Tighnari is already standing outside Collei's hut by the time we arrive. "I was just about to summon the two of you," he says by way of greeting, demeanor as cool and collected as ever.
"We parted with Collei on a bad note yesterday," I say, "so we wanted to check if she's okay. What are you doing here?"
"Put simply," Tighnari replies, "I'm here for the same reason as you. She's not well."
"Is she sick?" I ask. Collei did seem tired yesterday, though not explicitly unwell.
"Did Paimon do something bad to her?" Paimon says guiltily.
Tighnari smiles and shakes his head. "Someone as tiny as you could never harm her," he says gently. "Collei has been dealing with a chronic illness since she was young," he explains. "The past few days have been a little too exciting for her, and she has neglected to take care of herself."
"Oh," Paimon says. "We didn't mean to harm her."
"Not at all," Tighnari says. "It must have been refreshing to meet someone she can call a friend. She works hard here, but she's spent so long away from Sumeru that she finds it hard to fit in with the rest of us."
I nod. As travelers, my brother and I had always stood out from the natives of each land – knowing at once far more and far less than every person we encountered.
"How did she become sick?" Paimon asks.
Ears twitching, Tighnari looks over at the hut and puts a finger to his lips. "Collei just fell asleep after taking her medicine and she needs to rest. Let's take this conversation elsewhere." Gesturing for us to follow, he heads down the grassy hill towards a patch of trees nearby.
"When we found you in the forest," Tighnari begins, "I didn't know you were the famed traveler of legend. In fact, I only learned this from Collei just now."
"That's in the past," I say. "It doesn't affect our relationship with you or Collei now."
"You are correct," Tighnari says, "so what I tell you today, I do so at Collei's request, not due to your particular identity. She says you treated her with sincerity, like a real friend, and she wishes to reciprocate the gesture."
"What does she wish for us to know?" I ask. "Is she going to be okay?"
Tighnari sighs. "Ever since Collei was a child, she has been afflicted by a condition known as Eleazar."
"Eleazar?" I say. I have never heard of this phenomenon.
"It is a disease unique to Sumeru," Tighnari explains. "Patients present with discolored, hardened scales over their skin. At the outset, only mild numbness is felt on affected areas. Over time, however, the disease progresses to chronic fatigue and peripheral paresthesia. Progressively, patients lose control over their own bodies, until they are rendered completely paralyzed."
How awful. Despite the warm weather, I find myself shivering. So the shattered medicine bowl and the fallen parcel of food, were they outward manifestations of Collei's condition?
As if reading my mind, Tighnari says, "this is why I do not want her to carry or hold anything, lest she hurts herself."
"Is there any cure?" I ask. With all of Sumeru's knowledge, there has to be something, right?
"With proper treatment early on, the symptoms can be managed. However, there is no complete cure for Eleazar," Tighnari explains. "Nevertheless, there are those out there who would profit off the desperate hopes of the poor and sick."
"What happened?" I say in alarm. This dark story seems to have become even grimmer.
"Collei's mother gave her child up to the Fatui, who lied to her about a cure," Tighnari says, regretfully.
"No!" I gasp in horror. Throughout the lands I've traversed, the Fatui are known for taking advantage of the disadvantaged. From scamming individuals to manipulating entire nations, the Fatui show no mercy in carrying out their orders.
"Eventually, a certain somebody rescued Collei from a Harbinger called Il Dottore, 'the Doctor,' and brought her under my care," Tighnari concludes. "Honestly, I don't know what they did, but Collei's condition was completely stable during her years with the Fatui."
"I didn't know they were capable of good," I say.
"No," Tighnari shakes his head. "Collei's experience with the Fatui was anything but pleasant. Collei is a resilient girl, and outwardly she always tries to be cheerful." This description matches the Collei that we initially met.
"However," Tighnari continues, "that period of time has left deep scars. To this day, she is deathly afraid of another human's touch."
My heart suddenly aches for Collei, and I feel terrible that we caused her old memories to resurface.
"Paimon had no idea," Paimon murmurs.
"Collei says she's sorry for scaring you yesterday, Paimon," Tighnari says. "She also says sorry for hiding her illness."
"She has nothing to be sorry for," I say. No one is at fault here, except the Fatui.
"Well I hope you have the opportunity to tell her in person," Tighnari says. "Once, Collei did not believe she could ever find a true friendship. I hope that you two won't break my trainee's trust."
"We'll take good care of her," I promise. "How is she doing now?"
"As long as she takes her medicine and gets sufficient rest, no further harm will come to her," Tighnari says with a sigh. "However, I must admit that Collei's condition was more stable when she first arrived here. She seemed genuinely excited about joining the Forest Watchers back then, so I felt compelled to let her learn and work alongside us."
"Collei is truly passionate about her work," I say, recalling the sparkle in her eyes when she told us about a ranger's duties yesterday.
"Yes, but her stamina has been steadily deteriorating lately," says Tighnari. "Though the body always requires moderate physical exercise, I'm afraid that long patrols are too much for her at the moment." Tighnari looks up at the sky to check the time. "All right. We've talked for long enough. I need to gather ingredients for Collei's medicine, so I'll be heading into the rainforest," he says, turning to leave.
"Wait!" I call out. "Let us help you. This is the least we can do for Collei, as friends."
Tighnari turns and seems to consider this for several moments. Then he nods and says, "fine, but the rainforest is a dangerous place, especially for someone who's still recuperating. You must follow closely and listen carefully."
"Of course," I say. "You are the expert."
With Tighnari leading the way, we hike northwest from Gandhara Ville along the banks of the river. Yesterday we briefly saw a bird's eye view of the river and its tributaries. While lush and green from above, these lands are even more wondrous at ground level. Walking through, I realize that these marshlands are full of exotic plants and creatures I have never seen before – from aquatic insects to lilac roses.
"We're looking for a plant known as nilotpala, or lunar lotus," Tighnari instructs. "Its blossoms can alleviate symptoms of Eleazar and help patients recover their energy."
"What does this plant look like?" I ask. There are so many new plants I have not yet assigned names to.
"When fully mature – and we only want to harvest mature plants – they look like giant blue flowers floating on the water," Tighnari says. "Quite attractive, but the large petals are actually the plant's leaves and sepals. Only the tiny, cream-colored blossom inside is of medicinal value."
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I nod. We saw some of those along the banks of the river on the way here, so we should be able to harvest plenty for Collei. However, Tighnari seems to have started upon a topic of intense personal interest, so he continues, "a lot of plants in Sumeru are actually contrary to expectation. For example, the kalpalata lotus is actually a vine, and the Sumeru rose is not a real species of rose."
Fun facts. "Do you want us to harvest some lotuses?" I ask, trying to bring us back to our task at hand.
"Yes. Follow me," Tighnari says. He rolls up his pants and treks into the muddy riverbank. I do the same, and Paimon flutters over up ahead. The rich mud is sticky, and soon the water comes up to our waist. Together, we head for a patch of lotuses, floating elegantly on their blue leaves.
"Nilotpala grow in fresh water, and they can be found throughout the forest. However, the water is relatively shallow here, and this location is easily accessible from Gandhara Ville," Tighnari says. He pulls out a pair of scissors and a glass jar. Carefully holding the stem of a flower, he snips the golden bud off cleanly and catches it in his jar. "Just like that," he says, handing me the scissors and jar. "We need about two dozen more. Think you can manage?"
Taking the tools from him, I nod in agreement.
"Remember, take only the blossoms," he reminds us. "I will be collecting some plants in the forest over there," he says, pointing.
"Okay!" Paimon says. "Have fun!" She floats happily over the flowers while I trudge through the river and start snipping. Lotus collection is not a hard task, but between the cold water and the sticky mud underneath, this job is surprising taxing. By the time I finish gathering two dozen flowers, Paimon is snoring on an empty lotus pad. I poke her in the arm, and she wakes up immediately.
"Are we done?" She asks in a happy tone. Seeing my jar of golden flowers, she cries, "we're done!" She flies back to the forest, leaving me to trudge back through the mud alone.
"Tighnari, we fetched your lotuses!" I hear Paimon saying in the forest.
"Well, where are they?" Tighnari says back.
Paimon turns and points at me, still shaking the water from my clothes. Tighnari laughs and walks over.
"Let me have a look," he says, extending his hand for the jar. I hand it over, and he raises it to the light for scrutiny. Lit by the sun, the translucent petals seem to glow. "Excellent work. Very clean cuts," he says. "You saved me a lot of work."
"I'm glad we could help," I say. I hand back the scissors, which he sticks into one of his many hidden pockets.
An incoherent shout comes from deeper within the forest, followed by some scuffling. We spin around towards the noise, and we see a forest ranger stamping through the undergrowth towards us.
"Amir!" Tighnari calls out. "What are you doing back so early?"
Huffing and puffing, Amir stops before us with a concerned look. "We just discovered a Withering zone," he gasps.
Tighnari frowns. "Again? But we cleared your patrol route only last week," he says, a weary tone in his voice. "Tell me the exact location."
"It's farther along the river, deep within the valley," Amir reports. "The Withering has appeared in a narrow pass, which is nearly all blocked by now."
"The radius of contamination?" Tighnari asks.
"Sorry," Amir says. "I didn't get a clear look. No one on our team had a Vision, and the Withering appeared to be spreading, so we couldn't risk going any closer."
"You made the right decision," Tighnari says. "I will deal with this immediately. Meanwhile, can you guide these two back to Gandhara Ville?" He gestures towards Paimon and me.
"No," I say. "Let me help." Paimon nods eagerly beside me.
Amir looks me up and down, then shakes his head. "You two are new to Sumeru, so you may still be unfamiliar with the things that occur in our land," he says kindly. "There is a malignant anomaly that affects only the tropical rainforest, known as the Withering. The affected areas are lethal to both plants and wildlife – and that includes humans too. Unless you carry a Vision, you should think twice before approaching such places."
"Yes, Amir is absolutely right," Tighnari says. "I was not joking when I told you that the rainforest is full of hazards. If you cannot manipulate the elements, you will not be able to resist the Withering's corrosive effects at all."
"Even trained rangers without a Vision must not enter such locations," Amir adds. "Instead, we elicit the help of those with the proper abilities, like Tighnari."
"Thank you for your concern," I say, "but I can control the elements. Tighnari is stretched thin as it is, so let me help you." Between caring for Collei, attending to us, and managing his usual duties, poor Tighnari has been quite busy of late.
Amir gives me a strange look. "You carry no Vision," he says simply.
I smile and hold out my hand towards him. Inspired by the nilotpala I gathered earlier, I call upon the Dendro around us and will a lotus to bloom before him. The lotus illuminates its immediate surroundings with a chartreuse glow, and Amir widens his eyes, speechless.
"So, it seems the rumors about you are true. You control the elements without a Vision," Tighnari says matter-of-factly. "Very well. You may accompany us."
Amir stares at us blankly but nods. He leads us back into the forest, and we follow single file, with Tighnari taking the rear. Though the path here has barely been cleared from the rest of the undergrowth, Amir slips through the forest as smooth as a snake. I try to emulate his movements, but by the time we arrive, there are more than a few tears in my already-wet clothing.
"Stop here," Tighnari commands. He points towards a clearing ahead. In contrast to the verdant rainforest, this area is the color of ash. Carcasses of trees sag lifelessly, leafless, as if the water was sucked out of them. Withered plants lie on the ground, and we see no sign of animal life. I hope they were able to escape.
"This is it," Tighnari says. "This is your last chance to turn back. Once you enter the Withering zone, it may become a matter of life and death."
"I can do this," I say. "Don't worry."
Tighnari nods. "Do you see that tree, the one oozing with blackness?" He points towards a tall tree, whose dark sap has dripped into the cracked earth below. "That is the tumor of the Withering." Then he gestures towards various roots and offshoots around that center tree. "These are its Withering branches. Eliminate them with elemental power, and we can clean the tumor."
"Understood," I say. "Anything else I should be aware of?"
"Don't push yourself. Even with elemental abilities, you may feel extreme discomfort within the Withering zone," Tighnari says. "If at any point you feel overwhelmed, retreat. Don't risk your life."
"I will be careful," I assure him. "I'm ready."
Tighnari nods. "Amir, stand guard with Paimon. We will handle this."
"Of course," Amir replies.
Retrieving his bow, Tighnari beckons me forward. I wave a little goodbye to Paimon, who sticks her tongue out at me. Turning towards the Withering, I steel myself and walk onwards. The moment we step past an invisible line, the air becomes quiet and dry. I feel as if the environment itself is tugging at my soul, trying to drag my life into the parched earth.
"The Withering branches," Tighnari whispers hoarsely, nocking an arrow. Gathering elemental energy, he aims at a distant root oozing with dark sap. I hear the snap of the bowstring, and a bolt of Dendro shoots forth. Upon impact, the Dendro arrow explodes into ribbons, each burning away a portion of the ooze.
I spot similar spots of darkness nearby. A few roots and some branches are contaminated with the same ailment. Concentrating my elemental powers, I head towards them, sending bursts of Dendro at all signs of Withering in my path. Every Dendro arrow and every explosion of green seem to push back against the heaviness weighing us down, until only the main tumor remains.
Tighnari nods at me to proceed. I walk in front of the infected tree until it towers over me. Ancient lines in the wood, once signs of a long life, are now traced with black. Gathering my energy once last time, I let Dendro flow from my fingertips into these crevices and deep into the tree. For a second, nothing happens. Then the tree explodes, its core glowing green with Dendro, burning away the darkness for once and for all. A perimeter of greenery expands radially from this core, revitalizing plants and flowers in its wake. Trees stand tall once more and regain their leaves.
"We did it!" Paimon shouts. "The forest is back to normal!"
"Yes," Tighnari says. "Thank you for your help today."
Something feels off about the way he's speaking though, as if he's been in this situation one too many times. "What's wrong?" I ask. "Is there anything else we must do?"
Tighnari shakes his head. "There's nothing else to do here. Still, Withering zones have been appearing more frequently recently. It won't be long before the next one develops."
An endless race against nature. "We can stay and help out," I offer. The forest watchers, while skilled, seem short on Vision holders.
"No, you have your own journey ahead," Tighnari declines politely. "Besides, if this simply meant more work for me, I don't mind," Tighnari says. "However, the Withering has been leaving lasting effects on the rainforest itself." He points towards the dried shells of unknown flowers, almost invisible among the patches of green. "Many plants in the rainforest are already in decline, directly impacting the wildlife that depends on them. This cycle presents a crisis for the ecosystem itself." Tighnari walks closer to me and speaks in a low voice, "what I find most disturbing, however, is that Collei's condition seems to be worsening."
"How are these events related?" I say.
"I'm not sure of the exact cause, but I've received reports from the Akademiya of similar cases," Tighnari replies. "Something is happening to our land, but I do not yet know what, precisely."
"Is there no way to eliminate the Withering for good?" I ask.
"None that we know of," Tighnari replies. "The Withering has been recorded in Sumeru history books for millennia, and it is said that the Withering originates from deep within the earth itself. Have you heard of Irminsul?"
I shake my head. "I have not."
"Irminsul is a tree that grows deep below the surface. I mean, it's not a 'tree' in the biological sense, but you can think of it as a tree that grows upside down," Tighnari explains. "Just as normal trees grow their roots downwards, Irminsul extends its roots upwards, in the form of Ley Lines, spreading from a massive cavern underground."
Roots sprawling from the center of the earth, where a tree grows inside a massive cavern. I was there that day, accidentally, while under the influence of Spirit Borneol. I am sure of it.
"Ley Lines continually absorb memories from our world and funnel them into Irminsul, which has been collecting knowledge and wisdom from the start of time," Tighnari continues. "The Dendro Archon is known as the God of Wisdom because her consciousness is directly linked to Irminsul, and her powers are said to be its manifestation in the world above."
So that voice I heard – forget me, forget me – I suppose it was a memory lost to time, carried by the Ley Lines to this tree of knowledge. "Then the Withering – Irminsul is diseased?" I find myself saying aloud.
"Yes, very good," Tighnari says. "My ancestors learned of this from Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's familiars long ago, but even they did not know of a cure."
So the forest watchers have been fighting the symptoms of this disease for generations, with no sight of a permanent solution and no explanation for its existence. Somehow, this strikes me as a noble, yet hopeless cause – a cause I feel myself being pulled into, one day at a time.