Luka

Sage Luka is a major supporting character in Secret of Mana and a recurring character in the Mana series. She is the 200 year old Sage of Water, but looks no older than 18. She is a friend of Gemma and Undine.

Background
Luka is a shrine maiden who has been protecting the neighboring lands of the Water Palace for over 200 years. She has also mentored Gemma during his studies on how Mana power sustains the world, quickly befriend him in the process. She made the temple her permanent home where she gathers information from the water's currents, all the while assisting visitors and protecting the palace's Mana Seed. She seems to care deeply about the mana spirit of water, Undine, residing next to the main structure in her cave.

Secret of Mana
Randi arrives at the Water Palace where Gemma awaits near the main entrance. While exploring the temple, the young hero seems lost and decides to ask a young maiden Luka’s whereabouts. Gemma reprimands the lad for being so casual and properly introduces Luka to Randi, who is shocked to see a young girl being at least 200 years old. Gemma then informs the sage that monsters are invading villages. Luka replies that she is aware of that since the ebb and flow of water brings me news from around the world. She informs the two men that it is because mana power is growing weak that the young hero was able to remove the sword and when he did, the balance of mana in this area shifted and made monsters reappear. Luka adds that there are enemies that seek to steal away the power of the legendary blade. By defeating those creatures, Randi can restore the power inside the sword kept inside orbs, just like the one the young lad found upon defeating Mantis Ant. The sage continues by telling Randi to seek the hidden orbs that can power up the blade and find someone that can forge the sword by releasing its stored power. She then wishes Gemma goodbye as he heads out to Pandora to seek an audience with the king and warns him about the Empire’s schemes to revive the Mana Fortress. Randi is surprised to hear about the same name mentioned in fairy tales, but Luka reframes it by telling him that the Mana Fortress is real. She adds that the Empire is going to unlock the seals from the world’s eight Mana Seeds, remarking that strangers have already been lurking around the Water Palace. Before leaving, Gemma advises Randi to head for Gaia’s Navel where he will find Dwarves that are knowledgeable about weapons. After the old knight exits the temple, Randi finds himself alone with Luka, where he inquires about the Mana Sword’s purpose and the Fortress. He learns that he must become a hero worthy of the sword and that eons ago, ancients used the Mana Fortress in their final battle but failed to do so because of the inability to control Mana. Only the Mana Sword saved the world in the end. Luka then orders Randi to hold up the sword against the Mana Seed of water located behind her to synchronize its power within the blade. With a blinding flash of light, the Seed gives its power to the sword just as the sage mentioned. Sage Luka then prompts the young hero to visit the eight palaces throughout the world and gain their respective Mana Seeds’ power. She also entrusts a spear blessed with holy water to Randi, noting that other weapons also gain power upon forging with orbs. She finally gives her last advice to the lad be telling him to search for the Underground Palace in Gaia’s Navel. The Mana Sword wielder agrees and heads to his next destination.

Sometime later, after successfully confronting Elinee deep within her lair, Randi receives a telepatic message from Luka, telling him to look for Undine, the elemental of water located in a nearby cave next to the Water palace. Fearing the worst, she tells the heroes that the barrier protecting her cavern has suddently lifted. After rescuing the Mana spirit and gaining her subsequent magical powers,, she advices the young travelers to use Undine's power on the nearby Crystal Orb in Dwarf Village to clear out the magma surrounding the Underground Palace's entrance.

With Gnome's power in hand, our heroes head back to the Water Palace where the sage confides in the heroes that Gemma has not yet returned from his audience with the King in Pandora and that she suspects foul play in the ruins to the south.

After lifting the curse afflicting the kingdom and returning yet again to Luka for guidance, they find a distressed maiden claiming that the Seed of Water has been stolen. She senses the seed's whereabouts deep within Gaia's Navel and urges the protagonists to get it back before it falls into the wrong hands. The trio finds the seed deep within a hole dug by a shady organization and retrieve it back to its holy pedestal in the temple. As they enter the Water Palace, they are greeted with a slew of monsters roaming the previously peaceful premises. Making their way to the altar room, they discover that the Empire has taken Luka hostage, while their troop leader, Geshtar, introduces himself to the trio. He then demands that the party give them the Seed in exchange of the sage's life, which Luka urges them not to hand it over. Whatever the choice maid, the seed is then snatched from our heroes all the while the sinister man successfully breaks the seal before leaving the temple and trapping the party in an enclosed room for his pet to feed. After vanquishing the fearesome creature, our heroes then resynchronize the Mana sword to the Seed of Water, effectively healing the seed. Sage Luke then tells Randi, Primm and Popoi that the Empire is now on the move and must be stopped. The party must now bring the Mana Sword back to its full power to protect the Seeds. For that matter, our heroes must venture into the eight palaces and synchronize the holy weapon with it. they must also go to the highest peak of the Lofty Mountains and visit Sage Joch where they will learn about true courage. The sage encourages the party by saying she believes in them and that they must never lose hope.

During the rising of the Sunken Continent event, all the Mana Seeds' seals have been broken by the Empire. Randi and his companions can opt to visit the Water Temple again where they can find a jailed Luka in the basement behind the altar room. After setting her free, she then tells the party that imperial ruffians went and locked her up right before breaking the Seed of Water's seal. She then adds that the seeds cannot be broken if the trio wishes to restore the Sword and pleads them to believe in miracles and to never give up.

Luka is seen for the last time waiting in front of the palace, meeting Randi after the final showdown.

Circle of Mana
Luka makes a cameo appearance in the online game, along with several Secret of Mana characters.

Echoes of Mana
While not physically appearing in the game, Luka was depicted in one memory gem:


 * Critical Choice

Physical appearance
Luka is depicted as a slender young woman with very long aqua hair reaching all the way to her ankles. Her 3D remake artwork makes her wear an elaborate lilac sleeveless dress with a front opening pleated to the sides, along with a front simple pannel. The dress is further garnished with a long, large indigo ribbon adorned with loopy gold trimmings with a tightly worn sash of the same color to the waist. Her hair is embellished with gold tassels and hair clips and topped with a pointy tiara of the same hue. She wears a gold chocker, gold armbands on both sides and simple gold braclets accentuating her lilac fingerless gloves. Finally, her left calf is adorned with a gold torsaded bracelet, and white sandals with a gold, teardrop shaped buckle are worn at her feet.

Personality
Sage Luka acts as the main characters' guide and lay out important exposition at the beggining of the game. She is seen as a resourceful, wise and calm maiden who has accumulated knowledge from around the world thanks to her magical abilty to read water currents. She is also seen as deeply caring and worrying a lot about the protagonists and those close to her, mainly Gemma and Undine. Finally, she can also be considered supportive, especially when she tells the heroes to never give up in their quest to reviving the Mana Sword's power.

Powers
As a water shrine maiden, Luka seems to be capable of practicing hydromancy which is the occult art of divination through observing and attributing meaning to water ripples, ebb and flow. She can effectively interpret news coming from all over the world thanks to the currents, even locate the palace's Mana Seed during its disappearance. The sage can also bless objects with holy water, presumably taken from the palace, such as the spear she gave to Randi at the start of the game. Finally, Luka can nurse the main characters at will, though it is unknown if she uses her own power or the holy water present in the temple.

Trivia

 * Luka's Japanese name sounds similar to rusalka, which refers to a female water spirit from Slavic folklore.
 * Another character from Dawn of Mana share a similar name to Luka, though it is unknown if they are related.