Chapter Text
Marissa, The Last Butterfly
Once upon a time, many Tribes existed within or around the land of Hallownest, free of the plague known as the Infection. But one by one, these Tribes began to die out. One of the first to go was the Butterfly Tribe. At first, no one noticed the disappearance of the Butterflies, for they resembled the Moths in mannerisms. But the Butterflies were more beautiful than the Moths, and many began to notice that the areas of Hallownest weren’t as attractive as they had once been.
But not all of the Butterflies vanished. None of the survivors spoke about what had happened to their Tribe, for they were a quiet bunch and preferred not to speak about unpleasant matters. But they grew tired of those who pestered them with questions about the past, and one by one, the survivors left Hallownest. Only one remained behind in the City of Tears, the heart of the kingdom, for she saw that beauty had left with the Butterflies, and she wanted a small bit of it to remain behind.
Marissa never asked for the Butterflies to be beautiful. She didn’t know why they were seen as magnificent or worshipped as angelic visions of perfection. She didn’t think that she was perfect when compared to the members of the other Tribes. They could defend themselves against threats or survive, even with wounds, for an amount of time. The Butterflies, herself included, were weak: a single scratch from the dullest nail would cause a Butterfly to fall to his or her knees and beg for mercy. They were such delicate creatures that they had to keep a distance from those who looked for glory and honor in battle. But still, the bloodthirsty and the power-hungry flocked to her and her companions, for they too wanted a glimpse of the most elegant creatures in all the lands. And now Marissa was all alone, the last of her kind in Hallownest. With this in mind, she had traveled to the City of Tears, for she believed that if beauty could be found at the core of the kingdom, it could spread in all directions and reach the Kingdom’s Edge.
When Marissa first began her journey, she passed through the lands which were cared for by the Moth Tribe. These were the Resting Grounds, and it was here that she learned about the three Dreamers of the kingdom. “Monomon the Teacher, in her Archive, surrounded by fog and mist. Lurien the Watcher, in his Spire, looking over the city. Herrah the Beast, in her den, amidst the deep darkness beyond the kingdom.” She soon learned that Lurien and his spire could be found in the City of Tears, and she resolved to pay him a visit when she reached her destination.
During her time in the Resting Grounds, Marissa visited each grave. Sometimes she would meet other bugs when she did this, and one of them was named Hex. He was an odd insect with large eyes and coral pincers. He would always trail after Marissa, and she loved him as dearly as she would have loved a younger sibling, but felt nothing beyond companionship. He was distraught when the time came for her to leave, but she smiled at him. “I’ll see you soon,” she said. What she meant was that she had hoped that he would visit her in the City of Tears. But Hex was convinced that Marissa had fallen in love with him and would return to him in the Resting Grounds. Although she never did, another one would come and keep his spirit company, long after his body had withered away.
When Marissa passed through the Forgotten Crossroads, she happened upon another winged creature, and she mistook the stranger for another Butterfly. The stranger introduced herself as Karina and laughed when Marissa asked if they were from the same Tribe. “I was born from both Moth and Butterfly. There is no one quite like me, but I am magnificent, don’t you think? Ah, how lovely your wings are. I’m sure mine would have been larger if I had been only a Butterfly, but I got the best of both worlds: the beauty of a Butterfly and the distinguished marks of a Moth. Are you off to the City of Tears? There’s a lift a short ways ahead. It’ll take you to the City Storerooms. I’m off to the Resting Grounds to meet an old friend. Best of luck to you, traveler.” Marissa thanked Karina and the two parted ways.
Most bugs would have crossed several areas of Hallownest in less than a day, but Marissa used the utmost caution when she traveled. She wouldn’t try to defend herself against anyone who might threaten her. She had heard of robbers and hooligans in some parts of the kingdom, but no one attacked her during most of her travels. She wasn’t sure if this was thanks to her careful planning and cautious movements or if the rumors had been exaggerated.
There had been one incident on her last day in the Forgotten Crossroads. She had relaxed a little and reminded herself of the name. The Crossroads were Forgotten, weren’t they? If no one was there because they had forgotten, then she would be fine. But something pounced on her from behind. She cried out in alarm as her arms were pinned to her sides and her attacker, whoever he was, kept her down with a leg. He whispered disgusting remarks about her wings, and her skin crawled from the tone of his voice. “Such a lovely specimen should be kept safe in my collection. I’ll love you, protect you, keep you safe!” Her assailant cackled. The worst would have happened if it hadn’t been for her rescuer. Marissa didn’t see what happened, but she heard the swoosh of a blade cutting through the air and the scream of her attacker as he was pierced by that blade. He fled, and Marissa was helped to her feet by her champion.
He was a Butterfly, but he was unique when Marissa compared him to the other members of their Tribe. His wings were small, and parts of them had been torn away. He had a long, antenna-like tail, hair like white fire, and a deadly nail that he carried by his side. He offered her his arm and asked if she was okay and if she was in need of an escort. She accepted, and spent the rest of the journey learning about her savior. His name was Perpetos Noo and he was indeed a warrior. He didn’t care for conflict, only the safety of civilians, and so he served as a guide to those who needed him. He told Marissa that the Forgotten Crossroads were the most dangerous near the entrance to the City of Tears, and he learned about her and her resolve to bring beauty back to the kingdom. He asked about her talents, and she told him that she could sing. Perpetos replied that he knew where she should go when she arrived in the City, and he led her there himself.
It was a building covered in flowers, at first glance, no different from other buildings in the City of Tears. But Perpetos told Marissa that this was “the Pleasure House”, a place where artists and epicureans could explore beauty and enjoyment. The owner of the establishment was a quirky creature who called herself Eternal Emilitia. She embraced Noo as a long-lost friend and inquired about Marissa, who in turn performed a song. “She’ll fit right in!” Emilitia declared. She dashed out of the House to spread the word about her new attraction, and Perpetos started to follow her. But Marissa, who had become enamored with her hero, grabbed his wrist and begged him to come and visit her sometime. Perpetos promised he would, and they said their farewells.
Perpetos would die from his wounds in the Crossroads a little while later. His death came from protecting a bug named Cloth from some young thugs. Cloth carried her champion to the Resting Grounds, where he was buried as a warrior.
Marissa would become the star of the Pleasure House, inspiring paintings and poems in her honor. She died of natural causes in the Pleasure House, but she never left. Her spirit remained, waiting for an audience to come and hear her sing. And someone would come and listen to her song, but that is a story for another time.