Chapter 21: Theft
Blitz was in the best mood he had been in for ages. Several hours of proper sleep along with food meant that he was making a swift recovery. He packed his bag and shielded his face with the hood. He didn't want to outstay his welcome. The cold air hit him as he stepped into the Ficinian blizzard. Snow. He thought. Excellent. He tilted his head back and stood there. Just taking in the snowstorm. He breathed the clean air. It made a change from the industrial smells of Corneria. He spread the visor across his eyes. The glare could get pretty bad at midday on Fichina. Blitz mounted the Javelin. It kicked up a huge cloud of snow as it raced through the streets. He had something to take care of as long as he was here. The Javelin flew across the ice fields and wove through the forest until he came to a clearing, at which he stopped. His eyes darted from side to side. His ears strained for the slightest sign of danger. Realising that everything was safe, he hopped off his bike. He pulled off one of his leather gloves and crouched down, feeling around for something. He narrowed his eyes.
Blitz brushed away some snow. He grinned. This was what he was here for. A metal disc, about the size of a manhole cover. One with symbols around the edges. The last trace of Chozo technology in the galaxy. He had been hunting it for years, and now, his seemingly fruitless efforts had paid off. He lifted one of the handles around the edge, turned and pushed it back down. It glowed. He continued lifting, twisting and pushing in sequence until the whole disc was lit. He turned his back on it. He heard a twig snap. His ear twitched. Something was here. He loaded his rifle. He looked back to the disc, where a microchip hung suspended in a beam of light. He reached for it. Suddenly, a dark shadow descended from the canopy and came to rest on top of the technology. Blitz was hurled backwards by an unseen force and knocked unconscious...
Blitz's head throbbed. His jaw bled. His limbs ached. One chance. He thought. One chance, and I blew it. He opened his eyes. Most of the trees in the clearing had been charred or burnt. This power... He pushed himself up from the floor and went to inspect a tree. It seems... familiar. He touched the bark, tracing his hands over a strange symbol, etched in blood. A flash of memory. A sense of corruption. He cried out in pain and fell to his knees in the snow, clasping his head. His breathing was heavy. He was getting dizzy. Blitz lifted himself from the floor. He staggered to a small rock and leant against it. What was that about?
The pain subsided. He stared at the palm of his un-gloved left hand. The same symbol. It looked as if it had been branded onto him with a red-hot iron. Quickly, he pulled on his glove and, without looking back, walked to the Javelin. Or at least, where the Javelin used to be. He swore under his breath. Maybe it would have been better if Logan had killed him.
Two days. Not long, but it had been trying. Blitz breathed slowly, took some time to get his bearings, and sprinted off in the direction of Fichina's space-port.