Ori and the Stranger

Chapter 15

     Ori placed the Water Vein into the small cavity in the wood. The Water Vein fit in perfectly and comfortably. As soon as it was placed within, the tendrils of water snaking around it suddenly dispersed into the grooves lining the wooden gate, causing them to glow the same milky blue of the Water Vein. There was a flash of light, and the wooden gateway split in half, opening up and revealing the inside of the Ginso Tree.

     "Beautiful, isn't it?" Sein sighed. "The gateway to the Ginso Tree was one of the most advanced things created by our kind."

     "It certainly put on a little show for us," Blitz commented, earning a little giggle from Ori. "Well, let's get moving."

     They all nodded in agreement and entered the Ginso Tree. The inside was essentially one massive cylinder, very tall and at least a hundred feet across. Lining the walls of the tree were several wooden protrusions, sturdy enough for Blitz to put all his weight on them. There were a few Decay creatures scuttling about, but they were easy enough to dispatch. Blitz climbed up the tree with considerable but not impossible difficulty, as they had taken a moment to rest before entering the Ginso Tree. Ori had far more luck than Blitz, using Fil's and Leru's abilities to quickly and nimbly make his way up the chamber they entered in.

     The Ginso Tree seemed to be divided into sections, as the ceiling of the chamber they were in was far too low for a tree as tall as this. As they leapt from protrusion to protrusion, they came across a ledge just below the ceiling. At the end of the ledge was what looked like some sort of tunnel. But, strangely, the tunnel was completely filled with an almost blinding blue light. The light gave Ori and Blitz a strange tingling feeling when they got close. "Um, what is this, Sein?" Ori asked, looking at Sein inquisitively.

     "I... do not know. I've never really been inside the Ginso Tree," Sein admitted, seeming just as confused as Ori and Blitz.

     Blitz stared into the light for a moment, thinking to himself. After a beat, he scoffed. "Here goes," he spoke, before leaping directly into the light. There was a strange whoosh-like sound, and Blitz disappeared into the light.

     Ori stared at the light, surprised by Blitz's sudden action. "Blitz?!" Ori called into the light-filled tunnel anxiously. "Are you all right?!" But there was no response.

     After a moment, however, Blitz reemerged from the light, seeming completely unscathed. "It's some kind of portal," Blitz answered before Ori could even ask. "Come on, it's completely harmless."

     Ori nodded hesitantly, but trusted that it was harmless. He didn't really know what a portal was, but was about to find out. Blitz took Ori's paw and walked back into the light, pulling Ori in with him. The tingling feeling overwhelmed Ori's body, and the whooshing sound filled his ears. Then, they emerged from the light, unscathed, into another chamber above the one they were just in.

     This one was even taller, with several more protrusions on the walls. Additionally, there were more portals that they utilized to cross gaps too wide to jump across normally, and to avoid clumps of Decayed briars. With slightly more difficulty, they reached the top of the chamber, and walked through yet another portal to another chamber. "At this rate, we'll reach the Element of Waters in no time!" Ori exclaimed enthusiastically.

     "That may be true, but the Ginso Tree is the tallest tree in Nibel," Sein informed Ori. "It will take us some time to reach the top, regardless of our pace."

     Ori's smile wavered slightly, but he remained ultimately enthusiastic.

     The new chamber was divided into several sections, separated by walls and interconnected by a series of portals. The rooms weren't exactly safe, as many had pits and clumps of briars throughout them, but they ultimately managed to get through, assisted by some blue launch plants that also resided within the rooms.