Metroid Origins: Chapter 9: Forgiven

About Metroid Origins

Prologue

Over time the Varia Suit would shed parts of itself, lethal weapons that were studied by the Chozo scientist.  The study of these weapons was a holy process given only to the most-gifted archeologists and scientist.  What they gleamed from this technology influenced every bit of Chozo society from their culture to their buildings.  The scientists began to duplicate the Varia artifacts, which would be displayed in protective rooms across the many planets in the empire.  In all of seven thousand years, no one had found a way to duplicate the complicated power suit that used the weapons, until very recently.

~Chozo Historian

Samus was carried high in the sky by bleeding talons.  She didn’t say a word to Grandfather as he flew her far away from the Shrine of Prophesy.  She hadn’t said goodbye to Kerrfu when Grrunco picked her up and forced her into the sky.  She didn’t want to say goodbye… she just wanted to touch the Varia Suit again, the one thing in life that understood her.

She was the chosen one, the Newborn prophesied long ago to protect the Chozo from some great evil.  So close to accomplishing that goal, to merging with that ancient power suit… only to be stopped by her friends, unbelievers who thought they were saving her life.

The Empress’ final words came back to her, ‘you don’t get it little chick.  Many noble warriors have lost their lives trying to merge with the sentient armor.  How could you, a mere human girl, be any different?’

Kerrfu chimed in, ‘I know you don’t understand it Newborn, but in time you will.’

At those words Newborn stopped crying.  It was obvious that these unbelievers would not help her.  She held her chin up and replied, ‘my name is Samus!’

From that point on she schemed of a way to break free, go back to the Shrine and face her true destiny.

Kerrfu and the Empress went a different direction to head off those chasing them.  Grrunco was flying very low to escape detection.

Despite it all, two Chozo sent by members of the Counsels were trailing behind.  They had been asked to intercept Newborn and bring her back.   From cloud to cloud they flew, mere dots in the sky.  Strong talons came from above and broke the neck of one and then the other. Like meteors their lifeless bodies tumbled towards the earth. Kraagon’s looming shadow took their place. On every down stroke he muttered the single word of, ‘Mother.’

Plogos followed behind the enormous bird, trying his best to keep up.

Grrunco and Newborn made it to a high mountain cliff where a lonely amber colored ship awaited them. It was long and smooth like a Chozo’s beak, made from an orange stone, both flexible and tough. It looked more like a sculpture cut from amber then a spacecraft.  Two Chozo were placing various instruments into it.  They gave Grrunco a nod as he landed.

Samus had seen many of these flying space contraptions whizzing noiselessly by while on Zebes. They looked like floating yellow triangles.  She was reminded of a familiar image, something from her past that was spongy and yellow.

It was at that moment her photographic memory took hold.  Her mother was holding a piece of cheese, rushing it through the air towards her mouth, making noises a space ship would make when entering the atmosphere. Whenever a Chozo ship flew above the trees Samus instinctively listened for her mother’s spaceship noises.

It always bothered her that the things made very little sound. Sometimes she would accompany the ship with her own vocal sounds. One Chozo saw her doing this and assumed her to be insane. Kerrfu had been quick to point out that she was merely being different.

Grrunco touched the wall of the ship which folded open like a liquid curtain. Inside Newborn could see a tall and narrow hallway colored gold, black, and aqua blue with silver trim. Nothing protruded except what was necessary: a latch to open a door, a flat consul to contact the ship’s computer. What Newborn at first thought of as simple decorations she soon discovered to be handles a Chozo claw could grasp. To her surprise what looked like flat circles below this were also handles designed for a young humanoid about her height.

Grrunco said, ‘I hope you like the accommodations. The ship was especially fitted with you in mind.’

‘Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?’

Grrunco looked at her in utter confusion.  ‘You do not need to know the plans our Empress has for you. All you need to do is trust her.’

Samus glanced around in curious wonder.  An odd design stuck out amongst the mundane abstract calligraphy upon the walls. So curious was this design that she was compelled to touch it. It seemed like something was supposed to happen… nothing did.

‘Newborn do you trust the Empress?’  Grrunco asked.

Broken from her daze she stared up at Grrunco’s scarred beak and wildly hostile eyes. Her perception of him had changed greatly since the time he stumbled into her room so long ago.  A great hunter like him would be needed for the battles ahead.

She thought about the coming war against the pirates.  They would have to defeat Mother Brain first.  She needed Grrunco on her side for this.

Samus reached up and placed a hand upon his shoulder, ‘I trust you grandfather.’

Grrunco looked at the girl before him.  She was different somehow… soft face already beginning to harden into that of an expert hunter.  Behind the frigid eyes he telepathically sensed her gentle nature replaced with that of anger and revenge.  This saddened him.

Something else was bothering him though… not from Newborn but from the silence outside.  Samus made to speak again, Grrunco held up a talon for her to be quiet.

Slowly he crept outside the ship.  Two birds lay upon the ground shredded with talon markings.  On instinct Grrunco lunged to the left, the ground shook from the attack of a very large Chozo.  Grrunco’s instincts took over, deftly striking at the interloper’s wing with his beak.

Kraagon jumped away.

Grrunco didn’t give him a moment to breath but at once attacked with talon and beak.  After the third feint, Kraagon wrapped Grrunco in his wings and lunged over the edge of the cliff.

Samus screamed after him, ‘Grandfather!’

Something landed beside her.  She turned around and faced Plogos dazed expression.  ‘Plogos you have to help our teacher.’  She said.

Plogos didn’t seem to hear her, ‘Mother has asked me to take you to the Varia Suit, to merge with it and die.’

Samus thought about it… she could go with Plogos, merge with the suit, and kill Mother Brain.  The Demon Mother did not understand what Varia had meant when asking for one who was pure.  Samus was pure though, purified by her grief on planet K2-L.  If she went with Plogos she would merge with the suit and fulfill her destiny as the Newborn.  But that would mean grandfather would die.  No Chozo of his age could take on so enormous a bird.

Plogos reached after Samus.  She somersaulted away from him.

‘Don’t make me hurt you Newborn.  Come willingly and I will make sure Mother spares Kerrfu.’

Even without telepathy Samus knew he was lying.  He reached after her again.  She jumped over his head and hit him in the back catching him off balance.  She reared back and hit one of the wings with the heel of her hand.  A loud snap followed a sudden screech.

‘Listen to me Plogos!  I am not going back with you, not until you help grandfather, not until you get it through your thick skull that this Mother of yours is not your friend.’  She kicked him in the head causing another screech to emerge.

The pain brought his senses about him.  When she went to kick him again he grabbed her foot and sent her flying against the ship.  She hit the side and collapsed on the ground.

‘Mother has asked me to take you with me.  Don’t make me kill you.  Don’t make me disobey mother.’

Samus fought against her pounding head-ache, ‘How could you take me to that monster.  All those things you taught me… and only now to kill me.’

‘I only taught you what the Counsels asked me to teach you.  Now I am fully mother’s.  Now I am free to do as she commands.’

Samus curled her hands around two stones.  ‘I have already broken your wing Plogos.  Don’t make me hurt you further.’

He shook his head at her, ‘you will not be able to touch me.  I’ve always been the better fighter.’  He fell down into a crouching position, gazing at her with eyes very much like the Sheegoth she had faced, a Sheegoth Plogos had once saved her from.  He telepathically sent her images of fear preparing for the lunge.  The images meant nothing to her.  She had already faced her deepest fears.  She had already defeated them.

In a swift sure motion he moved.  At the same time Samus threw the stones with a full force behind them.  Each one found their mark in the Chozo’s blazing orange eyes.  Plogos staggered in a blinding rage and fell.  Samus put her foot upon his head pressing it deep into the ground.

In the midst of Plogos pain he felt the connection with mother, that loving inner embrace of peace slowly but surely being severed.  He screamed for her, telepathically asking her to stay, to help him.

His likeness of Mother Brain appeared in his mind, the beautiful image of a Chozo goddess.  She looked down upon him sternly and said in his mind, what service do you have left to offer me?  You failed me, now I will fail you. He screeched in anguish as she severed her link to him.  Then he heard Newborn’s voice near his ear.

‘I didn’t want to hurt you Plogos.  But you left me no choice.  This is war and I aim to win it.’  Plogos opened his eyes to look upon her.  All he could see were blurry images and blood.  Samus held his head gently in her arms.

A large shadow loomed over them.  The beaten form of Kraagon fell to the ground.  One wing was so broken it was a wonder he could fly.  Splotches of blood speckled his shoulder and chest.  He took a step towards them, favoring his right leg.

In the light of the rising sun Samus could just make out the Grandfather’s arching form coming to her rescue.  He would be too late.

Kraagon took another step towards them, ‘Mother wanted to make an example out of you, to be merged and killed with the Varia Suit.  It is too late for that.  The Varia Suit is far away.  I am here though.  Mom has asked me to kill you.’

Samus reared up ready to face another battle, one she was sure to lose.

Plogos got up and stepped between them.  He could barely see through blinded eyes, but he saw enough to know the truth.  ‘Mother is not the goddess we thought she was Kraagon.  She only wants to use us.  When she is done with our useless bodies… what do we have left, but to die for our sins.’

Before Kraagon could react to the cryptic words Plogos ran at him striking with beak and talon.  Kraagon was not expecting this from his comrade.  He only thought of one thing as Plogos fell with him over the edge: I have failed Mother.

Samus ran to the edge of the cliff, catching their forms disappearing into the darkness.

Grrunco landed beside her.  He placed a bloody talon on her shoulder.

‘Today was a good hunt,’ said he with a purr, ‘I did not expect you to survive it.’

Samus didn’t look up when she asked, ‘why did Plogos do all of this?’

Grrunco’s scarred beak pointed over the cliff.  ‘He fell victim to an ancient mental disease.  For too long the Demon Mother has plagued our nightmares.  I think it’s time we fight back.  Do not worry about Plogos.  He redeemed his failings.  Remember him for what he taught you.  You will need this for the coming war.’

Grrunco led Samus back inside the ship.  His left talon touched a colorful design.  It folded upon to a room designed specifically for her.  She entered hesitantly and touched the coarse, Indigo blanket Kerrfu had made for her long ago.  She wrapped herself in it like a womb.

‘Where are we going Grandfather?’

Grrunco thought for a moment if she was ready to know yet.  She had survived her first real battle, this made her a little chick no longer.  She was a fully fledged samshus hunter.  The proud triangular head straitened with resolve, ‘The Empress is planning to retake her place with force among the Counsuls.  She has asked me to smuggle you out of here under the guise of this science vessel.  We will make our first stop upon the science station at the moon.  There we will pick some organic cargo and take it to a little backwater planet called SR388.’

Crrunco left her there to contemplate his words.  The imposing form of Eldest One appeared silently as from thin air.  After Crrunco caught his breath, he nodded four times and then went inside the ship.  Eldest One walked towards the Sunborn Child who sat looking at the beauty of Zebes.

He whispered in a halting screech, ‘This world is destined to die you know.’

She turned towards him and made to bow.  He stopped her with his talon.  ‘We should be bowing to you dearest Sarah.  For it is our place, our lot in life to pass on from this universe and into another.  It will be your duty to keep us alive in the minds of all the alien races who remain, to remind them of our culture, our teachings, and our love for sentient kind.’

Samus frowned at this, ‘I will fight with all my life to preserve you.’

‘Yes little chick you will fight… and you will lose.  It is our destiny to pass; yet… in the midst of such loss you will also win, for it is your destiny to avenge the deaths of our people from those hateful pirates.  And then our light will shine fourth from your bosom, as real to others as if we had never passed away.  For it is the Eminent One’s will that you walk two distinctive paths, vengeful redeemer and the great Chozo historian.

Samus looked at Eldest One, the deepest anguish on her face, ‘Will I see you again?’

The Eldest One looked back sadly and said, ‘We will meet again dearest chick, though I fear it may not be so well for me.  If ever these old bones turn astray you must dispatch of me, only than shall I find true peace.  And you shall also return her upon Zebes though in a different way than you came.  The Varia suit will unite with you when you need it most.’

Eldest One left her then, flying far towards the escaping night.  An old human tradition came to her mind.  Her hand lifted and waved goodbye to the strange prophet from planet Tallon IV.  She turned then and joined Grrunco at the bridge.

The triangular ship lifted off into the air, aiming its prow towards the sun.

Samus looked at the wild lands of Zebes.  She vowed to one day return and fulfill the Eldest One’s prophesy.  A slight chill ran up her spine at the thought of losing the Chozo to the pirates.  She would do her best to prevent that.

Grrunco spoke then, ‘Do not fret what the old bird has said.  Some prophesies are never meant to come to pass.’

Samus tried to be reassured by these words.  Perhaps there was still time to stop the bitter end of all Chozo.  She knew in her gut though… as bright as the sun before them, this was one prophesy destined to come.

~End of Part One~

 

Dear reader,

I hope you enjoyed reading through Part 1 of Metroid Origins.  If you made it this long I suspect that you have.  Thanks for your time in this.  Please feel free to comment down below, or you can email me at <featheredfrog58@gmail.com>.

I am taking a break from this ever expanding story to give it a long overdue editing.  I will also be finishing a few other projects I have in mind.

The first episode of my own scf-fi story Void Voyage should be purchasable for your e-reader by the end of March 2011.

Synopsis of Episode 1, I Shall not Rest in Peace: A good emperor has inherited an empire wrought with corruption and evil.  His desire to change this has led him to the ancient, terraformed planet of Mars; where he must convince a sacrificial clone to live for peace instead of die to it.

Keep reading and enjoy living!

Your friendly neighborhood author,

B. L. White

More information on Void Voyage

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

About Metroid Origins

Metroid Origins: Chapter 4: Feast of Hunt

About Metroid Origins

Prologue

Art by 3ihard

The most anticipated festival by the youthful Chozo is the Feast of Hunt where creatures such as the Brood and the Shriek Bat awake from hibernation.  It is a war between sentient being and beast.  The Chozo word for hunt and war were once the same.  Until the Sunborn One came from the sky and taught them a new word for war.  That word was ‘Shamsus’.

This is pronounced “Samus” in our language.

~The Chozo Historian

Newborn looked deeply through the thick foliage of the Arahn Forrest.  Distant bird calls told her the hunt was going well for most.  It had already been two days and she had yet to kill something worthwhile.  She was getting quite desperate.

Grandfather and Plogos both warned her not to stray too far from the paths they had set for her.  They gave her a list of animals to attack and ones to avoid. She tried to follow the list, she really did, but chasing after giant butterflies and docile rabbits could only be so much fun.  What good was a hunt if the prey didn’t bother to chase you back?  So, for reasons of human curiosity and boredom… she strayed towards the wilder hunting grounds.

A baby Sheegoth rummaged through the leaves about a meter high, pimple-horns on his frontal shell. His back was the only vulnerable point one could attack.  They were pretty easy to kill for an experienced Chozo. The normal hunting skill was to face one, allow him to charge and jump over attacking his vulnerable back.  Newborn wished to try a different approach.  She waited for him to expose his back to her, blinked her eyes five times and pounced.  In mid air she prepared her fist to break through the skin.

Impact is more important than the strength that wields it, Plogos’ teachings reminded her. Newborn’s whole body tensed as her fist bore down upon the beast.  The lazy Sheegoth shifted causing the point of impact to move.  She grunted in frustration then screamed once her hand made contact against the tougher shell of his front side.

The beast joined her scream with a sudden growl. A quick thrust upwards bucked her off and onto the ground. She clammed her mouth shut upon impact and rolled onto her feet.  Turning around she saw the Sheegoth charging her. He gave her the most hideous look she had ever seen, full of pure malice and hatred. She willed herself to flee, yet couldn’t move a muscle, mesmerized by the hypnotic hatred of the Sheegoth.

The roar of the monster was cut off by a red and brown blur that pinned the beast against a tree. Plogos screeched in the Sheegoth’s face attacking his back with talons. Dark red blood splashed about as the beast moaned, thrashed, and died.  The Sheegoth’s stare was a dead haze then, void of any malice.

Plogos perched nearby Newborn, crimson feathers bristling around angry gray eyes, ‘Why did you stray form the path?  Only a Chozo with claws can assault such a beast. I told you that! Why didn’t you heed my warnings?  There is no honor lost in hunting smaller prey.’

Newborn had never seen Plogos so angry. ‘I’m sorry great hunting cook.’ Was all she could stutter out.

‘You are not fit for this Hunt. You never were fit. Leave before you get yourself killed!’

Tears began to fall off her cheeks unbidden. She turned away in shame and ran as fast as she could. Her mental compass pointed her east towards the Memento Sea. The vision of her parent’s death flashed through her memory… a bloody talon… her dull reflection on its scaly hide… bitter laughter… and then the dragon’s inhuman eyes, full of malice and hatred. Like the Sheegoth’s, yet surrounded with a sinister intelligence.

She stopped and leaned against a tree. Short breaths of fear trembled throughout her being.

She thought of her old name before being adopted by the Chozo, before she felt so light on a planet twice as small as earth… before space pirates invaded her home on planet K2-L and murdered her parents.  Eight earth years ago Newborn remembered herself as the sweet three-year old little girl named Sarah Drillsmith.  Even at so young an age, her photographic memory served her well.

Sarah’s Father was a minor for the Galactic Federation. She didn’t see him much. When she did it was like Christmas. Deep in the files of her brain, embedded behind her subconscious she remembered him….

Father held Sarah in his lap as she played with colorful blocks. Her mother caressed her forehead tenderly. They were watching a very old movie, one of the many timeless classics that had survived the human’s expansion into space.

Two sword masters were fighting each other, one of them dressed in black. At first the one in black was winning until the other stopped him and said, “I am not left handed.” He immediately switched hands defeating the man in black who retreated… that is until the man in black told the other…”I am not left handed either.” Father laughed at this, a deep rumbling laugh that shook Sarah from head to toe.

She meditated on this, her father’s lap, her mother’s caresses.  Newborn’s breathing slowed down. She was no longer crying, no longer afraid. What was it those men held in that movie? A weapon.

She thought about how Plogos attacked the Sheegoth with his talons. The Chozo don’t fight with weapons. She held her own stubby fingers before her eyes. Humans on the other hand… nothing of ours can really cut flesh. She searched around for something, anything she could use.

She saw a sapling tree two meters high, the sprouted seed of an Arhan Tree.

The light gravity on planet Zebes allowed the planet to have much larger and taller trees. Because of this the trees did not need very large roots in order to support the small weight of their enormous mass. It did not take long for her to pull the sapling out of the ground.

She then began to clean off the twigs and branches of her new weapon.  A bow staff twice her height was the final product. Seeing how impractical so tall a weapon was, she sought a way to break it in half.  Stabbing the bow between two rocks she bent it until it snapped. The break was a clean diagonal swoop creating two very sharp spears. With both spears in hand she ran fast, away from the Memento Sea and back towards the hunting grounds.

Perspiration dripped off her face set with eyes blue as the oceans of Earth, hair as wild as the sun. Her ears throbbed with the alien sounds of the forest. Nothing registered as hostile to her, but something told her to be wary. She slowed down to a trot and then a walk. Quiet fingers pulled back a leaf the size of her body.

She beheld an opening in the trees, decorated with bleached bones of large animals. Spots of white goo littered about the ground. A crisp clicking noise, much like the purr of a forest cat sounded above her. Newborn lifted her chin and saw a nest of Shriek Bats hanging gently below the branches.

Shriekers were not very fond of other species. Highly territorial and aggressive these blind rodents would dive at any sort of movement.  The size of the intruder had no bearing on their vicious attacks. Kerrfu once told Newborn an old story about Brroch the Wingsinger who came across a swarm of them while flying over the Arhan Forrest. It was recorded that dozens rammed into him heedless of their own lives, all for the sake of protecting the nest. Only when he flew far away did they stop.

These bats were highly prized for their succulent meat. Killing one whose wings had not been deformed was a prized symbol of dexterity. This meant you were quick and silent enough to take it out before it ran into something and mutilated its wings. Thier suicidal tendencies made them a bit harder then Sheegoths, though not quite as dangerous to the Chozo. For an eleven-year old girl they were both difficult and dangerous.  These were no docile butterflies.  Newborn’s eyes grinned at the challenge.

She picked up a rock and chucked it hoping the sound would draw their attention away from her. Three things happen in response: Newborn grunted at the effort of throwing the rock as hard as she could, the rock hit a tree sending a few young Shriekers that direction, the rest of them torpedoed towards the noise of the grunt.

Five smashed into the ground Newborn was standing on moments earlier. The bones of their brittle wings snapped like twigs. Four rammed into the tree barely missing the foot that ricocheted off.  She ran away from the clearing. All Newborn could hear was high pitched sounds growing louder and louder as the bats torpedoed towards her. She dodged behind trees and boulders, anything to throw them off.

Finally the noises were dying away. She turned around to find the bats had quite the chase and were flying back to their unprotected nest. Her eyes squinted with a determined frustration. Giving her best Chozo hunting cry she lunged forward and let fly one of her spears. It missed a Shrieker by two meters. The Shrieker screamed at the shaft and dove towards it. A second spear pierced it in midflight, this time with Newborn in tow. The girl landed on the ground smiling at her pierced Shrieker with idiotic glee. Its wings had not been crushed.

~//~

 

Across the galaxy trillions of Chozo celebrated their own versions of the hunt using a mixture of animals from all around the Chozo Empire.  On Zebes millions gathered around the globe, and in the capital of Chozodia beneath the red moon thousands came to feast upon their kill. The largest trees of all Zebes resided there. Because of the light gravity many stood taller than the tallest skyscrapers. The oldest of them was more than ten thousand Earth-years old. The bird-like Chozo fluttered and screeched about the many communal hearths, busy with eating and cooking. Young hunters came in with their kill which was swiftly roasted and then served to family and friends.

One very tall and muscular Chozo dragged the carcass of a rather large Brood to a secluded make-shift hut on the out skirts of the ancient grove. A female Chozo glanced at the tall hunter with open admiration. On a whim she telepathically sent thoughts of mating his way.  Two passing males picked up the scented idea and looked at her. Their eyes glittered hopefully for she was very beautiful.

In contrast the Chozo dragging the Brood didn’t even notice her thoughtful call. He just continued onward like nothing had happened. The female crowed and lunged towards him with the intent of getting his attention, even if it meant knocking some sense into him. He didn’t flinch as one of her talons slapped his shoulder. In frustration her mind perceived no cognitive thoughts within, much less those of the romantic kind. There was nothing inside but blank and dull personifications of some abstract power.

He looked into her lovely feathered’ face as if it were a smooth plain wall. He spoke in a dull monotone voice, ‘Excuse me I am well fed. And you?’

He said this with indifference and then walked away dragging the Brood’s carcass behind like a beast of burden pulling a plow.

She was mesmerized by his blank face and thoughts. Nothing complicated, just simple and to the point ideas that served no purpose and met no needs. The indifferent male entered into a tall dark tent with his kill. A high pitched voice screeched out his name, ‘Kraagon? Is that you Kraagon?’

‘It is me. I am eternally fed.’

‘I likewise am eternal.’

‘How is the Mother?’

‘She is hungry and we must feed her.’

‘I have brought food for us.’

‘Is that all you have brought her?’

‘All that I am is her’s to have.’

The high voice clicked his tongue, ‘She already has you Kraagon. She needs more.’

‘What more can I give her?’

‘You can give her other males like yourself.’

‘I have been talking to one such male.  He should be here soon.’

A low hum rang forth, erupting a dark-blue flame that played with the shadows. In the midst of the shifting darkness a short gray Chozo sat beneath a highly decorated red and gold hood. Kraagon threw the meat on the mysterious fire as the gray bird watched with shifting eyes.

Red moonlight entered the dark blue room. Both turned and beheld a beautiful Chozo with dazed eyes and a curious open heart.

‘Why didn’t you notice me when I sent my mating call?’ She asked.

Kraagon looked at her dumbly. The shorter one shifted his eyes towards her and smiled in a friendly manner. ‘Come child sit. Sit by the fire. I will explain.’

She hesitated. Something was wrong with the fire. It was too dark and blue. Fire should be bright orange or yellow. Something wasn’t right. Her mind warned her that she should leave. In the dark paths of her brain hints of an ancient story came to mind, a story that contained a dark blue flame. That was all she could remember about the old tale. Usually she could remember everything very well. This troubled her.

The old bird touched her leg gently. A numbing sensation spread through her. ‘Sit down child. I tell you the truth, in all the history of our race no harm has ever come to one who sits next to her kind around a fireplace.’

Her mind was dulled by the hypnotic voice compelling her to sit and listen.

‘Long ago before we pursued the heavens there was a race of beings who landed here. Some called them demons but they spoke of peace and goodwill, things that only angels could speak of. Many rejected their teachings, foolishly clinging to a tyrannical belief in the Emanate One. Those who were touched by these angles were compelled to believe.  Even after the angelic beings left, forced to do so by the blind, their teachings have remained. They have been passed down many thousand years from one male to the next.

‘The first teaching: Peace comes only when there is no conflict. The second teaching: Conflict comes when there is no peace. The third teaching: All conflicts can be resolved by destroying those who stand in the way. Another further teaching, one that I like very much, is this saying, maybe you’ve heard of it: Multiple females cause conflict.’

The short old Chozo touched her gently with his gnarled talon. ‘You see Kraagon here doesn’t notice your colorful beak, your lovingly ruffled feathers, your beautiful dark eyes, your soft graceful form. He doesn’t notice any of these things because he doesn’t need you. He has Mother.’

Before the lovely Chozo could understand the short male’s words or their meaning, a large talon grasped her neck and broke it. It was only when reaching the afterlife that she even thought about screaming.

‘Nicely done Kraagon. Conflict is being resolved. Now throw it into the flame.’

The tall form of Kraagon lifted the limp female off the ground. He stared at her soft form with shifting lively eyes.

‘Kraagon! Into the flame. Throw its body into the flame.’

Kraagon looked at the short old bird with hungry searching orbs, a soul that was thirsty and longing for what could not be had. The old bird looked deeply into those eyes.  He was reminded of himself long ago. Gently he placed his hand upon Kraagon’s leg, telepathically reminding him of their mission. The hungry eyes of Kraagon withered into a dull numbness.

‘You had to do it Kraagon. You had to. There can only be one Mother.’

The flap of the tent opened up to reveal a conflicted male Chozo.  This one was taller even then Kraagon.  He stepped forth near the dark blue flame.  The short old Chozo smiled at him, ‘Plogos!  So good to see you!  Please join us around the fire here.’

Plogos’ was surprised at this for he hadn’t yet told the old bird his name.  Lively eyes became dull at the old bird’s touch.  Plogos opened his beak and sang in an off-key fashion.  ‘I have made up my mind.  I want to be with Mother Brain.’

‘Of course you do.’  Replied the grimacing old bird, ‘All men wish to resolve the conflict women impose upon us.  Welcome to the Fellowship of the Dark Flame.’

Chapter 5: Demons of the Past

Art by ArtistsDen

About Metroid Origins

Metroid Origins: Chapter 3: Two Masters

About Metroid Origins

Prologue

Art by Fallout161

Chozo were once a blood thirsty race, ravaged with clan wars during the primitive times.  As they grew out of the mire and into civilization, their natural aggression as bird’s of prey remained, a brutality tempered with honor. Then the demons invaded from the heavens.  After the Psychic Wars they made sacred oaths to never kill other Chozo.

As they encountered various species across the galaxy, their oaths grew more strict.  They went from fighting wars against other aliens to supporting others to fight for them.  It wasn’t a hard move to become complete isolationists, uninvolved in any battles whatsoever.

Yet in all of this, they kept their fierce habit of hunting beasts of the ground, air, and sky.  Some supposed that hunting dumb animals satisfied their brutality, allowing them to live in harmony with others.

~The Chozo Historian

Argrramus sat upon his throne beneath the harsh winter sky.  Invisible shielding cut out the cold wind.  It gave the illusion he was at one with nature.

Before him stood Kerrfu, the Empress’ most trusted adviser.  She had come to the Counsels on her own to screech her pleas for the last human of K-2L.

Her words were drenched with mental fears for the child, ‘You must do something about this.  The human will die under Grrunco’s teaching.’

Argrramus spoke in a tired whisper, ‘Newborn will not die until she has fulfilled the prophesy.  So it is written.’

‘This isn’t about prophesy my liege, a child’s life is at stake.  The Empress has told Grrunco to break her!’

‘Though it is rare, I very much agree with the Empress’ sentiment in this.  If the human girl is not fit to hunt like us, then she isn’t fit to protect us.’

‘She isn’t fit to do anything as we do it!  She’s human not Chozo.  You must teach her strictly it is true, but it must be tempered with understanding.  Such is the way with humans.  If she is killed then her blood will be on your hands my lord!  The population of Zebes will not be pleased to have lost their chosen one.’

Argrramus tapped his claw in an offbeat sort of way.  ‘Fine, I’ll send one of my own to teach her on the side.  But I will not cross Grrunco directly.  If she dies, he and the Empress will bare the responsibility.”

~//~

It was midnight in the Hunting School as the two sparred.  One was a tall handsome bird, feathers of green and blue.  The other a troubled human, golden hair trailing behind like shafts of light.

There can be only one mother, Plogos thought as he sparred with Newborn.  Another mission from another master loomed in the back of his mind, a gnawing that would eventually drive him crazy.  But he had made his choice joining with the other males, joining them in pursuing the great Mother Brain.  He must complete this simple mission.  Win her trust by teaching her, then give her to mother, whose seductive thoughts gnawed in the corner’s of his sanity, like a prowling Sheegoth.

The young human had grown close to Plogos over the months.  She was exceedingly grateful for his help.  If only she knew of his other side, his darker side.  But she wasn’t telepathic, no human was.  So Plogos rested his mind when around her, let it wonder towards that darkness, sweet wonderful darkness and in its midst Mother Brain pulling the strings.

~//~

Grrunco stood in the shadows watching them spar.

Plogos was Grrunco’s greatest student.  He knew how to hunt that was for sure, yet Grrunco sensed great conflict within, passions of light and dark, one of amorphous temperaments.  Why the Counsels would choose such an unstable bird to teach their prophesied one was beyond the old talon master.  Were their telepathic minds too dense to see the dangers?  Perhaps it was the wayward belief in the heretical goddess that tempered them.

No one can serve two masters, Grrunco thought as he sensed the warring thoughts within Plogos, rushing against each other like water and oil.  This was the Counsels’ pick to teach one as special as Newborn.  Grrunco had no choice but to abide with it… for now.

Plogos was a tower of muscle and strength, the perfect Chozo, natural in the art of the hunt.  He taught Newborn with a mixture of understanding that made Grrunco’s skin crawl in distaste.  True hunters needed no understanding.  What was there to understand but the piercing of talon with skin?

~//~

Newborn lunged towards Plogos as fiercely as she could. He jumped easily above, tapping her exposed back with his talon. She tumbled forward in a clumsy heap.  His lighter side had taken a liking to the young human.  It was a glorious challenge to help her learn a new way to fight.

He spoke to her in a chastising screech, ‘you are fighting me like a Chozo. But you are not Chozo. You are human. Strength does not come easily to your species, even less so to a female. Lucky for you and your kind, Strength is not the only attribute to physical prowess.  What is more important than the mass and the strength that moves it?’

Newborn breathed heavily, thoughts enraged and angry. She tried so hard to answer the question, but all she could think about was the scaled dragon’s claw drenched with her parent’s blood. She could see her dull reflection shattered a thousand directions upon those bloody scales.

She screamed in furry and lunged at Plogos who stopped the sloppy onslaught with a talon. At once his telepathic mind picked up the grisly memory of her parent’s death. So graphic was the scene that he released her.

She charged into him with full force pushing his bulk back a centimeter. Again she charged, pushing him back three centimeters. A third time she came and was met with both talons lifting her up into feathery arms.  She was plagued with darkening thoughts, just like he was.  His lighter side took over, at that moment he loved her fully.

‘I had no idea.’ He cooed.

Newborn burst into tears hitting his feathers with clenched fists. Finally her face relaxed, dark thoughts turning white again. Her mouth opened up and attempted to screech out the proper word, ‘imp-imp.’

‘What is that?’ He asked curiously.

‘She pounds her fist into him and said again, ‘impa, impa.’

He looked deeply into her eyes. They spoke of a soul almost lost and nearly found. Again she pounded her fist into him. He cocked his head and then dropped her to the ground. ‘Yes!’ he screeched.  ’Impact. That is more important than mass and the strength that moves it.’

She nodded her head triumphantly.

‘You see dearest Newborn. You are not strong like me. You cannot rely upon strength to guide your fists and feet. There is something else you can do though, something else that you are capable of mastering. What is the second attribute to physical prowess?’

She smiled and squawked loudly, ‘Dexterity!’

‘Correct!’ Plogos responded enthusiastically, ‘and that dearest is what I am her to feed you, for I happen to be a dexterity cook. By the time we are done you will be very well fed with it.’

Every night, when all were fast asleep, Plogos taught Newborn how to slap the water in such a way she could break wood with her fists.  She was moving quicker than ever before.

Grrunco watched in silence bidding his time like a hunter lurking in the shadows.

~//~

Grrunco was not pleased with this development.  He had not counted upon Plogos’ interference.  The student was too soft on the girl which enabled her to adapt and get stronger.  This was not the way of the Chozo.  He had to accelerate his plans to break her.  Then the Empress could do what he knew was best for his people.  With their minds off their prophesied salvation well, they’d be forced to go to war and fight for themselves.  They’d be forced to break the sacred oaths or parish.  If Newborn happened to pass his test, as unlikely as that was, then she and only then would she earn her right to fight for them.

His class gathered around, feet crunching in the early morning snow.  He looked out to them, very proud of these hunters.  They would make great warriors in the coming war.  If only the Counsels would release them with this in mind.  He paused at the young human, so out of place and yet she fit herself into them.  She adapted to her surroundings as quickly as water, changing to fit in whatever container she was poured into.

He spoke to them, “We are supposed to wait until next year before going through the weighty trials.  But you are all doing so well I thought to push on ahead.  Yet I cannot have all of you doing this.  I will be drawing stones.  One of you will be excelled onward, ahead of the class.  You will begin to start the weighty trials earlier than the rest.  Once the stones are cast there can be no turning back.  Do you all agree to this?”

As one they shouted their agreement, even Newborn shouted with them.  Challenge was a welcome thing to a Chozo.  He cast the stones, slightly altering their course with his mind while they were in mid-air.  They landed pointing in one unmistakable direction.

“Newborn please step forward.”

The birds were silent, howling winter wind the only thing heard.  The slight frame of the human girl stepped forward.  No one argued as Grandfather tied weights on her hands and feet. They had all accepted the nature of the challenge.  To denounce it now would be a sign of weakness.

Only two things could release the weights from her body.  They were telepathically tuned to the wearer so that only when facing one’s end could it be released.  They had also been tuned to detect when the wearer gave up.  All she had to do was give up or continue on until she could move no more.  It was a simple test, but far from easy to pass.

Plogos did not look happy at the situation.  Those who failed were considered weak and shunned for years until they could redeem themselves.  Some never did.  It was too soon to give this to Newborn, a mere human.  He had trained her well.  It wasn’t enough!  She would be alone in this.

Newborn walked everywhere with the weights, even slept in them. Every morning after her warm ups, Grandfather forced her to fight him.  Every time she fell to the ground he added a single gram to her weight.  She got beaten up many times learning very quickly that the best approach was not a frontal assault. Surrounding the enemy and striking from behind was the talent that suited her skill best.

No matter how hard he tried, she continued to surprise him, finding an inner determination he thought impossible to humans.  He was determined himself.  Very soon he would break her.  He would see what she was made of.

On the fifth day she was weighed down so much she could hardly move. She felt like a boulder as Grandfather came at her.  Even under that impossibility, she tried to dodge out of the way.  She just wouldn’t give up.

He rammed her into the ground.

‘Get up and fight!’

Two tears fell from her cheeks as she strained to regain her composer.  Again he came about slapping her to the ground. Before she could dodge his attacks, now she couldn’t even do that.

‘Get up and fight!’

Her face turned red with the strain of it.  Another hit and she was down again.

‘Get up and fight!’

She just stayed there and began to moan.

Grandfather kicked her harshly and said again, ‘Get up! Fight!  Or leave my school.’

Her moan turned into a cry. Her parents… they were dead… never wanted this… never wanted…. She tried to move, nothing.  She tried harder and managed to lift a hand up.  It fell to the sparing ground, a dead weight.  That was all she could do.  It was over she was done…

‘Get up! Fight!’

Parents dead… dragon, killed them…dragon.

‘Get up!…’

She cried out a bloody scream of anger and anguish.

‘…Fight!’

The weights sensed her determination, even in the midst of defeat she wanted to move, to fight, to survive.  Those heavy fetters she had worn for so long released her. She was free and had become very fast, very deadly.

Grandfather attempted to kick her. His foot contacted empty weights. Before he could cock his head Newborn’s sharp foot jabbed at his back pushing him to the floor.  He rolled up and faced Newborn with a grim grin.

About time, he thought.

For many hour-long minutes they sparred. Newborn quicker than his talons could reach. He on the other hand was slapped around like a punching bag.

At last he held a claw up and said, ‘Good and well fed. But I have not given it my all. It is time for me to show you how a Chozo hunts!’

Again they sparred. This time Grrunco was able to dodge her attacks. When she tried to sidestep around him, he kicked her into the air. She made a graceful landing, did a hand spring and twirled onto her feet.

Two old birds watched them fight.  They were perched in the shadows high above the sparing pentagon.

The shadow on the left glanced to the right, ‘satisfied dearest Empress?’

The Empress lifted her talon ‘Look there and there. Her form lacks the ability to anticipate. She has eaten a lot of skill true, but she is not yet full.’

The first clucked impatiently, ‘Plogos and Grrunco should be able to feed her what technique she lacks. She is prepared for the hunt. Stupid prey will not be hard for her.’

‘Perhaps.  With rabbits she will do quite fine.’

‘Her speed and agility are way past normal human responses. Should we tell her about the Chozo DNA transfusion?’

‘The day she becomes a true warrior we will explain this to her.  She will never become such a fighter if she relies on the strength we gave her. She must rely upon her own.’

Plogos and the other students squawked at the girl in delight.  They had never seen her move so well, nor had they seen Grandfather fighting so forcefully.  She barely dodged Grandfather’s claw to the face and then tucked in like a spring ready to pounce.  The body exploded towards the old Chozo.  Her yellow mane caught the sun, flowing about like flames of liquid gold.  A smart punch to the chest pushed Grandfather back a few meters.

The Empress said to Kerrfu, ‘I think they have hunted long enough now.’  She dove down landing with a loud crack between Newborn and Grandfather. Grrunco and his students bowed five times. Newborn just stood there panting.

The Empress glanced at Newborn below her feathery brow, ‘What’s the matter New Born. Don’t you wish to bow to your Empress?’

Newborn stared at the tall bird, gasping for air. ‘You are not Empress to me. I am hu-hu-human.’

The tall Empress stepped forward, placed a claw on her, and spoke with solemn severity. ‘My dearest human you eat our knowledge and wisdom like a Chozo does.’ the Empress glanced at Grandfather and asked, ‘Are you hurt?’

‘No my Empress, but I am much winded.’

‘Speak truthfully Grandfather.  Have you broken her?’

‘In truth my Empress… her punches have stung me. I did not expect her to be able to hit this hard.  She is indeed broken for the hunt.’

‘You should be pleased. The bruises you bare are complements from a satisfied student who has eaten well from such an excellent teacher.’ The Empress twitched her eyes at Plogos when she said this.

The Empress caressed Newborn’s blond tresses and looked again at the child’s s steely gaze, ‘Dearest New Born you not only eat like us, but you are beginning to hunt like us. I had sent Grrunco here to break you.  Kererfu believed that love and understanding are the only way to teach humans.  I had not counted on her interference with Plogos.  In either case it seems we were both right.  Through Plogos’ love and Grandfather breaking your weakness, you are becoming a Chozo through and through. Now I think it is time that you learn your manners and bow.’

Newborn frowned up at the old bird stubbornly.

Kerrfu left her perch and landed swiftly beside the girl. ‘She is giving you a complement Newborn. I would take it and bow. Don’t be rude now.’

Newborn opened her frowning lips and spoke, ‘Why do you call me New Born like hatchling fresh from egg? E-everyone c-calls me Newborn, changer of of…’

The Empress lifted her claw off the girl chidingly. ‘I will call you what everyone thinks you are when you have earned it. You still have a long way to go before your brain grows fat with the ways of the hunt. I will call you Newborn the moment you have proven your worth.’

At this Newborn’s face softened. ‘I agree… Empress.’ She then took five stiff bows.

The Empress smiled at this, looked towards Kerrfu and said, ‘Her humility and longing for a challenge has spoken well of her. She is indeed ready for the Feast of Hunt.’

Chapter 4: Feast of Hunt

About Metroid Origins

Metroid Origins: Chapter 2: Grandfather

About Metroid Origins

Prologue

Art by 3ihard

 

The history of the Chozo is full of twists and turns. At first they were as violent as fire. Their saving grace during these dark times was an unquenchable curiosity for challenge.  After the devastation of the Psychic Wars, Brroch the Wingsinger brought them together under one challenging goal, the exploration of space.

At the peak of their exploits, they held a benevolent empire over forty star systems. Largely respected by many sentient beings, the Chozo were found within every major political and spiritual circle.

 

~The Chozo Historian

The circular room held within its embrace a sleeping young girl fated to change the galaxy.  A single tall window illuminated the place.  Stone etchings of Chozo heroes surrounded her on all sides.  She slept amidst stories of great deeds, of wars won and lost during ancient times.  The Empress hoped such a place would be an inspiration to the girl.  Either that or they would reveal the human’s fears, proving once and for all Newborn wasn’t the promised one. It was not a comfortable place to sleep in.  The Empress had seen to that as well.

Soft blond hair scattered amidst the folds of the coarse indigo blanket.  The strands shimmered gold where the sun touched.  The eleven-year-old slept restlessly within nightmares.  She dreamt of the dragon.

A patter of distant feet woke her up from the hauntings. Eyelids rolled open and creased over intelligent blue eyes. Her surroundings were foreign to her until she remembered, Kerrfu had placed her here after the feast.  Her shoulders and back ached.  Her bed was nothing more than a slab of stone.  She missed Kerrfu.

Newborn leapt onto the floor and placed her ear to the ground. She listened to the vibrations of the footsteps as she was taught to do during her hunting lessons.

The distant patter had a certain finality to them. Too heavy to belong to Kerrfu.  But then who could it be?  At once the pounding reminded her of the dragon.  She sprang up into the bathing sunlight, hair at once glowing white. The light! It is too bright in here, she thought, I must hide from the light before he finds me!

Her sapphire eyes searched around the small chamber.  It was very different from Kurrfu’s warm nest.  More like a cathedral then a home.  Newborn felt a different pain then, Kerrfu had abandoned her to the dragon.  She was utterly alone.  The dragon had come to finish the job he started with her parents.  He had come to kill her.

Stone-carved walls portrayed an old story about a Chozo that had flown around the planet in mourning for his wife.  Kerrfu had told it to her once while sipping tea near a fire.

The steps drew closer until the doorway curtain creased open. On a whim Newborn grabbed hold of the etchings along the wall and climbed above the opening doorway. A scarred beak entered followed by a diamond-shaped head.    She let out a sigh.  It was not the dragon.  It was Chozo.  She looked at the scarred beak and auburn feathers.  This Chozo was not Kerrfu.

Newborn saw the bird’s blazing eyes glancing at the etchings.  There was a certain amount of calmness to them, but in the midst was something as hard as stone.  A chill of fear ran up her spine.

The old Chozo was at once captured by the artistically sculptured walls depicting Brroch the Wingsinger taking his famous flight around their homeworld.  High mountains were portrayed below as the stony hero glided over them. The old Chozo recognized the elegant tree spires of the tall Arrahn Forrest were Brroch was beset by Shriekers.

The old bird purred a deep desire for the air and the hunt as he gazed at the carvings.  Brroch the Wingsinger was next shown traveling above the Memento Sea.  He followed the waves of the sea into the face of a vicious sea creature, lovingly carved, half covered by a human foot.  He followed the foot up a human leg, torso, and shoulders. Shadowy-blond tresses surrounded sky-blue, steady eyes that looked back like a cold blue sky near the brink of a thunderstorm.

His mind telepathically probed her’s. She projected a sense of deep hostility and fear, and beyond that a faint, stubborn will to hold on. Now he understood why Kerrfu had told him to ask permission before entering. His orange Chozo eyes shifted downward in a quarter half bow.

‘My apologies.  I had been so anxious to meet the Newborn that I forgot my manners.’

Newborn saw that he meant no harm and after releasing a breath of air nimbly climbed down. She pointed to him and cocked her head to the side with a frown.

The Chozo chirped, ‘My name is Grrunco of Grrewmna.  You are at my school.  The Empress has requested that I teach you of the hunt. Your name?’

She opened her mouth and stuttered out on off-key tune quite alien to her human throat. ‘I Newborn.  Fed well. You?’

The solemn Chozo held back his distaste, ‘Very well fed… mentally that is. The sculptured walls have fed my mind but not my belly.’ His arm extended holding three freshly caught Shriekers. ‘Would you like to eat?’  Newborn noticed the wings of the Shriekers had not torn. This meant they were caught very swiftly. An obvious sign of the Chozo’s skill of the hunt.

She rubbed her belly and grinned at him.  Perhaps he wasn’t that bad after all.

At the communal hearth, he prepared a meal for them.  Many other students of the school were in the room breaking their morning fast.  Each one would bow once to Newborn and three times to Grrunco.  He brought over the succulent meats, and watched how she ate them, very slow, very careful.  Beneath her hair she was also watching him, calculating untrusting eyes.  This was a good sign.  Untrusting eyes were the only way to survive a night in the hostile forest.

Grrunco had first seen Newborn when she was presented at the Counsels. Even at so young an age her eyes were steady, shiftless and prepared. Very abnormal for a human, he had thought then.  Perhaps it was the tragedy of her parents and family that caused this.

She had grown much since then, hair becoming long and healthy, eyes filled with a depth beyond their years, caused no doubt by continual mourning.

It was peculiar for Chozo to see someone cry for so long.  To them mourning lasted a season, a time to fly and reflect. It was a private matter to take the mourning flight. Only over the Memento Sea would a bird allow tears to be shed.  There it would join the tears of others who had mourned.  Brroch the Wingsinger had taken such a flight all the way around the planet, mourning for the lose of his wife and daughters after the Psychic Wars.

‘Are you excited about the Feast of Hunt?’ Grrunco said over his food.

Newborn shifted from her dark foreboding thoughts and pondered the question with a cocked head. ‘Is it the same as last Feast?’

‘It is not. The Feast of Rest is in steep contrast.’

‘I know. I meant is it same as last year’s Feast of Hu…’ She gave up and made a clawing pose mimicking the Chozo’s hunting position perfectly.

Kerrfu had told Grunnco that some Chozo words were impossible for Newborn’s primitive voice to pronounce.  Some thought her dumb because of this, so Kerrfu taught her to use hand signals on words she could not pronounce. Now the solemn Chozo thought her too expressive. ‘At least now she isn’t dumb.’ Kerrfu would say in response to their complaints.

A rare grin escaped the old Chozo’s lips at recalling Kerrfu’s description of his new student.  She truly did love the Newborn, almost as if she were her own chick.  It was this love that he was here to prevent. He placed his talon over the corners of his beak.  The look reminded Newborn of her deceased father. She managed to hold back the rush of screams insider her.

He telepathically reached out to her then and saw what images those hidden screams held within: the severed head of her father watching with glassy dead eyes.  Something laughing, not anything visible but rather a lurking thing around the corner of her fears.

One word played back to back within that fear: dragon.

Grrunco was a master at finding the weaknesses of his students.  Her’s was a fear and a remorse for having seen her parent’s death first hand.  In the midst of a hunt, such remorse could get someone killed.  There was only one cure for such a thing.

He released his split-second gaze into her mind.  ‘You mean to ask if it will be like the Feast of Hunt you attended last year?’

She nodded her head solemnly.

‘For me yes, but not for you. This is why you have been brought to my school.  I am your talon master.  By the time we are done, you will be hunting yourself along with other Chozo from your class.’

Newborn relaxed her pose. This is exactly what she had wanted to hear.

Grrunco shot up from his chair, beak pointing towards Newborn in a challenging fashion, ‘Your time of feasting is up!  Now we must train.  From here on out you must call me the most reverent name bestowed upon a male of our kind.’

‘But Grrunco, I mean Grandfather, I’m not yet done with my meal.’

‘Then you must eat more and talk less.’

‘But you asked me a question and I—’

‘If your enemy asks you a question in the middle of the fight, how would you respond?’

‘But you are my teacher not my prey.’

‘I am both your teacher and your prey.  You must hunt my words wisely if you wish to survive hunting in the wild.’

Newborn thought about reminding her teacher that she was not used to any of this.  Something in the way that he stood warned her not to.  Grrunco was not Kerrfu… he was Grandfather.  Stoically she got up and followed him to the training grounds.

Her first lesson was not much of anything.  Along with twelve young Chozo she was taught.  Grandfather told her how to walk and when to stop, how to hit and how to not hit.  She had thought him to be a kind person.  Now she knew the truth of it.  He was very harsh with her, more so than with the others.  One student that stood to the right of her, a large brute named Plogos, thrived under Grandfather’s teachings.  He lunged and soared with perfect accuracy.  Newborn was always the last in everything they did, and always in the brute’s way.  She felt inadequate and alone… an alien among so many capable birds of prey.

And yet, it felt good to be doing something.  Working as hard as she did, there was no time to remember the dragon.

At night, when nightmares of the dragon woke her up, she would slip out of the stiff bed and practice hunting by herself.  She imagined fighting the dragon, killing the dragon.

In the shadows Grrunco watched her practice.  She was actually becoming quite good, able to grasp everything he taught her.  Given time she might even pass her fellow hunters, in technique that is.  She would never be as strong as them.  It was such a shame though, to see so clever a student about to be brought down low.  So fragile a form would not survive the tests ahead.

The Empress’ orders had been very clear though.  The prophesied hope must live a harsh life if she was to be prepared for the coming war.  He had been ordered to break her.

Chapter 3: Two Master

About Metroid Origins

Metroid Origins: Chapter 1: Newborn Prophesy

Prologue

Art by ~Crimson VVings

To fully understand what happened on Zebes, one must look back at the events which caused the downfall of the birdlike race that called it home.  Amidst its fall a prophesied hope was born that, once fulfilled, changed the tide of the war against the Metroids and their pirate tamers.

~The Chozo Historian

The cynical old bird perched upon the tall balcony of the Shrine of Prophesy.  Her tall frame was surrounded by sculpted images of her race, Empresses from a long glorious past.  She stood among them like a sculpted statue herself, chiseled beak resting keenly beneath sharpened angry eyes set in place like burning coals of fire.  The burnished pupils took in the eternal cosmos with a calm finality.  The constellation of the winged huntress pointed its talon towards a nearby yellow sun named Frru, the Chozo word for hope.  Planet K2-L revolved around the star.  It glimmered a mere 5 light-years away.

In ancient days, her people would have seen this as a sure sign of trouble for the planet. The Chozo had worked hard in moving away from the blindness of astrology.  She herself encouraged this change toward the factual sciences.  The bird was loath to admit that, in this one occasion, such a dubious reading of the stars would be quite accurate.

From K2-L’s perspective the winged huntress pointed at Zebes.  War was coming to both whither they liked it or not.

Above the huntress sat the crimson moon, shimmering its pall red light towards Zebes.  A shadow extended behind the stoic bird like a thin dark blade. She pondered the light-headed Counsels who trusted too much in their religious deity, Mother Brain.

Three more worlds had called in need of assistance, one of them being the human inhabited planet of K2-L. The pirates of space were getting bolder and bolder.  And there she stood, the emphatic Empress of all Chozo, made impotent by these self-serving Counsels, forced to stand by and watch sentient beings slaughtered by the thousands.

‘Pacifism has its limitations,’ She had told the Counsels a few hours ago, ‘We cannot escape this war.  The pirates will eventually turn their eyes towards us.’

‘Spoken like a true warrior of the hunt!’  Spat the Counsels’ ringleader, Argrramus.  ‘How can we, protectors of all peace, ambassadors that have brought so many races together, break our sacred oaths?  We must stand firm against the Space Pirates, but we mustn’t act rashly towards them.’

The Empress took a step towards her rival.  Argrramus sat comfortably behind the ornamental dais.  It was called the Righteous Thrown, a thrown that in times past was only inhabited by the Empress.

‘What do you mean we mustn’t act rashly towards them?’ She asked, ‘Planet K2-L is a mere five light-years away.  How long will we stand by and watch the nomadic brutes commit genocide against our brethren races?’

Argrramus said, ‘You fail to mention, dearest Empress, that the pirates have not directly attacked us.  It is our peaceful nature that is protecting us from destruction.  We can do more with that then brute force.’

The Empress cocked her head negatively, ‘Our peaceful nature will keep them back, but for how long?  We aren’t lethal to them so yes, they aren’t attacking.  But if we have something they want, then you can be sure they will take it through death and bloodshed.  They will come for us eventually.’

Argrramus clicked at her in distaste, ‘Who made you judge and jury over the Space Pirates?  How can you say what they will do?  You dare to expound upon a race you have neither felt or known.  Only an open-minded bird of prey can understand their quarry.’

‘That old sang is meant for hunting and fighting!’ Empress screeched, ‘Not to sit about waiting for death and old age.’

Argrramus sucked in the stiff air, ‘We are still hunters Empress.  I crave the blood of the brood and his angry eyes, the screech of the bat, the challenge that such dumb beasts allow me.  They were created by the Eminent One to be hunted.  But any sentient beings must not be touched in that way.  It is our sacred oath and duty to hunt for peace not bloodshed.’

The Empress said, ‘I too hunt for peace, understanding that sometimes the only way to find it is through bloodshed.’

Argrramus responded, ‘Bloodshed!  You speak about it as if it were some whittled piece of wood.  Here we are, living in peace and, yet you say we should break away from all this and fight them?  How many Chozo would die if you had it your way dearest Empress?  We mustn’t fire the first shot, otherwise we shall be in the wrong and they in the right.’

The Empress had wanted to talk further but she had other things to attend to.  He will be the death of us all, she had thought as she gave him a half bow and left.

~//~

She had received Kerrfu’s message early that morning: When the crimson moon reaches its apex , meet me at the tip of the Shrine of Prophesy.  I have a most delightful present for you.

And so here the Empress stood awaiting her most trusted adviser.   She stretched her elegant limbs, feathers bristling against the frigid air.  Her amber eyes had wizened with age and did not shift as those of Argrramus.  The Empress had lived one hundred and eighty-eight homeworld years, ninety of them as ruler of the Chozo Empire.

Many generations ago, an Emrpess was given power over the space fleets.  The Counsels had been created to handle domestic issues.  Her office, at one time the emphatic commander and chief, had become but a symbol of power, a snake that had lost its fangs.  The Chozo Empire had grown too vast for one person to rule.  Any noble schemes were thwarted by petty arguments and personal squabbles.  Too many people were in charge.

Like a ship flying near the event horizon of a black hole, the Chozo Empire courted their own demise. Any one thing could tip it over. Many of the Counsels rejected one belief for another.  The Emanate One was being replaced by a blind faith to some sort of Mother Brain.  It was such heresies that kept them dumb to their mindless religion of pacifism.  A mighty Mother Brain that makes them brainless, thought the Empress with bitter anger.  She felt like the only sane one left, the only bird who stood in the way of the butcher.

On top of all this, her most trusted adviser had returned from a diplomatic mission to K2-L bearing a most unusual present.   Why did it have to be Kerrfu that found it? Any lesser servant and she could ignore the implications.  There were too many coincidences to be ignored here though.  Of all the places Kerrfu landed, it just happened to be the one city where a single human survivor was found.

The Empress’ thoughts dispersed to all the possible outcomes of bringing an alien from K2-L.  It was too late to ask why however. Now is the time to respond, she thought over and over like a broken computer recording.

The distant flutter of wings interrupted the Empress’ thoughts. She could just make out Kerrfu’s lathe form, flying against the wind with her tender burden.  Now is the time to respond. The cynical old Chozo thought again.  She turned away from the sky and entered into a chamber of shadows.

Minutes later, talons brushed the curtain aside.  The pale red light of the moon shown inside.  Kerrfu entered.  The crimson moon was at once snuffed out by the curtains closing.  Invisible claws scraped the floor into empty echoes.

The Empress whispered a low rumbling hum.  Light emitted from a nearby power orb, illuminating a cathedral-sized room with its soft orange haze.  Two monstrous shadows were cast upon a wall richly carved with prophesies from a distant past.

Kerrfu’s shadow opened her sharp beak and sang, ‘I am well fed, dearest Empress and you?’

The Empress waved her claw dismissively and opened her beak into a tense screech. ‘What is its name?’

Kerrfu responded more subdued like a purr, ‘We found her in a nameless city inhabited by the soft ones.’

‘That does not answer my question.’

‘She was the last of her kind on that planet. The pirates committed genocide, murdering everyone including her parents.’

‘Then it is nameless like so many distant stars in the cosmos, stars that will die without being studied or seen by sentient beings. You should have left it alone. Such is the way of things.’

‘She is not a forgotten star dearest Empress. We see her now. She can be studied by us.  We can learn many great things from her.  Such is the way of discovery for our people.’

‘You dare to lecture an Empress about the ways of her people?’

Kerrfu bowed five times, ‘I would never think to lecture you my Empress.’

‘Humans are like dark mater, asteroids of ice floating amiss in space.  They have no sun to guide them. All they do is ram into every ship that passes, dead weight to be avoided.  And you have brought one of their kind here, on this sacred planet of our homeworld!’

‘She has been flung at us by fate dearest Empress. We will be her sun and make a beautiful comet from her.’

‘Keep simple talks of fate for the weak-minded Kerrfu. Comets come and go. Would you have it be taught by us only to leave our ways? And yet your eyes, amidst all of my doubts, why do they grin at me?’

‘Because you haven’t yet felt her.’

‘What difference does it make?  She isn’t Chozo.  Nevertheless, to remove that annoying twinkle in your eyes…  Humor me.’

Kerrfu unfolded the burden from her robes and placed a young human child gently on the ground.  Crisp blue eyes half covered with glimmering strands of blonde hair looked up at the monstrous bird.  Like a stone the girl stood resolute.

A talon unfolded from the Empress resting on the child’s head. The girl screamed in protest. The Empress caressed the strands of her hair until the screams suddenly stopped.

‘Ah! I see… her eyes! She has a depth to them! So small she is and yet even now I can sense the greatness that could be!’

‘Will be dearest Empress as we teach her.’

‘If she is taught by us, perhaps so, but she must be willing to learn: as dense as a star to capture our ways, malleable as plasma to change with them, yet explosive enough to create her own. What is her age?’

‘About six of our homeworld years, three of her’s.’

It was on a whim that the cynical bird spoke the next words. She never was one for predicting future events, and yet on that night she spoke beyond the present, ‘Then we shall christen her New Born… until a better name is earned.’

Kerrfu grinned at the irony of it. The Empress detected the irony. Her probing thoughts telepathically asked what was so ironic.

Kerrfu looked around the room, the stone etchings fluttered beneath the power orb’s soft haze, ‘You have just named her dearest Empress, as it was written to be, as it should be. Your hands touch the very thing you have debated against all these years.’

Empress pulled back her talon as if it were touching a flame. ‘I did not use the second form of the word as the prophets do. She was not called Newborn: sunderer that births our race anew. I used the first form of New Born: a hatchling chick that has just come out of her egg.’  The Empress indicated the carved walls around them, ‘Is this why you wanted to meet me here, atop the Shrine of Prophesy?  You think this human is the chosen one to lead us towards victory?  I’ve told you many times Kerrfu and I’ll tell you again, only the past can be set in stone.’

Kerrfu responded, ‘I do not believe the prophesy stones are so solid, yet they might allude to possibilities that if given the right circumstances, and proper training, can be self-fulfilling.  Is this not how the Sunborn Child came so long ago?’

The girl began to cry. Empress clicked her tongue in disdain, ‘The human girl is weak and hungry Kerrfu.  She has no time for silly riddles.  It will take many years of training to make her strong and powerful as the prophesies profess the Newborn will be.  She may stay for now, but only under my supervision.  Please, go find something to feed her with.’

Kerrfu bowed five times and sang, ‘I will feed her puddings and vegetables. Someday she will eat of her own kill.  Who can feed her broken soul?’   Kerrfu enshrouded the little girl in her robes and backed away from the orange light, talons scraping the stony ground.  Moonlight entered, a sharp crimson knife cutting the orange haze in two.  The closing of the curtains placed the moonlight back in its sheath.

The Empress was lost to her thoughts then, mumbling, ‘Now truly is the time to respond.’  Here perusing eyes deftly read some ancient words written upon stones of prophesy:

In the midst of genocide and terror, a seed of vengeance shale be birthed.  So small he will be, and yet he shall grow into a powerful warrior.  Change will be brought by him, a change that will decide the fate of all.  Thus he shale be christened Newborn, sunderer that births our race anew.  Only the pure of heart can wear the sentient power armor of old.

Some dirt covered the rest of the stone.  Even the caregivers had little respect for this place.

She gently scrapped it away and read, When this day comes, the first sign will be a cynical one who professes again and again, ‘now is the time to respond’.

The Empress had to read it a few more times to be sure.  Was the prophesy alluding directly to her?  She had never seen a Prophesy come to pass this succinctly.  Perhaps this feeble child was the Newborn they had been praying for.  The Empress waved such acidic thoughts away. Belief was like a double-bladed knife, one side sharpened to do, the other dulled to be lazy and do nothing.  If this Earthling child was who they had been hoping for, then she would earn the right to do so.

The Empress sighed at the political repercussions of it all, praying for belief’s sharper side to win the day. The last thing she needed during this time coming war was laziness from her people.

She looked forlornly towards the Sunborn hallway.  Would they ever find someone pure of heart to wear the ancient Varia Suit?  Thousands of Chozo had tried, good hunters all of them.  The armor had rejected them, consumed them into itself.  Would this human child be worthy to overcome were others had not?

The Empress chirped twice at the power orb. It extinguished into darkness. Talons scraped upon the floor, echoing off prophetic stones that had stood for thousands of generations.

~//~

Word of New Born’s coming  spread all over Zebes.  Many pacifists heralded her as their guardian and protector.  She would be taught to fight for them so that they might keep their sacred oaths of pacifism in the coming days.  The extreme believers called her the second coming of Sunborn.  They said she should be tested at once with the ancient armor.

Despite the Empress’ misgivings, New Born was introduced to the Counsels. Many birds flew far and wide to see the presentation of the young girl. To the annoyance of Empress, the child’s name was rechristened to the prophetic form of Newborn.  The Empress suspected it as another cult-induced choice, influenced by the blind faith to Mother Brain.

Kerrfu was given the job of guarding the child, which gave the Empress some sway in the child’s upbringing.  And so the Empress’ most trusted adviser and friend, Kerrfu, made sure the little girl was taught to read, write, and speak in Chozo as well as in Human.  She was taught the basics in hunting, and how to mourn effectively for her parents.

Two and a half Zebes Years passed for Newborn (nearly five Earth years).  Each day began and ended with Kerrfu. The child was used to the routine.  This concerned the Empress very much. A prophesied warrior should live a harder life.

During the Feast of Rest, Empress took Kerrfu aside and expressed her concerns. Kerrfu bowed five times and walked away. After the Holiday was complete, Newborn was taken from her room in Kerrfu’s house and placed in a room at the Hunting School. The Chozo do not cry often, Kerrfu did so after cuddling the girl and placing her in the new bed. Newborn didn’t see her tears. She had no idea the next day would be different.

Chapter 2: Grandfather

About Metroid Origins

Fanfic: Metroid Origins: Prologue

Written by B. L. White

Inspired by one of the greatest games of all time.

About Metroid Origins

Art by Andrew Jones

Prologue

Many things were lost when Zebes fell.  What became of the birdlike race born there?  How did such an advanced race fall to pirates?

A shooting star broke through the small planet’s thick atmosphere.  It landed gently on the ground.  Smoke settled to reveal the metallic chassis of a gunship.  A humanoid climbed out dressed in a flexible power suit.  Distant thoughts haunted the nimble soldier’s gaze upon the doomed planet.  Zebes had changed much since childhood.

Trees from the Arahn Forrest once stood tall and imposing.  They were the set stage for many a memorable hunt. Glorious towers of yesteryear had become crumbling piles of brick.

The armored worrier followed the haphazard trajectory of a Shriek Bat.  It was on an awkward careening course, heading towards the ship. The bounty hunter had never seen such odd behavior before.

Upon destroying a planet, the inquisitive pirates were fond of mutating the native animals.  If left unchecked more grotesque mutations, best synonymous with the space pirates, would rein on this most sacred of planets. The bounty hunter had come to prevent this.

His name was Samus Aran, protector and bounty hunter of Galactic Freedom.  Many young men idolized the prototype Chozo armor he wore.  None had seen his face, only the iconic helmet that covered it.

If they only knew the truth.

Samus Aran took of the helmet.  The soft face of a woman emerged beneath long golden strands of hair.  Her delicate beauty juxtaposed the masculine frame of armor surrounding her.  Crisp blue eyes took in the Shrieker as it wondered her way.  She breathed in the stale air of her home.  She had returned, only to find it dieing.

Samus tucked her blond stands back in, such intrusive long hair for brutal work like hers.   She would have cut it long ago but for that old cynical bird.  Samus kept her hair long in memory of the deceased bird and mentor.  The helmet clicked into place on the power suit.  She jumped off the gunship with an athletic flip landing lightly on the ground.  She shifted her eyes towards the hostile target.

The bat charged her then, with a hideous shriek.  There was no territorial reason for the bat to attack her.  Such was the way of things now.

It ran into a burst of bright energy. Smoke curled off the tip of Samus’ power gun.  Broad shoulders supported the emotionless helmet.  Curious eyes gazed at the charred corpse behind a “V” shaped green visor.  There was a time when she had hunted shriekers carefully with a spear, preserving the meat for a good meal.  Now she shot them to feed her suit with its life force.

She reminisced of simpler times… sitting near a fire after a hunt… hearing the bird-like race singing those meaningful conversations… she messed them: Kerrfu, Grrunco, Plogos and yes… even that cynical old bird, the wizened Empress.

Would the massacres ever stop?  First her human parents and colony… thousands of them murdered on planet K-2L, now the systematic genocide of the sentient bird-like race who raised her.  The pirates murdered everyone she touched.

Samus stepped over the ruined remains of the Shrieker, sentient armor sucking in the force that gave the bat life, and walked towards one of the fallen shrines.  The tower of petrified wood and embellished stone precariously swayed in the wind. The Chozo had formed the Shrine of Prophesy long ago with expert loving care.  Carefully had they woven the brick tower with the organic tree, now only broken monoliths and deadwood.

Once upon a time, many years ago, on a night very different from this day, the Shrine of Prophesy rose above all things. Placed at its peak stood a wise and cynical bird.

Chapter 1: Newborn Prophesy

About Metroid Origins