Metroid Origins: Chapter 8: Samus

About Metroid Origins

Prologue

Art by Julie Dillon

 

Brroch taught everyone about what he had learned from the Varia Suit.  By his teachings the Chozo united to meet the challenge of exploring space.  The name Samshus was taken by the Chozo from Brroch’s teachings.  It was spoken in reverence with regards to the name of the Sunborn Child that had come and saved them from the Tourians.  It was modified into the Chozo language as the second form for the word of hunt.  The first form spoke of killing dumb beasts for sport and food.  Samshus means the rightful hunting of sentient beings.  Another word derived from it was samasa, the Chozo word for the deepest revenge.

~The Chozo Historian

 

Newborn gave up her struggle as Plogos flew her to the ancient Shrine of Prophesy.  Her photographic memory brought up a time long ago when she was taken there in Kerrfu’s arms.  She remembered standing before the Empress and Kerrfu as they debated her destiny.

Now she was placed again upon the amber stones.  Chozo prophesies were written around marking the return of the Sunborn Child, and to warn of the impending doom surrounding the end of the Chozo people.

Plogos pushed her through the hallowed corridors.  She caught glimpses of the prophesies as she passed: beware the age of freedom, horrible things are coming for those who forget their nature, keep claws planted firmly upon what is seen yet believe and strive for what isn’t.

The hulking frame of Kraagon clawed his talons at the end of that very telling line of wisdom.  Plogos stared at it for a brief time before moving on.  Newborn caught the last line: Only what can be seen with the eyes can be confirmed as truth.

The Varia Hallway had a different set of prophesies that spoke of the Sunborn Child.  A primitive etching depicted her, golden skin and eyes, long white hair shimmering with brilliance.  Newborn read of her origin… a whole planet massacred by the Tourians.  All women but the little girl named Samshus had been found and killed.  Then the Tourian Mother had the remaining men fight amongst themselves.  For her delight did they fight, each one longing to prove their worth.  The Demon Mother took the best fighters and left the weaker ones to die out.  As the madness of her mental disease passed from the forsaken aliens, they awoke to a desolate land.  They vowed their revenge against the Tourian Demons that destroyed their homeworld.

Plogos pushed Newborn past the story in the hallway.  They entered into a large cathedral.  There before her stood a tall Chozo statue.  She did not see the exquisitely carved work of art however.  Her eyes were glued to what its stony talons held.  There a purple orb rested, alive with potential energy.  She did not hear the many voices of the Chozo birds who were worshiping there.  The glowing orb held her in a telepathic, mesmerizing embrace.

‘She has come at last!’  One of the fanatical bird’s sang, ‘At our darkest hour the Newborn has arisen to help us!’

Many other voice screeched and hollered their exultation and delight.  Newborn was deaf to them all.  She only heard one single alien voice.  It vibrated throughout her mind and soul speaking in Chozo, ‘Who has come to unrest me?  Another proud warrior thinking themselves pure enough for my touch?’

Then to Newborn’s surprise it spoke in her Human tongue, “You are not Chozo?”

She didn’t feel the talons of the many worshipers gently moving her towards the gleaming purple orb.  Only the purple orb’s soft rays were felt against her skin.  It spoke to her again in Human, “Open your mind to me little warrior.”

She knew this orb had great power, probably enough to force her mind open on its own.  It could have done the same thing Mother Brian had done.  But this thing, this object of great worship asked for her to open to it in such a gentle manner.  She eagerly obliged its request.

Tendrils of itself softly moved within her mind searching her memories.  She let it see her upbringing among the Chozo, how she had learned to hunt and act as the birds did.  She let it see her deep friendship with Kerrfu, how the old bird treated her like a daughter.  It was not allowed to see anything before that.

Curiously it probed to see beneath those common memories, politely she declined.

“Why won’t you show me your true parents?”  It asked.

She flashed the purple orb a brief glimpse of the tragedy: father’s severed head held in mother’s limp arms.  The purple orb recoiled from this and said, “Such a tragedy for one so young!  You are a very promising candidate to me.  If you are pure enough then you can join with me.”

Newborn shouted at the orb, “I don’t want to be pure enough!  I don’t want join with you!”

The orb blinked on and off as if processing her answer.  “Yes,” it finally said, “Another said the very same thing many years before now.”

It unfolded itself, liquid mater, snaking wires, and gleaming power, opening its mind to her.

She saw its first waking memory several thousand years ago: a little girl staring at it in horrified wonder.

The girl looked very similar to Newborn, yet somehow extremely different.  The long golden hair was there but the blue eyes were replaced with yellow ones.  The skin was yellow instead of tan and she had no protruding nose, only two tiny breath holes.  Newborn realized she was not looking at a human being.

The strange alien girl spoke to a tall alien male beside her.  Even though she was speaking in a different language Newborn could hear her say, ‘I don’t want to be pure enough daddy.  I don’t want to join with it.’

The father shook his head, golden hair waving around his neck, ‘You have to join with it or more will fall victim to the Tourians.’

‘But I want to rebuild our race, to bring back what we used to be.’

The father rested his hand upon the girl, ‘Samshus, you are the only female of our kind that remains.  There is nothing left we can rebuild.  Many men gave up their lives to create the Varia Suit, males like myself that the Tourian Mother rejected.  Together we have forged a single weapon to destroy her once and for all.  We must do this before she massacres another planet.’

Little Samshus stared again at the purple Varia Suit, nodded her head, and stepped into it.  Varia saw the anguish then, millions of lives, massacred and destroyed by the Tourians, the many males sacrificed to make the suit, Samshus was the only female alive, the last of her kind, a dieing race.  Together the Varia Suit and Samshus forged a bond of purity and strength.  Samshus left the planet aboard a ship the Varia Suit had modified.  They went on a journey, the singular goal of deepest revenge ever on their minds.’

Newborn pushed back from the Varia Suit’s memories.  They reminded her of a similar experience, one that she had hidden away, even from Kerrfu.  The suit’s body was swirling around her.  It asked, “show me.”

With that Newborn nodded her head.  A dam of flooding images broke forth.  They flowed in torrents of anguish… flames and carnage, cityscapes destroyed… streets strewn about with dead humans… the pirates of space had killed everyone on plant K2-L, everyone but her.  Millions of lives massacred, a genocide of grotesque proportions.

She turned her head towards the floating purple orb of the Varia Suit and spoke in her haltering native tongue, “If I join you, will you help me destroy them?”

The orb went frantic then, its body swirling faster around Newborn, “Your tragedy has made you pure.  The Sunborn Child, Shamsus, whom I knew so long ago felt the same tragedy as you, a whole planet of lives destroyed by tyrants.  It is this that has purified you to merge with me body and soul.  You are indeed the Newborn One, the return of Sunborn.  I christen you Samus, newborn hunter of the stars.”

She closed her eyes awaiting the merging process.  A cringing heat was felt as the purple orb spun towards her mind, touching the golden strands of her hair.  It was mere inches away when frantic talons ripped her far from the Varia Suit’s grasp.  With a crash she fell to the stony floor awaking from a trance.  Deep Chozo eyes looked at her in concern.  She saw the scar on his beak and chirped questioningly, ‘Grandfather?’

‘Do not fear little bird for I have come to save you from certain death.’

She saw it all then: Plogos and Kraagon were fighting against three hooded Chozo as the remaining worshipers scattered.  The Empress was helping them through the cathedral, away from the Varia Suit, away from her only instrument of revenge.

Samus screamed for them to let her go.  In both Human and Chozo she begged them to return, begged them to let her merge with the power suit.  Even when she was placed in Kerrfu’s gentle arms she couldn’t stop herself from screaming.

Kerrfu flew her away singing soft lullabies to quiet her.  Nothing could quiet the madness.  In the midst of Newborn’s screams the haunting memory of the dragon returned.

The dragon-like alien easily chopped her father’s head from its body.  With a smirk he threw the head at Sarah’s mother.  The head hit her mom at such a velocity the neck broke.  Sarah Drillsmith saw her father’s head held in her mother’s limp embrace.  The gigantic alien stepped near where Sarah was hidden away.  Some of her parent’s blood splashed upon its dark filthy scales.  She glanced at those scales and saw her reflection looking back at her from a thousand angles.

She saw the little girl named Sarah Drillsmith.

She saw the young girl christened by the Chozo to be their Newborn One.

She saw the young woman called by the Varia Suit to be Samus, to wreck havoc upon the space pirates that murdered her family and home.

Her madness resolved itself towards a singular goal.  Samus would return again and merge with the Varia Suit.  Then she would have her deepest revenge.

She would start by slaying the dragon.

Chapter 9: Forgiven

Art by Transfuse

About Metroid Origins

Metroid Origins: Chapter 7: Season to Act

About Metroid Origins

Prologue

Art by David 1309

 

Upon the Sunborn’s death, her armored power suit had shriveled into silence.  Any attempt to touch it was meant with a hostile hiss.  One bird ignored the hiss and touched it telepathically.  The suit came to life then, wrapped itself around the bird and consumed him.  It then sent a warning shriek to all around.  It was at that moment the Chozo perceived the suit to be self aware.

It did not respond to any further attempts at communication.  Some supposed they had yet to perceive the right method, others assumed it was simply ignoring them.

A young male bird walked towards it when no one else would.  He had been one of those males overcome by the Demon’s telepathic infection.  It was this infection that had caused him to murder his wife, his mother, and his three little daughters.  When the Demon Mother was destroyed by the Sunborn warrior, his madness wore off.  There was no grief greater in all of Zebes as great as his.  Many had lost their loved ones, some had even killed a few of their own, but this tormented soul had killed every female dear to him.

So deep was his grief that his mourning flight took him around the whole planet before touching the ground again.  This was the first time any bird had done this.  He was given the name Wingsinger for this feat.  His birth name was Brroch.

~The Chozo Historian

Brroch the Wingsinger flew to the peek of the Shrine of Prophesy resting his talons upon the flexible amber stone.  Above, the swarthy planet, Tallon IV, beckoned like a beacon at the end of a long journey.  When he was under the Demon Mother’s spell she showed him stars full of habitable planets and worlds, each teaming with strange new lifeforms to hunt.  Tallon IV was one of those planets.  The price to pay for such an adventure seemed so simple and easy at the time.  Murder all her rivals and all those worlds could be his.  Mother had promised him so many things.  If it hadn’t been for the Sunborn Child he would have fallen deeper into the Demon’s Mother’s spell, a spell that had turned into a haunting curse of nightmares upon his waking.  Some of the Chozo still wrestled with her influence upon them.  They didn’t have the sobering images of killing their own family to set them free.

Brroch’s talons tapped restlessly upon the sacred ground, passing prophetic scribes who chipped away visions of a future foreseen in dreams: a Chozo empire spanning many stars, thousands of prosperous years, and at the end, darkness eternal and lasting.  He walked deeper inside until entering the holy Varia Chambers.  There he found the instrument of his veneration held up by talons of stone.   A sacred Chozo statue kept its eternal vigil over the Sunborn’s power suit that had morphed into a gleaming purple sphere.

Brroch didn’t attempt to touch or talk to it.  He just sat nearby and sang to himself.  He sang of his wife, her beautiful azure feathers and crimson plum.  He sang a staggering melody of how she died in his loving embrace turned to a hunter’s shredding stab of talons.  He sang of his mother, how wise and great she was… only to be murdered by his own hell-bent claws.  He sang of his daughters, each one a jewel to his heart: Perran the mischievous little waif he had to scold constantly, Ronnosa as gorgeous as her mother with suitors lining all the way around their house, and Pukita the smiling prankster always able to bring about a laugh, all of them murdered by their loving father.

He had tried to kill himself be flying forever, flying all around the planet.  He would have kept going but something held back his wings.  Dying would be too easy of a punishment for the likes of him.  So he worked long and hard as a servant of the Chozo, rebuilding the homes of others.  He learned from the technology of the Demons, stole it and made it his own.  Then he gave it to the Chozo to insure that an alien invasion would never happened again, that no other husbands, fathers, and sons would kill their kin.  If he could but wear the Sunborn’s power suit, such versatile armor would insure the Chozo’s continued protection.

As if reading his mind, the power suit awoke from its revere.  It turned towards Brroch, an amorphous liquid-gold body with beads of glimmering power orbs and snaking wires moving about.  It spoke to him in Chozo, ‘your song is most pleasing.  I too miss my mother.’

‘I am Brroch, the murderer.’

‘I am Varia the instrument of death.’

‘Who is your mother?’ Brroch asked.

‘You called her the Sunborn Child but her name was Samshus, killed by the very thing she defeated.  I tried to protect her, to save her, but I wasn’t designed to save lives.  I was designed with the essence of many others to kill the Turian Queen.  My weapons couldn’t save my mother.’

‘Why did you kill the Chozo that touched you?’

‘I merged with him, yet he was found wanting.  Only the pure in heart can have me.  Only the pure in heart can be my mother.’

‘Would I be pure enough to merge with you, to be your mother, to protect my people?’

‘You have been purified by your tragedy, yet you are far from pure enough for the likes of me.  I have had the Sunborn Child and I shall have no other.’

And so the proclamation was sent out to find a pure Chozo worthy of the Varia Suit.  It was thought Brroch’s vile deeds in murdering his family had made him impure for the Varia Suit, but when the Empress’ own sons were rejected and consumed, the search for purity became a baffling enigma.

Even after seven thousand years, not one single bird was found pure of heart.  All who tried were merged with it never to be seen again.  All had been found wanting.

~//~

 

Argrramus stood upon the balcony watching the diamond crested sky.  The fertile orange planet of Tallon IV floated above the red moon like a small amber gem.  It had been the first planet they had journeyed to with the revers-engineered Tourian technology.  Only the strangest birds lived in that sacred world.

Those from Tallon IV were extreme pacifists, going so far as to forsake their lust for hunting.  They lived quite contemplative lives among the dumb beasts, building their stone temples around an ancient grove of trees, taking great pains to insure no branches were broken.

Argrramus could only guess why Tallon IV had chosen this night to send their delegates over.  He hoped it had nothing to do with the Sheegoth poachings.

He heard the gentle brushing of wings, the hard clap of talons landing, and the burning of contemptuous eyes.  He didn’t have to turn around to know the Empress joined him.

He gave her his profile accompanied with a sly grin, ‘You have quite the nerve to show your face Dearest, after that speech of yours.’

‘Who’s idea was it for Bard to sing the Sunborn song?’  She asked.

‘You know how musicians are; can’t really be controlled.  they have a mind of their own.  Newborn was going to hear about it eventually.’

‘I had hoped she would hear it from me first.’

‘Do you think her daft?  She already knows about the prophesies.’

‘But not about the Varia Suit.  Now everyone with half a brain is going to want her to be tested, to prove herself pure enough to protect us all.  It’s all hogwash!  She’s just a little girl.’

‘A little girl that has nearly reached the human age of puberty.  She will be tested one way or another.’

Before the Empress could make a retort, a silent triangular object eclipsed the moon.  It glided down to them growing into the pyramid shape of a Tallon IV space vessel.  Upon landing, its door unfolding like a wrinkled cloth solidifying into a ramp of amber.  Three tall Chozo walked gracefully from the ramp to the ground.  Both Argrramus and Empress bowed to them three times, with a fourth bow to Eldest One at the lead.

Eldest One held himself with a tall regal grace, gray and white feathers covered by simple garb.  Yet his piercing yellow eyes burned into the soul of all who stared at them.  These were the clairvoyant eyes of a seer, the glimmering eyes of a prophet.

Argrramus was first to speak, ‘Welcome to our homeworld Eldest One.  I assure you that those who poached for Sheegoth on your sacred lands are being dealt with as we speak.

Eldest One ignored Argrramus and bowed five times to the Empress, ‘Good night my dearest.  Having a good time ruling the empire?’

The Empress smirked back at him unafraid of his watchful gaze, ‘You know good and well I’d be having a better time, if those space pirates could be taught a lesson.’

‘War doesn’t bode well for our peaceful tendencies Dearest.’

‘And if these peaceful tendencies cause us to fade away what then?’

Eldest One patted her feathery mane, ‘My dearest, if we fade then we fade into the here-after, spiritual glories beyond our own that only the Eminent One can guide us through.  Doing what is right is more important then preserving one’s life.’

Argrramus looked between the two of them, not liking his placement in the mix.  He spoke of the only thing he could, ‘As head of the Counsels I would like to assure you that we will be adding stricter laws against those who invade your sacred snow drifts of Phendrana.’

Eldest One turned his gaze upon Argrramus, ‘We have not come here to speak about poaching our Sheegoths, though such dumb beasts are very dear to us.  It is concerning sentient kind that we have come, a sentient known as Sarah Drillsmith.’

Argrramus frowned at this thinking, Is this another one of those infamous Tallon IV riddles?

‘Why do you frown at me?’ Wondered Eldest One, ‘Don’t you know the given name of your human Hatchling, the prophesied Newborn Child you are all so very fond of?’

‘What is your desire for the child?’  Empress asked.

‘Only to see that she is not tested with the Varia Suit before her time.’

Argrramus said, ‘there is no way any of us would allow harm to befall her.  She is a most sacred treasure to us.’

Eldest One looked towards Argrramus, ‘Yes I’m sure that this sentient of yours is as treasured as a lump of gold would be, yet even among sentient kind there are beasts dumb enough to attempt feats of stupidity.  We have come to prevent it.’  Argrramus did not like the look Eldest One gave when he said that.

The Empress said, ‘In either case it doesn’t matter.  I have taken the liberty to remove such a temptation from our midst.  As we speak Sarah is being flown away from Zebes, to a secure location of my choosing.’

Argrramus turned towards the Empress, feathers bristling with anger, ‘You took her off the planet?  Who gave you the right to do such a thing?’

Eldest One held up his claw, ‘This is not a time for bickering and complaining, now is the season to act.  Dearest I fear that you are mistaken.  She has not left the planet.  If you would please direct us to the Shrine of Prophesy.’

The Empress didn’t ask how the strange ones from Tallon IV knew of such a thing.  They were known for their prophetic gifting.  Not all they said came to pass… but only a fool would ignore them.  She lunged into the air and flew as fast as she could towards the Shrine.

If only she had listened to Grrunco.

~//~

 

The Empress had gaven Grrunco strict instructions to wait for the human child at the ship, to escort her away from the planet once and for all.  Grrunco protested that Plogos could not be trusted.  But the Empress had ignored him.  Kerrfu trusted Plogos and so would she.  He bowed five times, promising to wait for Newborn at the ship.  He made out as if he were going to the ship, but made a hard right following behind the tormented form of Plogos.

Grrunco followed him when Plogos landed near Newborn.  It was during the Empress distracting speech that Plogos flew away.  Grrunco shadowed him all the way to Crateria.  He saw them enter through the secret entrance.

Grrunco knew that entering it himself would be his death.  His instincts told him to stay away from the cursed lands.  All he had to do was wait for them to come back out, which wasn’t really that hard for an experienced hunter.  He perched among the shadows and watched for a hint of his prey.

At the strike of dawn, a flock of Chozo birds flew out the cave.  Grrunco perceived their distant minds telepathically.  No one perceived him in return, minds dulled by an encounter of something very powerful.  They were heading for the Shrine of Prophesy.  He trailed behind from a reasonable distance.  In the drifting wind he could hear spurts of their conversation.  ‘…not really likely live… she isn’t pure enough… the time of Newborn is over…’

In the midst of their scattered chirping, Grrunco perceived the muffled scream of a human girl.  His blood ran cold with anger.

He was actually starting to like Newborn and they were hurting her.  He swooped above them and dove using the red light of the setting moon to shield his attack.

With all four talons, Grrunco tore through one of the large birds.  The bird fell with a shriek silenced when his beak broke upon the ground.   Grrunco flipped around with practiced speed and agility, kicked off the Cliffside, and attacked another bird from beneath, throwing it to the ground.

Two were dead, four more to go.

An older bird chirped instructions to Plogos and Kraagon.  Plogos held the screaming Earthling Child as he followed Kraagon towards the Shrine of Prophesy.  Grrunco attempted to chase them and was blindsided by another bird larger and younger than he.  With beak and claw did they fight plummeting towards the Earth while his true prey flew away from him.

He must get her back.  He must save her.

Chapter 8: Samus

Art by Kilii

About Metroid Origins

Metroid Origins: Chapter 6: Mother

About Metroid Origins

Prologue

The remains of the Demon Mother were found within the cursed crater of her fallen ship.  Once lush farmlands became desolate deserts.  The Chozo renamed the place Crateria.  Most simply dismissed the deformed terrain as forbidden and moved on with their lives.  A select few obsessed over it.

It was an obsession passed down ever since the Psychic Wars, a last remnant of the Demon Mother’s demented ideals.  Like a slow and silent cancer it spread through Chozo minds over many years, bidding its time.  A cult of followers telepathically passed the mental virus to others, preaching the news of Mother’s return.  They called themselves the Fellowship of the Dark Flame.

For years the Dark Flame had dug quietly beneath Crateria, exploring the Tourian ship, and in its core, the hallowed remains of the Demon Mother herself.  She had a rather resilient body, able regain her facilities one molecule at a time.

~The Chozo Historian

Two Chozo huddled over the cooling embers of a hunting hearth. Many Shrieker bones were strung about the fireplace in what would seem a primitive fashion.

‘Speaking so openly against what the Chozo believe may not have been the most political move dearest Empress. You do not hold as much power as you once did.’

The second bird breathed heavily, ‘Politics. I am exhausted… tired of politics. If we do not act against the pirates now then who will?’

‘They believe in Newborn why don’t you?’

‘She killed a Shriek Bat today. This is good but what of an army of trained warriors.’

‘If she had the Varia Suite then-’

‘She cannot wear that suit! Anyone who tries has been killed by it! Do you not value her life Kerrfu?’

‘I value her and yes I agree with you. I am only questioning your motives.’

‘And how have I fared according to your placating wisdom? Do I pass your tests?’

‘Empress you appear determined to go through with this. I will stand behind you.’

‘Well fed. Where is she now?’

‘Plogos is taking her away. She should be off the planet in a few moments.’

~//~

The hooded Chozo stood around the ancient tunnel that led downward singing a single maternal word.

Mother awoke from her regenerative slumber and responded by opening the crevice to her ship.  They descended into the darkness.  Turrets followed their movement as they passed through vaulted chambers, mechanical hidden eyes watched them progress deeper and deeper into the Demon Mother’s lair.

At last they stood before the incubation chamber that held their beloved.  Four elctro-plasmic doors sealed her in.

Her rebirth was a slow process.  Only with the help of her followers could it go any faster.  The brain and eye had come to being, which was more than enough facilities to run an army.  They were firmly placed inside a large clear chamber, the final physical seal between her and the universe.

The single eye emitted a curious gaze towards her followers.  The cult had grown ten-thousand fold since her rebirth, spreading to Zebes and beyond.

All across the Chozo empire, Followers of the Dark Flame expanded their holy thoughts to males of true and open spirits.  Over half the Chozo Counsels were Dark Flame members.  This made it rather easy to take away the Empress’ power as ruler.

There could be no rivals.

There was only one mother.

What have you brought me? She asked telepathically.

Each follower brought before her a Chozo female.  Some were already dead, a few, were alive and well, sleeping in their husband or brother’s arms.

She took the dead ones first, sucking their bodies into herself, feeding on their succulent flesh.  Then she turned her eye towards the living females.  One by one she took them over, they were easy prey for her.

In pitiful screeches they fell inside the burning acid, bodies broken down and devoured by the Demon Mother’s fluidic tendrils.  She relished the taste of their souls as they succumbed to her will.  Each wondered why their fathers, sons, and husbands betrayed them.

An older Chozo stepped forward, ‘please Mother Brain.  May we see your true form?’

‘Yes,’ another bird sang, ‘only what is seen in the mind is truth.’

The eye blinked once, invisible thoughts reached out to their hungry minds, projecting versions of her into their heads.  Each saw Mother differently according to their preferences of feminine beauty and wisdom, a long lost love, a gentle grandmother, a deceased sister. Welcome aboard the Tourian my noble sons. Her mental projections thought to them.

She turned her attention to the one male that hadn’t brought her anything.  He was tall and strong, the perfect specimen of a Chozo.

Have you brought me anything worthy of my time?

He stepped forward and opened his mind completely to her.

I see that your name is Plogos.  A new strong son of my family!  And you have brought to me… can this be true!  Let me see her at once!

Plogos unfurled his cloak and presented the sleeping Earthling child to Mother Brain.  Newborn rested their on the floor, calm and serene.  Mother reached inside her mind and saw that she was dreaming of her family.  They were holding her hands, both father and mother, swinging her back and forth between them.  A lovely thought indeed.

Mother nudged Newborn awake.  The girl awoke and found herself in another dream, basking in a field of wild flowers.  But this dream was more real then the others.  She could smell the earth-like flowers of her home planet on K2-L.  On the other side of the field was her mother, long golden hair; “almost as pretty as Yours is Sarah,” dad would say.  Newborn stood up and ran towards her mother.  Mother held out her human arms to receive Newborn and said in Chozo speech, ‘Come to me Newborn. I have been waiting for you.’

Newborn stopped.  Something wasn’t right.  Mother didn’t know how to speak Chozo.  And why didn’t she call her by her Earth name of Sarah?

She shook her dazed head.  Her mother’s form wavered before her.  Something else came into view, mere inches from her face.  She saw it then, tall electrical frame, the smelt of burning metal.  She felt the heat of the electro-plasmic door close by and jumped several steps back.  Behind the four elctro-plasmic doors… the single eye of a nightmare looked her way.

Newborn looked at the eye-brain, the faint vision of her mother seen in its midst.  It was a lie, a sham.  Her mother was dead.  Something was using images to lure her towards her death.  She looked around and saw a Chozo bone lying on the ground.  Picking it up she hurled it towards the angry eye.  The bone vaporized upon contact with the elctro-plasma.  Hundreds of talons yanked her away.

Newborn saw nothing but the eye, angry and curious.  Something commanding reached inside her and spoke in thoughts, put her down.  She cannot hurt me. Newborn was placed before the angry eye.  Its thoughts bit violently into her brain.  Newborn couldn’t even scream for she had lost her ability to move.  She was pressed low to the ground.

So, the demon brain thought in a mocking tone, this is the Newborn, the so-called return of my Sunborn rival?  Oh how I remember that one… coming towards me so long ago in that shimmering Varia Armor of hers.  Didn’t I kill the Sunborn child?  Wasn’t she trying to kill me?  Even after all she had gone through, she just couldn’t manage it.  No woman can, which is why after all those years I am the mother eternal, not her.

And now another rival has come, a puny rival.  Tell me isn’t it true that only the pure in heart can wear the Sunborn armor?

Mother Brain released Newborn’s mind.  The girl whimpered screaming for mother and father to help her.

Poor little girl, searching for her parents in every relationship she comes in contact with.  When are you going to face the truth?  Your parents are dead, and only in death will you see them again.  Just like the sentient Varia armor, all alone without a master to wield it.  We should unite them I think.  Plogos take this girl to the Shrine of Prophesy.

Plogos ran to Newborn’s side and lifted her in his arms, holding her closely.  ‘But Mother there is yet to be found a Chozo that can wear the Varia Suit,’

This rival could be an exception though.  The armor might take pity on her.  Then she could march gallantly back in to me, waving that gaudy rifle arm in my face.

‘But Mother… the armor doesn’t accept anyone, it just merges their life into itself.  That would kill her.’

I could kill her now, merge her life into mine.  But what good would that do?  So many Chozo have put their trust in this little girl.  Let them see how far their dreams can take them.  Once the sentient armor kills her, all will see how silly the prophesy was to begin with.  There can be no rivals.  I am the only Mother.

Chapter 7: Season to Act

Art by ArtistsDen

About Metroid Origins

Metroid Origins: Chapter 5: Demons of the Past

About Metroid Origins

Prologue

Art by 3ihard

The Chozo were primitive, warring tribes when they made first contact with a bug-like race 8,000 years ago.  No handshake protocols were enacted between the races.  It was simply an invasion from a space-faring race with parasitic tendencies. The aliens called themselves Tourians. The Chozo called them, demons.

Despite the Tourian’s aggressive nature, they were not interested in eradicating the Chozo.  They sought to integrate them into their hive.  If this was impossible to do openly, then it was done forcibly through mental infection.  Usually their queen could take over a race quite easily.  Once overcome, the queens first bloody act would be to murder all rivals to her domain.

There could be only one Mother.

In this way the bugs traveled through many star systems encountering and ruining every civilization through the nomadic tyranny.

The Chozo were a very unusual find for the demons though.  Primitive in the sciences and technology yet extremely gifted with telepathy. The parasites had never encountered so much resistance to their ideas.  The Psychic Wars broke out between them, a war of flesh, blood, and mental prowess.

Some Chozo scholars think that the Tourian males were too dumb to think for themselves. It was the will of their queen that they followed.  Perhaps there were once many hives on the demon’s homeworld. Perhaps the queen had murdered all her rivals there as well.

The Chozo’s telepathic abilities kept the demons at bay for a time, yet the ruthless Mother soon found a way to use their powers against them.  The birds grew susceptible to mental infection.

Chozo men turned against their own kind sparking a civil war. Hundreds of female Chozo were murdered by fathers, husbands, and brothers, honorable minds twisted by the demon who forced them to kill the very females they vowed to protect.

All seemed lost until a society was formed to ask help from the Eminent One. Day and night they prayed to their god. No answer came. The society was mocked by nay-sayers who told them to stop praying and start fighting. The nay-sayers were silenced when the Eminent One responded with a second alien contact: a single most powerful warrior.

~The Chozo Historian

The feathered bard, wrapped in the silver white robes of a storyteller, perched upon the highest branch of the tall Arahn tree.  He held two music spheres in his hands, sending out a pleasant screech to all around.  Birds of the hunt quieted their chatter into hushed chirps as they beheld his form swaying in the breeze, burning eyes aimed at the lonely bard, ears perked in anticipation. The pale red moon made a fitting backdrop for the melancholy songs that followed.

His purring voice reached clear and strong to a speechless audience.

Music entered through heart and soul, vibrating into low and high notes that came alive with images.  The Living Sound it was called, a musical technique telepathic musicians mastered. The vibrant melodies transcended the natural, perusing into the very core of life and hidden beauty.

Newborn stood next to Kerrfu mesmerized by the music. Goosebumps spread about her body as she heard the soulful melodies. Something inside whispered to her heart’s deepest desire, higher and more valiant then her goodwill, stronger then her strength, wiser then her mind could ever be.

Time moved swiftly as the minstrel cooed his tunes about.  In the blink of an eye he was finished with his third song. A deep silence echoed through the woods. Then the minstrel spoke, a melody all its own:

‘You all know what the histories say about the demons. Many were killed by them in the Psychic Wars. It was the Eminent One’s response that saved our race. Until the Sunborn Warrior came all was lost. I wish to sing a new composition, a tale of hope restored by the second alien contact of a most gifted huntress.’

Everyone’s eyelids slowly closed as was the custom when a song about the Sunborn Warrior was sung. Newborn, unfamiliar with the custom, kept her blue eyes open.

The bard held up one of the luminous song orbs.  A light tone resonated through Newborn’s head expanding into two different notes.  The high note whispered out a gentle melody.  The lower one sustained itself conjuring forth images of strength and depth.

Newborn realized the light melody was sent telepathically inside her head while the low note was sung out the bard’s beak for all to hear. She wondered if anyone else could hear the light melody meandering about.

The low note crescendoed into a sad broken waltz, hovering around a single word: Sunborn.

Newborn’s imagination was alive with the striking image of a tall figure clothed in white burnished armor.  A large gun completely surrounded the warrior’s right hand.

The words of the bard entered and sang:

‘Sunborn was born of a race long destroyed by the demons who came to our lands. So bright her appearance was that it was rumored her race lived in the suns of the sky. Who can tell even now if such a feat is possible.  Even in all our time journeying through space, we could not find her homelands.  Perhaps it still lies, hidden on some burnished star millions of light-years away.

‘Her appearance beneath the fabled armor was that of yellow from head to toe.  It did indeed glimmer like our sun does. She was the only survivor of her kind… the last of her race destroyed by the demons.  Her armor was a living being, created by her kind from 24 sacrificed sunborners, designed with one goal in mind, defeat of the Demon Mother.

‘It was with such a vengeful resolve that she sought the mind-eater.  She encountered many worlds destroyed in her wake. Nothing remained of them but scattered memories and lost dreams.

‘When the demons invaded us, we made our stand against them. Though valiantly we fought, we could not win. We were taking heavy casualties. Even worse than this were those males who turned against their own. Our telepathic abilities became a curse to us. She wove many enticing lies within our head, some that still remain even to this day. Countless females were slaughtered.

Still we held on. We fought and died, praying for help from the Emanate One.

‘The moment Sunborn came it seemed like a joke, as if the Emanate One were mocking us. How could one person stand against so many armies? Then we saw her fight. The living power suit gave her many powers. She could transform into energy, flying without wings, shoot with the powers of the sun, ice, and lightening. More incredible then all of this was her ability to morph into a sphere moving about undetected by the demons. Her speed and agility were unmatched by any who encountered her. All foes fell to their dying knees before such uncanny skill. The might of her anger was indeed most great. Against all odds, she made it into the great dark ship hovering above Chozodia.

‘The Demon Mother had never met another female so powerful. All her tricks of the mind did not work.  Sunborn was full of too much vengeance. The battle did not last long. As the great demon tried to flee, Sunborn dealt her a mighty blow.  The ship fell to a land that became known as the cursed Crateria.  Sunborn escaped the falling ship then collapsed upon the ground severely wounded. Two days later she died.  Her suit remained, sentient and patient.  Even now it rests in the Shrine of Prophesy, awaiting a time for a worthy hunter to take it up once again.  Waiting for a time when vengeance can claim the suit as its own.

‘It is prophesied that once the demons return, a manifestation of Sunborn will be brought to us so that it might rid us of the evil that so easily besets us.  Now the pirates of space arise to haunt our peace. Now is the time for her to come again. Now is the time for Newborn to arise!’

As the song came to a close, Newborn’s trance of telepathic images shattered into a million pieces. She awakened to find thousands of burning Chozo eyes upon her.

Where the bard once stood a new form emerged. Tall and regal the bird spread forth her wings and screeched louder than a roaring Sheegoth. The eyes of all reluctantly shifted towards the proud Chozo Empress. Her voice rang in a powerful telepathic vibe demanding every bird’s attention.

‘How long will this continue?’ She screamed. ‘Back then we fought long and hard against the demons. What is keeping us from fighting these space pirates now? Don’t you understand? If all we had done was wait for Sunborn to arrive, the Demon Mother would have murdered us all.   Sunborn would have come too late.

You cannot always trust on others to do for you what you can do for yourselves. We were great hunters once upon a time.  Why can’t we rise again and face the pirates! Surely they would crumble before the might of such a hunt!’

A claw tugged at Newborn’s shoulder. She turned and found Plogos looking down upon her. His beak chirped quietly, ‘The Empress has sent me to take you away from this place.’

‘Are you mad at me?’

‘Why would I be mad at you?’

‘Back at the h-hu… I thought-’

‘Hush little chick. I wasn’t mad at you, just concerned for your safety.’ His grim beak transformed into a slight grin, ‘I hear that you killed a Shriek Bat without spoiling the wings.’

‘I was only doing what you taught me to do.’

‘What you did with the sharp sticks did not come from me. That was something you did on your own.’

Silently the girl climbed on his back.

Another voice spoke up nearby, ‘Are you going to leave before saying goodbye?’

Newborn turned and saw Kerrfu smiling at her.

‘Oh mother Kerrfu!  I will see you again… won’t I?’

Kerrfu rested her beak gently upon Newborn’s shoulder.  ‘I will not lie to you dearest chick.  Things are happening on Zebes that might be quite dangerous for a prophesied girl such as yourself.  The Empress is smuggling you out of here.  If you do see me again it will be many years from now.’

Newborn returned Kerrfu’s hug, holding tightly to the bird’s neck.  ‘I will miss you my mother!  And I promise you.  I shall return upon this planet.’

‘Hush child!  Do not make a vow you may not be able to keep.  Go now, and never look back.’

Plogos lunged into the sky flying them west over the forest, towards a desolate rocky terrain.

Newborn frowned at this and asked Plogos, ‘Why are we flying over here?  The space harbor is behind us.’

‘We have placed a hidden ship upon Crateria.’

‘Isn’t the land of Crateria forbidden?’

‘Only to those blinded from the truth,’ replied the bird.

‘But the Empress told me never to come here.’

‘You are asking too many questions little one.  Open your mind to me, so that I can illuminate you towards the truth.’

Newborn did as commanded and immediately fell asleep under Plogos’ mental gaze.

He flew down near a rocky cave.  Hooded birds stood there, hunched over a dark blue flame.

One of them screeched out, ‘I am eternally fed.’

Plogos responded, ‘I likewise am eternal.’

The leader of the group, an old short bird wearing a gold and red hood turned to them all and said, ‘Let us descend to Mother.  She will be quite pleased with what Plogos has brought.’

Chapter 6: Mother

Art by ArtistsDen

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