Ori and the light of Nibel

Chapter 24: Return to Lost grove

A new day began in Nibel, the morning light entered the cave through the various gaps in the ceiling. Ori slowly opened his eyes as he awoke "Morning already?" he asked himself with sleep in his voice. He soon got up and stretched the sleep out of his body before leaving the cave.

Ori took in the fresh air around him while he walked to a nearby lake and proceeded to drink some of the water "Much better." he said before going to one of the fruit trees. He soon climbed the chosen tree and got one fruit from one of its branches and began to eat it. "The taste never gets old." Ori said in delight. He soon climbed down the tree he was on to the ground and went back to the cave.

Ori entered to see that the others were now awake "Oh. Morning." Ori greeted. Naru, Gumo, and Sein turned to Ori "Good morning, Ori" Naru greeted back while Gumo and Sein waved at him. Naru began grabbing some fruit form a basket and gave some to everyone in the cave "Thank you, Naru." Sein thanked her with Ori and Gumo giving Naru a grateful smile in return of the fruit. While they were eating, Sein noticed how good the fruit was "Wow, these fruits are really good. Where did you get these?" she asked Naru "We got the fruit from the trees around home." Naru answered.

Unbeknownst to the three of them, Ori finished eating the fruits he was given and left the cave to clean his fur from the juices that stained it "Happens every time." he thought while releasing a sigh. Ori soon reached the lake under the bridge that he and Naru made all those years ago and proceeded to enter the water.

Back at the cave, Sein was the first one to notice Ori's disappearance "Where did Ori go?" she asked which caused both Naru and Gumo to look around. "He may have gone to the lake to clean his fur. The juice from the fruit would always stain it." Naru explained to Sein. Sein soon got up and went to the entrance of the cave "I'll go see if he's there. Thank you for telling me." she said before leaving the cave. Sein took in the fresh air around her as she looked for Ori. She soon came to the bridge with the lake underneath it and a certain spirit in the water cleaning his fur.

Sein had a playful smirk as an idea came to mind "I'll surprise him with a charge jump." She thought as she latched onto a nearby wall and prepared the charge jump. Once she was ready, she charge jumped towards Ori only to just miss him and land in the water. Ori jumped at the sudden splash of water "WHAT THE!!" he yelled out in surprise. "Crap, I just missed him." Sein thought as she rose half of her head out the water. Ori saw who caused the splash "I should've known." he spoke faking a disappointed tone before approaching Sein. "Well, I must admit that you've surprised me. But it ended with you taking a dive into the water." Ori said while trying to hold back his laughter. Sein slowly rose out of the water "If only I was just a bit more accurate with how I aimed the charge jump." she said while turning towards Ori, which was now soaking from the splash. "Well, better luck next time. My fur should now be clean thanks to the stunt that you pulled." Ori said before he and Sein got out of the water "I will get you next time. Just you wait." she told Ori.

They both went back to the cave after using their spirit light to dry off. They were greeted by Naru "Welcome back you two. We heard Ori yell, what happened?" she asked the spirits "Well, as I was washing my fur, Sein tried to surprise me by trying to submerge me under the water, but she missed and caused a big splash of water. It still surprised me though." Ori explained before laughing a little. "But I will get him next time. I guarantee it." Sein playfully spoke.

After a while, Ori told Naru that he wanted to take Sein to the Lost grove "Why do you want to take me there?" Sein asked confused. "Because you need to see the scenery for yourself." Ori answered. Naru agreed and she wanted to come along as well to which Ori nodded in agreement. "Well, you're free to come along." Ori said as he looked towards Naru. The three of them left to head to Lost grove while Gumo stayed behind to watch over the egg.

They entered the Sunken glades and went to the entrance to Black root burrows above the spirit well. "How will we get up there?" Naru asked "Well, me and Sein can climb up the wall. But we'll help you up first. Right, Sein." Ori told Naru while looking at Sein, who gave a nod. Ori thought before an idea "I've always wanted to test my full strength of my spirit flame." Ori spoke while the three of them headed to the wall that led to the entrance of Black root burrows. Naru looked at Ori confused "What do you mean by full strength, Ori?" she asked "Well, early on in our journey to restore Nibel, Ori was able to effortlessly move a boulder that was several times his size." Sein explained leaving Naru surprised.

"You two might want to stand back." Ori advised them. They stood back before Ori channelled his spirit flame ability, making it more powerful as he used it to form little gaps in the stone for Naru to use. "Well, that could work." Naru spoke, quite surprised that Ori can shoot golden flames "Well, one way to find out." Ori said before heading up the wall. Naru was able to climb up the wall thanks to Ori's idea "It seemed like it worked." she said as Sein climbed up soon after.

The trio entered Black root burrows soon coming to the pit of thorns that Ori came across from his first trek through "How are we going to get over this?" Sein asked. Ori saw a bridge that was made of solid cyan light that wasn't there when he went through "With that." Ori spoke before walking over to the bridge leaving Naru and Sein to look at the bridge. "How long has that been there?" Sein asked Ori as both her and Naru headed over to him "Well, it wasn't here when I went through." Ori answered before crossing the bridge of light with Sein and Naru following behind.

They soon made it to the area with the shrine that housed Ori's self-made light vessel and Eki's ancestral tree "Did you make the Light vessel that's in the shrine?" Sein asked Ori "Yeah, I did. It wasn't difficult to create." Ori answered before seeing Naru at the ancestral tree. "I see that a spirit had perished here..." Naru spoke with sadness evident in her tone "Yeah. This was Eki, he granted me a dash ability which I kind of already have with my speed ability." Ori spoke with the same sadness. Naru was shocked to hear it was one of her old friends "Eki was one of my friends back when I was younger. My father didn't like that I was friends with a spirit or two for that matter." she explained to both Sein and Ori. "The other one was Sol correct?" Sein asked with Naru nodding. Ori felt sadder for his mother now so, he went up and hugged Naru "I'm so sorry for the loss of your friends..." he said while his ears drooped "It is alright, Ori. Friendships often dissolve as years pass." Naru told Ori.

They soon went down the hole that led to the entrance of Lost grove. Ori saw the two Consumed Crawlers that he avoided with his speed "Well, can't pass them this time." Ori spoke and shot the Consumed Crawlers with his flames causing them to explode. "Well, at least we can continue." Sein spoke and they proceeded to the entrance to Lost grove.

The trio arrived at the entrance "Well, here's the entrance of the grove." Ori spoke before heading down. "Was he always jumping into danger during your journey?" Naru asked Sein "Way too much." Sein replied before both her and Naru began to head down.

They soon caught up with Ori, which was in the area with the laser "There you are, Ori. Can you please not jump into danger like that? You could get hurt." Naru spoke with worry. "I know. I'm sorry for worrying you, Mum." Ori said before the three continued to Lost grove. Multiple minutes have passed as they reached the opening with the clear water, the bright blue sky and the cave that Naru once called home. "Wow... I see why you wanted to bring me here, Ori. This really is beautiful to look at." Sein spoke while taking in the beauty around her. "Yeah, it is." Ori said while approaching Sein while Naru entered her former home.

Naru looked around as the memories of her past came back to her. She remembered painting with her father, making a statue of him, and helping him cook. All the memories made her smile, but one made her wallow in grief, it was the memory of his passing. Naru saw his body still laying against the stone but, his body was now stone itself "I really miss you, father." Naru quietly said before heading back to the entrance of the cave.