Spyrite (源黒匣 Gen Kurohako / "Orijin"?, "Source Black Box" / "Origin") is the name of technology in Tales of Xillia and Tales of Xillia 2 that revives a spirit through an infusion of mana and is a derivative of spyrix technology. In the Japanese version of the game, Alvin speculates that Gilandor Yul Svent named the technology after the Great Spirit Origin.
Description[]
A spyrite is what results when someone with a booster pumps mana into a spirit fossil and the resulting calculatrics arte takes a physical form. The spyrite can then perform the inscribed arte by using the mana that has been poured into the fossil. This process does not kill spirits, who, when reborn as spyrites, retain memories of their previous life. Thus, it is a far more humane and eco-friendly version of the original technology.
History[]
Tales of Xillia[]
Some years after the battle at Fezebel Marsh, the insurgent tribes of Auj Oule infiltrated Rashugal and stole spyrix research data. Following this event, the data was used in Labari Hollow laboratories to develop boosters. Years afterward, when Gaius's conquest to unite the lands of Auj Oule came to an end, Wingul resumed the research, with himself being the human experiment. Perfecting the research took another six years, at which point Alvin was sent by Exodus to spy and recover the data. However, Alvin was discovered and managed to retrieve data on old models. The third generation data is later obtained during the events of the story, when Rashugal takes it from Teepo. Due to the stolen data, Gilland and his team of Elympion researchers were able to develop technology that would be harmless to spirits.
At the same time, the Otherworld Reactor Plan was put into motion in Elympios, who sent forces to Rieze Maxia. It was planned to capture its inhabitants and force them to aid Elympions's research with spyrites, due to them being the only people who possessed mana lobes. The Otherworld Reactor Plan would be in effect nonetheless due to spyrites still being in laboratory phase and uncertainty if they would work as intended.
During the events of the story, two Great Spirits, Celsius of Ice and Volt of Lightning, are returned to life as spyrites. Celsius is tethered with Gilland, who uses her to ravage the village of Hamil and assassinate Nachtigal I. Fenn. She, alongside her master, sink to the bottom of the sea during the assault on E.S.S. Zenethra. Volt is a powerful Great Spirit with whom Gaius attempts to tether, but due to its instability, he deems the spyrite research worthless. Jude Mathis, along with his friends, defeat Volt and tether with it to pour electricity into the generator of the Helioborg Research Center after the Great Spirit sucked it dry. Since then, Volt has not been activated.
Tales of Xillia 2[]
During the events of the sequel, Jude, along with Balan, Mary, and other scientists experiment with spyrite technology. Jude is essentially broke due to pouring all of his money into his research. His character episodes focus on his development of spyrites and the problems associated with being the leading researcher into the world's greatest hope for the future.
The development of spyrites is stymied by the fact that the team cannot create spyrites that work close to 100% of the time. In addition, when Mary uses Celsius's rediscovered spirit fossil on Jude's spyrite prototype, he discovers his device actually enslaves the original spirit. Horrified by this misstep, Jude immediately halts his current research and ceases medical trials, drawing the ire of those who were helped by his prototypes. Nevertheless, Jude does make a breakthrough after speaking with Celsius. He learns that his research into spyrite draws parallels with his idol, Dr. Howe, who developed the basis of spirit artes in the past with the goal of communicating with spirits.
In this parallel, Jude also realizes that his original approach, trying to control a spyrite, is incorrect and that he should be seeking to make a pact with the resulting spirit, as Rieze Maxians do when they perform spirit artes. Sharing this information with his fellow researchers allows Balan to realize that in his previous analysis of spirit artes, he detected signals that he now believes to be a form of communication between human and spirit. With the avenue now open, they believe they can decode those signals into words and apply a similar approach to spyrites.
Their research bears fruit in the Bonus Chapter, where Balan successfully decodes the signals from Maxwell's newly retrieved spirit fossil when they desperately need his power the most. Jude uses this knowledge to revive Maxwell as a spyrite and gain his allegiance by offering the sincere emotion in his heart. From the resulting conversation, Jude realizes that, as each spyrite is its own sentient creature, each one would require its own proof. Though difficult, the party believes that it is a surmountable task, and that a future of spyrite is within sight.
Trivia[]
- In the fractured dimension F41DB, which is the "ten years later" scenario of the prime dimension where Jude's research bore fruit and became widespread, many spyrites seen there assume forms of mascots from previous games in the series, although some are smaller than original counterparts, including Quickie from Tales of Eternia, Noishe from Tales of Symphonia, Zapie from Tales of Rebirth, and Mieu from Tales of the Abyss.
References[]
- Tales of Xillia Perfect Guide
- Tales of Xillia Official World Guidance Book