A flash of lightning and roaring thunder echoes rapidly across the Wellspring Glades. A sound that immediately startles Ori to awaken. Gasping and panting. Ori found himself struggling to breathe a little, but fortunately being embraced by Layla did soothe things down. Layla still slept peacefully like the thunder never really happened. Ori felt happy that his sudden movement didn't wake her, but he didn't know how to properly get away when her arms surrounded him snuggly and tightly. Ori remembered being a bit too comfortable and listening to her heartbeat, surrendering to the sleep that pulled him so easily. Just as Layla wanted. Little did Ori know the burst of joy Layla had before falling asleep too.

Still, it was a little embarrassing, being embraced like that, or better, spooned. Ori didn't really know how to get back up. Layla's purrs reach him in such a subtle, faint sound, not as loud as Ori's. She must really enjoy sleeping like that, spooned with someone. The rain outside still poured down. Ori wondered how long he had been sleeping. The final moments of Kwolok came back to him, and the fact that Ori minded that Layla was in Niwen.

We… we can go home. With Layla here so are Ario and the others. Can I… really go home?

Ori couldn't stop the thoughts from flowing, looking through the window as new raindrops hit it at every instant. This is the best solution, right? The goal he had from the start. Yet after the events of the Silent Woods, the Willow's summons, and the death of Kwolok, was it right to simply leave? He reflected and reflected.

Niwen needs healing.

Although Seir did not make the choices that could benefit the forest, she seeks to renew the land, purge the spread of Decay. Bring it back to how it should be. Yet knowing Seir, or as little as Ori could, Seir… didn't seem understanding, but cold and fierce.

Ori delved into silent thought, and moments later, he shuffled around trying to squeeze himself free from Layla. Layla would not awaken thankfully, but her grasp was difficult to break.

"No, no… I will never…" She mumbles in her sleep, intensifying her hold. "Let go."

Impatience started to swell for Ori as even when Lalya narrowed his chances, Ori kept trying. Being flexible was incredible for this situation. After a little effort and tries, Ori escapes Layla without waking her. Though after standing back up and relishing in his escaping feat, Layla's sleep was bothered when nothing was in her reach. Ori realized she would awaken in moments as she groaned. Quickly Ori placed a pillow between her arms and that seemed to hit the spot, she embraced the pillow and her sleep became calm again.

Ori sighs in relief. Since it was merely a nap, she would awaken soon anyway. but for now, Ori just wanted to listen to his own restless mind. That thunder… was louder than normal.

Opening the door gently and closing it behind him. Ori goes outside and into the rain. Meanwhile, Layla calmly opens her eyes, revealing to be awakened.

"A pillow is not the same thing you know…" She says, wondering what could be happening to Ori.

Ori dashed through the rain from place to place in the glades and eventually found the Old Oak. It was a large tree stump that was made into a place to meet, drink, and eat. Ori could hear the chatter from the inside but didn't have the courage to join them. Presumably, all of the Wellspring Glades were reunited. And it seemed to be happening for a while already.

Ori circled the stump and noticed that some windows were made in the old bark. Just what he wanted. Climbing into a spot to see inside, Ori sat in the rain, able to watch the large banquet table and many occupied chairs surrounding it. The food was eaten already, but the mood was not cheery. Probably the news has reached them already. Ori couldn't do anything about it. Kwolok, the center of these people, died.

They share a toast. Grom, Opher, and many others, many of whom get their cups with watery eyes. From the outside, Ori could not hear what they said but could imagine and feel who the toast was for. A few minutes later, other residents started to return to their homes with the sad look on their faces, including so many moki children.

The rain suddenly stops falling on Ori and he looks up to investigate to notice a large leaf covering him. The rain continued, but there was a certain relief to not be under it. Following that Ori discovered who brought that leaf there.

"These people are important to you, aren't they?" Layla arrives to be beside Ori, cuddling together as her ignition helps warm up from the cold of the rain.

"Hey, Layla, I was just…" Ori trailed off, but Layla didn't mind.

"Seems we lost the banquet, but, oh well, hope they forgive us. That toad was truly loved."

"And I couldn't protect him." Ori continued.

"You did what you could, Ori. And they are thankful to you for this. Sometimes, things are not meant to be, so don't be harsh on yourself."

Meanwhile, Mokk and Meena were leaving the banquet to return home, and along with them, a horde of moki children, all equally quiet and behaving properly. These children didn't put much time into knowing Kwolok as many of the adults had, but they understood what was happening without weeping like others did. "So how are we going to return with this rain? We don't have anything to cover us." Mokk asked. and Meena perked with an idea.

"Oh, I know." She says and Mokk could pretty much guess it. It would cheer up the children as well and grant some swift passage back to the orphanage.

"Well, I guess that will be it." Mokk and Meena turn to the children. "Listen up, now we will have a difficult mission to accomplish. Which is to get back home, SA-FE-LY, but quickly." Mokk got their attention, but the introduction was starting to feel a bit too lengthy.

"Race back home!" Meena reveals and the children hype up. "But be careful. There are hazards in the field! And none of you must get hurt! Get ready!" The little ones buy the challenge and in a countdown, they sprint as carefully as possible into the rain. Meena giggles as she and Mokk watch them flurry on slippery surfaces.

"You're so good at this. Phew." Mokk comments. "Hopefully nobody gets soaked wet."

"Let's hurry up too. We don't want to make them wait at the door, right?"

"Of course. Ladies first."

Ori and Layla witness the commotion of many children sprinting and drifting on all fours all across the glades. And right after two adults came right along guiding the kids that trailed off the path. Layla feels intrigued seeing many little cute creatures. "Oh! What are they, Ori? I didn't know there were so many little ones."

"They are mokis. Curious and playful beings."

"And parents have that many children?!"

"Uh, I don't know exactly, but in this case, Mokk and Meena are their caretakers. All these children lost their parents."

"O-oh… beloved Seil." Layla felt sad. So sad, she couldn't help tearing up.

"You okay, Layla?"

Layla sobs, eyes watering. "This is so sad!" She says with the most exaggerated bawling face. Ori almost chuckles at that face of hers, but this isn't a matter of laughing.

"Let's visit them!" She suggests and Ori hadn't even the option to deny. Layla is a lover of cute things. To hug as many as possible is not an option.

"You just want a reason to hug them, don't you? Hey, wait, wait! Calm down!" Layla grabs Ori and dashes to the location they were headed to. At the orphanage's doors, Mokk and Meena were doing the usual procedure of checking if every child was there by going through a checklist.

"...Momo, check. Jiu, check. Lili, check. Gobe, check. And that's all of them. 32 little hurricanes." Mokk says finally, sighing happily that no children were missing.

"Nicely done. Let's prepare them to sleep" Meena added.

"For sure. But I can't really stop worrying about the future, you know…"

"I know. But please, they need every moment of happiness they can get, let's not appear dispirited before them. I… We will find a way through this."

"Right."

Mokk and Meena are greeted by Layla dragging along a very disorientated Ori. She stops by the entrance. The caretakers are spooked at first, something easy for mokis, but relax once they understand who arrived. "Please give me some warning first!" Mokk panted.

"Hello again! And sorry for our sudden visit. Allow me to introduce myself again. I am Layla, a friend of this guy over here." Ori doesn't say much beyond disorientated groans. "I apologize for not attending the banquet." Layla bows respectfully.

"That is alright. Focusing on important things is worth it. We know." Mokk said, pointing towards Ori. "Glad to see him better, even if unresponsive. But what brings you here?"

Then, Layla became a little bashful. "I have noticed that you take care of children."

Meena feels skeptical at first, but knowing it's Ori's companion, she relaxes. "Um, yes, we watch over many orphans. This orphanage is a space for them."

"This may feel as sudden as my appearance here, but if I could, I would love to meet them."

"You want to meet them?" Mokk asks and Layla nods. Mokk looks pensive for a moment. "Look, they are little beings of chaos and destruction. They're gonna tear you apart."

Meena laughs. "No, it's not like that. They are very energetic, yes, but they may take only one limb or two for funsies."

Layla giggles, not backing away. "I have met many children in my travels, and I am still in one piece. Not to worry."

Understanding her choice, Mokk opens the door to reveal the hall where the chaos is, with many children's voices and noises of toys flying around. "Well then, welcome to the Suncloud orphanage. Where the sun shines all the time."

Stepping in, Layla is enchanted by the life present in the place. It didn't seem mournful like the rain outside at all. There were various passages on the walls like little courses that the children could move into. Many vivid colors and child-like paintings all around and of course, the ball of doom that was a pile of mokis that moved at terrifying speeds.

Layla did a single step, then another. One at a time taking in every detail. And when the children made notice of her presence, she waved and they scattered surprised. Ori was recovered by them and observing where he was, he understood that Layla would go through the same ritual he did until the children felt good to swarm her. They approach slowly, sniffing the air. Like the first time seeing a guardian spirit, Layla was not entirely like Ori despite softly glowing all the time.

"Hey there. Did she smooch you that good to be all wiggly?" Mokk asked Ori, smiling. One of the children arrived with tea eager to serve. Ori was fascinated that this little moki wasn't hyperactive and seemed to have joy in serving tea around. Ori then focuses back.

"Eh? Uh… what? Smooch?!" Ori was embarrassed and Mokk laughed while accepting the generous offer of the little one.

"Was it not the cause? You were so knocked out. Accept some tea?" He offers.

Ori accepts the cup of tea, thanking the little girl before returning to Mokk. "Layla can be really fast and being dragged along dazes anyone."

"Dragged, huh? You're gonna tell me she's not your girlfriend."

"Uh…" Question marks floated above Ori's head. "What is that?"

Mokk felt awkward, actually not believing what he just heard for a moment, but perhaps spirit-kind was not like others as Mokk tried to learn. Their reproduction is different from mammalians after all. "Ahem, I hope you are doing better from earlier. And I'm happy you could give us a visit."

Ori does not mind the change of subject and follows along. "Yes, I have rested a little. I am doing better. You can say I awoke some moki curiosity in Layla. She couldn't lose the chance to play around them." Ori takes a sip.

Meena was introducing Layla to the orphanage, of which, the children officially had the green sign to be… children. In the rush, Layla dashes to a small distance and once the children learned where she had gone, they chased after her. Her laughter is noticeable, as is the interest of the little ones to catch her.

"Curiosity, huh? I know it well. Mokis have had curiosity problems that cost many of our lives. It is in our instincts. We can't resist sometimes, and during our childhood is where this simple drive is at its strongest."

"That is why you have to keep watch of each of them when going for a daily walk, right?" Ori remembered the first morning he was in the glades.

"That is right. Seeing a simple 'shiny' in the dirt can completely override a moki's line of thought and forget what they were doing previously. Children run in danger often because of that."

"It's great to know they have someone to watch them."

Mokk giggles. "It's the least I can do."

Suddenly Ori hears another roaring thunder, so powerful and loud, that it causes him to drop the teacup in fear. Tea spilled on the floor, and the cup cracked but none other than Mokk noticed it.

"Woah there, you okay?" Mokk asked, seeing Ori's worried face.

"S-sorry," Ori moved to get the teacup visibly distressed. "These thunders are so loud. I usually don't have problems with it."

Mokk stared at Ori confused for a moment. "Ori, there wasn't any thunder."

…

At the Silent Woods, Howl made preparations to begin the small journey where Ku would be tested in order to hone her nature over shadows. Kii and Shriek proposed no objections but the owlet herself proved to be resistant to the idea.

"I don't wanna! Let me learn from here!" Ku complained, not wanting to follow through.

"Ku, I am not taking you away. The place we will visit will test your mettle efficiently. You need not to fear, I will be supervising everything."

"No! Nu-uh! No way!" Ku hurried behind Kii and her distress bothered Shriek. Howl had barely recovered from the wounds inflicted by her and Iyo. But was pushing himself to act. Kii got out of the way to reveal the hidden owlet.

"Small one, don't you wish to fly with your sibling home, as you did to get here?" Kii asked.

"I… do. But I can't risk it again!"

The rain didn't seem to stop anytime soon and even then Howl could not waste time. With Ori back at the glades he could not know how the spirit would fare with Seir. So in the worst scenario, it fell upon Howl to hurry up and prepare Ku for their voyage. The great wolf sighed as Ku kept making things difficult and Shriek only grew bothered because of the owlet's distress. Shriek would probably not attack suddenly, but her piercing stare was not comforting.

"This is an opportunity, Ku. And Howl knows best where you can hone your potential. You will learn that shadows are quite unique and work best alongside the light. Think about how you would be able to assist Ori and he assists you respectively."

Ku almost rolled her amber eyes as Ki began to show his tricks. Another shadowy symbol is written representing some word that only Kii knows.

"Like the light, shadows function in a multitude of ways, shaping best for each individual that wields it. Once you find your form and your style, you will be able to do lots of things. Both physically and magically."

"But Kii, it feels boring and difficult. I want to fly without possibly harming Ori again."

Kii shakes his head. "No, you won't harm anyone. Because this time, you will be prepared."

Ku feels conflicted. The cavern was a dull place overall, and outside even worse. To go home was the best thing that could happen, but without help, Ku felt too heavy with the responsibility of flying home.

"Our time is short, Ku. Come."

Called again, Ku felt tenser, but couldn't simply keep pushing it away. She looked conflicted, how hard is it gonna be? She stepped closer to Howl clearly reluctantly. It would be for the best, she tried to cheer herself. To see Naru again. To be around loved ones again. "Okay. I'm going."

Kii almost giggled, it almost seemed that Ku would be grounded with her little enthusiasm. She had agreed to learn, but perhaps the different location scared her. Well, it wasn't surprising.

Kii climbed up to Howl's back and helped Ku climb as well. Once both were settled, Howl prepared to leave. "Wait, what about Sheek?" Asked, Ku

"She will follow us, probably. Follow you, more specifically." Kii replied to her. "You're like a mother."

"Mother?" Ku was spooked. "She is far too big to be a baby! And I'm the opposite."

Shriek started to grow agitated. Howl began going outside while carrying her unique friend, letting out sharp but short screeches to let Howl know he did not have her approval. The black dire wolf does mind the malformed owl with uneasiness, returning it with a growl.

"Back off." He warns.

"Sheek, it is okay," Ku quickly tried to ease the great owl. "Nothing bad is happening. Howl is a good boy."

Shriek does reduce her intent to attack, her head tilts to the words that Ku just spoke. She whistles the way she can and then is followed by two short coos that try to mimic Ku's last words. "Hoo. Hoy."

Howl just rolled his eyes while Kii was both amused and impressed. "Did you hear that, my lord? This might be the first attempt she ever made to speak."

"Hmph." Howl was a tad annoyed to be called like that. Dark owls do have the ability of speech so it shouldn't be so unusual to hear. Adding the fact she cannot form words properly. "Let's get moving."

Shriek goes in front of Howl so she can retain attention, cooing again. "Hoo. Hoy."

"Good boy!" Ku cheered, and Shriek did so again, again and again. Kii also joins the fun. For several seconds the three only sang these two words, having honest fun that Shriek learned that good boy was referring to the wolf present. Howl stood quiet, enduring the little show.

"Yes, very funny," Howl comments. "Get out of my way, now."

"Hoo hoy."

Then the great owl's gaze becomes fiercer as she listens to something unfamiliar and is riled to destroy it. She looks away, and shrieks, taking flight without further ado. The others are startled.

"Sheek? What happened?" Ku asked as Shriek flew away. "Howl, what did you do?"

"Shriek must have heard something," Kii deduced. "She is still the same as before. We may need to remember to be cautious with her."

"Good riddance. Now we can move."

"You can't be so grumpy, Howl!" Ku stomped lightly on the wolf's back. "Shriek was having fun."

"I was not," Howl replies coldly.

"Well, it is alright. Shriek will probably be back," Kii added. "Have you caught any scents that might have riled her?"

"No. Since my fight with Iyo, my nose has not worked as it used to."

Kii puts himself to think for a moment. "Goodness, that hunter was equipped to deal with you. He took your nose. Literally!"

Ku allows herself to laugh a little, feeling calmer, while Howl doesn't reply immediately. "Still, the toxins he used should have been toxic enough to kill me. Or rather, to paralyze me."

Stopping to think, Iyo wanted Howl alive to fulfill the sacred task, so it was plausible that it wasn't lethal substances that Iyo used. Howl was wounded, yes, but the effect of such toxins still persisted, reducing Howl's overall capabilities.

"Then you should stay quiet and rest," Kii advised. "Why on this forgotten earth are you forcing yourself to walk?"

"We have no time." Howl forced himself forward. "I have no luxury to rest while Seir remains unpunished."

"Oh, here we go again." Kii petted the wolf's back, the dark and warm pelt. Howl feels it, and while such a small sensation, he is not bothered. It is one thing he remembers receiving many, many times. "Look at this. This black pelt. Its thickness. This is quality. I repeat: quality!"

"Oh no."

Ku felt lost at this. A little elbow bump from Kii showed Ku that he just wanted to mess around or tell something. "I brushed you thousands and thousand times across my life. Since you were a pup, to achieve this quality. The best fur Niwen has to offer. Softer than any feather, smoother than a calm river. Glamorous as the night sky. The BEST bed."

"Shut the fuck up, Kii."

"And now, you're going to get into the rain, with these wobbly sticks you call legs, to ruin my lifetime's work?! Unacceptable. Who's gonna brush you all over again I ask?"

Howl groans and Ku giggles softly. "Well, you're indeed soft."

"Don't join this old pile of bones, Ku. And I am not soft! I am not… soft." Howl struggles to take another step, failing to exit the cave and lying down completely. "I would murder you if I could right now."

"Pff. Murder. You edgy wolf. It is I who deal with such edges and still, they keep on popping. At least you know better than to risk your health in such a state. Rest here, I will try to find medicine in the marsh."

"Don't. The Hui tribe will kill you on sight."

"I am a master of the shadowy arts, you remember? I will be fine. See you in a moment, my lord." Kii poofs in a little cloud of mists that move outside and out of sight very quickly.

"Wow, how does he do that?" Ku asked, following the dark mists until she could see them no more.

"You mean dissipating in mists?"

"No, I mean taunting you like that. It's very funny."

Howl listens to Ku's laughter one more time. He shrugs away the provoking words of Kii like usual. "Because he speaks the truth, little one. I owe everything to Kii."

"Even the brushing part? I thought you looked out for Kii. Since you know, he calls you 'my lord.'"

"We look out for one another. Though I may seem superior, I am not. Kii took me in his care when I lost my pack. Raised me after the hunters attacked us. And so we lived in the shadows, living unseen. Just the two of us."

Ku could not make it a laughing matter, and her mood shifted accordingly. "I am sorry. It must have hurt."

"Don't worry, I have learned to live with it."

"But why are you called 'my lord'? Kii should call you by name, no?"

Howl recalled a few memories, the old times when the Whispering Woods had proper conditions to foster life. Where the Noy tribe strived together with the shadow wolves. "Kii belongs to a tribe of monkeys that worshiped the shadows, which meant us, beings gifted by Entronius, to bend the shadows to our will."

"Entronius? Who is this?" Ku asked, captivated.

"An unseen, mysterious but everlasting entity that reveals itself to no one. Kii told me they manifested once when order was first applied through Sei long, long ago."

"Oooh, I see. Not even you can find it?"

Howl chuckles, "I can't. And because of this entity, seven living species, originating from predators, were gifted with its power. It is said we exist to balance the order of the light in our world. Others say we are nothing but fuel to Decay and helpless creatures."

Ku puts herself to think. "There are seven? Like the seven wisps? And from the seven species are the wolves like you… and owls… like me?"

"Correct. I do not know what the other species are, as they probably roam the world. With this, lesser beings began to worship the gifted, like the Noy tribe. Devotees to serve our needs in exchange for protection. Kii is of this tribe. He follows such customs to this day, even if stubbornly." Howl pauses for a moment. "Another legend says that the worshiping of these lesser races across the world became so admirable that Entronius manifested itself a second time, through the darkest of nights, and gave them a smaller but suited control over shadows to them. The Noy tribe felt rewarded for their devotion, welcoming this gift to serve us even better as acolytes. That is why Kii calls me the way he does. Even if I did nothing to earn it."

"So that's why Kii can also do many tricks. I didn't know that." Ku says, a little impressed. "This is quite a lot. And cute. Were the owls friends with everyone else?"

"Owls were not as social as my kin. They did not accept the offerings the Noy tribe offered and preferred to have their roosts for themselves," Howl replied. "However, they were very protective of every being in the Whispering Woods as a force to be reckoned with."

Ku absorbed every word like a sponge, intrigued by the little moment of history about the shadowfolk. "Owls were very powerful? You think I am powerful too?"

"I am sure of it."

Ku did hops of excitement, feeling important and fearless before minding the Silent Woods, the fog outside, and the many faces frozen in stone. Ku tried to not overthink about it, yet something came to her mind. "But… I think the tribe has gone missing? Along with the wolves?" The owlet found it difficult to contain the tears, beginning to sob. "And the owls too?"

"Perhaps many have fled. The tribe, the wolves, and the owls. Maybe one day you may find them, little one."

"We can find them!" Ku flapped her wings, getting on top of Howl's muzzle. "I accept no objections! I will check from above while you sniff from below. It's a great plan."

Howl could feel a forgotten warmth spread inside. Like a hope long kept frozen. "Of course, Ku. We will find them."

…

Kii would need great sense to notice any herbs that could be useful to deal with Howl's weakness. The old monkey stops by a large owl for cover to ponder in the stonified earth of the Silent Woods. "Hm, maybe a good oily jasmine together with an umbral root." Kii looks around briefly, there would be no umbral roots like in old times for medicine. "Then, maybe some moon cinnamon. Lemon and some other root to improvise." He nods, having decided. Everything should be somewhat easy to find in the marsh.

Kii feels movement nearby and expects another animal wandering like the leapers. The rain continues to fall, and so Kii takes to the shadows, waiting for the creature to pass and possibly not be riled. But what slowly appeared was not what Kii ever expected to see. A shine started to intensify as it approached and once in sight, it became clear.

Clear, but still mind-blowing for the old acolyte. Another guardian spirit? But this one… is completely different from Ori. The raindrops evaporate once too close to this person. Unknown to Kii, it was none other than Sein, in her spirit form and its splendor that Kii bathed his eyes upon. Even the cold air began to heat up all around as proof it was very real.

This entity walked calmly like they were in fields of flowers like petals danced in the air. Then Sein stops and remains quiet, letting her radiance caress the forest around her and her cloak brand behind her. She seems to analyze every withered plant and tree, bringing her hand to touch it and blue flames start to burn it. Kii could not fathom what the hell was happening, becoming unquiet. What on earth is this? A w-wisp? It can't be!

"Don't move." Kii hears from behind, warned with an arrowhead pointing to his head. Kii slowly raises his hands. "We won't hurt you."

Kii failed to understand how he was spotted, but wouldn't be able to ponder on it as Sein looked at his way. The old monkey felt a rush of adrenaline, uncertain if his life was at risk or not. Kii knows how Seir would operate, but this one? He couldn't risk it!

With Sein's first step forward, Kii chanted a shadow word, gambling with fate, but no arrows were fired. Kii poofs in mists and takes a hurried escape.

Ario came closer to Sein. "An acolyte. Probably a survivor. I doubt any shadow beast is alive around here."

"They are distressed, and our best chance to understand this place," Sein said.

Ario prepared to chase after Kii as Sein felt melancholic by the vision all around, and it wasn't surprising that she struck fear upon others. She didn't like to feel like this, but she couldn't help it. "Approach unarmed."

Ario nods and moves away. Kii flees as fast as he can but the old age quickly gets to him, coughing loudly because of the rushed movement. The advantage of traveling with shadows was that Kii hardly left any tracks to be followed, but such coughing didn't help. Hopefully, the rain covers the sounds he can't help making. Another plus is the distance covered which should have been enough to lose them. Leapers roamed about, and Kii did not have much space to work with, but should be safe overall. Kii planned to rest for a moment, pondering what he just lived.

An odd movement in the air pulls attention. The fog seemed to shift ever so slightly and it wasn't leaper movement. Kii tried to focus, keeping watch. Kii felt being hunted, a feeling long embedded in his flesh. One that he thought was free from. It mustn't be difficult to spot guardian spirits, even in the circumstances of the Silent Woods. Just a little more time and Kii would be able to move again.

Kii hears footsteps and prepares for battle. Fatigued from the intense run from earlier, Kii wouldn't have much choice. The steps are slow, but they approach until Ario comes into view.

"Stand back!" Kii wrote another shadow word, threatening to attack.

Ario raises his arms in a sign of surrender, following by sitting down with legs crossed, surprising Kii but not dropping his guard yet. "Be calm, old man. I mean you no harm. I search for a spirit boy and an owlet girl."

"What?" Kii was even more surprised, but thanks to the mask his face was not as easily read. But the surprise does tell the attentive guardian spirit's eyes something.

"If you know where they are, even if just one, would help us immensely. In return, maybe we can help you too."

"Help me? Who are you? Who do you bring to these desolated fields?" Kii demanded to know.

"I am but a parent in search of lost children. The name's Ario of Nibel."

Nibel? The same from Ori. Is Nibel or the other forests starting to move for whatever reason? To check on Niwen? To pick up their lost ones? Kii could speculate a lot, but that other individual from earlier. It couldn't be good. "And who is the other one?"

Ario grins, "Why don't you ask her?"

The air grew hotter and Kii didn't notice it at first. This time, Kii didn't feel like fleeing, as the light of Sein approached, Kii felt oddly at peace. Calm. Safe. Or perhaps, it would be futile to run.

Kii was before Sein, pacified before her light. He drops to his knees in respect.

"I am Sein, the Light of Peace and wisp of Nibel. Be not afraid, acolyte."

Kii took such long seconds to fully digest that it was an actual wisp, one of the seven lights beyond Seir before his eyes. Kii didn't know how to answer this honor. Her voice is calming, her mere presence is, but something in her is also burning with rage.

Could this be the saving grace they needed? The miracle they waited so long for? Only time will tell.

…