Chapter 7: Return to Tallon IV

Tallon IV. I couldn't imagine what it would look like without Phazon. Phazon was so rooted in the planet, it's hard to believe what could be left. Even so, I still had to go back. That lore could get me out of this. My only fear was that the piece I forgot wasn't destroyed. I didn't know what I could have done without it. It was my final lifeline. No lore, no where to hide. But, if I found it, a new door would open. That door had been locked for ages. I'll either unlock it or break it open. Whatever works best.

My ship raced towards Tallon IV. I couldn't see it out the window, but I knew we were close. The red space cloud far off in the distance was stuck in my mind from the last time I visited the planet. Minutes passed before the celestial being finally fell into my gaze. Its surface was a dusty orange, resembling the color of rust. The cloud behind it gave it a red tint. It seemed exactly as how it used to be, except for the...no, it was still there.

Frigate Orpheon. It was a bustling frigate filled with the devious experiments of the Space Pirates. Unlike the planet, it was quite different. It was completely obvious that no one had touched it in cycles. Chunks of its hull were lifeless in the space around it. It almost seemed like they were orbiting the vessel. A huge hole was ripped on the top, most likely from Meta Ridley's escape. I typed in coordinates for the frigate in case I needed to check it out later.

Fog broke and faded as my ship softly landed on the moist ground of the Tallon Overworld. Tallon Overworld was essentially a huge rain forest. It looked no different from the last time I was here. Water was still abundant as ever. Waterfalls, lakes, streams, brooks. Everywhere the I could see, flowing water graced it. Moss and algae lined the sides of these waterways. They dripped with droplets falling high above them from huge leaves. The forest was extremely dense, lined with a blanket of clouds and filled with unique and exotic noises. The only thing missing was the veins of Phazon that used to pump the substance around the planet.

Stepping out onto the surface, my boots were cushioned by the velvet ground. Water began to condense on my visor. It calmed me a bit. It was nice to be in this peaceful environment. Without Phazon running amok, the creatures around the planet became less hostile. Zoomers and Beetles gracefully went about their lives without giving a thought to the armor-clad being walking amongst them. Infected with Phazon, they would attack the hunter. Now, it doesn't even cross their minds.

"Samus, I am now linked with your internal systems. Give me a ring if you need anything."

"Are you sure these things won't attack?"

"They act like regular organisms now. They will only harm you if you try to harm it. Quite simple, actually."

"Very funny."

I lowered my gun that was originally aimed at the trail of a Burrower. It popped out of the ground, looked in my direction, then dove back into the muddy earth before it. It was surprising to see how normal this planet was without the influence of Phazon. It was like being on an entirely different planet. There was very little that could threaten me. They probably weren't as strong as before either, so even if they wanted to take me out, it wouldn't do them much good.

"Samus, I have a lock on Lore entries 54.A and 54.C. It seems like both were found near the tower you obtained the Wavebuster. I'd suggest taking a look in that area."

The monumental structure was immense. It cast a huge shadow over a great portion of the Chozo Ruins. Not much is known for what the tower was actually used for. It may have been a place of worship or a place of gathering when the area was bustling with Chozo activity. Whatever it was, it surely wasn't in the best of condition. Even with the vines growing all over it.

It seemed that with the absence of Phazon, the Tallon Overworld outgrew its former boundaries and made its way into the ruins. What used to be a dusty, abandoned region was now a pasture of life. The same creatures I found before were riddled throughout the former Chozo city. Rain water created numerous streams and waterfalls around the area. Mist collected on my visor once more.

"It's not here, Adam. I've looked through every inch of this place. The Pirates must have destroyed it."

"Not exactly. The Space Pirates ruled this area off-limits in their time here. The Chozo Ghosts kept them away. I doubt they could have been here long enough to destroy anything. Even if they did, you found every other piece of Lore. Why would this one be the only one taken out?"

"Because it could be the most important."

"Samus, I cannot help you any further until you tell me exactly what we are trying to find."

I sighed. I didn't want to give him the wrong information, but I had to tell him what little I knew.

"Alright. We need to find that Lore because it may give us a hint to The Garden."

"And what exactly is this garden?"

"When I was a child, my mentors spoke of this place. They never directly told me about it. I always had to eavesdrop to find out, and even then, that got me little. Supposedly, this was some sort of safe haven for the Chozo. They envisioned a time when they'd need to escape this realm and enter that one. They never spoke of how to get there or where it was. But, they predicted that I would save this place in Lore they wrote cycles ago. If they could see that, maybe they could tell when they'd need to go to The Garden. Maybe this Lore is where I'll find that.

"You think that little piece of scripture will set us free? You are basing this hunch on an illogical guess of something that may not even exist. What if we can't get there? Then what?"

"It's better than sitting here and doing nothing! This is our best shot and I'd rather take the time to try to find it than sitting around waiting for the GF or the pirates to blow us to bits. Do you have any better ideas?"

I didn't get a response until a little while later. I still sat on the same mossy rock I was on before. Thoughts raced through my head as I waited for his answer.

"Samus, you better be damned sure this will get us somewhere."

"The Chozo wouldn't leave me to die. They aren't like that. If anything will help us, this will. Trust me."