Dwarven Vow 104:
Eiridh tonn air uisge balbh.
A wave rises on quiet water.

55-

The sunny weather that they'd enjoyed in Palmacosta gave way to rain once Lloyd and Colette arrived in Meltokio. It was late afternoon, so they dropped their things at the Wilder mansion and ran off through the rain to find a place for dinner. Zelos had allowed them to stay at the Wilder mansion, but because he and Seles weren't living there, no kitchen staff were on duty. It was fun, though, just the two of them browsing the city's best restaurants and enjoying a meal together. The rain had begun to die down by the time they were finished, and they headed down to Southwest Boulevard, enjoying the warm weather and laughing to themselves about nonsense.

It kept them from worrying, at least.

The storefront was closed, but Song had asked Colette to knock on the back door that led to the basement workshop and left the lamp over the door burning to indicate he was home. The conversation died down as the pair descended the steps and stopped in front of the door, stopping to glance at one another before Lloyd finally knocked.

There was a pause and some muffled crashes from inside before the door swung open to reveal a smiling Song.

"Colette! And Lloyd too- what a treat!"

They assumed he was smiling, at least. The sparkle in his eyes and the tone of his voice suggested so, but the face mask he was wearing covered his mouth, making it hard to see for sure. His hair, shorter now than they remembered it, hung in unkempt mats around his shoulders, and the clashing patterns on his clothing looked like he'd thrown them on blind. His left arm was wrapped up and supported by a sling, and while his right arm was free, the tips of his fingers protruding from his glove were covered with thin bandages. The scarf tied around his neck looked to be heavy wool- completely unsuited for the weather- and combined with the mask, caused Colette concern.

"Song… are you sick?"

"Sick? Oh, you mean this?" Song pulled down his mask so that it rested against his chin. "No, no, it's just for allergies. Hay fever season, y'know?"

"And the scarf?" Colette asked. "It looks hot."

"It's my lucky scarf. And before you ask about the arm- pottery wheel accident. Real bloody. Not a story to tell over tea." He paused and smiled again. "Lemme put away the piece I was working on and then we can go upstairs. There's so much I have to tell you."

Lloyd and Colette stepped into the workshop and stood to the side, watching Song struggle to cover the unbaked clay and put away his carving tools. "D-do you want some help-?" Lloyd finally offered, but by the time he worked up the courage to say it, Song was almost finished.

"Thanks, Lloyd, but I've got it. The only thing I can't handle right now is throwing at the wheel. Everything else is just fine."

Lloyd stayed where he was, but didn't fully accept the answer.

"Song, are you alright? I don't just mean your arm. Something seems… off. You look like you haven't slept in weeks-"

"Oh, I haven't!" Song chirped, joining the pair again. "This Cruxis Crystal thing is amazing! I don't have to sleep, I don't have to eat, I don't get hot or cold or feel any kind of pain… now I know why Yuan was so reluctant to take it off!"

Lloyd and Colette glanced at one another. "You…" Lloyd began, "...you're wearing Yuan's Cruxis Crystal?"

"Isn't that dangerous?" Colette added, but Song laughed it off.

"Dangerous? Why would it be dangerous? Do you two know something I don't?"

Despite his cheerful demeanor, there was nervousness in his voice. "I don't think they're supposed to be passed from one person to another," Colette replied. "They don't bond correctly to a second host… or something like that."

"Seems fine to me," Song answered with a shrug. "The angelic effects are obviously taking hold, since I'm doing so well without food or rest. Are you talking more, like, side effects? What would I do about those?"

"...take it off, I guess?" Lloyd ventured. "I don't know. It's something to ask Kratos about. I can call him over the radio if you want-"

"No need!" Song returned to his earlier cheerful demeanor. "If I notice anything off, I'll call him myself. In the meantime, there's some stuff I wanna talk to you guys about! Have you eaten dinner? Can I make you anything? Come upstairs with me and we can talk it over."

The village of Greenriver was a relic of Tethe'alla's declining past, small and relatively isolated from the technological advancements provided by the long flourishing period. Unlike nearby Mizuho, which stayed hidden by choice, Greenriver simply had little in the way of resources for outsiders to exploit, and the tiny community of subsistence fishers and farmers was still relatively cut off from the outside world. Sheena, Raine, and Genis, who'd grown up in rural villages, were perfectly comfortable, and Zelos' recent infatuation with Iselia made the place seem charming to him. But Professor Low, a Meltokio native who'd thought living in Palmacosta was "roughing it," was struggling to hide her discomfort with the environment. She could barely hold her clipboard, she was so busy swatting away insects that were buzzing around her face and balancing on her toes to keep the thin heels of her shoes from sinking into the damp ground.

Their group was met at the village square by a woman, tall and roughly middle-aged, who introduced herself as Mrs. Alvarez. She seemed to know Professor Low and stepped forward to shake her hand.

"You're from the Elemental Research Lab, right? We're so happy you were interested in following up! No one's ever wanted to research our village before this project."

"We're the ones who are grateful for your cooperation," Low replied with a bow. She then motioned over to the others. "This is my partner- er, research partner- Professor Sage, our colleagues Mister Wilder and Mister Sage, and our consultant Miss Fujibayashi. Everyone, Mrs. Alvarez acts as the village historian and has genealogical records going back over four centuries."

"You said in your letters that you're interested in matrilineal relationships over the past eighty years or so?" Alvarez asked as she led them down the path to a large community center in the middle of the village. "We have birth records and family trees stored here, and I've gotten permission from the chief to share them. You're welcome to look at any of the books you'd like."

The books were large and stored on tall shelves that required ladders to reach, but it didn't take long for the group to find the most recent ones and bring them down to a large table in the center of the room. The community center functioned as a public library as well, so they had to be quiet in respect of the others milling about the room. It didn't take long to assemble a family map, though, and the group was pleased with the outcome.

One element, however, was still missing.

"So, you haven't had anyone with half-elf blood marry into the village?" Raine asked. Alvarez shook her head.

"I'm afraid that many people in our village are still backward in their beliefs. It's difficult to change people's minds when they have no concept of what life is like outside the village."

"I can understand that," Sheena sighed. "I grew up in a small village too. Some of my friends have never left. They can be hard-headed when I try to explain how things are done in other places."

"Right?" Alvarez was getting excited. "Nobody ever leaves this place either! When I went to study at the Imperial Research Academy, it was like committing heresy."

Zelos tried to steer the conversation back on track. "Do you know of anyone besides yourself who left the village?"

Alvarez's expression fell. "My, uh… sister tried to leave. She fell in love with the servant of a traveling merchant."

"Tried? What do you mean, tried?" Zelos pressed further, and Professor Low put a hand on his arm.

"Slow down. If she's uncomfortable, we can't force her to expound on it."

"But-"

Alvarez shook her head. "It's alright. It's been years, and my mother doesn't like to talk about it, which isn't fair. Marina doesn't deserve to be forgotten like this. She should at least be on your record."

"Marina?" Genis repeated, writing the name down in his notes.

"There was this merchant who came to the port every month with outside supplies. My sister, Marina, fell in love with one of his servants. When she got pregnant, they asked permission to marry, but our parents refused because the man had a half-elf parent. So that's why Marina took her daughter and ran away from home."

The whole group was paying attention now, and Zelos was leaning across the table with a spark of interest in his eyes.

"Do you know where she and her daughter went?"

Alvarez looked away. "I'm sorry if I made you think this story had a happy ending. Marina's body… what was left of it… was discovered in the Gaorrachia Forest a week later. She'd been torn apart by monsters. They never found any trace of the baby. The poor thing would've been no more than a mouthful for some of those monsters..."

The room went quiet. No one spoke or wrote anything, and the only movement was Zelos shrinking back. Professor Low was the first to speak, and even then, her voice was hushed.

"I'm so sorry."

Alvarez shook her head. "It was twenty-four… almost twenty-five years ago. The wounds have healed. I just want it known."

"Did your niece have a name?" Low asked, picking up her pen again. Alvarez smiled and nodded.

"Dahlia."

Almost as soon as she'd said the name, Sheena stood up so fast that she knocked her chair over behind her. "I-I…" she stammered, "...I'm not feeling well. I need to step out for a moment. Please excuse me."

As she disappeared through the door, Alvarez looked back to the others with worry.

"I'm terribly sorry! I didn't mean to make anyone uncomfortable-"

"It's not your fault," Zelos broke in, standing and righting Sheena's chair before following her to the door. "I'll go check on her. The three of you finish up with that family tree, okay? Don't worry about us."

Genis and the professors agreed, but they couldn't help worrying anyway.

Lloyd and Colette followed Song up the stairs to the second-floor loft, assuring him that they'd just eaten and didn't need anything. Song insisted on making tea for them, however, and let them pick out what kind they'd like. Colette selected a lavender blend, and Song motioned for them to sit at the kitchen table while the water boiled. He started chatting about the weather, nonchalantly commenting on the rain, but Lloyd cut him off.

"Wasn't there something you wanted to talk to us about?"

"Right, right. Silly me." Song walked back over to the table, resting the palm of his good hand against the tabletop. "See, I heard that Zelos and Colette were doing research on the Great Tree, and I wanted to ask about that. I've been doing some investigations of my own around Yuan's old hideout- you know the big warehouse type place near Triet, right?"

"Th-the Renegade base?" Lloyd stammered. "That's where you've been?"

"Yeah. With this Cruxis Crystal, I can get into the computer systems and access all the records. There's so much in there, even Yuan's old voice recordings! He's really always talked like that, hasn't he? What a funny guy-"

"So that's why you've been in Sylvarant," Colette gasped, comfortable cutting him off knowing that he'd just keep rambling if she didn't. "I think it's nice that you're learning more about Yuan. We were afraid you might be in denial about everything that's happened, but that sounds like a healthy way to respond."

"Denial? Me?" Song let out a laugh over the sound of the kettle whistling. "If I were in denial about what happened, I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. I owe it to Yuan and Adora to view things rationally. If I don't, I won't get anywhere in my rescue attempts."

Lloyd and Colette froze.

"...rescue attempts?" Lloyd repeated.

"I still haven't figured out exactly where they were sent, but once I do- bam! I'm gonna be there so fast, you won't believe it!" Song began pouring the tea into mugs as he spoke. "I just hope that, wherever they're being held, they aren't in any pain-"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Lloyd pushed his chair back and stood up. "What are you talking about?"

"Are you…" Colette began, "...are you saying that Yuan and Adora are still alive?"

Song set the mugs down on the table with a laugh. "You think they're dead?"

"W-well, I mean-" Lloyd stammered, sitting down again with a blush of embarrassment at his outburst. "Yeah, that's what everyone assumes. How could they still be alive? Yuan was really hurt, wasn't he? There's no way he could have survived this long and taken care of Adora."

"Tsk, tsk. Don't be so closed-minded." Song wagged a finger at him. "This is the Great Tree we're talking about. Yuan and Adora could easily have been sent somewhere in a state of suspended animation."

"Can the Tree do that?" Colette asked.

"Who says it can't?"

"But how do you know Yuan and Adora have been sent somewhere?" Lloyd added. "Have they sent you some sort of message?"

"Well, no, but that's probably because they're not conscious."

Colette fidgeted with her mug uneasily. "Then what proof do you have that they're still alive? I want to believe you, but this all sounds-"

"Far-fetched?" Song finished, his eyes clouding over with a sense of fear. "No, no! I'm not crazy, I swear!"

"I never said you were. But you are grieving. That affects your brain in ways that we still don't fully understand, and there's nothing wrong with seeking help-"

"NO! LISTEN TO ME-!" Song yelled, swinging his good arm in an exaggerated motion. The side of his hand hit his mug, however, and sent it toppling over the side of the table and crashing onto the floor. It didn't break, but the tea spilled out everywhere. Song flinched and took a step back. "I-I'm so sorry. I'll clean that up. You two go ahead and drink yours."

Lloyd and Colette both ignored his instructions and took rags from behind the cabinet to help him mop up the tea. This was done in silence, Song refusing to make eye contact with either of them and once the floor was dry again, he took the mug and retreated back to the other side of the kitchen so he could drop it in the sink. Lloyd and Colette sat back down and started on their own tea, waiting for Song to return before they said anything. But he stayed standing in front of the sink, staring silently at the drain.

"...Song?" Colette spoke up again. "We didn't mean to upset you. We're just concerned about you."

He let out a sigh and finally turned around. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have gotten so worked up. I had been so scared you wouldn't believe me, all that fear manifested at once. I know I don't have any proof of this, but-" Song sat back down at the table across from them. "-I just can't believe that Martel would let her fiancé and daughter die like that. The Great Tree is controlled by Martel, isn't it?"

"Not exactly." Colette shook her head. "The spirit Martel is the guardian of the Great Tree, and she isn't the same as the original Martel. The original Martel's soul is in there somewhere, but I don't think she has control over what the spirit Martel is doing."

"Besides that," Lloyd continued, "this whole thing with the NV Zone is a pact with a summoner."

Song gasped. "A… a pact?"

"That's right. Zelos and I went to help Sheena make a pact with Martel- the spirit Martel-" Colette explained, "and the spirit said that she'd already made a pact with someone else."

As she said this, Song leaned forward and propped his good arm up on the table. "Tell me everything," he instructed.

Lloyd and Colette started from the beginning, explaining their visit with Genis and the protection from the NV Zone that was provided by exspheres. Lloyd spoke about Kratos' injury and Colette about the failed pact with Martel. Her voice trailed off toward the end, and Lloyd picked up with the story of their visits to the summon spirits and the conversation he'd shared with Kratos the night before.

"It doesn't make sense," Song muttered, shaking his head. "It's not Kratos' fault. He did everything he could to help."

"That's what I said," Lloyd agreed, "but it's hard to break through that sense of guilt, y'know? If something had happened to Colette when we snuck into the restricted zone, I don't think I'd have ever forgiven myself."

"I see. I guess that makes sense, but sti-" Song was looking at Lloyd as he replied, but paused as he noticed Colette leaning forward over the table. "Hey, Colette, are you okay?"

Colette jerked to attention. "Huh? I'm… m… fine. Just a little... sleepy is all…" She began to tip over again as though she couldn't sit upright, and Lloyd reached across the table to steady her.

"Colette! What's wrong? Have you been feeling sick this whole time?"

"No…" Colette murmured. "...not till… a few minutes ago…"

"Do you need to lie down?" Song asked, standing up from his chair. "Let's go into the other room. Lloyd, can you help her onto the sofa?"

"Yeah! Of course!" Lloyd hurried to the other side of the table and scooped Colette up in his arms. He followed Song into the living room and set Colette down on the sofa. She was unconscious, but her breathing was calm and steady as though she was asleep. Lloyd brushed the hair away from her forehead and placed his hand against her cheek. "She's not feverish. I don't think she's sick."

Song nudged Lloyd out of the way, taking Colette's wrist in his hand to check her pulse. "Her breathing and heart rate are slow, almost like she's been sedated. Does she have any allergies? There's a chance it could be low blood pressure related to anaphylaxis. What did she eat for dinner?"

"N-nothing out of the ordinary," Lloyd answered. "We both had the beef stew, so it couldn't be that. She drank lemonade and had a bowl of bread pudding afterward, so maybe… b-but she's never been allergic to anything."

Song let go of her wrist and set her arm gently back onto the sofa. "I want to check her blood pressure, just to be sure. Can you go get the medical kit from my workshop? It's in the middle cabinet to the right of the wheel."

"There isn't one up here?"

"I left my main one in Triet."

"I see." Lloyd turned and headed back toward the staircase. "Cabinet beside the wheel, right?"

"Right."

Lloyd held onto the banister, taking the stairs two at a time. He remembered his earlier tumble down the basement stairs, but he didn't have the time to be cautious. Not when Colette might be in danger. He was too busy trying to figure out what she ate or drank that he hadn't. The lemonade, the pudding… no, he'd had a bite of the pudding. But who would poison her lemonade like that? And in a trusted restaurant, no less? It didn't make sense.

Lloyd stumbled a little as he approached the cabinet, but he chalked it up to the workshop being dark. The large red case was easy to find, even in the dim light, and Lloyd held it close to his chest as he stood up again.

Or, tried to stand up.

A sudden dizzy spell sent him stumbling into the wall. He propped himself up on the side of the cabinets, his mind spinning as he tried to reason through a haze of drowsiness. Desperate to get back up to the apartment, he stumbled over to the staircase and ascended one slow, laborious step at a time.

All the while, his mind raced. Was it something they'd both eaten, then? The stew? No, he'd watched the waitress scoop it from the pot himself. If it was poisoned, the whole pot had to be. Maybe the pudding? No, anything strong enough to affect him like this after only one bite would have knocked Colette out immediately. Then maybe it was the-

Lloyd stopped as he reached the main shop floor, a horrifying realization dawning on him.

Song never drank the tea.

It was probably the dizziness, but he could swear he heard Kratos' voice reminding him, "I don't know how stable Song is right now." Lloyd hadn't thought about it until that moment, but Song had spilled his own mug and never refilled it. It had seemed an impulsive act at the time, but if Song had put something suspicious in the tea, it would make sense. He was a doctor, he had knowledge and access to hypnotic drugs of all kinds. But why would he do that? What did he want?

By the time Lloyd pulled himself back up to the kitchen, the whole building felt like it was spinning. He could barely keep his eyes open and probably would have succumbed to his dizziness already were it not for the burning sense of betrayal in his chest. Why the hell would Song do this? Was he planning on poisoning Colette and Zelos the whole time? Was that why he sent the letter? But what good would that do him-?

"Lloyd!" Song gasped, running across the kitchen to catch Lloyd in his arms. "Are you okay?"

"Don't… play dumb…" Lloyd stammered as best he could, grabbing at Song's scarf. "...what did you… put in that tea…?"

Song's expression fell, and he closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lloyd. I just need a little more time."

"What… do you…?"

Lloyd tried to ask what Song meant, but he couldn't even get it out. He tightened his grip on the scarf, but it put him off-balance and he fell backward, hitting the back of his head against the chair. Song lunged to catch him but froze up as Lloyd pulled the scarf free. His good hand flew over his exposed neck, trying to hide his skin- or, what was supposed to be skin. But one hand couldn't hide the scale-like crystals that covered Song's neck and shoulders. Lloyd, crumpled on the floor with the scarf, managed a small gasp.

"...you're…?"

Song's voice was the last thing he heard before his consciousness finally faded.

"I'm sorry, Lloyd. I'm so sorry."