"Answers" mark 3.

[gornotck]

I think it comes across as the Mother Crystal and the Ascians speaking to the Warriors of Light. Both parties don't explicitly tell you anything. The Ascians don't lie, they just lead you to do things that directly lead to your destruction. The Mother Crystal encourages you to pay attention, but doesn't tell you what you're looking for.

Ultimately, I think it does come down to the Echo, what the Echo is, and how it relates to the Ascians and their version of the Echo.
Take the Sahagin Priest. He 'masters' the Echo, given to him by the Ascians, then he can't die and is 'eternal' until Leviathan consumes him, but he was still able to communicate even without a body.

Prologue
I close my eyes, tell us why must we suffer.
Release your hands, for your will drags us under.
My legs grow tired, tell us where must we wander.
How can we carry on if redemption's beyond us.
-- This comes across as someone with a long and fruitless mission. Someone who cannot die, but has difficulty continuing on.
Verse 1
To all of my children in whom Life flows abundant.
To all of my children in whom Death hath passed his judgement.
The soul yearns for honour, and the flesh the hereafter.
Look to those who walked before to lead those who walked after.
--The Mother Crystal addressing those who live and those who died. Specifically mentions the soul yearning for 'honor', while the flesh yearns for death. Sort of a 'spirit is willing, flesh is weak' thing. Encourages you to look to the past to guide the present (and future). Such as the Echo, which allows you to look into the past and to guide the future with that knowledge and the lack of communication barriers.
Shining is the Land's light of justice.
Ever flows the Land's well of purpose.
Walk free, walk free, walk free, believe...
The Land is alive, so believe...
--There is justice and purpose to what you do, so you're able to be free and the Land survives.
Chorus 1
Suffer [Feel] Promise [Think] Witness [Teach] Reason [Hear] Follow [Feel] Wander [Think] Stumble [Teach] Listen [Speak] Honour [Speak] Value [Tell] Whisper [Tell] Mention [Hope] Ponder [Hope] Warrant [Wish] Cherish [Wish] Welcome [Roam] Witness [Roam] Listen [Roam] Suffer [Roam] Sanction [Sleep] Weather [Sleep] Wander [Sleep] Answer
[Sleep on]

Verse 2
Now open your eyes while our plight is repeated.
Still deaf to our cries, lost in hope we lie defeated.
Our souls have been torn and our bodies forsaken.
Bearing sins of the past, for our future is taken.

War born of strife, these trials persuade us not.
Feel what? Learn what? --Mother Crystal emphasizing that you should be aware of what you feel for 'war born of strife' and what you learn from the 'trials' you experienced.
Words without sound, these lies betray our thoughts.
See what? Hear what? --And again about words and thoughts in your head.
Mired by a plague of doubt, the Land, she mourns.
Judgement binds all we hold to a memory of scorn.
Tell us why, given Life, we are meant to die, helpless in our cries?
--This is really the entire explanation of why the Ascians are trying to resurrect Zodiark. To "prevent" some catastrophe.
Chorus 2
Witness [Feel] Suffer [Think] Borrow [Teach] Reason [Hear] Follow [Feel] Stumble [Think] Wander [Teach] Listen [Blink] Whisper [Blink] Shoulder [Blink] Ponder [Blink] Weather [Hear] Answer [Look] Answer [Think] Answer Together

Epilogue
Thy Life is a riddle, to bear rapture and sorrow.
To listen, to suffer, to entrust unto tomorrow.
In one fleeting moment, from the Land doth life flow.
Yet in one fleeting moment, for anew it doth grow.
In that same fleeting moment,
Thou must live
Die
And know.
--The Mother Crystal explains that life and death are the same thing, endlessly repeated.