Forest of Spirits

The Forest of Spirits (精霊の森), known as the South Forest (南の森) 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.

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 parry 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.