AN: The chapter's cover picture is the concept art from the game.
Aaron stirred awoke, he felt something squirming on his chest. He looked down to see Ori squirming a bit.
'Oh no, Ori must be having a nightmare' he figures.
Uncertain to what to do, he decides to pet Ori on her head to provide comfort somehow, but as soon as he did, a gentle glow emits on her head as it then travels up his hand, the glow then slowly travels up his arm. He can even see the glowing light in his veins as it travels up his shoulder.
'I'm not liking this, what is it doing?'
The light finally reaches his head as Pain erupts from his mind as he quickly passes out...
He then woke up...or at least...he THINK he did...as you got up to find himself in the forest somewhere in Nibel, and Ori is nowhere to be found. A loud boom emits through the forest as lightning strikes from the sky as rain pours down to the forest.
Aaron then realizes that the forest looks healthy and alive, just like from the vision he saw from Sein!
'Am I in another vision perhaps?' he thought, as he looks at himself to find his body all ghost-like again.
'Yeah...definitely a vision...but what for?' he wondered.
His vision then gets blurs as it then focuses on the spirit tree. He notices that the spirit tree has some glowing white leaves growing on its branches, the same kind of glow he would see from Ori. One leaf, however, is shaking from the strong winds of the storm as it falls off the branch, carried away into the forests of Nibel.
His vision blurs as he is taken to a different scenario, a furry purple humanoid creature with a white circular face, sitting by the edge of the cliff. On closer examination, Aaron deduced that this creature is female,
'She could lose some weight though...' he thought. 'Or is that natural for her kind?'
She seemed to be looking down into the forest from the cliff, seemly down and as in deep thought. The glowing leaf from before then flew over her head as she watches in surprise as the winds carried it past her. Interested, the humanoid creature got up and went after the glowing leaf. The creature was about to bump into Aaron, but she instead simply went through him as though he weren't there.
'Oh yeah...this is a vision or dream of a sort, none of this is really happening right now' he remembers.
He then followed along with this huge purple creature as she trends through the forest with her attention focused on the leaf. The leaf then floats gently on the root of a tree, but as the creature approaches it, a flash occurred, and the leaf takes shape. As the flash dies down a very familiar figure rests where the leaf was.
'No way...is that...?'
And indeed, it is, the lone figure is Ori herself, the glowing leaf from the spirit tree was her all along. The purple creature slowly approaches Ori as she gently picks her up in amazement. The creature smiles in glee as she hugged Ori close to her, as a mother would to her child.
The creature then carries Ori deeper into the forest heading towards her home. The world changes before Aaron as he sees the creature... building a nest made of dried grass as she lays Ori onto it. The cave seems to contain a few wooden baskets, a small garden to grow food with a hole in the ceiling to provide sunlight, and a few lanterns made of vines with a magical-like flame, emitting from them.
Time passes till morning as the creature watches Ori from her nest as she notices Ori stir, waking up. She huddles towards her as Ori's eyes open up to see her. Ori looked at her in wonder and spoke.
"Mommy?"
The creature slimes gently in response and said "Yes... I am Naru...and I am your mommy."
The creature, now known as Naru, picks up Ori and hugs her close as Ori squeals in delight and hugs her new mother.
Time then speeds by as Aaron watches through the hole in the ceiling as time goes by, as days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Time then comes to a stop as he gazes around the cave again, the cave has a few more baskets bearing fruits unfamiliar to him. He also noticed some drawings bearing on a large rock near Ori's nest, stickmen like drawings of Ori and her mom Naru.
Aaron then sees Ori sleeping on her nest again as she slowly stirs awake. Her ears perk up as her eyes open. She then jumps with a happy smile as she stretches her limbs. She hops out of her nest as she jogs towards the exit of the cave. He follows Ori, to be welcomed to the most beautiful forest he has ever seen.
It's a beautiful day outside... The grass is green, the sky is clear, the trees are healthy, the flowers are blooming, the sun is shining... a perfect day for Ori.
------------------------------------------------Change of perspective: Ori------------------------------------------------
You jog down the small hill until you see Naru turning around with a smile as she calls you over.
"Good Morning Ori! Come along! Let's get some breakfast!"
You ran, diving into Naru's arms as she catches and tosses you into the air as you land on her back. She then shook a tree as a single small fruit fell into her hand as she casually tossed it into the air and you catch it with your mouth, eating it. She then marks a tree with a large 'X' before walking past the tree. It's fun seeing the world while riding on mom's shoulder! She then walks to the forest searching for food. She then stops by the river as she goes on a lookout until she calls your attention and points you towards trees and bushes with a huge harvest of fruits and berries!
"Ori look! There is plenty of food on the other side of the river!"
"Wow, they look delicious! But how can we get there mom?"
"Simple my child, we just need to build a bridge..."
{Time went by as Aaron watches Naru Holding onto a log while Ori stands on the other as she tosses a long vine to Ori as they tie the logs up together as support for the bridge. Hours go by, as he watches Naru and Ori working together to construct a bridge over the river. They occasionally take a quick rest with a few sips of water from the clean river, adding log by log to walk on, Naru praising Ori for her good work. More time goes by until nighttime as they eventually reached the other side of the river where all the food is. As they reap on the fruits of their labour (no pun intended) Ori decided to gather an armful of berries (which they all look like Oranges to Aaron) as she crosses the bridge.}
You decided that it is getting late and it would be a good idea to bring some of the food to fill the baskets for tomorrow. You gathered as much as your arms could as your jog away back home. As you are getting home you can see slithers of Blueish white light flowing around the trees and through the lake and into the night sky.
As you reach home, a flash from the distance occurred. You are taken back from the sight as you drop all the food you were carrying, your gaze locks upon the tree itself as Blueish energy slithers through the forest, as they seem to be calling out to you...
"Ori!"
Naru shouted as she quickly scoops you into her arms seeing the spirit tree's light as she ran into her home, shielding you from the tree all the way. In the cave Naru is hugging you close to her, crying.
"No...I can't lose you Ori...I can't...you are all I have left... you're my only child...my only daughter..."
You however barely registered Naru's words as you gaze at the exit of the cave, the light from the spirit tree still present.
{'So that explains why Ori wasn't at the ceremony...Naru is Ori's adoptive mother...'
It was a reasonable explanation of course. All mothers who care for their children would never let harm come to them or have them taken away. Although... that brings one question...
'Why isn't Ori with her mother then?'
Aaron did found Ori all alone with Naru nowhere in sight, now that you think about it. Ori NEVER talked about her mom at all. Days then pass by as you see the Naru's plants wither and die, as baskets of food grew emptier and emptier. Until one day... Naru woke up...looking weary and exhausted despite having sleep. }
She gazes at the baskets...all empty with no food in sight except for a single fruit that lays on the ground. She gazes at the fruit and shook her head. She needs to find more food and fast. Venturing outside, she desperately looks around, all the trees are now withered as she looks around for any potential food.
Crossing the bridge, Naru found a lone branch that bears a small batch of fruit. She attempted to climb...only for the branch she's on snaps as she fell to the ground. Defeated, she returns home...gazing at the last fruit they have.
She looks at Ori and the fruit and sets it by Ori in her nest. She would rather starve than let her child go hungry. Ori immediately wakes up, seeing Naru setting the fruit at her nest. With an innocent smile, she picked it up and tries to offer it to Naru.
"Mom, are you sure you don't want it?"
"No no Ori, it's alright! It's for you! I just need to lie down some more..."
{Naru then gently collapses by the stone of Ori's drawings. Ori however, was concerned for her mother's wellbeing and ponders for a moment and looks outside. If she can find more food... she can bring it home and Naru won't go hungry!
Aaron then sees Ori standing by the same tree Naru was at as she climbs inside it. She climbs into the hole at the bottom as she climbs out to the branch with the fruits Ori is looking for. She then shook all the fruits down to the ground as she gathers them up and walks excitedly back home.
He follows along with Ori as he sees glimpses of her past with Naru, telling of their history and their relationship. One is her and Naru building the bridge, one was Naru and Ori swimming in the lake, one was Naru giving Ori a piggyback ride while the other was Naru pushing Ori on the swing as laughs and giggles can be heard. The last one was Ori and Naru napping together with berry juice on their lips.
She then finally reaches the entrance of the cave, a grim feeling fills the atmosphere...he has a bad feeling about this...}
You approach Naru, laying the food you gathered in front of her. You pick up one of the fruits and hold it out to her.
"Mom look! I managed to get some food for us, so we don't have to go hungry!"
...
Mom...wake up! I do have food for us!" you said, slowly approaching her.
...
"Mom...? Look... I have food for us see?" Ori said, as she puts lays a hand on Naru's stomach and handing her the fruit.
...
"Mom...?"
Ori dropped the fruit and shook Naru.
"Mom??"
...
But Naru never responded. You stepped back in worry and fear. No...mom isn't dead... is she...?
"MOMMY! Wake up, please! You're scaring me! Say something...ANYTHING!" you yelled as you shook Naru frantically, with one jump onto Naru as she collapses to the ground still unresponsive...
"No...mom...no..." you said as tears start falling out of your eyes.
Ori, heartbroken with the loss of her mother, cried into her chest, as she fell asleep, praying that all of this is just a nightmare... A day went past as Ori refused to leave the cave...terrified of living in a world without her mother's love and care. Then another day went by...then the next...
Three days, after Naru's passing, there is no more food left that Ori found and her home feels nothing but empty and devoid of life. She can't live here anymore...she needs to find somewhere to go...
The scene changes, as Aaron's vision blurs again. His heart aches from what he saw...Ori's mom Naru... the one whom she raised since her birth, passed away without anyone else to take care of Ori. He then sees Ori climbing down the same cliff where Naru found her, heartbroken as she climbs down.
...It's a terrible night in the forest... The grass is brown, the sky is foggy, the trees are ill, the flowers are withered... a depressing night for Ori...
He sees Ori's journey for what feels like hours through the dark woods, her strength fading as time goes by. She called for help...but nobody came...
Collapsing on a log, tears filled up as you cried for help one more time...only to hear a response. Hope fills you as you struggle to get up as you call one more time, calling your saviour.
Bushes ahead of you rustle as your ears perks up, salvation is just in reach...only to have your hopes shatter as an intimidating figure with strange hides that you have never seen before as the hood covers its face.
"Ahh!"
Filled with fear you start to quickly crawl backward, only for the figure to make strange noises, as it approaches you.
"NO! Go away!"
You shout falling off the log, before crawling under and curl up into a ball and start crying. You can hear the figure's footsteps grow louder. You dread to think what it will do. You cried for your home...your mom...you plead for the nightmare to end...
You felt the figure sets beside you...this is it...you are going to die, and there is nothing you can do about it. The figure's hand lifts as you prepare for the impending strike...only to feel a gentle sensation brushing through your back...
Wait, what is the figure doing...? Is it not going to hurt you? You felt the figure pick you up and set you on its legs, petting your head, it feels...nice...it reminds you of mom, the same loving embrace she gives whenever she shows her affection to you. You look up to see... him. From the close-up view, you can see his face past the hoodie, the figure is not scary as you thought it would be.
"Thank you... *Cough*"
You coughed, your strength fading still. You felt the creature carry you in its arms as it rushes into a clearing. You felt the figure examine her, as to check to see your condition. It then set you down as it then searches in its bag, what was it looking for?
The being then pulled out an unusual transparent container full of green...berries? It looks like one. The being then offers the berry to you and you sniff it before eating it. It's...not too bad...not as great as those fruits you were used to, but they were decent enough. The berries taste strange though, something unusual about them.
You struggled to eat some of these berries, but the being did help you, by moving your jaws gently. After the being feeds you all the berries it still frowns...it's not enough.
It then starts running around, looking for something... it was gaining distance from you and you start to panic and called the strange figure.
"Come back! Don't leave me here!" you beg.
You don't want to be alone...you don't want to alone after losing your mom...you want a friend...you need him. The being came back, with a defeated look on his face. The being speaks... but you couldn't understand anything he said, but the look on his face says it all...there's nothing else he could do.
You felt your strength fading, you reach out to the being as he grabs your hand, comforting you all the way. You then rest your head on the being's leg, as you slowly close your eyes. It is just like sleeping with mom...
You gave one last look with a weak smile, happy to not die alone, you draw your final breath... as the world was filled with nothing but darkness...
...
...
...
Then a small light appeared in the void... as it approaches you. You look up to it as you heard it speaks to you...
"Your time has not come yet, my child...I shall grant you my strength...go back and seek out Sein...my eyes and wisdom...let her be your guide..."
Light fills the void as everything took shape, as you gasp the fresh air. You are back! That tree saved you! But is that being still here? You turned around to him, dumbfounded to see you alive and well. You squealed in excitement, he is still here!
You don't have to journey this forest alone! You then ran and tackle him to the ground as he falls on his back. The being gazes at the tree, filled with astonishment and wonder...
-----------------------------------------------Change of perspective: Aaron-----------------------------------------------
Aaron woke up...he is back in the real world with Ori. He looks up to the sky to see that it is still night-time, and Ori is still sound asleep. When he checked Ori, you can see tearstains on her fur, evidence that she was sharing her dream-like memories with you. This explains everything...no wonder she didn't tell you about this...he came to her a few days later after her adoptive mother's death.
He laid back down, with a whole new perspective of Ori. She is an orphan...just like him. With her mother who recently passed away, it is up to him now to look after Ori. A sense of duty fills him as he pets Ori's head gently, as she smiles in her sleep and snuggles up closer to him.
"I will be your guardian Ori" he said before he falls back asleep.