Ori & Aris the Journey Through Nibel (proofreading and improving chapters)

Prologue

This story starts where all stories should... at the beginning. From birth and joy, to death and anguish, from the recovered hope, to the untold tales.

This story takes place in the peaceful forest of Nibel, which at first glance seems to be kept well in the harmonious branches of the Spirit Tree, is suddenly shattered by a breathtaking roar of thunder. A giant cloud of ash spews from the distance as fire begins to ignite the forest.

Just across from the spirit tree deep inside the raging fires of mount Horu, the inner walls could no longer muster the full force of the fire and magma. It was about to explode. At the center of the once lush green mountain climbing from beneath, our hero Ori emerged through the clouds of ash. He stood adjacent to the calamity.

Around him the ground was fracturing apart, followed by debris plummeting from above.
Though within all of this destruction, was the core. It was a gateway to hell itself.

Ori stood there in bravery, amidst the burning heat. After several seconds, a small light flew out from behind him. A strange drifting light.
It came to a halt between Ori and the core, before flickering in speech.

"We've come all this way; restoring the elements to their former glory. With my power we shall restore Mount Horu and bring peace to the forest once more! Ori! Are your ready to do this?" Sein spoke out.

Ori glanced over through the fiery haze, the miasma of smoke blocked most of his sight. Visibility was non-existent.
Ori simply nodded in response as his voice alone wouldn't be heard in this fiery blaze.

With the power Sein had left, she mustered all her strength directly onto the blazing core.
Light engulfed it completely, suppressing the escaping heat.

This process took only mere seconds. Before, everything came to a halt.
The fire, destruction, chaos and horror the core was emitting just moments ago. All disappeared, as if it was never there.

The ash began to fade away, the magma around Ori was settling, the blistering heat cooling. It was all over.
"It worked! It actually worked!" Sein expressed in glee.

The tension within Ori was finally released. He was beyond relieved. Though this moment of reassurance was short lived.

A sudden shriek echoed in the air, snapping Ori straight out of his relaxation.
A shadow from afar could be seen, approaching them at great speed.

It was Kuro.

She swooped down from above onto the once erupting heart of the mountain.
Her luminous eyes locked onto Ori. Kuro's hatred and bloodlust could be felt from where Ori stood.
The relief Ori had just moments ago drastically altered to a feeling of intense fear.

Ori's heart raced, he once again encountered his greatest foe. A foe he could not stand a single chance against. His breathing became ecstatic as sweat trickled down his body.

Hyperventilating, Ori soon lost focus on his surroundings. Only leaving his mind to focus onto Kuro, and Kuro alone.
"Ori!... Ori!" Sein's voice called to him.

Ori couldn't give the slightest sign of acknowledgement to Sein's call. He was just too terrified to move.
Out of spite, Kuro shifted on the spot. Slightly spreading her wings, which provoked Ori.
The next thing he knew, Ori was sprinting away as fast as he could.

This was exactly what Kuro wanted: for him to act first. Kuro spread her wings completely this time, followed by her bolting in to attack.
Ori dove forward into an open cave, towards safety.

Ori just narrowly dodged Kuro's claws of malice. Her attack slashing the opening of the cave apart, causing the rocks above to fall. Forcing Ori to flee even further.