"I'll continue to reach out to you

You know I can't abandon you

Fueled by my DETERMINATION

I want to find a way to SAVE you!"

-Frisk Dreemurr

(From "Undertale- Hopes and Dreams" by Cami-Cat)

". . .but I WOULD save them."

Chapter 1: "Will you help me?"

For countless generations, the Spirit Willow stood tall and proud, the Light of Seir protecting the land of Niwen from the Decay. But nothing, not even Spirit Trees, last forever. For a time, the Willow had even lost its light and was itself overcome by the Decay. So, after Ori, a Spirit from Nibel, had restored the Light of Seir, the Willow had resigned itself to its fate and passed on its Light to Ori, as well as the honor of becoming the new Spirit Tree of Niwen.

Ori knew that doing this would mean leaving his old life behind, but he also knew that this was the only way to save his dear sister, Ku the Dark Owl, from certain death.

So, he made the choice.

And now, three years later, a relatively young Spirit Tree, a lively perennial, now grew not too far away from where the Willow once stood. The new Spirit Tree was a long time away from giving birth to new Spirits, but all the same, it had indeed grown quite fast. Although, this was most likely due to the love and care it had been given by not just the Moki of Niwen, but also by Ori's own adoptive family.

Ku flew ahead, leading her adoptive parents towards the Spirit Tree. Gumo and Naru took a more leisurely pace, enjoying the sights and each other's company. This weekly (or sometimes more often than that) pilgrimage from their idyllic home in Wellspring Glades to the Spirit Tree and back was always an enjoyable time for the little family. After all, they loved both the Spirit Tree and who it once was so very much. Back when the tree was a mere sapling, freshly sprouted, the family had actually made camp close to it, just to ensure that it would grow up healthy and strong.

Sure enough, the Spirit Tree, glowing with Seir's golden Light, had grown into a healthy, sturdy trunked young tree; which made the family feel comfortable enough to settle down in Wellspring Glades. After all, with the Tree's Light keeping order and balance, the land was nowhere near as dangerous as it once was. That's not to say, however, that it was perfectly safe. The Spirit Tree was still young, so it's Light had yet to purge all of the Decay from the forest. Corrupted monsters still could be found lurking in the shadows throughout the land, and the Silent Woods had yet to change at all. However, the road from Wellspring Glades to the Spirit Tree happened to be the safest road in all of Niwen, luckily.

At any rate, the unusual family were back again at the base of the Spirit Tree. When not tending to its roots, the family would do a number of things beneath its branches. They would reminisce about the past, simply nap beneath its shade, share secrets and special feelings, and often talk to the Tree itself. Now, the Spirit Tree did not speak back to them, but it did respond in it's own way. It was like a feeling, a sense of awareness, and intense fondness in which the three of them somehow knew exactly how the Tree felt about what they said to it. However, the fact remained that the Spirit Tree had no voice to speak with. . . . until. . .

Naru smiled warmly as she sat next to the tree, staring up at its impressive height. It still wasn't even close to the old Willow, or the Spirit Tree of Nibel. However, it still was the tallest tree in all of Niwen. As for the Tree's trunk, its diameter could easily fit four of her kind within. Naru then raised her hand and gently rested it against the bark of the Tree.

"Mother. . ."

Naru's eys grew wide with shock as the voice echoed clearly in her ears. Still with her palm against the bark, Naru looked straight up at shining branches.

". . .Father. . ."

Gumo gaped up at the Spirit Tree, falling down flat on his rear in response to the voice.

". . . Sister. . ."

Ku nearly fell out of the sky as she flapped her wings in a flustered manner. She quickly glided down next to her family, landing safely as she gave the Spirit Tree her undivided attention.

The voice was a far cry from that of the little spirit, but still nowhere near that of the voice the old Spirit Willow had spoken to him with. The voice still maintained a sense of youth and innocence, yet brimmed with vast intelligence seasoned with bits of limited wisdom.

". . . To know that you are alive, and safe, and happy, and thriving. . . It makes leaving my old life behind wholly worth it. . ."

Ku subconsciously glanced toward her perfectly functional wing, then looked back up at the Tree with love and gratitude in her eyes.

". . .Even more, you now live in a home surrounded by friends. . .where you will never have to fear being alone. . ."

Gumo nodded, a smile finally replaced his gaping gaze.

". . .The Light has returned to the land of Niwen. . . Peace and prosperity will rule across the land. . . and the Light and the Dark, the Summer and the Winter, the Spring and the Autumn, will be in perfect balance once again. . . Finally, we are all safe, with no more threats of starvation and doom to fear. . ."

Naru nodded, smiling as she leaned forward to peacefully rest her forehead against the Spirit Tree.

". . . And yet. . .there is one thing. . ."

The little family all looked up at the Tree, their curiosity aroused by this cryptic statement.

". . .One last regret. . . One last wound that weighs heavily within my very being. . .the petrified Moki of the Silent Woods. . ."

In spite of the bright, clear, cloudless, sunny day; it suddenly felt a bit chilly around the Spirit Tree.

". . .I have yet to mature enough to send my light into those Woods. . .But I can feel them. . . the Moki trapped within the stone. . . Held captivated on the event horizon between life and death. . . Yes, they are still alive. . .Their minds are suspended in a constant state of regret and despair. . .an endless, shadowy dreamless sleep where memories and thoughts are a distant memory, only faintly echoing with their minds. . .and one such mind. . .is clearer to me than the others. . ."

There was a long pause, and when the voice continued, it actually seemed to slightly crack.

"He just wanted to protect his wife. . . He just wanted to protect his child. . .I could not lie to him. . . I assumed he would be able to go on after his loss as I had in Nibel. . . But all I did was make the same mistake as my predecessor. . . Harming an innocent life with my good intentions. . ."

The meaning behind the words was clear to the three listeners. The parents had already told the young Dark Owl the truth of her origins, which she had accepted and made peace with; and Motay the chameleon spared no details on Ori's adventures in Niwen, including the tragic 'Family Reunion'. The three had all already lost somebody important to them long before they had even met the Spirit, so it was only natural that they sympathize with the Moki father, and shed tears over his own fate.

". . .but I WOULD save them. . ."

This statement caught the three by surprise.

"Even if my Light were to reach the Silent Woods. . .Light alone is not enough to free those turned to stone by the Decay. . .But as the Spirit Tree of Niwen, I can sense all life across the land. . .As well as see the connections between such things. . . And thus. . .the pieces that, when brought together, will be the cure. . ."

The voice then got slightly lower, softer, more sincere and humble.

"Throughout my short existence. . .when my name was Ori. . .I had a desire, a will, to give aid to any soul who needed it. . . Even as I traveled the land to collect the wisps for Ku. . .I did not pass up any opportunity to help another. . .No matter who they were, or what they had done. . ."

Gumo looked slightly ashamed for a moment, but Naru quickly stroked the side of his head and smiled at him, banishing his regrets as quickly as they had come.

"That will still persists in me now. . .That is why. . . I will not be still or silent while it is in my power to act. . . However, I cannot truly act on my own."

Another long pause, and then the voice spoke with the deepest sincerity.

"My precious family. . . What you have given me. . .What you have done for me. . . There are no words to adequately describe my gratitude and my love. . .You've done more than I could have ever asked for, in my old life and in my new life. . .And yet, now, I must ask you to do yet still more. . .Not just for me, but for those you have never even met. . .It will not be dangerous, for I refuse to put you in any harm, but it will be difficult. . . You will have to persuade others to aid you in turn. . .But I still cannot bear to leave things as they are. . .So please, I ask of you humbly. . .Will you help me?"