Ori and the light of Nibel

Chapter 21: Journeys end

Both Ori and Sein felt the fear in their bodies began to rise as Kuro looked at them. "We need to run!" Ori spoke as he grabbed Sein by the paw and bolted to a part of Mount Horu. Kuro landed where the two were standing and tried to to get them with her talon, but she missed. It caused a rock to fall into a magma pool. They double jumped up to a ledge by using the rock and kept running.

They came into an opening with giant rocks falling from the sky "We must be careful not to get hit by the rocks!" Ori warned Sein. They made it across with no problems and stomped an unstable piece of stone, breaking it. Kuro landed behind where the spirits would be which caused a piece of rock to block the path that the spirits just took and flew off.

After jumping up a little ledge, they came across a lava spout and three lanterns. They began bashing upwards while dodging the lava spout as they made it to safe ground. Kuro landed on a branch which caused it to fall, Kuro flew off once again. Ori and sein stomped the stone underneath them and began scaling down a wall that led to a breakable wall "This is going to hurt." Ori thought as they charge jumped through the breakable wall and pulled out the feathers to glide and not touch the fire below them. A Sentry stone shot its projectiles towards the spirits which they bashed towards a hollow tree. Kuro landed on a part of the tree, knowing she missed her chance again she flew off.

The spirits came to a part with multiple pieces of flaming wood and some water "To the water!" Ori said. They dodged the flaming wood and quickly made it to the water just before Kuro swooped at them.

Kuro quickly landed on a piece of wood to hopefully block the spirits path but to no avail.

The spirits came out of the Water from the other side to where a wind current was awaiting them "The wind current! We can use it to hopefully get out of here!" Sein quickly spoke. They began riding the winds upward until they saw Kuro flying towards them "Quick. Get to cover!" Ori said. They found a semi-hollow tree and used it for cover, they saw Kuro fly passed them. They soon climbed a part of the semi-hollow tree to a lantern. They bashed the lantern only to find there was nowhere to go "It can't be the end! I made a promise to myself that we'll both get out of here alive!" Ori spoke before noticing the rocks falling from the sky. "I got it! We can bash upwards using these rocks!" Ori said and started bashing with Sein following behind.

They reached safe ground and ran with the ground soon catching ablaze around them while a log fell behind them.

The spirits were soon launched off the edge by an explosion "Brings back memories, doesn't it?" Ori spoke before he gabbed Sein and held her above him just like in Moon grotto. "Please don't do this again." Sein said with worry evident in her voice "Hey, its ok. If I survived the stone of Moon grotto, I should be able to survive this. Plus, you're my number one priority right now." Ori replied with a calming and comforting tone while placing a paw on Sein's cheek.

Ori soon hit the ground sending pain throughout his body. Still, he gave Sein a smile "I can't believe you would go to such lengths to keep me safe from danger." Sein said while she got off him.

Ori slowly got up; his body soon glowing gold as the pain soon subsided. "I need to keep you safe. Not only because I love you but, you're also the light of the Spirit tree." Ori pointed out. "Yeah, that's true. Now come on we must get back to him!" Sein told Ori before they went to the edge of a piece of wood that they were on. "The Spirit tree... so close... He's our only hope left!" Sein stated. "Alright, let's glide." Ori said to Sein. She nodded, and they both began gliding but not before Kuro snatched both Spirits out of the air.

Kuro landed where the spirits were standing before they began to glide and crushed Ori with her talon. Ori released a loud cry of pain before going unconscious.

Kuro threw Ori onto the ground. "NO!!" Sein cried out as she began to weep uncontrollably.

Naru was wandering around the burning forest around her "ORI!!" she called with worry before hearing a voice in the distance "NARU!! OVER HERE!!" Naru followed the voice and soon found the unconscious Ori on the ground in front of Kuro with Sein trapped under her talon. Naru slowly approached the three of them "Oh... my... What happened to him?" Naru spoke with worry as she walked up to Ori "Why don't you ask Kuro over here." Sein managed to say through sobs.

Before Naru spoke, Ori suddenly opened his eyes as his body began glowing a bright golden light, causing everyone there to cover their eyes. "It was Kuro who harmed me, Mum." Ori told his adoptive mother. The golden light soon died down, allowing everyone to look once more.

Ori was now on his hooves again, but he now dawned the golden fur he saw in his vision. The Spirit tree's light was now fully fused with Ori's light.

Ori looked at Kuro with sympathy in his gaze "Kuro I know what you must be going through right now..." he started as he slowly approached the purple owl. "The pain of losing a loved one, I know what it feels like. I lost my mother for example." Ori spoke as he looked towards Naru "But there's still time to change. You still have one egg in your nest. I think that your last owlet would want you to change from this path of hatred, pain, and grief." Ori spoke out to Kuro hoping she would listen.

Kuro looked back to her nest to see the flames were approaching it. So, Kuro grabbed Sein and flew to the Spirit tree "Where are you taking me, Kuro?" Sein asked. Kuro gave no response as she flew to the tree.

The Spirit tree now had some flames on him as Kuro landed and put Sein back on the mantle of the tree. The mantle began to glow brightly before releasing a shockwave of light that was so powerful, that Kuro was evaporated by the intensity of it. It soon started to rain, putting out all the fire in the process. "It's over. The journey has come to an end." Ori spoke with both happiness and sadness.

Ori's eyes soon began to water as his tears, now gold in colour freely fell down his face. "Well done, Ori. With the help of Kuro. You and Sein were able to save Nibel." the Spirit tree spoke not in Ori's mind like he did over the journey but outside of his mind. "Thank you, father." Ori replied with a smile.

Naru soon picked up Ori and put him on her shoulders "We should head back now. Otherwise Gumo might get worried." she told her son.

Ori wanted to stay at the Spirit tree for a while so, he jumped off Naru's shoulders "Is it ok if I stay at the tree for a while?" he asked Naru. "Of course, stay as long as you need to. But please be back before dark." Naru answered him "Thank you. You know I'll be back before dark." Ori thanked her and hugged his mother. Ori returned to the Spirit tree and sat on a nearby log.

Soon, white leaves began to fall onto the ground, soon forming new spirits "So that's how we're born." Ori thought. While Ori was at the Spirit tree, Naru and Gumo looked onward at the tree before Naru left back to her cave as Gumo sat down. "I can't believe it's really over. I already miss her." Ori thought as his ears drooped. Ori then began to head back to Swallow's nest.

As he was heading back, something flew through the air and landed on his face "What the heck is this?" Ori said as he pulled whatever it was off. Once Ori got it off, he imminently noticed it was one of Kuro's feathers. "Sein must've let it go while she was brought back to the tree." he said to himself before putting the feather away with the other feather and kept walking.

Orisoon made it back to Swallow's nest, he walked to the cave that he called homebefore looking at the Spirit tree one more time before entering.