"I want the truth!" Crow yelled. Ghost had left the room to make the call to Ikora, Crow had gotten through and she needed to get here quickly.
Savathun answered, "I was kind to you because I wanted to be. Because the truth hurts. You know this better than anyone. Shrinking away from the rumors of the man you used to be."
"I'm not him."
"How can you say that when you don't even know who he is?"
"That's enough, Savathun!" Maria took a step toward Crow, careful to put her weight on her strongest leg. "Crow, it doesn't matter who you used to be." Now he looked at her with his glowing golden eyes, and she smiled. "It doesn't matter because you are Crow. We are made from our experiences, yeah? Your experiences make you Crow."
Savathun added, "If the truth is what you really want, then lay your hand on me."
Glint's panels whirled with alarm. "Crow, don't. Please."
"See, even your Ghost, and even the girl who loves you believes you're better off in the dark."
"Oh shut up, Savathun, for once!" She took another couple of steps forward and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Crow, please, don't fall for her tricks."
His hands shook as he took her hand in one of his. "I have to know." He turned around and put his hand on the crystal structure. Maria jumped back as he screamed out, writhing in pain, but his hand never moved.
"Everything I did, I did for her!" He yelled.
Finally, he pulled back away and turned to her, his eyes round and a terrible look slowly spreading across his face, and he looked at Glint. "Crow," Glint floated toward him but his shaking hands came up and he backed away.
"No, don't. Don't come any closer."
Glint turned to Savathin. "What did you show him?" He demanded.
Maria frowned.
"Everything." Savathun answered.
Crow turned away and disappeared in an array of light.
"Wait!" Glint followed him.
Maria turned to Savathun, "You hurt him!" She screamed, her throat was becoming raw.
"Someone had to. Better for it to have come from a friend."
She shook her head. "No, friends don't do this so don't you dare-" a hand came on her shoulder. She turned on her heels. Saint-14 put both of his hands on her shoulders. She was breathing as if she was running. "Saint…he…" behind him Ikora stared at her. "Crow…"
"Come, come, little angel, let us go calm down somewhere else." Saint started to lead her but she stopped by Ikora.
"Ikora, Crow knows…he knows who he was before he was risen. He knows what he did as Uldren Sov."
Ikora's eyes widened and she shook her head, muttering to herself as she turned on her heels and marched out.
"Remember my riddle!" Savathun called, and finally she allowed herself to be taken away by Saint.
Ghost floated by Maria's side as she watched Saint feed the pigeons. She held her knees up to her chin and sighed. He wanted to comfort her…but how could he provide it? What could he say that would change everything?
"What is really bothering you? It is not Crow." Saint threw down more seeds.
Maria watched the one with green around its neck that glowed in the sun, her eyes searching for answers in the glow. "I keep having nightmares. Every night and it always feels real. It feel like it might happen…I dream that…that I will die…and then I am posed with a series of questions. I don't know if it's the dream or the questions…or the fact that Savathun knew about it. She…she told me I was going to die."
"Do not listen. She lies."
"If I don't die, Osiris will."
Saint stopped moving. "What?" He turned to her.
"A game she played, two truths and two lies. She said…Crow would regain his memory, and that turned out to be true. She told me I would marry someone I love…but nobody here gets a happy ending like that, especially not around Savathun, so I'm assuming that one will be a lie. That leaves…Osiris will die…or I will die."
"She…she told you Osiris would die?"
She nodded and sighed. "And that's why I'm troubled. I don't want Osiris to die…and if he does not die then I will and I…I don't want to die either."
He shook his head, and stood abruptly, and his pigeons took off. "No! Both of those are lies! You will see!" He stormed off.
Maria sighed and looked at Ghost.
"Why didn't you tell me you were still having these visions?" He came closer.
She put his hand on his shell, and she whispered, "If I die…will you check that I can be revived?"
Ghost wiggled away from her hand and got in her face. "Look, you will not die!"
"What if this is the Traveler warning me?"
"It isn't!" Ghost's panels whirred with agitation. It couldn't be! This was nothing more than a series of nightmares.
Maria's smile was warm but sad, and she kissed the top point anyway. "Maybe you are right. I hope you are right."
