Dwarven Vow 103:
Cha tèid nì sam bith san dòrn dùinte.
Nothing can get into a closed fist.

47-

Kratos brought the rheiard down along the outskirts of the Gaorrachia forest, near the front gate of the village. From the sky, he'd noticed that several of the village's major buildings seemed to have been altered, but it was hard to tell exactly how from the angle and the distance. Colette was transfixed by the sight, barely waiting until the rheiard had come to a full stop to leap off and go running toward the palisade. A familiar figure had been loitering around the village gate, and as soon as Colette started running in his direction, he moved to meet her halfway.

"My darling Colette!" Zelos made it to her side and scooped her up in his arms, leaning in to press a barrage of kisses against her cheek. "It's been too long!"

"Zelos, come on. It's only been two days," Colette giggled, eagerly leaning into the kisses.

"That's what I said- two days too long."

Colette continued laughing, shifting her head so that their foreheads were pressed together. She managed to kiss the tip of Zelos' nose before they were interrupted.

"Excuse me," Kratos spoke up after clearing his throat to get their attention, "but I believe the village of Mizuho does not approve of such public displays of affection. I suggest the two of you control yourselves so as not to cause offense."

"Aw, but we're not in the village yet," Colette protested as Zelos gently set her back on the ground. "Can't we have just a minute?"

Zelos flashed a grin. "Yeah, man, don't be like that. You know if Miss Anna were here, you two would definitely be sucking face-"

"We would be doing what now?!"

Colette ignored the conflict, changing the subject with a question. "Where is Sheena? She didn't come out to meet us?"

"She's talking with some of the council members," Zelos answered. "I just came out to meet you so that I could, uh, warn you about the state of the village's infrastructure. It's kind of a mess, but if you make a big fuss, Sheena will get upset- so don't freak out, okay?"

"Freak out?" Kratos perked up, his earlier anger forgotten as it was replaced by curiosity. "What's going on?"

"Is everyone alright?" Colette added.

"Yeah, the people are fine. It's just structural damage from the recent earthquakes." Zelos stopped before they reach the gate. "Tread carefully. New sinkholes have only opened up during earthquakes so far, but you can never be too careful. And don't get too close to the edges either, since the ground around them is unstable." He reached out and touched his hand to Colette's cheek. "We wouldn't want ya' tripping and falling in, cutie."

Colette forced a nervous giggle. "Yeah, I've had my fill of falling into dangerous places today."

"Oh? Do tell?"

Zelos looped his arm around Colette's, and they walked together around the palisade and to the gate as she started to tell the story.

"-so Lloyd agreed with Genis that it was too dangerous, and said he thought we totally shouldn't do it-" she was saying, speaking the last part a little louder so that Kratos would hear, "-but I got so emotional hearing Lloyd talk about the Tree, I wasn't thinking right, and I said I still wanted to… OH!"

She cut off her story as the sight of the village became clear through the open gate. It was a terrible sight, several buildings reduced to nothing more than debris while others sat half-intact and half falling into the earth and others replaced entirely by a gaping hole filled with sand. Damaged areas were roped off, but despite the destruction, people seemed to be going about their daily routines. Colette's outburst drew attention to the group that had just entered. Someone called out "the Chosen of Sylvarant is here," while another yelled to "tell Sheena and Chief Igaguri," and yet another- a young girl- approached them with a big smile.

"Miss Colette!"

"Kumiko!" Colette exclaimed, offering a friendly wave. "It's good to see you again."

"Miss Colette, I'm practicing my calligraphy! Do you wanna see-?"

Colette broke in before the girl could get any further. She looked pained to have to do it, but both Kratos and Zelos knew that they didn't have the time to waste. "Kumiko, I do want to see your calligraphy, but we need to talk to Sheena right now. How about you practice a little more in the meantime, and then when we're finished we can see your perfected piece."

Kumiko signaled a salute. "Yes, ma'am! I will!"

Kratos and Zelos watched the girl as she ran back toward one of the intact homes, and Zelos put his arm back over her shoulders.

"That's our lovely Miss Brunel for you! Good with kids in and out of the classroom!"

"Z-Zelos, come on. This isn't the time or place for that sort of thing…" Colette looked away, but the blush on her cheeks betrayed her appreciation for the compliments. Her eyes focused on the large building toward the center of the village where the council generally met, and she made a beeline for it, dragging Zelos along with her. Kratos sighed, took one last glance around at the damage, and followed.

"Colette! It's so good to see you! Oh, thank goodness you made it safely!"

By the time Kratos entered the house and slid the door closed behind him, Sheena was already greeting Colette with a hug. Colette returned the gesture and then stepped back so that they could speak face to face. "I'm glad to see you too, but what's going on? You and Lloyd never told me about the damage here in the village."

"I… haven't actually talked to Lloyd about it," Sheena admitted. "But, to be fair, Grandfather hasn't told me what this meeting is even going to be about. I've been helping with location scouting in Sylvarant recently, but if it were just about moving the village, there wouldn't be any need to consult outsiders-"

She took a step back and looked over, suddenly seeming to notice Kratos, and her enthusiastic expression wavered.

"Oh, ah, Kratos. It's good to see you too."

It wasn't disappointment, but there was something in her voice that concerned Kratos. It seemed more like a hesitance, perhaps a twinge of fear. Not as though she was afraid of him exactly, but something intangible that he represented or brought with him. He offered a friendly nod, and while he knew it wouldn't completely change her attitude, he held out his hand to shake anyway. "It's good to see you, Sheena. My apologies for the state of the village. I was unaware that Mizuho had been so adversely affected by the earthquakes."

"Well, we're trying not to, uh… broadcast it," Sheena replied as she returned his handshake. "We've been discussing moving the village to Sylvarant for the past five years, but the council has been dragging their heels in sending informants out to find suitable land. I hate that it had to happen like this, but they're finally being pushed into action…"

"I see." Kratos turned to look toward the next room, the figures of Mizuho's council members hidden behind a paper screen that muffled their voices. Sheena motioned toward the group, leading the way over to the room and opening the door for them.

"Miss Colette Brunel, Mister Zelos Wilder, and Captain Kratos Aurion, as per your request," Sheena said, waiting until all three of them had entered and then closing the door behind them. She directed them to sit down with her near the end of the table, and Colette bowed in the council's direction.

"Thank you for welcoming us into your village and council meeting during this time of distress."

"We are the ones who should be thanking you," Tiga replied. "After all, we were the ones who summoned you, and we have a grand favor to ask of you. This is not something to take lightly."

"A favor?" Kratos was the first to break in. "What kind of favor are you talking about? It would be one thing if you had summoned just the Chosens for public service, but I'm afraid that my militia's current contract with the Joint Parliament of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla is restrictive enough without bringing the demands of outside parties into it-"

"Please, calm down." Igaguri, sitting at the head of the table, held up one hand. "We understand the limitations of your contract. The reason we have included you in this meeting is simply to ensure that our requests of the Chosens does not interfere with your protocols."

There was a moment of silence. Kratos sat, tight-lipped, feeling the stares of all the council members. Finally, he heaved a sigh and bowed his head in agreement. "My sincerest apologies for assuming, Chief. You have clearly put a lot of thought and care into this, and I will be happy to assist you in tailoring your actions to fit the requirements of the Joint Parliament."

"G-Grandfather," Sheena began, "what is this about, that it would involve the Joint Parliament? The only actual land they govern is the 7800 hectares laid out as the territory of the Great Tree. Is it… something to do with that?"

Zelos leaned over and elbowed her. "He wouldn't have called Kratos here if it didn't, y'know."

"Wha-? That's not-"

"The Chosen is correct," Tiga interrupted. "As you can see, our village has suffered greatly from the earthquakes over the past few months. We are trying to prevent further damage as best we can, but the situation is complicated."

"Do you know what's causing the sinkholes?" Colette asked.

"Yes, erm-" Tiga glanced over at a woman sitting further down the table from him. "-Yanaki could tell you in more detail."

The woman gave an obedient nod and turned her attention to the guests. "Our village is built on unconsolidated sediments weathered from the nearby mountains and deposited here in the valley. It is a good position for agriculture due to the soil composition and plentiful water resources, but unfortunately, the high water table also means that the sandy sediments below us are mostly inundated."

"I see," Kratos murmured, nodding along with the explanation. "Then the sinkholes have been created by liquefaction of the unconsolidated sediments triggered by the recent earthquakes."

"Yes, that seems to be the case."

There was a moment of silence amongst the group. Sheena was finally the first to speak, raising her hand a little as she did so.

"Could you, um…" Her cheeks flushed pink. "...put that in more simple terms?"

Zelos barely stifled a laugh. "Sure, hunny. You see, the earthquake goes boom and then the ground turns to mush. It's really very simple."

"That doesn't explain anything, asshole-!"

"That's not funny, Zelos." Colette reached out and took Sheena's hand, squeezing it to keep her from pouncing on Zelos in front of the council. "Sheena, what they're trying to say is- you know how, when you dig a well, you find water underground at a certain point?"

"Yeah."

"That underground water fills up all the gaps in the sandy soil. Normally it's stable because the sand grains are all sitting on top of one another. But when the ground shakes because of an earthquake, the sand and water get all mixed together and the ground that used to be solid now acts like quicksand. That's why the land on top collapses and buildings fall in."

"I see," Sheena nodded and looked back over to Yanaki. "So what can we do about it?"

"Nothing about the sediment, I'm afraid," Yanaki replied. "It should grow more stable over time as the particles settle, but there's no telling how much damage will be done in the process. Besides that, the rainy season is beginning, meaning further destabilization of the mountainsides. We could very easily see a major landslide the next time there's an earthquake."

"Then are you…" Zelos began, his voice serious again. "...going to evacuate the people?"

"Not yet." Tiga was the one to answer, seeming not to notice that Igaguri had also opened his mouth to reply. "There is no need to move people unnecessarily, particularly when we do not have a suitable location set up for them to go. Instead, we have been discussing ideas for how to prevent future earthquakes from happening."

There was a pause. Kratos frowned, not breaking eye contact with Tiga. "And how, exactly, do you propose that? The Palmacosta University and Imperial Research Academy have been working for months to determine the cause of the earthquakes and have still come back empty-handed."

"We do not know for a fact it will work," Igaguri said, breaking in this time before Tiga could. "In fact, it is a long shot. But with Sheena's skills, we cannot afford not to try."

"My… skills?"

Igaguri nodded. "Your summoning skills."

"I…" She paused and glanced around at the council members. "...I don't understand-"

"You think Sheena could use the summon spirits to stop the earthquakes?" Zelos asked. "Isn't it their job to keep watch over stuff like that anyway? If they haven't done anything about it already, what makes you think they'd be able to just because Sheena said so-?"

"I don't think they're talking about the summon spirits she already has pacts with," Kratos broke in. He looked over to Igaguri, locking eyes with the chief. "I think they're talking about Sheena making a new pact. Is that correct?"

Igaguri nodded. "Yes, that is correct. If, as the reports say, a summon spirit resides in the Great Tree, then it is possible that Sheena can make a pact with it as well."

Colette gasped. "A pact with Martel?"

"Is that possible?" Zelos asked. "I mean, we call her a summon spirit, but is she really…?"

Igaguri replied with a nod. "By logic, 'she' should be. But we will not know until we try- until Sheena tries."

All eyes went to Sheena, and her posture went stiff. Her eyes focused on the table in front of her, not willing to look at any of the council members. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet and hesitant.

"...I understand your reasoning… Grandfather, everyone… but the last time that the council specifically asked me to make a pact with a summon spirit, I…

"Sheena," Colette began, reaching out and taking hold of her hand. She turned to address the council, her expression uncharacteristically firm. "If Sheena doesn't feel comfortable, you have no right to force her!"

"Colette's right," Zelos chimed in. "It's not fair to put this all on her shoulders-"

A few of the council members broke in with arguments, but Igaguri took his ceremonial mallet and banged it against the gong behind him. The whole room fell quiet, and all attention returned to the head of the table.

"Miss Brunel and Mister Wilder are correct," he said, his voice strained. "It is not fair for us to place our problems on young Sheena's shoulders just because of her summoning ability. It is not now and it certainly wasn't when she was just a child. However-" He turned to look specifically at Sheena, Colette, and Zelos. "-she is no longer the inexperienced child that we forced into a horrible situation all those years ago. She is strong, having the protection of the summon spirits she has already made pacts with as well as the support of her friends. Miss Brunel, Mister Wilder, we know that, as outsiders, you may have no reason to help the village of Mizuho. But this could have a profound impact on the world as a whole. You fought alongside Sheena when she proved herself to the other summon spirits. Please, will you fight by her side again this time?"

Zelos and Colette looked at each other and then back over at Sheena. "If…" Colette began hesitantly, "...Sheena feels comfortable trying, then we'll support her. But we won't pressure her into it, and if she feels it isn't a good idea, we will support her-"

"Thank you, Colette," Sheena interrupted. "Grandfather is right. There were a lot of reasons I failed long ago, and none of those limitations affect me now. With my friends by my side, I see nothing to lose in approaching Martel and seeking a pact."

Kratos cleared his throat, drawing attention from the council. "I do not oppose the prospect of seeking guidance from the Spirit Martel, but it is possible that the sheer size of the NV Zone will prevent Sheena from making contact. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to make the Tree more accessible for you."

"I see," Igaguri replied. "That may complicate matters, but there is no use in letting a single setback prevent us from trying. Would you be willing to authorize entry for Sheena and her friends into the restricted area as soon as possible?"

Kratos closed his eyes, considering the request. "I… will have to seek a majority approval from the Joint Parliament in order to overrule the ban on magic use within the restricted area. They meet this afternoon in Altamira, so I won't be able to get you approval until tonight at the soonest, and I won't feel comfortable allowing you in after dark. But if all goes well, we can plan to meet at sunrise tomorrow morning at the Tree. Sheena and her friends will be allowed to use their magic, but they will still be required to keep at least one meter away from the boundary of the NV Zone at all times-"

"But Kratos," Colette protested, "Sheena has an exsphere."

There was a pause, all the members of the council turning to look at Colette. Sheena and Zelos, too, were confused by the statement, both looking at her and over at each other. Kratos, however, knew exactly what she meant and finally replied.

"I'm sorry, Colette, but I cannot allow such a dangerous breach of security based solely on anecdotal evidence. Exspheres or not, I will not permit you to enter the NV Zone."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" Zelos stood up, waving his hands. "What is this about expheres and the NV Zone? Are you saying people can use them to enter the NV Zone unharmed?"

"Yes-" Colette began, but Kratos cut her off.

"It was a mistake made by unauthorized trespassers. We cannot officially recognize it due to safety concerns. Therefore, we cannot allow anyone, no matter the circumstances, to enter the NV Zone."

"But you said people can?" Sheena asked, leaning across the table toward Kratos. "And people did?"

"That's not-"

"I did." Colette stood up, just so that she could loop her arm around Zelos'. "And Genis did. And Genis lent his exsphere to Lloyd, allowing Lloyd to enter too. If Sheena equips her exsphere, she should have no trouble entering the NV Zone and approaching the Great Tree-"

"Enough!" Kratos snapped, sending Colette and Zelos back down to a seated position. Colette shrunk back, half hiding behind Zelos' shoulder, and he glared at Kratos.

"What's your deal, man? You don't gotta yell like that. If people can use exspheres to enter the NV Zone, it could open up new opportunities, not just for Sheena, but for all of us who're doing research on the Tree and the Zone itself. I know it'll take some extra testing to make sure it's safe, but being against the idea itself is some kind of stupid!"

Kratos scowled. "I am responsible for the lives of both my soldiers and the people who enter the restricted area. I will not be taking any unnecessary risks when people's lives are involved."

Zelos leaned across the table, motioned to the council members who were watching with polite attention. "Have you not seen the state of this village? Lives are going to be impacted if we don't do anything! The earthquakes are only going to get worse, and the NV Zone is going to keep growing. If you keep dragging your feet when a golden opportunity like this presents itself, how are you going to face the people who are directly hurt by The Great Tree? How will you face this council?"

Kratos turned his gaze to look over the eyes of Mizuho's council members. Many of them were old, their features outlined by deep-set wrinkles. A few, however, were young- almost as young as Sheena and Lloyd. Unlike the emotionless stares of their elders, they were wide-eyed. They looked almost… frightened.

"Captain," Igaguri began, "we understand your dedication to the safety and wellbeing of all in your care. But we ask you, please, would you allow Sheena entry into the NV Zone in order to seek a pact with the summon spirit of the Great Tree? For the safety of all those in Mizuho- and perhaps the united world?"

Kratos turned his attention down to the table, clenching a fist as he thought it over. "I… I…" He closed his eyes and sighed. "I will discuss it with the Joint Parliament. If they allow it, I will permit you to enter for a limited amount of time. Is that acceptable?"

Colette moved back from behind Zelos, skirting around the side of the table so that she could throw her arms around Kratos' chest. "Oh, thank you, Kratos! We'll be careful, I promise!"

Sheena shifted uneasily, noticing the council members' discomfort with the sudden show of affection between the two outsiders. She looked over at her grandfather but was relieved to see him smiling.

"Nothing is decided yet. Remember that the Joint Parliament must approve it." Igaguri stood up. "Thank you, Captain Aurion, for your diligence and willingness to honor our request. We are indebted to you for your hard work and understanding. Please, come with me to my house so that we may discuss communication methods to keep those of us here in Mizuho updated on the decisions of the Joint Parliament."

Kratos stood up, nodding in agreement with a hint of eagerness at the prospect of getting out of the council meeting. "I will be glad to, Chief."

Tiga looked over at Sheena and her friends, motioning them towards the door. "You are dismissed, then, Sheena, Chosens. Feel free to rest and enjoy yourselves until we hear back from Captain Aurion."

"Yes, sir!"

The three shuffled out of the room, glad to find themselves in fresh air. The tension of the argument had them all feeling a little off, and they needed time to dispel the sensation.

"...Chosens, huh?" Zelos grumbled to himself as they walked. "It was all Chosen this and Chosen that. Like, we HAVE names, y'know! For a people who're so obsessed with names, they sure haven't taken the time to learn ours!"

Colette patted his arm. "Well, Sheena's grandfather at least called us by our names. And when he didn't, he called us 'Sheena's friends' rather than Chosens."

"I guess you're right, but-" Zelos stopped mid-sentence and turned around, grabbing Colette by the shoulders. "Hold on a minute! What the hell was this about you entering the Zone of Death?!"

"Huh?" It took Colette a moment to process what he was asking. "Oh, yeah, that was this morning." She closed her eyes and offered a sheepish smile. "It was kind of an accident, but I'm glad it worked out the way it did-"

"And when were you going to tell me about this?!"

"I was telling you earlier. Remember the story we were discussing when we walked in? I just got sidetracked by the state of the village, is all."

They stopped, the implication of her statement sinking in. Zelos glanced around at the buildings again, but Sheena was looking at the ground by her feet. "I…" she began, "...I'm sorry you guys had to see our village this way. We've been trying to keep things quiet since revealing too much about the earthquakes' effects could give away our location to outsiders. The reason I haven't said anything to Lloyd is that I knew he would get upset and try to help, and that's the last thing he needs to be doing while he's recovering."

"He did get a clean bill of health from the doctor yesterday," Colette replied, taking a step towards her. "He wanted to come to Mizuho with us, but he got in trouble at the Great Tree and had to go back to Luin."

The statement brought Sheena's attention back up to her friends. "What did he get in trouble for?"

"Entering the restricted zone without permission. We all did- Genis and me too."

Zelos stifled a laugh. "Oh my gods, goody-two-shoes Genis, breaking joint authority law?"

"W-well, to be fair, I was the one who suggested it."

Sheena jumped back with a gasped "Colette!" but Zelos broke into a big grin and tackled Colette in a hug.

"Aw, I can hardly believe it! My precious Colette, a rebel! And here I thought you couldn't possibly get any cuter than you already were-"

Colette was hesitant to hug back. "I, uh, can't tell if you're serious or you're just making fun of me."

Zelos' smile faded, and he took a step back to give her some room. "Sorry, sorry. Cute wasn't the right word, I guess. I just wanted to say I was impressed with you, is all. For that and for standing up to Kratos earlier. If it weren't for you, he wouldn't have even mentioned the whole exsphere thing, much less allowed us access for Sheena's summoning attempt. I've been working with Kratos over the past couple of months, and he's been…" He paused to find the right word. "...kind of an asshole recently. It was really satisfying to see the big tough guy back down to a sweetheart like you."

Colette smiled again, but this time it was a soft, sad smile. She clasped her hands against her chest as she spoke, glancing back toward the chief's house where Igaguri and Kratos had retreated. "I think he's struggling with figuring out how to express his grief. I had trouble sleeping last night, so Dirk made me some tea and we talked, just the two of us. He said that Kratos was being especially strict with Lloyd lately, and he assumed it must be because he feels a sense of guilt for losing Yuan and… and Adora."

It was Sheena's turn to offer a hug, and this time Colette happily accepted as she continued.

"Kratos was really upset with us. He was willing to injure himself to drag Lloyd out of the NV Zone, so I'm not surprised that he was so adamant about keeping us out. It's all my fault for going in there in the first place… I'm so sorry, Sheena…"

"What are you sorry for? If you hadn't gone in there in the first place, then you'd never have learned about using exspheres to enter the NV Zone! It's because of you that I have a chance to speak with Martel in the first place!"

Zelos inched closer, nudging Colette's arm. "How did you discover that the exspheres could protect you from the Zone of Death?"

Colette let go of Sheena and moved back so that she could address both of them. "Oh, well, uh… it was kind of obvious that something was going on when I fell in and didn't die…"

"YOU WHAT?!"

The sound of both voices yelling in unison caused Colette to jump, but she quickly recovered and twirled around, pointing toward one of the village houses.

"I promised Kumiko that I'd go look at her calligraphy, so I'd better get going-"

"Colette!"

The university city of Sybak was unusually quiet now that spring break had started in earnest and many students were away visiting family or vacationing with friends. The open streets allowed a clear view of the Imperial Research Academy's buildings, and for a child who'd grown up in Sylvarant, it was almost too much to take in.

"Nika, look at that! I wonder what those machines do! Oh, and there's a windmill on top of that building- do you think it helps power the school? What about that fountain? And look at the columns by the door! They're even bigger than the columns at Mister Zelos' house-"

"Bianca, please, watch where you're going!" Nika wanted to enjoy the city too- and she was- but watching passersby have to swerve to miss the little girl in the middle of the road was embarrassing. "And say 'excuse me' when you pass someone. This isn't a playground."

"I know, I know!"

Bianca glanced back as she replied, not even bothering to slow down. By the time she turned around and realized what was in front of her, she was already halfway down the first step.

"WHOA!"

Bianca threw her arms out in front of her, dreading the feeling of the concrete against her bare skin. But instead, she found herself caught in a pair of strong arms. At first she thought it might be her sister- but no, Nika was too far behind her to have caught her from the front. She looked up, however, and a blurry vision of pink hair made her question her conclusion. It was only for a moment, though, as the girl's sharp features came into focus. She looked about Nika's age, but was a little shorter and leaner, with piercing blue eyes that were kind and yet somehow distant at the same time.

"Are you alright?" the girl asked.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine! You totally saved me- thanks, miss!"

Bianca's response brought a smile to the girl's face, and she bent down to place Bianca back on her feet. "You are welcome. It would be prudent of you to remain aware of your surroundings from now on."

"Prudent! I know that word! It means being sensible and using good judgment-"

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry about my sister!"

Nika broke in before Bianca could finish recounting her vocabulary lesson. The girl looked up to see her at the top of the stairs, and a spark of surprise seemed to glow in her eyes for a split second before her smile returned and she responded.

"Don't worry. It was no trouble. She was merely having fun." The girl reached over and patted Bianca on the head. "In fact, she reminds me of my own younger sister at that age, in a constant state of excitement and awe at the world around her. I am happy to have prevented her injury-"

"You have a little sister too? That's so cool!" Bianca clung to the girl, her eyes sparkling in excitement. "What's her name? How old is she? Do you think we could be friends?"

Nika reached out with a hissed "calm down-" but the girl knelt down beside Bianca and patted her head.

"Her name was Alicia. And yes, while she passed away years ago, I think she would have loved to be your friend."

The answer subdued Bianca's enthusiasm, and she blushed, looking down at her feet as she answered.

"I'm sorry about your dead sister."

Nika cringed and prepared to apologize, but to her surprise, the girl burst out laughing.

"It is alright. And what about you, little sister? What is your name?"

"I-I'm Bianca!"

The girl stopped laughing, her eyes suddenly lighting up in recognition. She stood up straight again, repeating the name and then drawing her gaze upward. "Bianca… and Nika? Wilbur?"

Nika's face went pale.

"How do you know our names?"