Ori and the decayed land

Chapter 27: Strange new feelings

Two weeks passed since Rel formed, he learnt to speak which made Orin and Lora happy that Rel was able to communicate to them through words. Solas and Rel created a strong bond of friendship as they would always play games with each other and with the Moki while the other four spirits would watch on. "It's only been two weeks and they have already made a great bond of friendship." Ori spoke as he continued to watch the two young spirits play with the Moki.

Orin nodded "Yeah. It reminds me of my and Lora's friendship before we got together." He said. "It reminds me of that, as well." Lora replied, still watching them play.

While Solas played, she couldn't help but feel a new and warm feeling every time she looked at Rel. She was confused by it "What's this feeling?" she mentally asked herself before she felt someone touch her arm "Tag, you're it!" a Moki said before running off. "Something to ask my parents later I suppose." Solas thought before focusing on the game of tag again.

Hours pass as it soon reached noon as the group of spirits decided to spend their time at Luma pools. While they headed to Luma pools though, Rel was feeling the same feeling that Solas was experiencing and was also confused by it. "What is with this feeling? And why does it grow when I look at her?" Rel mentally asked himself before deciding to tell his parents later.

They all arrived at Luma pools as they were surrounded by the multiple pools of clean water. Ori, Sein, Orin and Lora would see Solas and Rel jump into one of the pools of water. While Solas and Rel were swimming, Solas couldn't shake the feeling she felt "Why can't I shake the feeling? And what does it mean?" she mentally asked herself as she surfaced to a nearby pocket of air before Rel soon surfaced and saw Solas' distracted look. "You look distracted. You, ok?" Rel asked "Y-yeah. I'm fine." Solas answered stuttering the first word.

Rel knew something was distracting her, he even heard Solas stutter the first word, but he didn't pry. "Why did she stutter the first word?" he mentally asked himself. Solas and Rel then dove back under and continued to swim.

Night soon came as the sky began to darken "Night is approaching. We should head back." Solas said to Rel, who nodded. They soon made it back to their parents "There you two are. I was beginning to think that we would need to dive into the water ourselves and start looking for you two." Ori joked before the group of spirits began to head back to Wellspring glades.

They made it back to the Glades as the sky was now dark enough to see the stars. Solas was looking up at the stars as they all walked "The stars shine so bright, but not as bright as Rel." she thought before she imminently knew what she had thought as her cheeks went royal green slightly as a blush appeared. "What is going on with me?" Solas thought again.

Luckily for Solas, no one noticed her blush as they made it to her parents' hut. Both Solas and Rel bid their farewell to one another before they were separated for the day. Ori, Sein and Solas entered their hut and prepared to sleep as they went to their usual bed they shared and laid down on it.

They told each other 'Good night' with Solas receiving two good night kisses from both Ori and Sein before they all closed their eyes.

While Ori and Sein were sleeping peacefully, Solas couldn't sleep as she opened her eyes "This is a first." She thought as she carefully sat up. Solas carefully left the bed and went to the table and jumped onto a chair as the only thing on her mind was the new feeling that grew every time she was with Rel. "What is this feeling? And why does it grow whenever I'm with Rel?" she thought as she looked out the window next to the table.

Solas soon saw Rel as her parents' hut was next to Orin and Lora's hut. "Can't sleep either?" she thought before she saw him look around frantically "Am I hearing things?" Solas heard him say and became extremely confused herself. "Can I telepathically speak to other spirits?" she quietly asked herself. She had to test "Can you hear me, Rel?" she telepathically asked before he looked at Solas through the window "So I'm not hearing things." He replied. "No, you're not. It seems to be an ability of mine." Solas told Rel "Who did you get this ability from?" Rel asked "That's the thing. I don't know. Neither of my parents show this ability." She explained.

Solas soon heard the voice of her father "Solas? What are you doing up so late?" Ori asked before Solas turned to face him. "I couldn't sleep." She answered truthfully. Ori approached his daughter and sat on a chair that was next to her "If there's anything distracting you, you can tell us. Remember your mother and I care about you and we'll understand." Ori softly told Solas.

Solas looked out the window and saw that Rel ended up falling asleep before looking back to her father, Ori. "Well, I... I began to feel a new type of feeling earlier today, it feels warm, and it grows whenever I'm with or look at Rel. I don't know what it means." Solas explained to Ori, who listened to everything she said.

Ori was surprised at first before his surprise turned to happiness as he had a smile on his face "The feeling means that you have fallen in love, it's a part of life." He told Solas, who began to blush deeply at his explanation. "S-so I... l-love Rel?" she asked, stuttering her words "That's correct. I'm happy that you have someone you love." Ori said to her with a smile.

Solas was taken aback by this before she remembered about her new ability. "There is something else I need to tell you, dad." Solas told Ori "You can tell me anything, Solas." Ori replied. "Well before you began to speak to me, I noticed that Rel couldn't sleep either and I found out of a new ability that I have." She explained to Ori "What is this new ability?" Ori asked, "It's this ability where I can speak to spirits telepathically." Ori heard Solas say in his head "I can also hear what the other spirit says. And it confuses me." Solas told him, using her voice.

Ori began to think for a moment "You seem to have one of the abilities of your grandfather, the ability to speak to other spirits telepathically. Hmm... It could be possible that it came from me." Ori told Solas "Why you?" Solas asked. "Well, I have some of your grandfather's light within me, it's the reason I can do things that other spirits can't do." Ori told Solas.

Solas felt sleep catch up to her as her eyelids felt heavy and a yawn escaped her mouth "You seem tired, please sleep. I don't think Rel would want to see you tired tomorrow." Ori joked, which got Solas to blush again as she covered her face in embarrassment.

Once Solas had recovered from her embarrassment, she would head back to the bed and lay down on it as she closed her eyes anddrift off to sleep as Ori followed.