A/N: The last chapter was meant to be a filler chapter while I would finish up on this one. Don't worry though because that chapter had some relevance. I might consider adding in my own parts into the lore. This chapter is pretty much a flashback with some present actions acting in it. This chapter also if focus mainly on Neonin the recorder and Tartarus another Chozo. As mentioned this chapter is really a flashback with a majority of the present time occurring at the end of this chapter. This should be a good update since I have no idea when the next may come but it should come next month, thanks for those who review(ed) and I'm considering writing another Lore for echo's if someone else doesn't beat me to it. R&R.
(Another thing is that this update is very late, but after a severe writer's block and my skills coming back, I'm actually updating some of my older stories. Will I continue, it's possible as long as people read this, if it receives enough, hits or better reviews it'll be finished soon. But for now savoir this chapter, it was always written but never complete. I kind of rushed the last paragraph, the end because I didn't want to expand to much on a chapter after its point has been done, so that's why it ends kind of, dull but just read the chapter.)
Chapter 3 Bindings
The remaining few Chozo flew away from the gravesite and resting place of the last hidden cipher and its guardian. They left in packs together as birds would when they migrated south. Finishing sealing off the cipher of Strength's guardian in a statue Neonin took one last look at the peaceful resting place of the Chozo before taking a seat to remember what occurred up till this moment.
The groupings of artifacts lain whiten a sanctuary of the Chozo's gods of nature. The artifacts known as the ciphers were the items of the represented gods which the Chozo guarded with their life and would willingly die for them like Thurt had done for the cipher of truth.
Neonin sat down as he stayed along to stare at the Cipher of Strength along with the others in their enclave hidden from the other races beside Chozo. He knew it would be the last time he would see it and Tartarus its guardian. It was foretold earlier that Tartarus would die by the hands of the pirates and without a guardian a cipher can last only so long.
A tear drop fell onto Neonin shoulder as he looked towards the cipher. As he turn to look around he had already seen Tartarus stand right of his as he seen the guardian wipe his tear away from his face. The wings of Tartarus were black along with his coating of feature which gradually became lighter before turning grew at the area from the neck up. His talons cut smooth and shape like diamond painted black from hell because when used the targets rarely lived even when spared.
Neonin understood what Tartarus may have been going trough because he had already experienced something similar. Knowing that your going to die, how and when must have put much pressure on the Chozo because it meant his fate was unavoidable. To weep one last time was a sign of strength because the man already accepted his fate.
Such a cruel lesson, for the two Chozo to learn, experience, and observe because the two Chozos were still young and youthful people. He wasn't even of age to be mated none the less, to die guarding a cipher. If he was a human he wouldn't be older then the typical collage student but then again he wasn't a human and he had duties to take care of. He had to mature and grow up fast and learn to embrace his destiny.
"Tartarus…," There was a quick pause in Neonin's voice of sorrow. "Meet me at Phendrana Drifts; I have something to show you." Neonin spook to his older brethren as he started to ease his self.
"We'll only have a little amount of time to talk, but I'll go." Tartarus replied calm and confident as he appeared to have known a way for him to live even though he was suppose to die. He grinned with a smile of cockiness that brighten Neonin's mood a bit as they took flight.
The winds howled as they blew fiercely over the tundra of Phendrana Drifts. The flying bird like creatures swerved out of the way of the Chozo as the came closer to the ground of a city of ruins. It had been below, deep in the Canyons of the continent. The smooth walls and caverns spread around the city world give the idea one once or still lived there.
As they descended there were multiple shadows appearing only the ground and walls. As they came near them the shadows vanished, surprising Tartarus which was concluded when he gasped and nearly lost flight.
"Tartarus, I want you to see this place, its Rime Grotto, meaning Ice Cavern." Neonin explained as Tartarus looked around confused and shocked.
"Flint, he's a friend, explain this world purpose to him." Neonin said as a shadow formed behind him.
It went between the two Chozo and paused in its movements. A hole appeared in it as a white and blue figure pulled itself out of the hole. It stared the two Chozo in the face before fully exiting the hole.
A pale face covered in a thin layer of ice, covered with long, thin blue hair mixed with white stringy pieces that went to the person's small shoulders. They were emaciated but had think pieces of muscle on them that seemed to be off set the rest of the body. The legs for example had thick calves but were skinny and thin, the neck was tall and slimmer then most but the head was bigger then most. The person was physically strange to Tartarus but seemed to be common to Neonin.
The creature spoke in the native Chozo tongue quite fluently which surprised Tartarus as the creature spoke. "Rime Grotto, is meant to serve as a resting place for the dead. When you die here on Tallon V your spirit either comes here or will become a ghost of pure energy. Most become ghost because they never past the test allowing you to become one of us after death. You see we have to keep ourselves hidden from others." The creature Neonin referred to as Flint spoke in a sad voice.
"Ok, now I see why Neonin brought me here but what can I do if I were to past your test?" Tartarus asked as he looked directly at Flint with a looked of boredom. He already accepted his death and welcomed it, but a way to exist after death, that made another path on a rode of his destiny. A prolonged life seemed interesting enough but the motive to why Tartarus and not any others were what both himself and Flint wondered though only Neonin knew the answer.
"Well you can remain n the physical realm like the one we're in now o guard objects and communicate with others after death. Practically you'd be an immortal if only the reason that if your spotted by others you must show you identity to those they chose, in other words you become their pawn only that you can break free which is harder then it sounds." Flint replied as he seen Tartarus smile a sly grin.
He'd be able to fulfill his guardianship even in death was a dream and nightmare he could face but ponder on should he do it. After all he didn't want to always be a guard and he wasn't sure if he liked the idea of being a spirit also. He had little time to choose so he made his choose.
"I'll do your test, what is it?" Tartarus asked as he had clearly chose to live as a spirit instead of a ghost.
"Protect your cipher as it is being hunted and attacked now as we speak." Flint asked before vanishing into thin air.
Tartarus dodged most of the obstacles on his way to where his cipher was located near the Drifts in the Magmoor Caverns. He barely was scratched save a few blows from falling rocks and a burn mark on his hand.
The area where the small band of pirates were attacking the Artifact Temple on its right side was illuminating a dark area with yellow light from flashing light. The beam combos and missile coming from the pirates gave enough light for the two Chozo to sneak near the artifact temple.
"Go into the temple, I'll handle this." Tartarus whispered to Neonin as he smirked while flexing his talons. He cracked his knuckles before stopping when Neonin whispered sarcastically "No, you shouldn't have, you want me to defeat these idiots while you sit back."
Both of the Chozo moved towards the pirates striking themed with rocks, pebbles and sticks followed by running to temporarily distract them. Tartarus by hand was far more brutal then the other Chozo.
His head snaked its way through a crowd of fire and managed to grab the leader. He wrapped his hand around its neck as he punched it in the face. First its helm cracked exposing its battered and beaten face. Black and red blood pour from the wound as the leader was continued to be pummeled. Blood soaked the ground further as the pirate began to have its skull bashed into the ground.
Tartarus rolled off of the pirate as he ripped out a pirate's eyes as it rushed towards him. He howled at the sight of the blood as he wiped it across his coating leaving him soaked in blood. The pirates began to shoot at him but didn't live long because the other Chozo helped Tartarus.
Neonin looked as he seen a red wave of energy whizzed past his face. The plasma bolt smacked Tartarus square in the chest as he fell over. His chest smoldered from the blast was centered with a black, scorched burn mark stared to cooled showing an open abrasion. There were some open spaces where the organs could be seen but for the majority of the injury the mark merely a peeled piece of skin that belied what happened to Tartarus.
Eyes opens as they showed their black color for the first time was filled with horror as the Chozo began to fall. His beak opened but no sound escaped only strained cough of blood. His right arm clutching his wound loosened as more blood came but was hidden from the others as his wings encased his body as he fell onto the ground.
"Fifteen minutes ago he died killing most of the pirates and yet this place it still shot at." The Chozo Neonin muttered to himself lowly as he sat down looking at the cipher. The damn pirate that shot down Tartarus had rallied up the remaining pirates to attack the temple. His voice was full of anger and rage that spread to his face as he forced himself to restrain from frowning. He stood tall as he looked down from the temple to see the attacking aliens.
His eyes bulged as he seen the armada quickly dye down. Stuck by fear Neonin watched as Tartarus came from nowhere and laterally ripped the necks of off as many bodies as he could. After slaying the army, Tartarus plunged from out off the sky going somewhere unknown to the younger Chozo.
Running to see where he may have fell, Neonin found no trace of him leaving him with both grief and some form of hope.