Ori and the Outlander

Chapter 20: The last road to take

Author Note: I...this is just embarrassing for me. It's midnight when I uploaded this, I hope this is good, I'm worrying I am out of touch with this story. I will post an update tomorrow about why the heck I took so damn long. (With some rant about how I want to write the story but I keep screwing it up or unfavorable conditions happen when I want to.)

But one thing I WILL promise...I will NOT abandon this story, gotten too far to quit anyway even if I wanted to. In fact, the update note will even have a question for all of you that will literally decide how the future of this writing will go AFTER this book is done. But until then, here is that chapter that is just waaayyyy overdue. (I really hope I still got it).

"Do you ever wonder what our world was like Aaron?"

"Who doesn't? Those old folks could only tell us a bit of what the world is like. But that's only like a fraction of what the world was like."

"Yeah..."

Ethan trails off, sketching in his small book while sitting outside in the safety of the walls guarded with 'electrified' barbed wires (Aaron knows this is a bluff, they wouldn't want to waste electricity anyway) with his friend Aaron.

Aaron looks around his surroundings, seeing nothing but fading soil and white large buildings behind them. From what Aaron gathered from Ethan, his parents would allow him to freely explore this empty small open area with nothing but a bench to sit on. Aaron feels disturbed that there is no one and NOTHING to do around here. What the hell does a kid like Ethan spend his free time in a place like this?

"F*** Ethan, every time we visit here there is no one for miles. Does anyone ever go here?"

"No... from what I had seen at least, no one did, probably all too busy at work."

With that, Aaron turns and glances at the large building standing above the others, a place where the most skilled of humanity band together. Fighting for that second chance for humanity they desperately crave.

Aaron is aware that Ethan rarely gets to spend time with his parents, very busy with their last-ditch effort with their project of theirs. Most Ethan can get is an occasional 'hi' or check-up with his parents. The guilt of not performing their duties as parents weighs on them as time goes by. They needed someone to stand in their steed when they can't provide Ethan attention. They needed someone who would acknowledge or listen to him. They need someone to make sure he doesn't do anything reckless again.

And that is what Aaron is here for.

"Hey Ethan, what are you drawing anyway?"

"A world."

"A world...? Like what Earth was years ago?"

"Not just that!" Ethan gleefully answers, revealing the elusive drawing to Aaron.

And sure enough, the drawing shows a sketch of a healthy-looking world, with clouds, trees and...a dragon? The dragon seems to be lying under a tree, basking in the warmth of the sun.

"Ethan, is that a dragon?"

"Yep! I drew a dragon! After seeing a few from those books and movies, I wanted to draw one! Do you like it?"

"Well, it looks like a dragon, I like the horns and wings you gave him."

Ethan smiles as he pulls the book back towards him, adding some details to his drawing.

"Aaron...you remember that project, right? The one about the por-"

"That portal thing. Yeah. What about it?"