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[Fan Fiction] Pariah (Updated: Chapter 4 Completed!)

PsychedelicSnake

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PsychedelicSnake

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A Tenno reawakens from cryosleep, an unknown time having passed since he was placed in the pod. But he is different from his kin. He is not bound by a Warframe, his Void Energy unshackled and uninhibited. As he tries to fit into the new Tenno society laid out before him, he finds himself questioning his place more and more.

 

First and foremost, while there is action in this short series, said action will only begin appearing in the later chapters, the majority of which specifically happening in Chapters 5 & 6. Despite this, Pariah is and always has been a Psychological Horror/Suspense series. I apologize if things seem to move a bit slow, but I promise it all picks up in the latter half of the six chapters. Now then...

 

 

Introductions!

Hello all! I'm been reading through the Fan Zone for a few months now and I decided I'd like to try my hand at writing some Warframe Fan Fiction. I've never written anything outside of short stories or novels, so this is all new territory for me, therefore I apologize if I'm not very good at it. Now then, click on the appropriate spoilers to bring up the info you are looking for. Anyway, this fiction, which will run for six chapters, will be a bit odd.

 

I should probably note that while the story does take place within the Warframe Lore, everything will be "internalized". In other words, I may use lore from Warframe, but the story's canon is its own, so expect a few breaks from what is considered canon in Warframe. As another heads up, I'd like to point out I will not be holding back with what I write. The chances that the story will be psychological nightmare fuel is high, and I typically let loose when it comes to violence and language, although I'll have to work around the latter. But don't worry, it's not a "dark for the sake of being dark" or "unnecessarily edgy" story. I've made sure that everything serves some sort of purpose, either immediately or some point later down the line.

 

Characters! (In Order of Appearance)

qaVfyyl.jpgYANMEI: Curious and headstrong, Yanmei wears the Mag Warframe.

ds0nuuW.jpgSUJATA: The leader of the squad, Sujata wears the Zephyr Warframe.

3yYHJg3.jpgKATSU: Quite the opposite of stoic, Katsu wears the Rhino Warframe.

Xk0a2JA.pngMUTO: Smart, clever, and witty, Muto wears the Vauban Warframe.

8qBCbYk.jpgEMARA: The eponymous Pariah, Emara is the only known Tenno to not have a Warframe.

IIplh4V.jpgNEGARRA: The Chief Medical Officer of the Clan, Negarra wears a modified Trinity Warframe.

 

The Story So Far! (Spoilers! Read at Your Own Risk)

The Tenno squad composed of the Mag Yanmei, Zephyr Sujata, Rhino Katsu, and Vauban Muto have been sent to embark on a small expedition into the Void. As they make the transition, strange things begin to happen around them. The Void becomes hostile to their presence, and the Orokin Tower they are set to explore seems to warp and bend around them. Paranoia seeps in and Yanmei begins to wonder about the origins of the mysterious Tower. The group eventually reach their destination, only to find the scene of an ancient slaughter, a disturbing revelation, and a sleeping Tenno without a Warframe.

 

After they transport their discovery back to the Clan Dojo, the Tenno without a Warframe is identified as Emara and placed into a reconstruction pod. He begins to display unusual brain and body activity, and in a fit of telekinetic instability nearly destroys the pod rebuilding his body. Despite only being in the same room with each other, Yanmei and Emara develop the faintest of connections in response to the incident.

 

Eventually, Yanmei and Emara's minds seem to develop a psychic link, the origins of which neither of them are able to ascertain. After briefly getting to know each other, Yanmei and Emara temporarily go their separate ways. Over the next few days, Yanmei helps Emara develop and rediscover his innate power: psychokinesis. After a minor accident with the training, Emara is confined to his room for the remainder of the day, only to have matters worsen as he receives grim premonitions and unbearable pain.

 

Emara's condition worsens to the point he is forced into a comatose state. Soon after, his body begins to change, corrupted by an unknown pathogen and his mind deteriorating at an increasingly worrying rate. While visiting her comatose friend, Yanmei announces she will be temporarily returning to the Void Tower in which they had found Emara so as to search for clues on how to cure him. His power having grown to immense proportions, Emara finds that he can communicate with the outside despite his body becoming unresponsive. As Yanmei finally leaves, Emara quickly succumbs to his inner darkness.

 

Shortly thereafter, Katsu visits Emara to give his condolences, only to discover to his horror that Emara's body is corrupting upon itself. The bedridden Tenno then uses his abilities to discern the Clan's attitude toward him, discovering that everyone feels he is little more than a freak. Meanwhile, aboard her Liset, Yanmei receives an urgent broadcast from the Lotus, and discovers the origin of her most recent friend.

 

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 - Eldritch: Part 1: https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/238442-fan-fiction-the-pariah-updated-chapter-1-part-12/#entry2770235 Part 2: https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/238442-fan-fiction-the-pariah-updated-chapter-1-part-12/#entry2775955

Chapter 2 - Nightmares: https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/238442-fan-fiction-pariah-updated-chapter-2-coming-soon/page-2#entry2805445

Chapter 3 - Hubris: Part 1: https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/238442-fan-fiction-pariah-updated-chapter-3-in-progress/page-2#entry2833396 Part 2: https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/238442-fan-fiction-pariah-updated-chapter-3-12-added/page-3#entry2840931

Chapter 4 - Revelations: Part 1: https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/238442-fan-fiction-pariah-updated-chapter-4-underway/page-3#entry2940897 Part 2: https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/238442-fan-fiction-pariah-updated-chapter-4-12-posted/page-3#entry3024917

Chapter 5 - Heart of Darkness: IN PROGRESS

Chapter 6 - Terminus: TBA

 

Important Note: I'll be using a single character from YandereSamantha's Fan Fiction, Not So Different, and have received permission from her to use said character in this work. So this Fan Fiction is technically a non-canon crossover with hers. I recommend checking out YandereSamantha's work! Link here: https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/221679-fanfiction-not-so-different-working-title-added-chapter-1-revamp/

 

And finally... thanks for reading through the introduction (if you read through it). Now that that is out of the way, I'd appreciate if you left some sort of constructive feedback on what I can improve. Although it may seem counterintuitive, I respectfully ask anyone giving feedback to not tell me how to write or change my work. I've found my style of writing, and as a writer that is a big deal, and telling me to change how I write won't help me in the same way telling me how I can improve does. Thanks!

 

Archive: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thepariahchroniclesarchive

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"Exploring the unknown requires tolerating uncertainty."
- Brian Greene

 

Chapter 1 - Eldritch (Part 1/2)

 

DAY 1
A deep, reverberating, mechanical howl blast through her ears and the blinding rippling light penetrates her eyes as they complete their transition into the Void, leaving realspace behind. Yanmei is careful to keep her Liset a safe distance from the other three belonging to her squadmates, especially since the eldritch fabric of the Void almost completely disabled many of the transport's functions. She can see the very material of the Void itself shifting and warping in front of her, lashing out with psychic tendrils at the Lisets only to harmlessly bounce off the metallic hulls. A sharp beep alerts Yanmei to an incoming communications request from the rest of the squad, and she switches to the appropriate vox channel in response, the communications channel humming to life as they silently fly through the ever-changing hellscape.

 

"We're here, fifteen-hundred meters ahead." Sujata's voice is garbled and masked with static, the Void energy crippling their communications. Not wanting to risk a misunderstanding, Yanmei transmits a confirmation signal rather than answering back directly, a second signal from the other Lisets being the only indication that they understood her intention. Sujata's Liset powers ahead of the others, leading them towards the Orokin Tower nestled in a gargantuan cloud of energy. Even from here the Tower looked different from the others; much larger than normal, it's spires tapering off into unnaturally fine, sharp points. The more Yanmei looked at the structure, even at this distance, the more her eyes hurt, its smooth curves seemingly rippling like waves. She blinks her eyes once, twice, staring at the Tower once more and finding nothing odd in the slightest. She waves it off as the Void tampering with her eyes as the four Lisets finally arrive at the nearest docking ports of the Orokin Tower, the massive structure looming over them as their transports flip vertically and come latch themselves onto the side with a muffled series of bangs.

 

"Pressurization with Tower atmosphere complete. You may proceed," the Lotus states over communications. The doors slide open with a low, mechanical hum, the magnetized nodes powering off afterward. Yanmei steps out from her Liset, stretching her neck thanks to the somewhat long expedition. To her left her three squadmates emerge; Katsu in his bulky carapace, Muto in his lightly armored engineer's suit, and Sujata in her lightweight, gravity-defying frame. A dull ringing echoes inside Yanmei's ears, the sensation familiar but at the same time foreign. Simultaneously, an intense feeling of sickness comes over her, and looking to her side she notices her other squadmates seem to be suffering the same symptoms as well. Like a wave, the sensations pass just as quickly as they had arrived, leaving each Tenno doubled over in mild shock. "What in the world was that?" Muto huffs in-between sharp breaths, staggering to his feet in an attempt to right himself. Yanmei, Sujata, and Katsu each push themselves up to a standing position, doing their best to regain their composure. What bothered Yanmei the most about the alien sensation was the sheer brutality of it. They have been downed by guns, bullets, rockets, but never something they couldn't even see or touch. It was unsettling, to say the least.

 

As they regain control of their senses, Yanmei becomes genuinely shocked at the sight in front of her, something her allies are quick to take notice of and inspect themselves. The Tower interior, as opposed to the perfectly clean, shiny, golden surfaces of others, is almost completely destroyed. Tangled masses of wires hang from holes in the ceiling, strips of metal peel outward as if blasted back by wind, and large gaping holes give way to other similarly messy rooms. The thundering roar of the Tower's malfunctioning machinery echoes throughout the docking chamber, shaking the room and knocking some loose wires and metal scraps loose, which in response clang loudly on the floor. "What happened here?" Yanmei mutters under her breath, the sound carrying surprisingly well in the chamber.

 

"Got anything, Muto?" Katsu queries, turning to the engineer as Yanmei and Sujata crowd near their fellow squadmates.

 

Muto shakes his head confusedly, tapping lightly at the holographic screen emanating from his wrist. "No, no nothing. No life signs, no Corrupted. Not a thing." He swipes at the holographic screen a couple times, then huffs in resignation before speaking once more. "And that's not all. Long-range communications are down. We're alone in here."

 

"Comms or not, we have an expedition to do. Track the transmission, figure out what it is," Sujata says sternly. Only a day earlier they had picked up a transmission while in realspace originating from the Void, which was strange in and of itself. What made it stranger was how the transmission had no identification, and that paired with the fact there is no detectable life onboard made Yanmei wonder just how the transmission was powered on in the first place. As she glances around the spaces and geometries of the docking chamber, Yanmei can swear she sees the walls and ceiling pulsing, in waves like that of a heart beating, only to blink and have everything seemingly return to normal again. Whatever was going on, this place is not normal.

 

BEHIND THE SCENES!

Sadly, I was forced to make Chapter 1 into a two-parter due to time constraints and important business I have been attending to. I'll be sure to try and get Chapter 1 Part 2 out within the next day or so, and then add a chapter once a week every Friday.

 

Anyway, Chapter 1 was a slow starter for sure. I have the middle and ending planned out, the ending I am especially proud of. The problem I faced was starting the story in an interesting way, and I certainly hoped I achieved that in Chapter 1 Part 1. I wanted to hammer into the reader's head that something is going on, and to leave it ambiguous (until otherwise stated) whether it is actually happening or all in Yanmei's head. I've always loved the idea of the line between reality and fantasy breaking down, and if you can't tell already I'm a massive fan of H.P. Lovecraft and his brand of paranoia-inducing writing. Also as a heads-up, I started somewhat tame here, but I once again promise that it'll get mindscrew-ish fairly soon.

 

In conclusion, I certainly hope Chapter 1 Part 1 wasn't too slow or boring, but I promise it'll start picking up by at least Chapter 2. I also plan to bring Yanmei's personality further into the story by the middle of Chapter 1 Part 2, so Yandere-senpai bear with me!

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It's good so far, but why use Yanmei? Why not just use an original character instead? It seems a bit strange; there isn't anything really special about her.

Apart from that, keep this up!

Yandere-senpai (YandereSamantha) is really the one that "encouraged" me to start the fan fiction, so I figured to best way to show appreciation apart from just saying "thank you" was to include her character. Non-canon of course (until said otherwise), as her fiction is a lot less dark than what I have planned.

 

EDIT: Also, the story required having a Mag as a major character, so I figured "why not?"

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Chapter 1 - Eldritch (Part 2/2)

 

DAY 1

Their systematic search of the Tower has thus far been largely uneventful save for a few unfortunate incidents with the crumbling interior architecture, but luckily everyone came out unscathed. Collapsing supports and walls and ceilings frequently shatter to the floor which somehow miraculously manages to support the combined weight, the heaps of crumbling metal forming jagged shadows along the remaining walls as light shines through them. Every single room and hall was in a similarly terrible state of repair, bordering between barely stable and nearly lethal. The further into the bowels of the Tower they go, the more Yanmei finds herself looking back over her shoulder in a growing sense of paranoia. Before long, the four of them find the necessary route to the source of the transmitting signal, only to find themselves staring straight ahead into the pitch-black gaping maw of the maintenance tunnels. Not a single light can be seen inside, but what made the situation all the more uncomfortable was how the blackness seemed to pulse outward the more they stared at it.

 

"Of course the only way forward would be through an ominous tunnel," snaps Sujata, dry humor practically dripping from each word. In silent agreement, they each power on their lights and aim them down the maintenance tunnel, with what little good it did. The darkness seemed to practically swallow the lights, which were incredibly bright to begin with and only seemed to shine a few meters. With great uncertainty, Yanmei follows her squadmates into the dark void ahead of them, feeling the dark close up behind her as they walk beyond its horizon. After a time, it seemed as if there were creaks and metallic groans coming from within the tunnel. What troubled Yanmei the most was that her allies didn't notice them like she did, or at least did not seem to. As they round corner after corner and bypass innumerable still-active security locks, Yanmei can detect a faint scurrying, muffled as if within the walls, yet she can swear the origin is from the floor behind them. She increases her pace, walking rapidly and nearly colliding with Katsu directly in front of her. Luckily, they finally stop after reaching a security door leading from the maintenance hall, Muto immediately getting to work in the nearby access panel in order to make a bypass.

 

Yanmei cannot shake the utterly overpowering sensation of paranoia shivering throughout her body and up along her spine. The near total darkness only serves to make the feeling worse, and in a somewhat vain attempt to relieve the uncomfortable sensation she backs herself into the nearest corner, light aimed so as to keep all three of her squadmates in view. Swiping his hand against the touch-sensitive panel, Muto rises to his feet from his kneeling position as the maintenance security door folds open, a light source from the other side bathing them in a warm, golden orange glow. "And that's that. The source is just on the other side," Muto mutters under his breath as he finishes up with his scans.

 

"I don't think we need these anymore," Katsu says, flicking off his light as the others follow his example. Sujata takes the lead once more as she pushes herself off a nearby wall, handling her handgun held at her waist as she makes her way through the now open door. Katsu and Muto follow, with Yanmei holding close behind them, looking over her shoulder at the black void all the while. It is while she is looking behind her that she finds herself walking face first into Muto's back stumbling backwards a fair bit in response. After righting herself, Yanmei finds that each of her squadmates have stopped in their place, looking straight ahead within the vast, cavern-like room they find themselves in. Ahead of them, a massive Void Shield drapes from the ceiling to the floor, the golden orange glow setting ominous shadows all along the walls. Waves of energy move down the shield, then back up again, distorting the view of what lays on the other side. "The signal is coming from the other side of that shield, we just need to find a way past it. I'll be done in no ti-" Muto's statement is cut short as he steps forward, nearly falling as he trips over something. They each look toward the ground and are consumed with an odd mixture of shock and confusion. Tenno bodies are strewn all about the chamber, clad in security frames. Some slouch against the walls  while others litter the floor, more still hanging limply from the higher levels while a few are impaled by the Tower's own metals.

 

"Looks like we're not the only ones that came here." Katsu's voice is barely audible to Yanmei, although the deep hum from the Void Shields didn't help.

 

"No, look at them. These are security frames from almost two generations before The Sleep. They've been here long before us," Sujata says, her voice raised so as to reach her allies over the sound of the active shields. Yanmei crouches down by one of the bodies of a female Tenno, her frame shredded and torn, the skin underneath virtually nonexistant due to deterioration. In one of the frame's hands sits a datapad, powered off but in seemingly fine working condition. She gently picks up the pad and powers it in, the screen jumping to life before her eyes as she crouches in the middle of the macabre display. She navigates the UI before looking up towards Sujata and the others. "I found something!"

 

"What is it, what did you find?" Muto relays back, closing the distance to Yanmei as Sujata and Katsu do the same. Yanmei's eyes flick across the screen, absorbing the information before reading it back aloud. "It's some sort of final log. 'We can still hear it. It's just as loud even though the shields are up. It speaks to us still. The more we listen the more we can see reality itself break. The walls close in and the ceiling rises."

 

Her three squadmates share sideways glances at each other, Sujata speaking up: "Well that doesn't sound good."

 

"There's more," interrupts Yanmei, looking to the screen once more, "This is about a week after the last one: 'I can feel it clawing and ripping and slashing. I can feel it in my mind and I can feel it whispering inside. We can hear it scratching at our skulls. Scratch! Scratch! Scratch!"

 

The disturbing series of revelations is cut short as the Void Shield suddenly dissipates, the wave of energy crashing down from the ceiling and the deep hum slowly dying down. Muto is in the corner, near the shield's access panel, having apparently had enough of the paranoia-inducing personal logs of the long-dead Tenno. Yanmei puts the datapad down next to the female Tenno as she rises, following Muto through the new opening as Sujata and Katsu tail close behind. In the center of the room, which is considerably smaller than the enormous hall they were previously in, hangs a lone cryopod, the normally clear glass tinted making them unable to see through. Muto stands off to the side to scan the pod while Yanmei takes up position directly in front, doing her best to see through the heavy-tinted glass and into the pod itself, but to no avail. She wonders to herself if this is what all those Tenno died protecting. And if so, what had been torturing them to get inside? A series of quiet beeps and trills from Muto's scanner shatter Yanmei's silent trance, Sujata reading from the scanner before Muto has a chance to do so himself. "Almost all the data on this pod is either blank or redacted. Except... this," Sujata explains, leaning into the scanner's screen, "The name... Emara."

 

"Is that really all we have to go on? A name?" Katsu questions quizzically.

 

"Until we open her up, yes, it's all we have," answers Muto as he steps up to the pod and begins tampering with the electronics. After only a few short moments, the pod hums to life as its main systems are brought back online, the innumerable decorative lights shooting light in all directions. With a sharp hiss, the pod's exhaust ports let out a mixture of cold and hot air, pressurizing the interior atmosphere of the pod with that of the exterior, slowly but surely. Once the venting and pressurizing subside, the hatch lurches unlocked and slides open, revealing the figure inside. Each person, Yanmei especially, is taken aback by the strange sight before them, taking a step or two back as if it would make the picture seem less odd. Laying in the pod, arms crossed, is a Tenno clad in nothing but Orokin-era medical clothing, with any sort of Warframe being completely absent. His face sports sharp features, and color begins to return to his skin as he suddenly inhales sharply and his eyes slowly open, sporting an unnaturally silver hue.

 

BEHIND THE SCENES!

A major problem I seem to have is I tend to have stories and works start off relatively short, only to blow up into sometimes unnecessarily long pieces. Take, for example, Chapter 1- Eldritch. Originally it was only going to be as long as Part 1, but as you can clearly see has expanded way beyond that. This is because although I outline things down to the smallest detail, I often end up adding things I wasn't planning on adding as I write. At the very least, I feel that this increases the value and quality of my work, as it has all worked out okay each time.

 

Anyway, long part, short Behind the Scenes. I hope you enjoyed the end of Chapter 1! Chapter 2 will be coming next Friday!

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FiveHours

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Yandere-senpai (YandereSamantha) is really the one that "encouraged" me to start the fan fiction, so I figured to best way to show appreciation apart from just saying "thank you" was to include her character. Non-canon of course (until said otherwise), as her fiction is a lot less dark than what I have planned.

 

EDIT: Also, the story required having a Mag as a major character, so I figured "why not?"

Fair point, and I think anything can be darker than a Mag-Darvo love story :P

 

Anyway, you've set the scene for the dark story, I am eager to read :)

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Slight criticism, though. This is a suspense novel, so maybe the ending to a chapter could be a bit more cliffhanger-y than an eye description. Maybe cutting it off when the Tenno open the pod and are taken aback would be a good point to stop, which would lead the reader onward.

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Slight criticism, though. This is a suspense novel, so maybe the ending to a chapter could be a bit more cliffhanger-y than an eye description. Maybe cutting it off when the Tenno open the pod and are taken aback would be a good point to stop, which would lead the reader onward.

There's actually a reason I ended it that way, although for obvious reasons that's not readily apparent at the moment.

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