teleport there. As they proceed through the sanctuary, Julius obtains the power of Mana from the Mana Tree, causing it and the other flora in the area to wither. Only through Elena merging with the Mana Tree, once Julius is defeated, can it and Mana itself be saved.
Secret of Mana[]
- Main article: Pure Land (Secret of Mana)
The Pure Land lies in the crater of an inactive volcano island north of the Kakkara Desert and west of the Ice Country. Randi and friends can only travel here on Flammie after the Mana Fortress rises following the third defeat of the Mech Rider.
After a grueling gauntlet of consecutive bosses and tough enemies, our heroes gaze upon the Mana Tree from a distance, only to watch in horror as Thanatos unleashes the Mana Fortress' power on the Mana Tree, reducing it to a dying stump as Randi reunites with his mother before she passes away. This attack, however, lowers the Mana Fortress' defenses, allowing the heroes to land there and raid it.
Trials of Mana[]
- Main article: Sanctuary of Mana (Trials of Mana)
The Mana Sanctuary is the home of Faerie and her sisters. Alas, only she survives the journey to Fa'Diel and is very weak when she meets the first player character.
Once they possess the powers of all of the Mana Spirits, they travel to Oblivisle to open a portal to the sanctuary. Unfortunately, they don't have enough power by themselves, but the three villainous factions use the power of the Mana Stones to force the portal open and both invade the sanctuary as well as fight for the right to claim both the Mana Sword and the power of the Mana Tree.
Instead, all three sides suffer major losses, two of which are finished off by the third, determined by which character the player picked first, and the heroes make it to the Mana Sword first. But when their backs are turned, Faerie is captured and held for ransom, the message delivered by Goremand regardless of which side dominates: the Mana Sword in exchange for Faerie's release. Additionally, the Mana Goddess projects an image of herself to give the heroes the Flammie Drum.
After all of the Benevodons are defeated, the dominant villain attempts to corrupt the Mana Sword, but the Mana Goddess resists them, forcing them to travel to the sanctuary to kill her. The heroes give chase, but arrive just too late. The Mana Tree is destroyed, and the sanctuary is decaying. The heroes are initially brushed aside, but manage to recover, rally, and regroup, commencing the final battle. Upon their victory, Faerie revives and becomes the new Mana Goddess, bidding her friends farewell as she passes into slumber to spend the next thousand years restoring Mana to the world.
Legend of Mana[]
Here, the Mana Sanctuary is part of the Mana Tree. One Sproutling resides in it and is the one that asks the Hero/Heroine to take down all monsters in the area that have been draining the Mana energy. Once the request is completed, the player appears in a pond in the Sanctuary where the moon is reflected on the floor. There, the Mana Goddess appears and challenges the player to the final battle.
Children of Mana[]
Once the Mana Surge becomes more chaotic and begins warping time and space, the Mana Lord kidnaps Tess in hopes of using her powers to summon the Mana Seed to help him flood the world with Mana. The Gems transport the Heroes to the Ruins by the Tree of Mana but learn that the Ruins are in fact, the Mana Sanctuary in the distant future when the Mana Tree is faltering. At the end of Children of Mana the Benevodons seal away Illusia in a separate dimension to protect it.
Dawn of Mana[]
See Illusia.
Heroes of Mana[]
Roget's crew catches a glimpse of Mana sanctuary while Esina's Mirror rapidly absorbs Mana energy.