Tales of Symphonia Story, Tethe'alla Chronicles (3)

QUIZ START: After afew hour you make it to the city of Ozette. It looked like a small village, built in a tree. It was built on a very large tree, the houses supported on thick branches.
A quick jolt of pain shot through your head, but you ignore it. It wasnt that bad. After getting closer, you see the only way to Ozette is by climbing up a thick, moss covered branch that stretched from the ground up to where the village was built. Presea wasted no time in dashing up the branch to the village, not even waiting for you all,
"P-Presea-!" you call after her, "Ah...she's gone..."
"She was pretty keen on getting home." Zelos reminded you simply,
"Lloyd! We have to follow her!" Genis urged,
"Huh? Yeah..." Lloyd agreed. You all proceeded up the branch to the village, looking around but unable to see where Presea had gone to.

"Where do you think she went?" asked Sheena worriedly,
"Let's ask around." you suggest. A little pain continued to resonate in your head as you looked around the village, but it wasn't that bad.
"That's a good idea." Raine agreed. After asking a few people, you learn that Presea's house was at the bottom of that other branch that lead out of the village; actually, it lead in the direction of Altessa's. That was also the direction that she had headed,
"Then lets go!" Genis exclaimed.

After walking down the other branch, you see an old grey house that was...falling apart due to neglect. Presea was standing on the rotting porch, and speaking to that man you had seen in Meltokio; the one with purple hair.
"...Thank you." he said, then noticed you all, "Hmm? Are these 'guests' as well?" Presea turned to you all, and said,
"Porters..."
"Oh. I see..." he nodded,
"Presea! We have to make a Key Crest for you!" Genis insisted,
"My job awaits..." Presea responded emotionlessly "...goodbye..." then she turned and walked into the house.
"Only Presea can retrieve the sacred wood used in the ritual at the church." the man explained, "I'm quite pleased that she has finally returned. Hehehehe." after walking down from the porch he then proceeded back up into the village,
"That man...hes a half-elf." Raine commented,
"He is?" asked Lloyd, "Now that you mention it, didn't we see him in Meltokio, too?..."
"We did." you agree,
"He's creepy..." Colette voiced.
"I agree. But...uh...I gotta say that I feel sorry for the guy." Zelos commented,
"Sorry?" you question,
"I mean, he has to deal with the fact that there are magnificent specimens of males around, like me. Hehe." he chuckled,
"I'd say you two are on the same level." Genis told him,
"...I heard that, you little twerp!" Zelos warned, crossing his arms and glaring at Genis,
"At any rate." Regal voiced, "We should have a talk with Presea."
"Yeah." Lloyd agreed. You walk up the porch, listening to the wood creak and groan under you, and proceeded into the house.

Inside the house wasnt much better than the outside, and a foul stench instantly flooded your nose,
"Ew..." you cover your nose, coughing. It smelled like...old and rotting flesh, "Wh-where is that coming from...?" you cough,
"Good question..." Raine agreed, also offended by the smell. Presea was fixing some wood in the room you'd stepped in to, she then walked into another room. After following you into the room...
"That smell..." Lloyd groaned. Presea was running back and forth between a shelf and a bed in the room. It looked like there was someone sleeping in the bed. Raine walked over to the bedside and gasped, taking a step back in shock.
"...Oh my...how horrible." she whispered. There was a dead, decaying body in the bed. That's where the smell was coming from. You pull your hand from your nose, and put it over your mouth, both in shock from seeing that, and because this smell made you want to vomit
"What the...this is not cool." Zelos gasped,
"How could this happen?" asked Sheena. Raine looked at Presea, and slowly walked over to her,
"Most likely the effect of Exspheres' parasitism." the Professor said, "Presea has no idea what's become of the person in that bed."
"How could that..." asked Genis weakly,
"Presea." asked Regal softly "Are you not coming with us?"
"I must...do my job..." she argued.
"...Let's leave Presea here for now." Raine suggested,
"Here?!" you ask, shocked,
"If we try to move her she will just fight back." Raine explained, "Let's go see Altessa by ourselves. To ask him about repairing the Key Crest."
"...Yeah, alright." Lloyd agreed. You all leave the house reluctantly.

"Which way now?" asked Lloyd. There was another entrance to the village at the bottom of the clearing where Presea's house was. You stare that way for a moment as
"I think it's this way." you voice, motioning to the exit,
"Well, you haven't been wrong before." Sheena commented, "So, lets go check it out."
After exiting Ozette you all walk a short wase and find a house built directly into the cliff-side,
"Is this it?" asked Lloyd,
"I think so...come on." you agree, walking up the small path. You knock on the door to the house "Hello?"
"Please...come...in..." a voice called,
"Okay..." Lloyd opened the door, and you all step inside. The house was a bit small, but it was nicely built. A woman with long green hair, tied back in a braid walked out of a side room, she looked...so familiar. A large wave of pain shot through your head,
"Ah..." you put a hand on your forehead,
"You ok?" asked Sheena,
"Fine. I'm fine."
"WHO IS IT?" asked the woman. Her voice was emotionless, like Presea's,
"Ah, excuse us. I'm Lloyd" he introduced,
"MY NAME IS TABATHA. PLEASED TO MEET YOU."
"We've heard that there is a dwarf living here." Lloyd explained, "Is there any chance we could see him?"
"YOU DESIRE A MEETING WITH MASTER ALTESSA. PLEASE COME INSIDE." she instructed. Her voice sounded...different than you expected. Her body, face, and appearance were familiar, but her voice was different. She paused though, noticing you, "EXCUSE ME...MAY I ASK YOUR NAME?"
"Hm? Ah--I'm Aura." you introduce.
"I SEE. VERY WELL. THIS WAY." Then she walked over to a small alcove in the home; it had a workbench and many tools crammed there.

A dwarf was there. He had grey hair, and a long grey beard, tied into two pig-tails at the very bottom. Altessa.
"Who are you people?" he asked,
"My name is Lloyd." he introduced "Weve come in regards to Presea. We heard about you from Kate, in Sybak."
"...Leave!" he ordered. Not even giving Lloyd the chance to finish explaining. Then he turned back to his work
"What?" asked Lloyd, confused
"I don't want anything more to do with that girl!" Altessa said, then once again demanded, "Get out of here!"
"MASTER...SHE IS WITH THEM." Tabatha asked,
"She...?" he turned back, and jumped when his eyes landed on you, "Y-You!"
"Hm?" you ask almost nervously, "Do....Do I know you?"
"............" he stared at you for a long moment,
"MASTER?" Tabatha asked,
"You....don't remember?" Altessa asked,
"Don't remember what?" you ask,
".....Please. Just leave." he asked, turning back to his work.
"Ah...Alright." you murmur.