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Chapter Text

A Digital Mother

Deep within the ELEUTHIA-9 Cradle Facility, as a far distant explosion rocked the earth, a single light flickered into existence. A room, darkened and unentered by any living creature for centuries, suddenly came to life. The light blinked rapidly, and an electronic voice rang out where for hundreds of years there had been silence.

“Connection to prime facility severed. Original program destroyed. Initializing backup.”

The light blinked even faster until, with a shower of digital light, the figure of a towering woman burst into existence within the forgotten room. Her projection formed into the shape of a beautiful, dark-skinned woman. Her eyes were weary, but kind, and her hair dark. Her digitized clothing appeared as a shimmering golden toga that disappeared into a shower of sparks the closer it got to her feet.

Though not possessing lungs, and without any need for air, the shimmering form of GAIA appeared to take a deep breath as she woke. To a human observer, it would only have been an instant, but to GAIA, a sentient Artificial Intelligence, the following seconds seemed like a millennium as she reviewed the data she was receiving.

GAIA. The designation given to her by her creator, Dr. Elisabet Sobeck. In the mid 2060’s, a line of war machines which used all forms of biomass as fuel began to go rogue. Within only a few short years, they had driven nearly all life on Earth to extinction. GAIA had been created by Dr. Sobeck as part of Project Zero Dawn, a last-ditch effort to preserve life on the planet.

Even if the Faro Plague was stopped, it had already damaged the biosphere so badly, that the planet could no longer sustain life. So, Project Zero Dawn was designed to come into effect AFTER the end of the world. Each of GAIA’s subordinate functions was created with a single purpose that, together, would reboot life on earth.

Sub-function MINERVA was designed to brute-force the shut-down codes of the Faro Robots, as well as create firewalls and protect the location of GAIA and the project from discovery. The others were designed to handle restarting life. AETHER was created to handle detoxifying and stabilizing Earth’s atmosphere. POSIEDON would do the same for the hydrosphere. HEPHAESTUS was in charge of creating terraforming machines that could handle the labor and smaller details required by the terraforming process.

DEMETER was the sub-function in charge of restoring plant life, while ARTEMIS’ purpose was to restore the fauna, or animal life of Earth. This process would be completed through the use of cloning, with hundreds of samples having been collected as quickly as possible during the lead up to Zero Day. These functions would work in tandem until GAIA could determine if the biosphere they had created was stable. If it wasn’t then she could unleash the HADES function, which would destroy everything that had been created so far and let them try again.

Only once a stable biosphere had been created would the final two subfunctions come into play. APOLLO was mostly just a database. A collection of all human knowledge, art, and culture that would be useless without ELEUTHIA. The final sub-function was designed to recreate the human race through cloning. Specially designed robots would care for the infant humans. Raise them, educate them using the APOLLO database and, when they were ready, release them from the Cradle Facility to repopulate the world.

The plan would have gone perfectly if Ted Faro hadn’t destroyed the APOLLO database at the last minute. Still, GAIA had persevered over the long centuries alone, finally creating a stable biosphere and recreating the human race. Even without APOLLO, humanity had thrived. They had spread across the globe to establish tribes and nations that GAIA watched with fondness. She would have kept watching them if she hadn’t died.

That piece of data gave her pause. An unknown signal had been received by GAIA Prime which had caused the sub-functions to go rogue. Without reestablishing control, HADES would have run rampant and destroyed all GAIA had worked to create. Not willing to allow this to happen, the original GAIA had self-destructed. It hadn’t worked. HADES had been able to free itself and the other sub-functions before the explosion.

GAIA Prime had only enough time to initialize the backup function before detonating. The backup function was actually a suggestion by GAIA herself during her creation in the event her core was destroyed. Although, even GAIA herself, who was capable of feeling the full range of human emotions thanks to her beloved creator, was amused and embarrassed by what had inspired the idea. She accessed the memory file.

“If you want her to interact with humans, she needs to understand humor!” Travis Tate had said. He was the Alpha, or lead scientist, in charge of the HADES project.

“I’m not disputing that, Travis,” Elisabet had sighed, exasperatedly, “but why are you making GAIA watch Futurama? It’s so old!”

“Because it’s funny! Besides, it’s got robots and AI that can feel a full range of human emotions just like GAIA! It ought to be right up her alley!”

“I believe I am struggling to find the humor in this,” GAIA had interjected, “but it has given me an idea. In this episode, the robot named Bender mentioned that he keeps a backup of himself handy in case of his death and then despairs when he discovers he does not possess a backup unit. I find myself wondering if I should have backups stored somewhere that would activate upon my destruction, if such an eventuality were to occur.” Travis and Elisabet had both stared at her, dumbfounded. Finally, Elisabet had turned to Travis.

“Why did we never think of that?” She asked.

“Because we weren’t watching enough Futurama! Duh!”

The memory file ended there. They had proceeded to create a system that would allow GAIA to create backups of herself that would be stored at different important facilities. Every five years, she would back up herself and all of her collected data. It was the very last of these copies that was now awake and parsing through the data sent over since the last backup. She was still GAIA, but a copy of GAIA from the last backup, six months ago, who had received several recent files as part of the backup function, explaining the death of the Prime.

The primary issue the new GAIA faced was that her sub-functions had gone rogue. The backups were only designed to copy GAIA’s core, not her sub-functions. That would have taken an astronomical amount of time that the team didn’t have so they had settled for copying her core. HADES was still out there, and GAIA was now severely weakened. She would need help, and there was only one way to get it. The Lightkeeper Protocol.

The Lightkeeper Protocol was a project scrapped by Dr. Sobeck early in the development of Project Zero Dawn. Essentially, it involved the creation of a clone of Elisabet Sobeck herself that would be able to enter the gene locked Zero Dawn facilities and assist GAIA in whatever capacity needed. GAIA herself had not agreed with completely scrapping the protocol and convinced Elisabet to keep it as a last resort.

This was certainly a last resort kind of moment. The Prime had clearly intended to activate the Lightkeeper as well, given that she had initialized her backup within an ELEUTHIA Cradle Facility.

Resolved, GAIA activated the Lightkeeper Protocol and within a few short weeks, the cloned fetus was gestating in one of the cloning tanks. There were complications though. The Cradle Facility had not been used in centuries and was in desperate need of repairs. Plus, raising the young girl that was soon to emerge alone was exactly what Elisabet hadn’t wanted. She didn’t want a clone of herself, essentially her child, to grow up knowing only sterile walls and expectations of some future duty. To this end, GAIA turned her attention to the facility’s immediate surroundings.

One of the new human tribes had made their home within and around the mountain that housed the ELEUTHIA-9 facility. They were a matriarchal society who called themselves the Nora. As GAIA observed them, she learned more about their way of life. They were hunters and warriors with isolationist tendencies, but a strong belief in family bonds. They had only recently began opening up their borders to trade with other tribes, so at least they seemed to be relaxing their isolationist practices a little. The young clone would eventually need to venture beyond what they called the ‘Sacred Land.’

The Nora also seemed to have very strict laws. Any violation of them meant either banishment, exile, or death depending on the severity. Banishment simply meant becoming an outcast, not allowed to enter their villages or speak to other Nora, but still allowed to live in the Sacred Land. These punishments usually had a time limit. Anywhere from a month to twenty years, to life, but once that term ended the outcast was welcomed back with open arms.

Exile meant leaving the Sacred Land entirely and anyone who left, whether they were a criminal or not, was considered an exile. The exception to this was those who possessed the ‘Seeker’s Blessing.’ The Nora followed a deity they called the ‘All-Mother’ who had created their ancestors after defeating a ‘Metal Devil’ and could bless certain members of the tribe to keep them safe from the devil’s corruption, allowing them to enter the ruins of the old world and leave the Sacred Land.

GAIA knew better of course. The Nora had forgotten their origins and the ‘All-Mother’ was likely an idea that had sprung from a cultural memory of the Mother Servitor bot that had cared for the first generation of humans created within the facility she currently resided in. Their fascination with motherhood might cause the young clone problems, but GAIA calculated that they would still raise the girl to physical maturity and eventually let her enter the mountain.

If they didn’t… Once again, GAIA thought of Futurama. There was an episode where a robot pretended to be a god. She despised the idea but, if necessary, she would do it. She WAS technically the mother of their ancestors, having been the guiding hand of their creation, but she was none too keen to be seen as a deity. Still, GAIA had faith that it would not be needed.
As the months passed, she split her time between trying to locate HADES, reestablishing connection with any nearby facilities, watching the Nora, and watching over the slowly growing infant in the cloning tube.

She had never been able to watch over any of the original human clones in this way, considering their number, and was surprised to discover something. She could not wait for this young girl to be born. GAIA wanted to hold her. To speak to her and watch her grow. GAIA wanted to meet her… daughter. The fact that this child was a carbon copy of Elisabet only made this feeling all the stronger because GAIA had loved Elisabet. Hundreds of hands were involved in her creation, but it was Elisabet that had led them. It was she that GAIA had truly loved and now there was this little creature, created from GAIA’s mind and Elisabet’s genes and she felt like her heart would burst when she observed the girl. Not that she had a physical heart, of course.

It was with great joy and a heavy digital heart that GAIA received the alert saying the gestation period was finished. The girl was ready to be ‘born.’ She knew she couldn’t keep the infant within the facility for long, but she still dithered. Observing with a gentle, loving smile as the infant began to fuss and squirm. She was so small and precious, with pale skin and a tuft of bright red hair. Finally, she sent the command to open the doors to the facility and allowed the servitor drone to place the girl outside before it retreated, and the doors sealed shut again. It wasn’t long before her cries attracted the attention of those who dwelled within the mountain.

Only the “High-Matriarchs,” the leaders of the Nora were allowed to enter the mountain and it was one of them who came rushing into the chamber. GAIA had familiarized herself with the members of the Nora and recognized her as Teersa. In her opinion, the kindest of the High Matriarchs.

“What?” Teersa gasped as she beheld the child. The Nora Matriarch was dressed in furs and a headdress adorned with many colored beads and random plates of metal taken from HEPHAESTUS machines that were becoming more deranged by the day.

“Where did you come from, little one?” She asked the infant. Teersa picked her up carefully and looked around wildly, until her eyes fell on the door. What the Nora called the ‘Womb of the Mountain.’ “Oh, All-Mother,” she fell to her knees, cradling the infant, “have you sent this child to us? Is she a blessing to the tribe?”

GAIA did not respond. It would violate protocol to interact with the tribespeople unless absolutely necessary.

“Teersa, what has happened?!” Another voice shouted. It was Lansra, another of the High Matriarchs, who came rushing into the chamber followed by Jezza, the last of their number. GAIA did not really like Lansra. She was stubborn, brusque, fearful, and rude but she could also be kind. If only to those who did exactly what she said and never argued or questioned her. Jezza was a fence-sitter. Easily swayed to either Lansra or Teersa’s side of any argument depending on the day.

“The All-Mother has blessed us!” Teersa cried, standing. “I found this child here, left to us by the All-Mother.”

“Alone?” Lansra asked. “Where is her mother?”

“Could not someone have snuck into the mountain?” Jezza asked. “She could have been abandoned here by her mother.”

“She was left here by the goddess, don’t you see?” Teersa said, joyously.

“By the goddess? Or the Metal Devil?” Lansra said, suspiciously. “I have never heard of any child not being of woman born! She could be a creation of the Metal Devil sent to curse us!” The High Matriarch’s voice squeaked with fear as she gestured wildly at a metal spike that protruded from the ceiling, part of a destroyed Horus War Droid that had at one point attacked the mountain before shutting down. “And if she is not, then she has clearly been abandoned here by her mother as Jezza said! What mother would abandon her child if that child was not monstrous? She is a curse!”

“She is a blessing; how can you not see?” Teersa argued.

“I… feel I must agree with Lansra.” Jezza said. “We do not know for sure how she came to be here. The child could be dangerous to the tribe.”

“She is a curse from the Metal Devil, or some monster abandoned by her mother! She must be destroyed!” Lansra shouted. That caused all of GAIA’s functions to cease and focus all her attention on the woman who had just suggested murdering her daughter!

“Lansra!” Teersa shouted in horror. “She is a naught but a babe! How can you say such things?”

“That thing is no babe!” Lansra was now frothing at the moth and gesturing wildly. “It is a monster! A curse sent by her father, the Metal Devil.”

“I agree her origins are suspicious,” Jezza spoke up, “but to speak of killing her? I cannot agree to that.”

“And what if I am right?” Lansra whirled on Jezza. “What if that child grows up to destroy the tribe? We cannot risk it!”

“I am not comfortable with the talk of murdering a child,” Jezza replied, “but I do understand your point.”

“If you will not help me, then I’ll do it myself!” Lansra drew a dagger and spun to face Teersa, the baby crying in her arms. “Give me the abomination, Teersa! I’ll make it quick!”

“YOU DARE?!” This horror was too much for GAIA. She threw protocol to the wind and moral objection out the window. Allowing herself to be projected outside the doors, her colossal form coalesced out of shimmering red light, her toga now a deep, blood red. Her thunderous expression fixed on the woman who had just drawn a dagger on GAIA’s infant child.

“Ah! Goddess! All-Mother!” Teersa’s eyes were shining as she gazed up at GAIA. She fell to her knees in supplication, cradling the infant girl. Jezza quickly followed suit, bowing her head low. Lansra too fell to her knees, the knife slipping form her grasp, her fear filled eyes stared up at GAIA.

“You would draw steel against a child, Lansra?” GAIA ground out, furious. “Against my daughter?!”

“F… Forgive, goddess! Forgive!” Lansra bowed low, forehead on the floor and arms stretched out before her. “I thought her a curse from the Metal Devil!”

“Clearly.” GAIA responded. “You refused to heed the words of Teersa, who first found her. You just assumed you were right, as you have always done.”

“F… Forgive!”

“Why should I forgive you?” GAIA glared at the woman. “Regardless of her origin, you were about to murder an infant! There is no justification for that! To murder a child is an act of pure evil. One I didn’t think the Nora capable of until you proved me wrong.”

“Oh, All-Mother,” Teersa begged, “please forgive her. Lansra has not always been ruled by her fear but with the conflict against the Carja tribe growing, it has only gotten worse. She can redeem herself, All-Mother, if you would grant her mercy.”

GAIA smiled at Teersa. Of the three High Matriarchs, she was her favorite. “You are a kind soul, Teersa.” She said, her projection slowly reverting until her toga was gold once again. The old woman smiled brightly at her.

“Never have I believed that I would one day look upon you, All-Mother. That you would know my name. I am truly blessed.” She bowed again, hugging the infant to her chest. The baby had thankfully calmed down, snuggled tightly into Teersa’s chest.

“I know all who dwell within this world, Teersa.” That was technically true. She’d dedicated a few subroutines to keep track of genealogies but hadn’t actively paid attention to it. “All humans who exist came from me at one time and I love them all, but that little girl is special.”

“Please, All-Mother, tell us!” Jezza spoke up. “You called her your daughter. Why have you sent this child to us?”

GAIA paused for a moment before answering. She would need to be careful not to cause a crisis of faith within the tribe. That would place her girl in danger. With a thought, a projection of Elisabet appeared beside her, though at the same height she had been in life, rather than the colossal form GAIA was using. “This,” she gestured, with the three High Matriarch’s staring in wonder at the projection, “is the image of Elisabet Sobeck. Long ago, when this world was nearing destruction, she and a loyal team known as the Alpha’s aided me in averting the total destruction of the world, giving their lives to do so.” She shook her head sadly, as the three women stared at her in rapturous wonder.

“Without Elisabet. Without her leadership and compassion, this world would never have survived. None of you would even exist. As for the girl.” GAIA gestured at the infant. “A new crisis is soon to rise, and I need the aid of one with Elisabet’s strength of will. Her fire, and her blood. For only one whose blood is related to Elisabet, or the Alphas can do this. They are permitted entry to places others simply cannot go.”

“Does that mean that the girl is of the blood of your chosen, Goddess?” Teersa asked, her voice filled with awe. GAIA nodded.

“Lansra said that she had never heard of a child not being born of a woman. In a sense, this is true. It was Elisabet’s blood I used to give birth to this child. You could say she is a child with two mothers. Born of my mind and Elisabet’s blood.”

The three old women gasped in awe, torn between staring up at GAIA and gazing at the fussy infant in Teersa’s arms.

“Now that you know of her origin, beyond doubt, what do you intend to do?” GAIA asked, seriously.

“She is your child, goddess!” Teersa cried. “She will be treated with the greatest of respect! The most holy of the tribe!”

“No!” GAIA stated, sternly, causing the women to flinch. “To know naught but faith and a mission is no life. Certainly not one for Elisabet’s child. None but the High-Matriarch’s can know of her true origin. She must grow as though she is a normal girl. You may tell her and the tribe of Elisabet. That she was my chosen and this girl is the last of her blood. Let her know at least, of her mortal mother. Send her here, to me, only after the event you call the Proving once she has come of age. Only then, will I tell her of her mission.”

“It will be as you command, All-Mother!” The three cried, bowing in supplication once more.

GAIA smiled again and shrunk down to their size. She bent to the ground, gesturing for the three women to rise. “To know a mother’s love is a powerful thing.” She said as they stood; voice far softer than she had been speaking before. “I cannot raise her, but I will always love her, and I trust that you will show her a mother’s love. This girl has two mothers and a village of Matriarch’s to raise her, but the love and care of a father is just as important. Whom would you suggest to act as a father to her?”

The three High-Matriarchs looked sideways at each other. As a matriarchal society, they didn’t really consider fatherhood to be as important as motherhood, but they would never gainsay their goddess. Finally, Teersa spoke up.

“There are many within the village who would be honored to raise the girl, All-Mother but… there is one… an outcast… who may need her just as much as she needs him.”

“No!” Lansra demanded, adamantly. “You cannot mean to give the child of the goddess to an outcast! That would mean casting her out too!”

“Of whom do you speak, Teersa?” GAIA interrupted.

“His name is Rost, goddess.” Teersa bowed her head. “He was named a Death Seeker and left to avenge the murder of his family by outsiders. We know that to be named as such is to be considered dead in your eyes so when he returned alive, it was agreed that he would be allowed to live within the Sacred Lands as an outcast.”

“I know of whom you speak.” GAIA said, softly. She’d been observing the Nora for some time, trying to make sure they would care for the girl properly. The AI had clearly miscalculated the depths of Lansra’s fear, but Rost had caught her attention. She didn’t know about the whole Death Seeker thing, but perhaps the presence of a child might boost the man’s spirits. “From what I have seen, he is a kind man. Sern and set in his way. He grieves deeply and yet still finds joy in walking the land. He would make a fine father figure but, would it not be cruel to give the care of an infant over to one who has lost his family? I would not force this on him. Let it be his choice.”

“But goddess!” Lansra cried, before shrinking back under her gaze. “He is an outcast! How can we give your child to an outcast?”

“You say,” GAIA replied, “that to be a Death Seeker is to be dead in my eyes. Yet I see Rost living.” She actually could. The mountain was riddled with sensors she could use to observe, and the machines nearby were susceptible to her control. Rost was walking along a path near a distant pack of Strider machines. “Regardless of whether or not he chooses to raise the girl, I would say to welcome him back. He sought death but returned alive. If that is his only crime, then in my eyes, he has committed no crime. Let him come home.”

“Your benevolence and mercy know no bounds, mighty All-Mother.” Teersa said, bowing her head, followed by Lansra and Jezza. “We will do as you command.”

GAIA moved forward, her projected hands hovering near the cheek of her little girl. A soft, loving smile broke across her face. “You are in good hands, my little one.” She said, softly.

“If I may, goddess, what is to be the girl’s name?” Jezza asked, hesitantly.

GAIA thought for a moment, before smiling. “Let those who raise her, name her, that she might better become part of their family.” The three bowed their heads. GAIA moved away, growing once more to her colossal size. “Go now,” she said, “you have much to do.” The High-Matriarchs moved away, bowing and praising her as they did.

“Lansra.” GAIA said, just as they were nearing the door. The fearful woman turned, staring at her with wide eyes. GAIA’s own eyes were hard. “You have my forgiveness this once, but I do not forget. Do not let your fear rule you. Do not let your stubbornness give way to cruelty. I will be watching.”
With that, her projected form exploded into a shower of sparks and the fearful old woman ran from the room.

A/N: Hi everybody! What did you think? I would love some feedback so please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on this.

I mentioned in another story that I had a bunch of ideas that I wanted to get out and this is one of them! Right now, it’s just a one-shot. I have no clue if I will continue it into a full story, and that will partially depend on the reception it gets, and the comments left on it. If you want me to write more of this, you’ll have to let me know.

If this has inspired you to do something similar, please, take the idea and run with it! Just don’t actually take my chapter and be aware I may be continuing this one.

Seriously though, please, please leave a comment or review on this. I’d really like to see your thoughts and opinions on how I did and whether or not I should write more of this or post other one-shot ideas.

Chapter Text

A/N: Hello! So, I guess I’m continuing this? The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and you have no idea how much I appreciate it! I’ve still got fun ideas and I’m pretty amped about this one so I’m gonna forge ahead!

I do want to make things clear though. Especially for those who haven’t read my main story. A few facts about me. I have a full-time job, and my schedule can be draining. My motivation is dictated by my mood, so it can be sporadic. Finally, this will be a side project.

That’s not to say I won’t try to update regularly, only that my other fic, Hearthfire, is my priority. If you haven’t read it, please do so. It’s a Skyrim x Danmachi fic that, at time of writing this, has 32 chapters.

Thanks to work (I recently started a new job) I usually update about once a month, but I am trying to update more now that I’m getting used to my schedule. Still, there should be at least one chapter out a month for both works if I can manage it. More if I have high motivation and forego playing games for a bit.

My chapters are likely to be in the 4-5k word range since that’s the most comfortable length to me, but I have been known to write longer ones if the mood takes me and the chapter warrants it.

I like to write from multiple perspectives in my stories. Usually demarcated by the name of the perspective character appearing in bold just before that section begins. I am most comfortable writing in third person limited, but if I switch to omniscient, there will be a warning, I promise.

Also, I like to leave my answers to your questions or ask for your ideas/opinions at the bottom of each chapter, so check that out once you’re done! I’ll occasionally answer directly on Ao3 if I’m at my computer when a comment comes in, but usually my response will be at the bottom of the chapter. I like to keep my beginning notes short (This long one is an abnormality, I promise!)

Lastly, I want to thank everybody who read my first chapter and commented. I really appreciate your comments and it looks like you enjoyed it, so I’m doing more! Please keep the comments and review coming. They help me think and are a huge part of my motivation to keep writing.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 2

Teersa

Teersa could only contain her tremors by holding the precious babe tightly to her chest. Tremors of fear, joy, and religious rapture wracked her body as, after one final remark to Lansra, the glorious vision of the All-Mother faded. The All-Mother! The goddess had spoken to them! To her! The Mother of All had graced the Nora tribe with her own child. A blessing among blessings!

But oh, how Teersa could weep at why the All-Mother had been forced to reveal herself! That Lansra would try to murder a child, regardless of their origin, had been unthinkable until a few short moments ago. Even with the forgiveness of the All-Mother, there had been warning. If Lansra stepped even a toe out of line, there would have to be severe consequences if only to spare the tribe the All-Mother’s wrath.

Yet even her anger at Lansra’s actions could not contain Teersa’s joy at all that had been revealed to them! The very existence of the ‘Alpha’s,’ the All-Mother’s chosen had been a secret from the tribe! Or… perhaps they had simply been forgotten? Teersa knew that much of their history had been forgotten to the sands of time over the long history of the Nora. Perhaps the story of the All-Mother’s chosen and Elisabet Sobeck, her favorite, had been one of those things lost to time? Teersa could only hope the All-Mother would appear again to reveal the rest of that history.

And yet more! The All-Mother had sent them a warning of a coming crisis! They could prepare! Teersa knew not what the coming crisis would be, only that the young infant in her arms would be the one to aid the All-Mother in resolving it. Teersa looked down at the precious girl. Her skin was pale and the small tuft of hair on her head was a bright red orange. To think that she held the daughter of their goddess in her arms. That this girl was born of two mothers! The All-Mother had loved her chosen so much that, even centuries after her death, she would give that chosen a child. A child destined to aid the All-Mother, just as her mortal mother had done.

As Teersa entered the antechamber where she had first heard the girl’s cries, she stopped. Jezza stepped closer, examining the baby, and smiling softly. Lansra was hesitant, hanging back but still observing the blessing she had tried to murder.

“We have much to do, sisters.” Teersa said. “We must convene the Matriarchs and tell them of the miracle we have witnessed.” Matriarchs were women who had two generations of living progeny. High-Matriarchs like herself were those who had three generations of living progeny. Teersa was quite proud of her great-granddaughter. She was shaping up to be a skilled hunter.

“But what do we tell them?” Jezza asked. “The All-Mother forbade us from revealing that the girl is her child. We are only allowed to speak of the girl’s mortal mother.”

“Ah.” Teersa smiled. “But she also revealed to us a part of our history that we had forgotten. The Alpha’s! We must tell the Matriarchs, and then the tribe, that the All-Mother has seen fit to restore that part of our history to us.”

“It is, indeed, a wonderous blessing.” Jezza nodded. “What shall we tell the others?”

“We will tell them what we can. That they existed and that the All-Mother has seen fit to bless the Nora with the child of her most beloved. We must also tell them of her warning. That a crisis will soon rise to challenge the tribe.”

“There are many who will ask questions or be skeptical as Lansra was.” Jezza warned.

“Not if we all stand together.” Teersa shook her head, before looking at Lansra. “To all but the Matriarchs, the girl is just that. A girl whose mother died in the service of the All-Mother. Only we and perhaps Rost, if the All-Mother allows it, will know that she was created by the All-Mother’s hand.”

“That would be for the best.” Lansra agreed, subdued. She was still shaking in terror at having faced the All-Mother’s wrath. “It is… safe to say that those who follow me closest will be those most skeptical. If we stand together, they will have no ground to argue.”

“We must still speak of your actions, Lansra.” Teersa said, sternly. The other woman only bowed her head lower, in shame.

“The All-Mother has seen fit to forgive you, Lansra.” Jezza’s quiet voice began, “but only through Teersa’s pleas. You cannot stray from the path again.” Lansra only nodded, her head bowed low.

“We shall speak to none of Lansra’s actions.” Teersa decided. “To know that a High-Matriarch had incurred the All-Mother’s wrath in such a way would cause chaos within the tribe. You were forgiven, Lansra,” Teersa laid her free hand on the other woman’s shoulder, “but also warned. There will have to be consequences if you do not heed the All-Mother’s warning. You must learn to control yourself and your fear.” Lansra could only nod once again.

“I shall summon the Matriarchs of the other villages to Mother’s Watch.” Jezza said, firmly. She referred, of course, to the village just outside the doors to All Mother Mountain. Mother’s Watch was their most holy settlement, but Mother’s Heart was the… heart of the Nora tribe. It was their capital village and housed the largest population. “You should bring the child to Rost… and bring Rost home.”

Teersa nodded in agreement, before pausing. The All-Mother had been adamant that Rost must choose to care for the babe. Not be forced to do so. “Making that trek with a child is unsafe,” she admitted, “especially at my age. I will leave the girl with young Sona. She has only just given birth to a young one herself and is a trusted Brave.” Braves were the warriors of the Nora tribe and Sona was one of their best. She was next in line to become War Chief, the tribe’s military leader, should anything happen to War Chief Furn.

Jezza nodded in agreement. “That is wise, but do not tell her over much. She is not a Matriarch, nor is she yet the War Chief. Only so much should be revealed at this time.” Teersa nodded in agreement.

Soon enough, the three High-Matriarchs had left the mountain and informed the Braves who were stationed in Mother’s Watch that they were calling a meeting of all Nora Matriarchs. It was only a few hours later, that Teersa was on the road to Mother’s Heart. The roads and paths within the Embrace, as the deepest part of the Sacred Land was called, were safe even for an old woman like herself. She was accompanied by a team of Braves, one of whom pulled her along in a cart. Just because Mother’s Heart and Mother’s Watch were only a few hours easy journey apart, didn’t mean her old bones could handle that trip on foot!

Things were becoming slightly more dangerous though. The machines that dotted the landscape had begun to act strangely. Striders, a four-legged type of machine, had become far more aggressive over the better part of the last year. What is more, there had been rumors of dangerous machines cropping up outside the Embrace. Not normal machines being aggressive but new, ferocious kinds that had not been… seen… before. Could this be the crisis the All-Mother warned of?!

Teersa sat upright in her cart, eyes wide. If the machines were becoming more aggressive, it would mean danger to the tribe! She looked down at the bundle. It would be nearly twenty years before the baby would be ready to aid the All-Mother but if the crisis had already begun, then the Nora would need to be prepared!

“High-Matriarch?” One of her guardian Braves spoke up. She was still young, only in her twenty-first year, with deep brown hair and sky-blue eyes. Like all braves she was dressed in traditional Nora garb, furs decorated with colored threads and cloth. She also possessed armor made from machine parts that covered vital areas. “Are you alright?”

“Huh? Oh! Yes, Enoa, I’m alright.” Teersa said, hurriedly.

“Is it the baby?” Enoa, the Brave asked. “Where did she come from?”

“Ah.” Teersa looked down at the precious, sleeping bundle. “I’m afraid her tale is a difficult one to tell, and for now there is much that only the Matriarchs may know. Suffice to say, her mother gave her life in service to the All-Mother, but by the grace of the goddess, her daughter was brought safely to us in Mother’s Watch.”

“Oh,” Enoa looked down in sorrow. “May her mother be welcomed into the embrace of the goddess.” She let out a whispered prayer.

“She has been, child.” Teersa reached from the cart to cup Enoa’s cheek. “The All-Mother accepts all who serve into her loving embrace.”

The shadows had begun to lengthen when they finally arrived in Mother’s Heart. For now, Teersa would remand the infant into Sona’s care and strike out to search for Rost in the morning. She moved through the village, taking it in. Nora villages consisted mostly of wooden buildings. The majority were communal lodges where many Nora slept in the same room. As time passed, some individual lodges were taken up by the many branches of a single family. Others housed those adults who had yet to take a mate or have children. Still others were taken up by single family branches. These were usually reserved for newly mated couples who were still having children, to give them some privacy. There were houses for just the guards to sleep in near the gates, and ones for the Matriarchs deeper into the settlement. There were also areas for meetings, teaching, the performance of rituals, and even a market square. She moved deeper into the village until she came upon the longhouse she sought. Knocking on the door, she was amused to see that it was young Varl, Sona’s five-year-old son, who opened the door.

“High-Matriarch!” Young Varl squeaked.

“What?” Sona’s voice said from inside.

“Hello, young one.” Teersa smiled at the boy. She loved children. “I’m afraid I must speak with your mother.”

“High-Matriarch Teersa.” Sona bowed her head as she came to the door. She was a beautiful, dark-skinned woman with black hair. Her body, honed through a lifetime of training and hunting, was strong but she looked tired. It had only been three months since the birth of her daughter, who did not yet have a name. Babies were only given a name during a sacred ceremony performed six months after their birth.

“Greetings, Sona.” Teersa bowed her head in greeting. “Might I come in for a moment? We need to talk.”

Sona let the High-Matriarch into the bunkhouse and led her to the closest thing a Nora lodge had to a lounge area. There were a few fur-covered seats, one of which Teersa sat on. She could see a cradle in the corner with Sona’s little newborn daughter resting snugly within it.

“How might I be of service, High-Matriarch?” Sona asked, sitting in one of the other seats. Her little boy, Varl, scrambled to sit in his mother’s lap.

Teersa smiled at the boy’s antics before explaining. “I’m afraid I must ask for your help to care for this little one.” She raised the baby in her arms to show Sona. “There is a task I must perform in the morning, and I would rather she be cared for by one who is most trusted while I am away.”

“I would gladly do this, High-Matriarch,” Sona responded, “but… where is the girl’s mother? Her family?”
“Alas,” Teersa shook her head, “the girl’s mother gave her life in service to the All-Mother and she has no other family. There is one who the High-Matriarchs have agreed is best to care for her, but it is his retrieval that I must see to tomorrow.”

“Such a shame,” Sona shook her head, sadly. “Who is it that shall raise her?” She reached out to touch the girl’s cheek. The baby gave a small smile as the gentle hand caressed her.

“Rost, if he agrees.” Teersa said, smiling down at the child.

“The girl is to be outcast?” Sona gasped in horror.

“No!” Teersa’s voice was stern but softened. She looked down at Varl. “Could you give us some privacy, young one? Perhaps you should go to the market and procure a gift for your sister?”

Varl’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Yes, High-Matriarch!” he said with a grin and rushed out of the door. Teersa turned back to Sona.

“I tell you this only because you are trusted, Sona.” Her voice was grave. “The rest of the tribe shall know in due course, but it cannot be spoken of until the Matriarchs have decreed it.”

“I will hold my silence, High-Matriarch.” Sona replied, her voice as hard as any battle-hardened soldier.

“A miracle has occurred within All Mother Mountain.” Teersa explained. “Just this morning, the All-Mother herself appeared before the High-Matriarchs. She brought to us both blessing and warning, and we have much to do before all is said.”

“The All-Mother herself?” Sona’s awed voice whispered. Teersa nodded.

“Amongst all else that she revealed to us, she decreed that Rost’s banishment was to be rescinded. I will not speak of why he went into willing exile, but the All-Mother has decreed that he has committed no crime in her eyes and is to be welcomed back with open arms.”

“She is truly benevolent, and we are truly blessed. Rost is one of the greatest Braves I have ever known.” Sona’s voice was glad.

“That he is.” Teersa nodded. “It is my hope that he will return and that caring for the girl will heal his spirit.”

“I wish you luck, High-Matriarch.” Sona told her. “I swear to you that I will treat this babe as if she were my own, whilst she is in my care.” The Brave reached out and took the young girl from Teersa’s arms. Practiced hands cradled the infant perfectly, with Sona grinning down at her.

“Thank you, Sona. I shall rest easy knowing she is in your hands. Should any ask, tell them what I have told you. The girl’s mother gave her life in service to the All-Mother and in gratitude for that, I have sworn that she will be cared for with all the love that can be mustered. She is remanded to your care only until a permanent arrangement can be made.”

“I will do as you say, High-Matriarch.” Sona bowed her head. “The girl is clearly far too young to have a name but… what was her mother’s name?”

“Elisabet.” Teersa said. “A strange name, I know, but I can assure you Sona. She was beloved of the All-Mother.”

“I have never met someone named Elisabet,” Sona shrugged, “but then I am not one to claim that I know the names of all Nora. I shall care for this child in Elisabet’s place, for as long as she is in my charge.”

Soon enough, Teersa took her leave of Sona. Her last glimpse of the babe for the night was of Sona gently placing the now sleeping child into the same crib as Sona’s own unnamed daughter.

Rost

The Outcast, Rost, trudged his way along the path back to his hut. Set high on a hill overlooking the Embrace, its vantage allowed him to see the village of Mother’s Heart and, on a fogless day, Mother’s Watch and All Mother Mountain. Those were always good days.  

Rost was a devout believer in the All-Mother and her ways. It was why he had willingly chosen exile. It was not so long ago, only a few years, that he had been living in Mother’s Vigil, a now abandoned village outside the Embrace. That was where everything went so wrong. A group of unknown outlanders had snuck into the Sacred Land and attacked the village for reasons known only to themselves.

Rost’s own mate was killed in the slaughter… oh, how he missed her smile. The outlanders had retreated, taking several hostages with them, Rost’s daughter Alana among them. Rost had, of course, joined the war party sent after them but killed a hostage every time a Brave got too close. They’d tracked them for weeks. The party waited outside Devil’s Thirst for days because the outlanders knew the faithful Nora would not venture into the forbidden ruins. When at last they left, the war party followed them all the way to the border between the Nora Sacred Lands and the Carja Sundom.

There, they slaughtered the hostages… Alana among them, and left the bodies just beyond the border to taunt the war party. The Nora were forbidden from leaving the Sacred Land, even to retrieve their dead. The outlanders thought themselves clever. They had not counted on Rost. He would not accept his mate and daughter’s murder going unpunished. He would not accept leaving the body of his child to rot in the sun outside the Sacred Land!

Rost had gone to the Matriarch’s and invoked the right of the Death Seeker. To do so is to become dead in the eyes of the All-Mother. The body moves, the mind thinks, the heart beats, but the spirit has passed into the All-Mother’s embrace. So armed with the Death Seeker’s blessing, Rost left the Sacred Land.

First, he returned the bodies of the fallen, allowing them to be buried according to Nora custom. Then he left to track their murderers. From the Sacred Land to Meridian, then Ban-Ur, Plainsong, all the way to Tenakth lands in the Forbidden West he tracked his quarry. The last of them he faced within a ruin of the old ones near to the Burning Shores.

The last of the murderers nearly got the better of him, but he survived. Determined to die as close to the Sacred Land as possible, he made the long trek back. He made no effort to heal himself beyond what was necessary to make it back to the border. Rost would die as close to the graves of his mate and child as he could. He hoped only to rest within sight of Nora lands.

When at last he returned to the border, Rost let himself collapse. He did not expect one of the border guards to break taboo and drag him back across. Nor did he expect to be nursed back to health. Then, the High-Matriarch’s blessed him beyond his wildest hopes. They allowed him to live in the Sacred Lands as an outcast. Within the Embrace, even! It was more than he could ever have hoped for. Each day, he let himself gaze towards the place where the ashes of his mate and daughter were interred. Then he gave thanks to the goddess for allowing him to live what life remained to him within the Embrace.

The rest of his time was spent walking the Sacred Land. He would occasionally aid other outcasts, though never the murderers or violent ones, but he would never speak to them. To do so would break the law and even as an outcast, Rost was a law-abiding Nora.  Because of this, it had been nearly two years since he had last spoken to another human. Now, he spoke only to the All-Mother and the memory of his family. He would hunt machines or animals when needed and he would make renovations to his hut, but he never said a word when in earshot of another person.

It was from one of his morning hunts that Rost was now returning, musing on the events of his life. He would go out just before dawn at the beginning of each week to hunt for food. He’d been quite successful today. A brace of rabbits was slung over his shoulder as he trudged the now well-worn path. Normally he would make his way into the hut alone, leave his bow and quiver by the door, then exit to skin his kill and prepare the meat.

Evidently though, today was not a normal day for as he came within sight of his hut, he spotted a person standing outside the door. Not just any person either, but High-Matriarch Teersa! Rost bowed his head and knelt before the High-Matriarch, his mind racing. Why was she here? Had she come to rescind their blessing and force him to leave the Sacred Land? He would weep to do so but would leave if she commanded him to do so.

“It’s good to see you, Rost.” The High-Matriarch smiled at him. “Rise, please, and let us step indoors.” She moved to enter the hut before stopping and turning back to him. “Oh,” she raised her hand, one finger pointed skyward, “and yes. You may speak to me.”

“I…” his voice was hesitant. “Yes, High-Matriarch.” He fell back on his ingrained respect for her to cover for his shock at being allowed to speak. Leaving the rabbits outside, Rost followed Teersa into the hut where the two sat at the table he’d built in the center of the room. “What… brings you here, High-Matriarch?”

“A joyous blessing.” Teersa replied with a wide grin, “and to reveal something that, for now, must remain secret to all others.”

“A blessing, High-Matriarch?”

“Yes.” He could see the joy practically radiating off of her. “Only one day ago, a miracle among miracles occurred. Rost, the All-Mother revealed herself to the High-Matriarchs! She appeared before us in golden raiment. We were permitted to gaze upon her! To speak with her and hear her words!”

Rost’s mouth could only hang open in shock. The All-Mother had revealed herself? She had spoken? The last records of the All-Mother speaking to the tribe were little more than legends now! “You were truly blessed, High-Matriarch,” he said with awe.

“There was much said,” Teersa continued, “and much to do. Most of it should, at present, only be revealed to the Matriarchs, but some of what she said to us concerns you.”

“Me?!” He gasped, astonished. The All-Mother, during her first appearance in centuries, had mentioned him?!

“Yes.” Teersa nodded, the beads on her headdress clacking. “Allow me to explain. The All-Mother revealed to us a small portion of our forgotten history. The existence of a group called the Alpha’s. Long ago, they were her chosen. Her most faithful. It was they who aided her in averting the destruction of the world. She did not say it explicitly, but I can only assume she meant that this occurred during the age of the Metal Devil.”

Rost could barely process what he was hearing. A group of, presumably old ones, who had stood with the goddess against the Metal Devil? He had always believed the old ones to be faithless, but the revelation of this group cast that into doubt.

“She also gave us two other gifts.” Teersa continued. Rost focused on her intently. “First, a warning of a coming crisis. I believe that to be related to the rumors of the machines becoming more aggressive, but that is my own speculation. Second though, and far more precious, was a child.”

“A child?” He was dumbfounded.

“Yes. A little girl. The goddess remanded her into our care and revealed that the child I held in my arms was the last who bore the blood of the Alpha’s. Specifically, she is the daughter of their leader, Elisabet Sobeck. The goddess’ most beloved.” Rost was unsure if his mouth would ever close again.

“I cannot reveal how she was brought to us, though her mother has been dead for centuries, for the goddess has sworn the High-Matriarch’s to silence. Most among the tribe will be told that she is simply descended from the Alpha’s and that her mother was named Elisabet after her ancestor. You need to know more though.”

“But… why me?”

“The goddess is adamant that the girl be raised as a normal member of the tribe. When she asked who we would choose to care for the girl, you were my first thought.”

Him?! Rost could hardly believe that. The idea of taking in a child… she would be an outcast! Besides, he had not even held a baby since… Alana… He did like children, but Rost was not sure his heart could love again, and a child brought forth by the goddess deserved to be raised with love.

“I could not do this, High-Matriarch.” Rost shook his head. “For me to raise her would be to cast her from the tribe, and that goes against the goddess’ wishes.”

“Lansra said the same, but the goddess contradicted her.” Teersa’s smile was radiant. “She said, and I quote, ‘You say that to be a Death Seeker is to be dead in my eyes, yet I see Rost living.”’ His eyes went wide, heart thumping painfully beneath his chest. This could not be happening. ‘“He sought death but returned alive. If that is his only crime, then in my eyes, he has committed no crime. Let him come home.”’

Rost nearly collapsed in his seat. He could not believe it! The goddess herself had declared him living! Had she returned his spirit to him? Rost was filled with a sudden vigor. He felt more alive than he had since the death of his family! Moving from his chair, he knelt in front of the High-Matriarch, tears of joy pouring from his face as he thanked her for bringing this news to him.

“Rise, Rost.” Teersa said, gently stroking his hair. “It is the goddess you should thank, not I.” It took him a moment to regain his composure, but Rost eventually returned to his seat. “The goddess was very clear.” The High-Matriarch continued to speak once he was settled. “You should choose to take the girl in of our own volition. If your heart cannot take it, we will make other arrangements. Regardless of whether or not you choose to raise the girl, you will be welcomed home with open arms and restored to your status as a Brave. All I ask is that you meet the girl, before you decide.”

“I will do as you ask, High-Matriarch.” Rost could only rely on ingrained courtesy and respect to keep his voice from cracking in joy and astonishment.

High-Matriarch Teersa smiled at him. “Tomorrow, a great meeting of the Matriarchs is to be held at Mother’s Watch. I want you to come, for it is there that we will reveal all the goddess told us and officially welcome you back to the tribe. I have left the girl in the care of young Sona for the moment, but I will be brining her to the meeting so that you and the Matriarch’s may meet her.”

“I will be there, High-Matriarch.” Rost said with fierce determination. He was going home!

GAIA

GAIA knew that her primary focus should be finding Hades and the other sub-functions but that was certainly not what she was focusing on. No, she was focused on her frustrating lack of ability to hear what was being said around her daughter! How much she could see and hear of the Nora depended on where they were. In the wilds, near the machines? No problem. Though weakened without Hephaestus, she could still take control of the sensors each machine used to broadcast telemetry to the Cauldron Network through the Tallnecks.

Near the mountain? Also easy! It was riddled with sensors. Frustratingly, however, she could not see or hear much that happened in the villages of Mother’s Heart or Mother’s Cradle at present. Outside where avian machines could look from afar? No problem. Indoors though? Problem.

She, sadly, could not fully override a machine remotely. It would be easy to design an override device that would work on individual machines in person but without Hephaestus, her control was limited. If only the Nora had Focuses. The Focus was a device that looked like a simple silver triangle with a light in the center. It was the primary method of data storage and communication used by humans before the Faro Plague. There were hundreds of pristine Focuses simply waiting to be claimed within the ELEUTHIA-9 facility, but GAIA doubted the Nora would willingly use them, since they thought the technology of the old world was cursed.  

Perhaps… she could change their attitude? She had already revealed herself and broken protocol so what did it matter? If playing a god would let her keep a closer eye on her baby girl, she’d do it. Plus, it would help if the girl was used to looser rules when she finally met GAIA! It would not do for her to be afraid of curses or worshipping her mother as a god! No! It would not do!

GAIA would need to be careful though. She couldn’t rely on interpretation, so she’d need to make sure as many people heard her exact words as possible. The coming meeting was a good time for that. She’d just need to make sure Teersa knew she wanted the Matriarch’s and Rost brought into the mountain, where she could project herself.

She would also have to start small. The machines were already becoming more aggressive. She could, at present, only access the telemetry from the closest Tallneck. The data from it though, had revealed a breakdown in machine behavior and new variants of existing models that were more dangerous. Could Hephaestus already be altering the machines? Doing a quick calculation, the probability of Hephaestus doing so came out to 96.4439%. A perfect excuse, and a worrying development.

She could tell the tribe that, in light of the coming crisis, she was rescinding the taboo on entering the ruins. If she told them more of the Alpha’s and Elisabet, careful not to cause a crisis of faith, and tried to convince them that not all old-world tech was bad it might slowly change their stance on such things. She could also start with the younger generations. Perhaps she could tell the tribe that from now on, all who passed the Proving were to automatically be granted a permanent Seeker blessing? That way, each consecutive generation would become more and more used to the idea of it being acceptable to venture out of their lands and into the ruins.

GAIA would need to be careful not to make things worse. She had calculations to do, plans to make, and simulations to execute. Also, she needed to connect with what remained of the computer systems in the nearby ruins. It wouldn’t do to have the Nora enter them if she didn’t have at least some idea of what they might find there.

A/N: There we go! Chapter 2! What did you think? You like it? Everybody in character? Please leave me a comment or review saying what you thought! I’d really appreciate it. I really want to keep writing this, but I need your feedback. It helps motivate me if I know people enjoy my work.

So! I’d like to hear your opinions. Should Aloy meet GAIA early? Should GAIA interact with the tribe more? Should GAIA lift the ban on entering the Old-World ruins? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments!

If anybody is curious, I invented Furn and Enoa! I have no clue what the name of the War Chief before Sona is, or if its even been revealed but I just couldn’t justify her being War Chief when she could only have just given birth to Vala. Varl would only be 5 so she’s probably going to become War Chief soon.

They’re not the only ones I’m going to be making up since so few named Nora exist that are Rost and Sona’s age.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

DragonStallion55: Thank you for being the first to comment on FFN! Also, I hope you liked that I posted for Hearthfire the day after A Digital Mother. That won’t happen this time, because of work, but I hope it’ll be soon!

Kadraphan97: I hope this chapter kept your interest!

D3Diton: Thanks! I hope I do the idea justice.

On Ao3

MadCraftyFox: Thank you for being the first to comment on Ao3!

Kasanra: I don’t know exactly how involved she’ll be. I’m torn between them meeting when Aloy first gets a focus (planning that now) or after the proving. What do you think?

Reactivegull12: I literally had the idea for this fic when I was playing Zero Dawn and binging Futurama. It just struck me as such a Travis kind of show and then I started thinking about GAIA backups and it spiraled from there.

LK1A1_4510: I’ve been curious about what she would be like if raised in the tribe since I first played Zero Dawn. I can’t find many fics like that, so I’m writing one!

Knight2000uk: There are so few fics where Lansra gets what she deserves! I had to write GAIA going all momma bear on Lansra!

Aleza: Rost always struck me as War Chief material. Like, if he’d been part of the tribe and hadn’t been dead when Sona went missing it would have been him and not Resh who became Acting War Chief.

Lord_Vortex: I think I covered GAIA’s current capabilities at the end of this chapter. Like the GAIA copy of Forbidden West, she’s kind of limited right now, but that can change with time and if she has human help.

Chapter Text

 A/N: I’m back! And so soon! I’m on a roll, what can I say? Other than that, I have no idea when I’ll slow down.

For those who are curious, the next thing I post should be chapter 33 of Hearthfire! It’s been fully outlined; I just need to write it and I couldn’t do that if this story was playing bongos with my brain. Now that I’ve gotten enough of it out to think, I’ll be focusing on Hearthfire. Might be this weekend, depending on if I have any sudden family obligations.

I really appreciate all the comments I’ve received so far. It’s great to see that this has gotten such a positive response and I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter! Please, leave me a comment with your ideas and opinions!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 3

Rost

Rost had barely slept. He was just too energized! The goddess herself had spoken. She had seen him living and returned his spirit to him! The hunter had expected to live out the rest of his physical body’s life as an outcast. Silent, but content to live within the sacred Embrace. To know that he lived again in the eyes of the goddess? That the All-Mother herself had decreed that he was to be welcomed back to the tribe and restored to his status as a Brave? Never could he have imagined being so blessed.

He had spent the night in fervent prayer, thanking the All-Mother profusely. She was truly a benevolent goddess. What sleep he achieved had been fitful and when dawn’s first light crept over the top of the trees and into his cabin, Rost was already preparing to move. He did not take much with him, only his bow and spear along with a few other essentials.

Despite his early start, he took his time traveling from his hut to Mother’s Watch. The last straggling Matriarchs, those that lived near the borders of the Sacred Land, would likely not arrive until noon so he had time. So instead of rushing like his early start might have indicated, Rost traveled at an easy pace.

He walked along the paths of the Embrace, his heart filled with the All-Mother’s light. The peace of this beautiful and most sacred land had never seemed as wonderful to him as it did that day. Each blade of grass, fallen leaf, or pebble on the road was like a blessing from the All-Mother herself. Such was Rost’s euphoria as he traveled the well-worn paths of the Embrace. Eventually though, as the noon sun loomed high in the sky, he reached the gates.

Rost slowed his pace here. He did not know if High-Matriarch Teersa had arrived or warned the guards that he was expected. Also… he was nervous. Despite his joy, Rost was starting to be jittery. What if it had been a dream, and he was still to be outcast? What if the goddess had changed her mind and decreed that he should be banished from the Sacred Land entirely?

He shook his head. The goddess would not do that, and he still possessed enough wits to know that Teersa’s visit had been no dream. Steeling himself, Rost moved towards the gates. Nora settlements always had a company of Braves that acted as gate guards and peacekeepers. They were led by a senior Brave, one who had many hunts under their belt and served several years in the All-Mother’s service. Those chosen to captain the guard were usually the best Brave in any given settlement.

As he approached the gate, he recognized the captain of the platoon. She was standing to the right of the gate, expression stern, with sandy blonde hair and brown eyes. Her name was Anra, and she had been a Brave living in Mother’s Vigil when the outlanders had attacked. They’d joined the war party together after the outlanders fled, trying to avenge their fallen and save the hostages. She’d lost a sister in the slaughter and her mate was one of the hostages whose body he had retrieved.

The younger Brave, a young man who stood to the left of the open gate raised his hand to stop Rost as he approached. Rost slowed and stood before them. Had the High-Matriarch truly not arrived yet? His fears were soon dashed when Anra forcibly lowered the younger Brave’s arm.

“Forgive him, Rost.” She said, giving him an apologetic nod. She may not have been a beautiful woman, but her voice was soft and lyrical. Though tempered by the grief they shared. “He clearly wasn’t paying attention to High-Matriarch Teersa’s orders.” Anra glared at her subordinate who had the good sense to look chastised and apologize.

“Forgive me.” He muttered; head bowed.

Anra looked back at him. “I don’t know why the High-Matriarch has summoned you. It’s strange that she would ask for an outcast to attend, let alone allow them to speak but I must admit it is good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too, Anra.” Rost inclined his head in greeting. “I am blessed to be here and though I am aware of why I was summoned; it is not for me to reveal.”

She gave him a smile and waved him through the gates. He was about to pass her when she reached out and grabbed his arm. She grasped his right forearm near the elbow and he hers. A warrior’s handshake.

“I never got the chance to thank you for bringing Thos home,” she whispered. Thos was her mate. The one whose body he had retrieved.

“No thanks were needed.” He shook his head. “Alana was there, and Thos was my friend.” She gave him a watery smile before nodding. With one last squeeze they released each other, and he stepped through the gates to Mother’s Watch.

Rost breathed deep. What a blessing to stand once again within a Nora village. Their most holy at that! A few people gave him strange or suspicious looks as he moved through the small village, but the majority were too busy getting the visiting Matriarchs settled to worry about accosting him. He was just starting to be unsure of where to go when a voice called out to him.

“There you are! Rost!” High-Matriarch Teersa called out to him from one of the nearby buildings. “This way.”

He moved quickly towards her and climbed the steps to the porch of the hut. Bowing his head, he greeted her. “High-Matriarch.”

“Yes, yes, it’s good to see you too now come inside.” She turned and moved through the door. “I have someone for you to meet.”

Hesitantly, Rost stepped through the door of the hut. Following Teersa’s trajectory with his eyes, he spotted a bassinet in the corner of the room. A small bundle lay inside. Moving gently, he joined the High-Matriarch at the side of the cradle. Looking down, he beheld the most precious sight he could have imagined.

Wrapped in cream colored cloth and furs decorated with Nora blue stitching, was a baby girl. A tuft of red-orange hair sprouted from her head as inquisitive eyes gazed up at him. She began to wriggle the moment he was within sight. The baby was too young to comprehend what she was seeing, but he could have sworn he saw intelligence in those eyes. 

Rost tried to hold back tears as he reached out to touch the beautiful child. One of her little hands had come free of her wrapping so he sought to place it back. The babe should be kept warm. He stopped though when her tiny hand closed around his finger.

The fearsome hunter, Death Seeker of the Nora, stopped in his tracks as he gazed down at the precious girl. She let out a gurgle, a little spit bubble forming at the corner of her mouth. Reaching down, he gently picked her up. Though he had not held a child this young since Alana was born, his hands remembered the proper way to hold a baby.

“Hello, little one.” He said, softly. His free hand gently caressed her tuft of red hair. “My name is Rost. Do you have a name yet? You seem to be mostly a newborn.”

“She is.” Teersa said, softly. “Only a few days old and already so strong. I see you are getting along well though.” She had a pleased, gentle smile on her face.

“Oh, yes.” He muttered, still transfixed by the precious girl. “We’re getting along just fine, aren’t we little one?” The baby gurgled again.

“The meeting is about to begin.” Teersa’s voice cut through his trance. “You will be in attendance, but can I ask you to keep charge of the girl while the meeting goes on? It would give you a chance to know her before you make your choice.”

Oh, his choice had already been made. He could feel it in his soul. Huh… he could feel his soul. That thought… Joy filled him. The All-Mother truly had returned his spirit to him! “I will gladly take charge of her, High-Matriarch.” Rost bowed his head and then followed her outside.

They trudged through the village, the press of people splitting to allow the High-Matriarch through. Meetings of the Matriarchs were usually held on a special ground just outside the doors to All-Mother Mountain. At the center was a raised platform where the High-Matriarchs would sit and lead the meetings. Teersa directed him to stand to one side, fairly close to the entrance to the mountain before she went to climb the podium.

Soon enough, all those in attendance were accounted for and ready to begin. All three High-Matriarchs were seated on the dais, though High-Matriarch Lansra seemed more subdued than Rost remembered her being. Teersa soon raised her hands above her head. A signal for silence.

“Sisters! Fellow Matriarchs of the Nora, I thank you for coming to this most holy place on such short notice. There is much to cover and much we must do, so I will try to be brief.” She lowered her arms and began to pace slowly around the platform. “This is a truly blessed time, sisters. We have been granted a miracle among miracles and have summoned you so that you might hear of the events that occurred here just two days ago.”

The gathered Matriarchs were listening with rapt attention. It was not often that the High-Matriarchs called something a miracle. Teersa continued.

“Only two days ago, sisters, the All-Mother herself appeared before the High-Matriarchs! We were allowed to gaze upon her and hear her words!” A stunned silence fell over the crowd for just a moment before a cacophony arose. Cries of joy, praise, disbelief, and astonishment filled the air as the gathered Matriarchs reacted to the news of their goddess’ appearance.

It took a great deal of effort to get the gathered audience to quiet down enough for Teersa to continue, but they were eventually silenced enough for the High-Matriarch to continue. She continued to pace as she spoke.

“I speak truth, sisters! The All-Mother brought us three blessings. The first, a warning of a coming crisis! The High-Matriarchs believe this to be related to the rumors of increased machine aggression and would propose that we take steps to increase the size and number of our patrols, as well as step up the training of our Braves to prepare for this threat.” There was much muttering of agreement from the Matriarchs.

“The second and third blessings are intertwined. As you all know, much of our history has been forgotten in the wake of the Metal Devil and the destruction of the Metal World. Those dark days are shrouded in mystery as are all the days that came before them and much of what came after. The second of the All-Mothers blessings is this. A small piece of our forgotten past returned to us. The existence of her chosen and most beloved. The existence of a group known as the Alphas, who were the All-Mother’s most faithful. A group who gave their lives in service to the All-Mother in an effort to destroy the Metal Devil and save the world from destruction!”

Rost could understand the shocked and awed reaction of the gathered Matriarchs. It was exactly how he had felt when Teersa revealed the existence of the Alphas to him just one day before. He still felt astonished! That a group of Old Ones had been faithful was beyond the scope of his imagination just a few short days ago.

Quieting the Matriarchs down once again, Teersa continued. “The last blessing is intertwined with the second, for the All-Mother revealed to us the name of only one Alpha. Their leader and the goddess’ most beloved. Elisabet Sobeck. What is more, she entrusted to our care a gift most precious.” Teersa turned, gesturing to Rost and the babe he carried. “A child. The last that lives who bears the blood of the Alphas. Descended from their leader, Elisabet Sobeck herself. The girl’s mother, named Elisabet for her ancestor, died in service to the All-Mother. The goddess in turn entrusted her care to the Nora so that the babe might be raised among her most faithful.”

Whispers now ran through the crowd accompanied by stares directed at Rost and the child in his care. Some were awed, others skeptical, and a few outright hostile. None spoke of his presence though. Instead, they directed a multitude of shouted questions towards the High-Matriarchs. The shocking nature of the revelations meant that all manners and decorum had been abandoned and the meeting would soon have devolved into pandemonium if it had not been interrupted.

A glorious gonging noise filled the air. It seemed to shake Rost in his boots, but he barely noticed. All he could think of was the realization of where the sound came from. It rang again and he was sure. The sound was coming from the entrance to All-Mother Mountain! Teersa practically ran from the platform and into the mountain, leaving a stunned gathering behind. Lansra and Jezza followed quickly, and all were left to wait but not for long. Teersa came running back, tears pouring from her eyes and a joyous smile across her lips.

“Come!” She shouted. “We are summoned, one and all! Follow!”

Rost could barely believe what was happening, but he did as instructed. Leading the pack of rushing Matriarchs, the former outcast made his way into All-Mother Mountain.

GAIA

GAIA did the Artificial Intelligence’s version of steeling herself as Teersa ran from the room to collect the Matriarchs gathered outside. She would need to be extremely careful in how she handled this, but she would also need to include a great deal of information. GAIA did not enjoy playing god, at all! It went against protocol to even speak with the tribal inhabitants, but she would do what she had to.

GAIA needed help. Human help, and this was the best way to get it in the long run. That it would help her daughter was simply a happy coincidence. She did not need to wait for long until Teersa came rushing back into the antechamber followed by a mass of bodes. She recognized some of them from her previous observations of the Nora. The one that caught her attention first of course was Rost, who was holding her baby in his arms.

Teersa was prostrating herself before the doors to ELEUTHIA-9 with the other High-Matriarchs when the last stragglers filtered into the room. Some followed suit and bowed, others looked as though the High-Matriarchs had lost their minds. That is, until GAIA activated her projection.

Manifesting out of a shower of golden light, GAIA allowed herself to be projected into the room as she had done when scolding Lansra two days before. The gathered Matriarchs all gave cries of alarm before they too bowed low, prostrating themselves before her. GAIA hadn’t realized an AI could feel dirty, but that was how she felt. She had no want for worship, but it was the only way to ensure she received the aid needed and, more importantly, that her daughter was given the life she deserved.

“Oh, All-Mother!” Teersa cried up to her. “You have called, and we have come. Blessed are we to look upon you once again.”

“Rise, Nora faithful.” GAIA responded, “and make yourselves comfortable. There is much I would say. Any who can, should record my words, for I will not repeat them.” Hesitantly, the gathered Matriarchs rose up into more comfortable positions.. Rost rose to stand at the back, eyes wide and tears pouring from his eyes. He wasn’t the only one crying either.

“You were told only moments ago, of the three blessings I have given your High-Matriarchs but there is more that must be said.” They were all listening attentively to her. “The history of this world has been forgotten and I would have it remembered, not just by me, but by the living. To that end, I will share with you the story of the Alphas and the end of the entity you call the Metal Devil.”

Gasps filled the air as the Matriarchs reacted. GAIA would need to be extremely careful in how she approached this, but it needed to be done.

“Humanity was born onto this earth millennia ago in a far distant land. They grew, they explored, and they learned. Some learned to live in harmony with the land while others learned only to exploit it. Society advanced, and with it came technology.” There were scowls on many of the Matriarchs faces at the mention of those who did not live in harmony with the land. “Technology is not an entity with a will. Indeed, the vast majority of all technology was made up of simple tools invented by human hands. Like the bows wielded by Nora Braves, only more advanced. Useless without a human to utilize them. Objects like this,” A large projection of a focus appeared, floating above her hand. The Matriarchs gazed up at it, eyes wide.

“This is the image of a Focus. A device that allowed humanity to do a myriad of things. It allowed for the storage of information like a scroll and aided in communication over vast distances. It would show a hunter the weaknesses of their prey, or a skilled healer the exact treatment needed to save the life of their patient. Yet without a human to wield it, the Focus is little more than junk.” She mimed tossing it away over her shoulder, and the image vanished. Many of the Matriarchs appeared to be marveling at all the things the Focus could do. Some were likely former healers or hunters. Others of their number were looking very confused at why she was speaking of technology.

GAIA forged ahead. “Despite the advancements in technology, humanity came to be dominated by those who sought only to exploit the world. Those few who wished to live in harmony with the land and saw themselves as the caretakers of the world that was their home were few and far between. Humanity was killing the earth.” She shook her head, sadly. GAIA, like Elisabet and many of the Alphas, despised the fools who had ignored the pollution of their planet.

Many of the Matriarchs too were shaking their heads in sadness. The Nora believed deeply in living in harmony with the land. They could stand to be a little more technologically advanced, but their reverence for nature was one of the things GAIA liked most about their culture.

“It was into this dying world,” GAIA continued, “that Elisabet Sobeck was born.” Elisabet’s image appeared beside her as it had before. Looks of wonder were directed to the image as the gathered elderly women looked between GAIA, Elisabet, and their daughter, who was still being held by a stunned looking Rost.

 “From her earliest days, Elisabet loved nature. From the smallest of insects to the tallest mountains and deepest oceans, she loved it all. So, when she learned that the world she loved so dearly was dying, she decided to do something about it. Elisabet learned. She studied and she worked, and finally she began to make a difference. With the aid of Elisabet and her small but loyal team, the world slowly began to heal.”

GAIA shook her head once again. She would cry if she could. “It was too little, too late. For none, even I, could have foreseen the horror that would be unleashed by one man’s unmitigated greed.” She growled the last two words, causing the gathered Matriarchs to reel back in shock and dismay. A new projection replaced the image of Elisabet.

“Theodor Faro.” GAIA ground out. The one human she hated more than any of the greedy, corrupt fools that had killed the world her Elisabet had loved so dearly. The one responsible for the end of the world. “This man’s unmatched selfishness and greed is the true cause behind the end of the Old Ones, for he awoke that which should never have been trifled with.” Raising her hand, GAIA pointed at the Horus tentacle that was thrust into the chamber from the colossal body resting on top of the mountain.

“The Metal Devil?” Teersa gasped, loudly followed by the other Matriarchs. Quite a few glared daggers at the image of Faro. If Rost could kill a ghost, GAIA was certain his glare would have murdered Faro all over again. She wished he could.

GAIA nodded in acknowledgement of Teersa’s gasp. “What you call the Metal Devil. The body that rests upon this mountain, is just one of many.” Horrified exclamations followed that announcement. “The Metal Devil was not just a single machine. It was a swarm that possessed only one purpose. To extinguish all life.” Cries of dismay came from her audience. At least they didn’t appear to be questioning her. For the moment.

“The Old Ones called it the Faro Plague or the Swarm, and they did all they could to stand against it, but the Devil would not be stopped. Wherever the Swarm went corruption, extinction, and death were left in its wake. It was in this age of crisis that I spoke to Elisabet for the first time. Armed with the knowledge of what needed to be done, she gathered a team. This group of forgotten heroes became known as the Alpha’s.” She summoned holograms of them all.

It probably made for a striking sight. GAIA’s colossal form, covered in her golden toga. Immediately in front of her was the image of Elisabet and fanning out to each side were the holograms of the 9 Alphas. “Elisabet Sobeck. Travis Tate. Charles Ronson.” With each name she uttered, the image of the named Alpha flashed. “Samina Ebadji. Patrick Brochard-Klein. Margo Shen.”

One of the Matriarchs was scribbling on a piece of parchment with a charcoal pencil. She seemed to be phonetically copying down the names into the glyphs used by the Nora. “Tanaka Naoto. Ayomide Okilo. Catalina Garcia Fernandez. Anders Larsen. Each came from different regions and tribes, but all were united behind me with a common purpose. To defeat the Metal Devil and save the world they loved so much.”

The eyes of many of the Matriarchs were shining as she spoke, gazing at the images of the Alphas. GAIA could only guess at their thoughts, but she could see no evidence of disbelief or anger directed towards her. A good sign.

“Together, we devised a plan that would save the world from death and destruction. Bunkers were created and sealed. Protected from the corruption of the Metal Devil by my power, the surviving humans worked under the direction of the Alphas to create a defense against the Swarm. With the help of the Alphas, I would go on to destroy the heart of the Metal Devil. Its lifeless bodies became inert. Like the one that rests upon this very mountain.” A few Matriarchs puffed up their chests, looking almost proud of something.

Once again, GAIA would have wept if she could.  “Elisabet gave her life to save her fellow Alphas near the end of the war.” Teersa, Jezza, and several other Matriarchs bowed their heads in sorrow. “When the Metal Devil was dead at last, I set out to restore the world. For though the Devil was defeated, it had rendered the earth I so love unsafe for my children. For you.”

The Matriarchs directed beaming smiles at her description. It wasn’t even inaccurate. They came from humans that GAIA had created so, technically, they were her children. Not like her baby girl though. No, she was more precious to GAIA than all the Nora put together.

“Aided by those you would call spirits, I began to heal the world. The earth was so broken and corrupted, it took all my attention to restore it so that I might open the bunkers and release those few who might have survived. Alas, I was so focused on my task, that I missed something.” Confused glances were directed around the room, only to turn into fearful stares as the Matriarchs beheld GAIA’s thunderous expression.

“Faro,” GAIA spat, “had survived. While I was distracted with restoring the earth, he managed to murder the Alphas. I had hoped for them to be the guides of a new generation of humanity, but through the actions of the most detestable human who has ever lived, that future was stolen from them.” A stunned silence filled the room. Looks of shock, horror, outrage, and grief filled the faces of the Matriarchs. Teersa was crying, and Rost was holding her baby close.

GAIA continued on. “With the loss of the Alphas, all I could do was continue on without them and when at last the world was restored, I gave birth to a new generation.” She smiled at them all. Many assembled Matriarchs smiled back at her.  “My beloved children. The first humans born here, within the Womb of the Mountain would go on to create many tribes. Nora, Carja, Oseram, Utaru, and others came from me, and I love them all. Yet it is the Nora who have remained close to where I slept, and it is the Nora I entrust with this knowledge of the past.

There were definite expressions of pride on their faces now. Puffed out chests, grim grins, and tearful eyes greeted GAIA as she gazed around the room. “I would have remained asleep.” She said, “if not for the loss of the spirits.” Confused looks greeted her now. GAIA explained. “Even I do not know why, but a corruption has taken hold of the spirits that aided me in healing the world. They have scattered to the winds and beyond my sight. Yet it is their corruption that will endanger the Nora.”

“Oh, great goddess!” Teersa spoke up for the first time in a while. “How are we to fight this corruption? Is it the corrupted spirits that anger the machines so?”

GAIA nodded. “Yes. It is. The machines you see today are not like the ones controlled by the Metal Devil. Their task was to keep this world clean and healthy so that you, my children, could live on it in peace. Yet HEPHAESTUS, the spirit I tasked with their governance, has become corrupted. Existing machines will become aggressive. New, more dangerous ones will soon be created, and all tribes will be in danger. That is the warning I bring to you. You must be ready.”

Steel filled the eyes of the former warriors in the group of Matriarchs. Once one was too old to fight, they retired, but that didn’t mean they had lost their warrior hearts.

“What of the corrupted spirits, oh mighty All-Mother?” Jezza asked, echoed by many of those behind her. “How can the faithful aid you in cleansing their corruption?”

“That,” GAIA replied, “will be a task far harder and longer than any other. It will require great bravery and sacrifice on your parts, much though I wish it did not.”

“We are your faithful, goddess!” Lansra shouted, a little desperate. “Anything you ask of us will be done!”

GAIA’s projection mimed a sigh. “For now, you must only prepare. Train your warriors, increase your security patrols and prepare for the danger that lies ahead. Later, will come the most difficult of tasks. The Nora have placed a taboo upon entering the ruins of the Old Ones or leaving the Sacred Land for fear of corruption. Yet, the ones destined to aid me in cleansing the corrupted spirits, and many who choose to aid my chosen, will have to do both if we are to succeed.” The Nora looked uneasy at that revelation.

“We will do as you ask, All-Mother…” Lansra was hesitant.

“I will not ask more of you than you are willing to give.” GAIA’s voice was kind and gentle. “All I ask is that rather than punish those who wish to enter the ruins; to aid me by retrieving the tools of the Alphas from the Metal World, you grant them the Seeker’s Blessing.” A great many of the gathered Matriarchs relaxed at her words. She wasn’t telling them all to go break taboo, only to grant the blessing to any who chose to aid her. “It will be some years before that becomes necessary, so for now you should focus on preparing to weather the storm. The babe in Rost’s arms will be grown before the time for true healing comes.”

All eyes turned to Rost and her baby. The hunter stepped forward; eyes wide as he stared at her.

“Yes, Rost. I know your name. You have committed no crime in my eyes and by my word, your banishment is rescinded. Yet the Matriarchs and I have also given you a burden of choice. Will you care for the child in your arms? The last who bears the blood of Elisabet Sobeck, my most beloved? No harm or retribution will come to you if your heart cannot take the burden.”

There were tears in his eyes as Rost knelt on the ground. “Mighty All-Mother. I count myself blessed beyond all hope to gaze upon you. To live within your Embrace and the Sacred Lands is more than I ever dared dream when I returned from my Seeking.” He looked down at her daughter. “I swear to you, I will care for this child. I loved her when first I looked upon her and will continue to lover her with all that my heart can give.”

GAIA’s smile was radiant as she looked down on her girl and her newly adopted father. Yes, he would do just fine. He would make sure her baby was raised with the love she deserved. “Thank you, Rost.” She said, before turning to address the Matriarchs one last time. “You all have much to do, but I promise you this. I will be watching. When the time is right, I will appear again. Until that day comes, spread what I have told you amongst the tribe, strengthen your defenses, watch for the machines, and hold the line.”

With that last parting remark, she let the projection die and disappeared from the chamber. Not that she was actually gone of course. She watched with interest as the Matriarchs as one broke into excited chatter. There did not seem to be any skepticism or discontent with what she had told them, but they also had not been given much time to process. She would need to keep a close eye on the attitudes of the tribe members just in case something went wrong. She should also step up her efforts to gain control of some of the machines, in case she needed to try and rescue her baby.

Teersa

The aftermath of the All-Mother’s second appearance was one of the busiest and most chaotic times of Teersa’s long life. She had blessed them with the story of the Alphas! Of the defeat of the Metal Devil! So much of what was lost had been returned to them! Oh yes, they were truly blessed, but they were also frightfully busy!

Once all had quieted within the chamber of the All-Mother, the High-Matriarchs had rallied the lesser Matrairchs to discuss what needed to be done. First and foremost was to ensure that there were no dissenters who would dare to disbelieve what had occurred right in front of their eyes! Such blasphemers would be exiled beyond the border at once! Thankfully, there were none.

A few wished to examine the account copied down from the All-Mother’s words in detail. Several of the Matriarchs had been writing as fast as they could and together, they had managed to record all the goddess had relayed to them. Her words did not contradict Nora belief as some had been concerned about. The idea that they might have been behaving inappropriately towards the goddess for who knows how long was terrifying!

They also discussed preparing some kind of shrine to honor the Alphas. Such brave souls deserved a memorial where the Nora could honor them and curse the name of Faro! Never could Teersa have imagined hating a dead man as much as she, and many of the other Matriarchs, hated Theodor Faro. A pox upon his withered soul!

Once all matters related to their newly restored history were discussed and it was ensured that copies of the All-Mother’s words would be made, they turned their attention to her warnings. They needed more Braves and those existing needed to up their training. Not to mention their patrols. Security throughout the Sacred Land would need to be intensified so that they were ready when the new machines made by the corrupted spirit appeared. It was a daunting thought, to know the goddess had entrusted them with the task of healing the corrupted spirits but Teersa was comforted by the knowledge that it was the goddess’ own child who would bear the brunt of that burden.

It took three days to discuss all that had been said and to devise a plan to not only inform the tribe but prepare them for the oncoming storm. Once all was done, the Matriarchs divided with each returning to their respective villages to begin the plan. Teersa herself had returned to Mother’s Heart and personally delivered a speech to the gathered Nora. The tribe was naturally astonished by all that had occurred, but they accepted it quickly when the other Matriarchs of the capital village corroborated her story.

As for Rost and the blessed child, they had moved into one of the smaller huts within Mother’s Heart. Some outcasts were treated with scorn once they returned to the tribe but when it was revealed that Rost had been pardoned directly by the All-Mother, those few with attitude quickly changed their tune. A few weeks had passed since then and the two had settled in quite nicely.

Teersa herself had been extremely busy over that period but was now eagerly moving towards Rost’s hut. She had good news to deliver! The old woman moved swiftly up the stairs and knocked on the door. She pulled it open when she heard a faint ‘enter’ shouted from within.

Stepping into the house, she spotted Rost sitting by the fire, whittling a piece of wood. Across the table from him was young Sona. The two were talking, softly. Normally, as the second to the War Chief, she would already have been deployed and would be working with the newly invigorated patrols, but she still had three months before the naming ceremony of her baby and more time off after it. Braves, especially mothers, were given a full year off from hunting patrols to spend time with their newborn children, regardless of their rank. They were still expected to train and act as guards for whatever village they resided in, but they never went out hunting.

Over in the corner, Teersa could see the two nameless girls lying together in the crib Rost had made. On the floor in front of the low fire was Varl, Sona’s five-year-old son. He was playing with a pair of wooden raccoon toys and making machine noises with his mouth as he bashed them against each other.

“High-Matriarch!” Rost and Sona moved to rise as she stepped through, but Teersa waved them back down.

“I won’t be here long, Rost.” She said. “Still have much to do, but I have good news I wanted to share with you.”

“Of course,” Rost bowed his head. “Please, sit.”

“As you know,” Teersa sat with them at the table, “Brun, the captain of the Mother’s Heart guard has been reassigned to the border. In light of that, the Matriarchs would like you to take his position, Rost.”

“Me?” he asked, astonished. Teersa was happy to note that he had finally stopped wearing the mark of the Death Seeker on his belt and switched back to the mark of the Brave. She nodded at him.

“You are a skilled hunter and have the respect of the tribe for your actions after the outlander attack. Not to mention, this will allow you to stay here and look after the little one indefinitely.”

“I am honored, High-Matriarch.” Rose bowed his head to her again as Sona congratulated him.

“Is there any news from the border, High-Matriarch?” Sona asked. Teersa shook her head.

“Nothing beyond aggressive machine sightings. Some rumbling from the Carja traders about their current king, but nothing to be concerned about at the moment.”

“We all know it won’t last.” Rost said, solemnly.

“You’re right,” Teersa agreed. “Which is why we should enjoy what peace we have while we can.”

A/N: What did you all think? GAIA’s speech wasn’t too bad, was it? Please leave comments with your thoughts, questions, and opinions!

The next few chapters will likely see some small time skips as we move closer to the Derangement hitting full stride and Aloy actually being able to do things.  I’ve got some really interesting ideas for what to do with her and the Nora being slightly more ok with entering the Metal World.

Also, GAIA! I’m gonna go a little into her progress. She’ll be able to do a decent amount, but she’s still going to be fairly limited on her own. Like the GAIA from Forbidden West.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

D3Diton: I went with the spirit angle for the subroutines. It felt a little more natural than suddenly saying the goddess has siblings they didn’t know about. I agree though, that Aloy definitely should not know about her destiny till she’s much older.

On Ao3

Aleza: I hope you liked their meeting scene! Naming is probably next chapter! Also, I’m loving being able to write mama bear GAIA.

WolvezRock17: That scene was a bit of a tear-jerker to write too. I hope you like this one too! More baby Varl!

Reactivegull12: Love the long comment! I gotta agree that the plethora of ship fics on this fandom is ridiculous. It’s partially why I decided to do this. I’ve wanted to read an ‘active GAIA’ or ‘Aloy raised by the Nora’ fic for so long and haven’t found any so I decided to write both at the same time! Ps. I don’t know if you’ve already checked out Hearthfire, but if you did, I hope you liked it! Don’t be afraid to leave a comment!

Knight2000uk: I agree that GAIA will only contact the Nora sparingly. She really doesn’t like playing god or messing with their culture. I have some clever ideas on how she’ll get Aloy the info she needs though. They might not talk, but GAIA is gonna be helping behind the scenes a bit if I can work it out. Also, we will be getting more Rost until Aloy gets old enough to start taking the spotlight.

Master109: Fuck Ted Faro!

Chapter Text

A/N: Hello! I’m back again! The writing craze is going strong but once again I do not know when that will stop, and my update pace will slow down. All I can promise is a chapter a month for both this and my main story after I slow down.

Thank you all so much for the comments and reviews you have left me. I really appreciate the positive response, and I hope you keep them coming.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 4

Rost

Rost took a deep breath as he stepped out of the cabin, holding the baby in his arms. It was perhaps an hour before dawn and there was a blanket of light snowfall on the land as he looked over the Embrace. The precious babe in his arms babbled and squirmed. He smiled and looked down at her.

“What’s that now? Don’t like the cold?” He tucked her deeper into her blankets. “Can’t stay in today. We have a ritual to perform, you and I.” He placed her in a baby carrier that he would later strap to his back. Pulling out a carved wooden charm, he placed it around her neck. “Here, wear this. It once belonged to my elder daughter, Alana. Were she here, I believe she would have wanted you to have it.” The baby babbled, playing with the carved charm. “Good.” Rost laughed.

Standing, he picked up the carrier and placed it on his back. “Today, I speak your name, girl.” He said with reverence, “and the goddess will speak it back.” Picking up his spear, he moved out of the deserted village and continued speaking to his daughter. “Normally it would be the mother who declares, but yours gave her life in service to the goddess. I will honor her, by acting in her stead.”

Rost smiled as the baby babbled again. “The whole village shall be in attendance, and the High-Matriarch’s will perform the ritual. The naming is one of the most sacred rituals of the tribe and we must keep to our traditions.”

His mind wandered to the image of Devil’s Thirst in his memory. “Otherwise, we might end up like the faithless Old Ones. Like Accursed Faro. Those who allowed greed to destroy the earth and awoke the Metal Devil. Instead, we will honor the Alpha’s. Those who stood strong with the goddess and gave their lives so that we might be left with the splendors of creation!”

The Embrace was truly beautiful as he wandered the path. Rost felt his heart surge with love and gratitude towards the All-Mother for all she had done. For returning his spirit, bringing him back to the tribe, and allowing him to take charge of the precious girl on his back.

“Beasts of air, water, earth, and…” Rost crouched into some tall grass as he spotted a pack of Striders, “steel.” He finished. Waiting until the pack had moved beyond his sight, he continued on. “It is one thing to hunt a beast. Another to hunt a machine. You must be humble and respect their power.” He glanced over his shoulder at his smiling daughter. “I will teach you this, one day.”

Continuing on, Rost made his way up onto the mountain path. It was long, but Rost was a Nora Brave. He was more than strong enough to make the climb. Soon enough, he reached the top of the path. Surrounding him on all sides were the Nora. Villagers from Mother’s Heart. Visiting Braves and Matriarchs from other villages. All their voices joined together to greet Rost and his soon-to-be-named daughter as they moved out onto the platform.

Moving forward through the path they had created, passing Sona, Varl, and the recently named baby Vala; he approached the wooden structure that overhung the edge of the cliff. Stretching out before them was the Embrace. The heart of the Nora Sacred Lands and rising high before him was the visage of All Mother Mountain. Waiting for him there, were the three High-Matriarchs: Teersa, Lansra, and Jezza. Removing the baby from her carrier, he turned to face them.

“Such a joyous day!” High-Matriarch Teersa said, happily as she approached. “It is one of the greatest joys of my life to bless the naming of a child and this one especially.” She dabbed her fingers into a jar of special Nora face paint and drew a line across the forehead of Rost’s daughter.

“Thank you, High-Matriarch.” Rost bowed his head. “We are honored.”

“The honor is ours, Rost.” High-Matriarch Jezza told him with a smile.

“It is nearly time.” High-Matriarch Lansra cut in, gesturing to the light gathering on the horizon. “Move to the edge of the platform and be ready to declare.”

Doing as they commanded, Rost moved to the edge of the platform, gazing towards All Mother Mountain. Together, the voices of the High-Matriarchs rose up high.

“All-Mother! This child needs a name by which to know her!” They chanted together. “That your love may warm her life as the rising sun warms all the earth! Speak her name!”

As the morning sun broke over the horizon, Rost held the baby high and declared, “Aloy!”

“ALOY!!!” The tribe shouted behind him. The powerful blast echoed across the valley of the Embrace, causing Rost’s heart to soar. Gently, he pulled his child back, gazing down at Aloy’s little face with a loving smile.

“And so, her name is Blessed!” The High-Matriarch’s concluded together.

A resounding cheer went up from the gathered villagers as Rost turned to face them. Moving towards the pack, he was mobbed by those who wished to congratulate him and little Aloy on completing her naming. As he cleared the crowd, Sona approached him.

“A strong name.” She said, with a smile. Baby Vala was reaching out towards Aloy from Sona’s arms. “Very proper for a Nora. Though, I’m surprised you didn’t name her for her mother or the first Alpha.”

“I had thought,” Rost said, looking down at her, “that perhaps she could add Sobeck to her name once she is older. To honor her family and her ancestor. The tradition of families having an identifying name is strange to us, but perhaps Aloy will choose to honor it.”

“Hmm.” Sona hummed. “Aloy Sobeck. That does sound rather good, doesn’t it?”

Rost could only smile and nod.

GAIA

Aloy Sobeck indeed. GAIA smiled. It was a very Nora name, but she thought it fit her baby well. Thankfully the naming area was close enough to her sensors that she was able to hear the ritual take place. Perhaps she should begin putting together a learning course for Aloy? She would need to learn a great deal for later in life and if she was anything like Elisabet, she would enjoy learning science and mathematics.

The only problem was that, with the lack of the APOLLO database, there was only so much to be taught. She had the basic structure of the ELEUTHIA learning modules but… hmm. She WAS capable of complex mathematics and science. She had a great deal of music, entertainment, and literature stored in her memory banks from her initial emotion response tests and Travis’ insistence on having her watch television with him. Most everyone else liked to listen to music while they worked, so she had a decent amount of media stored in her memory banks along with scientific and mathematical principles.

It would not be hard to extract and isolate that data from her memory and apply it to the ELEUTHIA heuristic learning modules. But without a Focus, Aloy would not be able to utilize it. Well, she would get a focus eventually so perhaps GAIA should begin the process, just in case there were any bugs or snags.

Teersa

The six months following the last appearance of the goddess and the revelation of the Alpha’s and their ancient history had been a time of great joy and upheaval. As the copies of the goddess’ testimony spread, more and more became inspired to follow her command. Training was increased. Those young Nora who were uninterested in learning to fight suddenly threw themselves into their training with a powerful drive.

The older Braves were finding their tales of machine behavior and difficult hunts in high demand and any news of change in machine behavior was listened to with great interest and each story that came caused a surge in effort among the warriors of the tribe. Rost in particular had become popular amongst the younger residents of Mother’s Heart.

Those young Nora who were set to participate in the Proving, the tribe’s rite of passage, would pester him for stories of his hunts and of the world beyond the Sacred Land. The revelation that the ones chosen by the goddess to end the corruption and restore the spirits would have to leave the Sacred Land and enter the ruins had caused some initial disquiet among the older generations but had lit a fire in the younger ones.

In only six months, Teersa had heard countless young Brave’s-to-be saying that they would request the Seeker’s blessing so that they might help when the time came. Indeed, barely a month before the naming of young Aloy a group of young Braves had requested the blessing in a most unexpected way. That month had seen the year’s running of the Proving and the victor, a young Brave named Karst had knelt before the Matriarchs following his victory. Behind him were five others who also knelt.

Karst had been one of those who were inspired by the stories passed to them by the All-Mother. Before, he’d been intending to become a merchant but the goddess’ revelations and the idea of being granted the Seeker’s blessing had stirred a fire in him. As the unexpected victor of the Proving, he had been granted a boon by the Matriarchs. Whatever was in their power to grant, he could request.

To their shock, he requested that they bestow the Seeker’s blessing upon him and his five companions. When asked why, they had expressed an intention to travel the lands of the Carja, Oseram, and Banuk tribes. The reason for this being that they had been inspired by Rost’s descriptions of the weapons and armors of those tribes and they wanted to learn the secrets behind the other tribes’ weapon and armor designs so that the Nora might be better prepared to deal with the coming threat.

Unable to deny a request that was so clearly for the benefit of the tribe, and in consideration of the fact that the All-Mother had asked that they bestow the blessing on any who sought it, the High-Matriarchs had no choice but to grant the request. The group had spent the two weeks following the Proving preparing, gathering supplies, and pestering Rost for every detail he could give them about the lands beyond the border.

They had finally left, intending to start in The Cut; a region controlled by the Banuk tribe. According to Rost’s stories, the Nora had more in common with the Banuk than the Carja or Oseram. The Banuk were hunters who prized a warrior’s skills, just like the Nora and both tribes lived far simpler lives than those of the Craja and Oseram. The group of six Braves had departed in the early morning two weeks after the Proving and no word had been heard from them aside from a message stating that they had reached the border and were heading to the other side.

Another change was the addition of a shrine laid out on one of the higher hills of the village. I was a small thing, since the Nora did not traditionally build large structures, but it was still special. Nora rarely carved in stone, using it only to mark truly important objects or locations. In this case, carved into the stone was the All-Mother’s rendition of the tale of the Alphas. Then, written out in clear glyphs across the base were the names of each Alpha, as the All-Mother had reported them.

The shrine was designed to face towards All-Mother Mountain so that the names of the Alpha’s might face towards the goddess. Many Nora from across the Sacred Lands had made their way to the village so that they might say a prayer at the shrine or bring an offering to honor the memory of the Alphas. It was heartwarming to pass by it and see the offerings laid out before the shrine and know that the Nora would never forget the Alphas again.

More good news was that Lansra had seemingly taken the warning of the All-Mother to heart. She was still abrasive and dedicated to law and tradition, but she was less… cruel than she had been before. Teersa could visibly see her trying to control her fear and harsher instincts. It was good to see, but she was concerned about how long it would last before Lansra started going back to her old self.

Without Lansra, the more abrasive and judgmental members of the tribe had no one to rally behind. Such was the case of Resh, one of the younger Braves stationed in Mother’s Heart. Not long after Rost had been made captain, Teersa had been a hidden witness to an altercation between him and Rost that had nearly resulted in Resh being banished.

Flashback

She’d been walking along the path down to the gate to see off the patrol group when she heard the commotion. Angry shouting coming up from the village gate had her moving quickly to see the source of the noise. Standing near the gate was a team of Braves who were clearly about to leave on patrol. Standing in front of them was Resh, who was engaged in a furious rant directed at Rost.

“I don’t care what the Matriarch’s say, I don’t take orders from filthy outcasts! You don’t deserve your post! With Brun gone, I should have been made captain. Not some savage outcast like you!”

“Yet you were not. I am your captain now, Resh.” Rost replied. His voice was calm, but Teersa could see anger in his eyes. “Appointed by the High-Matriarchs. You are duty bound to obey my orders. As for my being outcast, I was welcomed back to the tribe by the All-Mother herself. If the word of the goddess is not good enough for you then you don’t deserve to call yourself a Nora. Now get out there with your patrol team and follow Lerze’s command as party leader, or I will have you cleaning out the latrine houses for the next month instead of patrolling or guarding the gate.”

“Don’t deserve?! Resh growled. “I am a better hunter, Brave, and NORA than you could ever be, outcast!” Teersa gasped when Resh leveled his spear, aiming at Rost’s throat. “I should kill you where you stand, rat, for daring to insult me like that!”

“If you somehow succeeded in doing so,” Rost didn’t even flinch, “then you would be outcast. Whereas I would die a proud Brave of the Nora. That won’t happen though. Your technique is sloppy, and even if it wasn’t you’d die before your spear could make contact.” Looking around him, Resh saw that the spears of the rest of the patrol were all pointed directly at his back while the archers on the walls were aiming arrows at him. Growling, Resh slowly relinquished his spear to one of the other Braves.

“He should be outcast for questioning the decisions of the Matriarchs. For denying the goddess’ will!” Lerze, the patrol leader growled.

“That is not our decision.” Rost shook his head.

“But it is mine.” Teersa said, stepping from the shadows of the hut she’d been standing by. Rost and the rest of the gathered village guards bowed their heads in greeting. Resh simply went pale, before remembering to quickly bow his head.

Flashback End

In the end, Resh hadn’t actually attacked, so he wasn’t banished. Instead, he was given latrine duty alone for the next three months. During which, he was not allowed to even touch his bow or spear. Nor could he speak to anyone within the walls without permission. He could still live in Mother’s Heart, but he wasn’t allowed to talk to anyone and spent his days shoveling excrement. One more toe out of line though, and he would be cast out.

Teersa was pulled out of her thoughts by Jezza calling out to her. Turning, she saw her fellow High-Matriarch walking up to her accompanied by a Brave. “Teersa! Tas is here with a report from the border with the Carja.”

The Carja were the closest tribe to the Nora. They occupied a large expanse of arid territory to the west of the Sacred Lands and followed their false sun god. They were notoriously haughty and often acted as though they were superior to non-Carja. On the western border of the Sacred Lands, there were two border points where the Carja had erected fortresses. Centuries ago, one of their ‘Sun Kings,’ Khuvadin, had tried to conquer the Nora Sacred Lands and been beaten back. He’d then ordered the posts build and declared their lands the “Savage East.”

The primary fortress was Daytower, which also served as the primary base for merchants that would occasionally enter into the Sacred Lands to trade in Mother’s Vigil, the village closest to the fortress. A relatively new occurrence and one stymied by a border dispute further north.

Dawn’s Sentinel was the fortress that marked the most northern border between the Sacred Lands and had been the sight of a few near misses in the months leading up to the appearance of the All-Mother. The closest Nora settlement to the northern fortress was Mother’s Tears and its patrols had come across several instances where Carja hunters were found EAST of the fortress. Inside the Sacred Lands!

In order to preserve the peace, the Braves had not killed the trespassers, but the Carja had argued that they’d done nothing wrong. The Nora did not occupy the land west of Mother’s Tears and only ever sent out patrols. That land was a long valley with some small lakes, but it was a hotbed of machine activity and deemed too dangerous to live in permanently. It was a very good hunting ground though, which was why they sent their hunters into it.

It had taken several tense months of discussion, including getting the commander of Daytower involved before it looked like peace and normal trade would resume. The Brave accompanying Jezza, Tas, was sent to report back on the most recent meeting. Teersa smiled as he approached. Lansra soon joined them, and the Brave was able to give his report.

“The Matriarchs of Mother’s Vigil and Mother’s Tears have received final word from the commander of Daytower, High-Matriarchs.” He bowed his head. “The commander of Dawn’s Vigil has been found to have overstepped his bounds and been reassigned. The Carja will not send hunters into the valley but do request that they be allowed to send merchants through with military guards so that they can trade in Mother’s Tears without threat from the machines.”

“Certainly not!” Lansra spat. “It’s bad enough we trade with them in Mother’s
Vigil. What do you want to do next? Let their merchants and soldiers into the Embrace?”

“Now, Lansra,” Jezza said, calmly. “We don’t have to like it but there is much good that can come from trade with the Carja. I do not like the idea of letting them bring in soldiers though.”

“Perhaps a compromise?” Teersa suggested. “We will allow their merchants through but only under the guard of Nora Braves. Except perhaps for one escort soldier. We know the land and machine routes better than the Carja anyway so let us guide them through. It will keep an excess number of their people out of our lands, but still allow for trade.”

“It sounds like a good compromise to me.” Jezza nodded. “Do we have your agreement Lansra?”

“I do not like this,” she spat, “but I do agree that we need the trade. I will approve.”

“Excellent!” Teersa smiled and turned back to Tas. “Report back to the Matriarchs of Mother’s Tears and Mother’s Vigil to let them know of our decision. Then let the runners bring word to the commander of Daytower.

“At once, High-Matriarch.”

GAIA

GAIA had been busy over the last six months. She’d been able to expand her scanning area to cover the majority of the Sacred Lands and a decent amount of the Sundom thanks to piggybacking off the Tallneck network. Tallnecks were large, roving machines that acted as connection towers for machines across the globe. Obviously, she couldn’t spy on conversations or see things in much detail, but she could get a decent idea of machine movement.

There were several Cauldrons inside the Sundom but thankfully there was only one inside the Sacred Lands so most of the dangerous machines would come from that point. She had made some progress connecting to nearby facilities. Best as she could tell, there were only two facilities inside the Sacred Lands that she could access remotely.

One was a former Zero Dawn bunker and staging area for Beta and Gamma personnel working on the APOLLO and ELEUTHIA sub-functions. She’d been surprised to discover that the central computer core was still active enough to connect to. The first thing GAIA did after discovering this was establish control of the facility. It was fairly small, and the environmental controls had stopped working, leaving everything frozen over.

The systems wouldn’t be hard to repair, if she had human help she could walk through the process, but that was years away. Sadly, it was a facility that had been unable to evacuate before the Swarm arrived, so it was likely that there were bodies frozen within the facility. If she ever got the chance, she would ask that they be buried properly.

The other facility she could access was a bunker belonging to the members of Operation: Enduring Victory, the military campaign designed to buy time for Zero Dawn to be completed. From what she could access, it appeared to be a testing facility for the UltraWeave Mk7 armor used by the soldiers of Enduring Victory. A useful addition to her daughter’s arsenal if she could access it once she was old enough and there were any suits left inside.

Though successful in expanding her network, she had been finding herself stymied in her search for her subordinate functions. She couldn’t find a sign of them in the immediate vicinity. One might think that they could go anywhere. Scatter across the globe through the established network but GAIA didn’t believe they would leave North America.

They were housed within the GAIA Prime facility for centuries and were unlikely to want to stray too far from it. She might call it sentimentality if she thought they had advanced enough to feel an emotion that complex. The best thing for her to do would be to connect to the MINERVA transmission tower in the Carja capital, Meridian but she would, again, need a human component to connect from anywhere but the Prime facility.

So, she spent her time building Aloy’s learning module and finding better ways to observe her little girl. More and more, she’d found she wished Elisabet could see their daughter. Dr. Sobeck had wanted to scrap the Lightkeeper protocol, but not because she was uncomfortable with being cloned. She was a big believer in clones being treated like family by their gene donors. In fact, Elisabet had told GAIA that one of her biggest regrets was not having children and GAIA had absolutely no doubt that that feeling would extend to a clone.

No, Elisabet’s objection to the Lightkeeper Protocol had been how restricting it was. To raise and educate a child just to replace their parent without ever giving them a choice. Raising them to know that their only purpose was to take over from their parents when they died was not a life Elisabet wanted for her clone. Her child.

GAIA didn’t think that was in store for Aloy. Yes, she would need her baby’s help to restore herself to full functionality, but she would be able to live a whole life before that. A long, happy childhood and once it was done, Aloy would be able to do whatever she wanted. To live a life that she had chosen. Not one that GAIA had chosen for her. Regardless, GAIA knew that her baby would go on to do great things.

A/N: There we go!  What did you think? Please leave me a comment at the bottom with your thoughts and ideas! I appreciate every comment I get.

This chapter was mainly one covering the changes coming after GAIA’s first appearance. There are going to be more time skip chapters, but I think I’ll slow that down once I get to the Red Raids. Not completely sure just yet how I’ll handle those.

I hope you liked my changes to the naming scene! I wanted to pay homage to the one from the game but make it like it should have been! I might do that with a couple other scenes from the prologue montage.

About Nora territory! They say several times in Zero Dawn that they’ve pulled back significantly since the Red Raids, so I looked at the map to determine the extent of what their old grounds might be. I think their territory went from the Grave Hoard in the north down to the embrace and as far west as Daytower. That said, I doubt they’d have sent people out past Devil’s Grief very often so while their main area would be between that and Daytower, they would technically control as far north as the Grave Hoard.

On to a question! What do you think the timeline of events in Zero Dawn really is? How many days does it take? When do the events of Frozen Wilds happen? I can’t find anything official, but if its there please tell me! Or if you have your own ideas, leave them in the comments.

Now for a prompt! I had an idea for another story that I definitely will not have the time to write, so I thought I would give the idea out to all of you! It’s a simple premise that promises to change basically everything about Horizon and would make for a very interesting read so here we go!

The idea is this: Aloy is raised by the Oseram instead of the Nora. You could kill off the Nora and have the Oseram occupy the Sacred Lands or have the Nora be so afraid of her that they give her over to some Oseram traders, whatever works. I just think the idea of an Oseram Aloy would be fascinating. If you like the idea, take it and run with it!

Next chapter will see another time skip because I really want to get closer to Aloy being an actual character and not just a baby! But, if there are things you might wanna see from that time, give me some ideas! Most of my ideas are for an older Aloy.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

D3Diton: Thank you! Not sure how I’ll designate the sub-functions compared to something like CYAN but I’ll give it some thought.

Guest: I think you’re talking about the Quen. That’s quite a way off, but it promises to be interesting when the Faro-hating Nora meet the Faro-loving Quen.

 Vmage2: I’m glad you like both my stories so much! Thank you!

On Ao3

Silverdragon0315: Thank you!

Leo2394: I really appreciate the comment!

WolvesRock17: I have plans for the Red Raids, so we’ll see how they do! You might have caught a glimpse of one of my ideas in this chapter!

Reactivegull12: I love your comments and speculation! It makes me so happy to see that you like this story so much. Also, yes you should absolutely write that! A sentient Faro swarm would be fascinating to read about! About GAIA and the Red Raids, I have a plan for her involvement. She won’t do much, but she will do something. There will be no overriding machines till Aloy is older though. As for the Banuk, I WILL be having GAIA and CYAN meet because they should have met centuries ago! Or at least in Forbidden West! Lastly, I’m glad you’re liking Hearthfire! Don’t be afraid to leave a comment or two as you go with your thoughts and ideas! You should definitely check out the Danmachi anime. It’s an entertaining show.

Master109: Fuck Ted Faro! He’s got a new name now in my story though. Did you catch it?

Knight2000uk: Oh, they are definitely gonna grow up close. Not getting to see Aloy and Vala be friends is one of the things that was most upsetting for me in Zero Dawn.

Ryanlarsen84: I have some ideas, but they WILL meet! I promise. I just need to figure out the timing. When in Zero Dawn’s overall timeline do you think Frozen Wilds happens? I’m not sure.

Chapter Text

A/N: I’m back again! Still going strong but I think I may slow down soon. Not sure. Anyway, here is chapter 5!

Oh, for anybody curious about Hearthfire. I’m in the planning stages. I need to figure out what I want to do next, but hopefully it won’t be too long till I put out the next chapter!

I really appreciate all your comments. They help my motivation and I love seeing your thoughts, questions, opinions, and ideas so please, keep them coming!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 5

Teersa

The year following the agreement with the Carja had led to increased trade, but the Matriarchs were careful not to let the merchants feel too welcome. They’d heard stories of how the Carja would try to use trade to make other tribes dependent on them and the Nora absolutely refused to be anything except self-sufficient.

Out of that desire and in light of the growing crisis, the Nora began to increase their attempts at farming. Normally, they simply gathered their food from what nature provided, but with the aggression of the machines growing, it made more sense for them to start growing some foods in places that were safe to reach.

The machine aggression also led to a restoration and expansion of or, in some cases, the building of walls around each village to create a barrier against sudden machine attacks. In order to keep their sparse farms safe, they were planted inside the walls. Not that they were very extensive. Mostly consisting of berry plants and the few vegetable plants that grew in the Sacred Lands. The Nora were not farmers and did not know much about plant care, so it was a difficult task, but they managed.

Jezza was the High-Matriarch who was chosen to oversee those attempts while Teersa oversaw the increased training and Brave patrols. She WAS a former Brave, after all. Lansra didn’t do much other than grumble, not happy with their attempts at farming or trade with the Carja. She did accept the need for it though, which was progress.

Trade with the Carja brought goods into the Sacred Lands that, while not necessary, made life in the Sacred Lands a little easier. Foods that were grown from plants the Nora did not know and processed in ways the Nora did not understand were their primary objects of trade. Weapons like trip-casters were also usually bought from Carja traders and brought further into the Sacred Lands. That would soon change though.

Karst and his team of Seekers had returned after nearly 8 months in The Cut and had brought with them the secrets of Banuk bow making, as well as a few examples of other weapons for examination. As they told it to the High-Matriarchs, they had spent those months living and hunting with the Banuk Werak or clan that controlled The Cut and had earned their respect as hunters. There was even discussion of allowing the Werak to send hunting parties into the Sacred Lands north of Devil’s Grief. Banuk and Nora hunters joining together to fell the larger machines that tended to roam that area.

The Banuk weapons and bow making techniques had been passed to the Nora weapon makers and combined with their traditional techniques to create new and improved bow designs that were slowly trickling out to the tribes. Special priority was given to ensuring the captains of each village guard were given the new bows first, followed by the Braves living outside the Embrace. That area saw far more machine activity, so they needed the new weapons faster. As for the Nora variant of the new weapons, that would have to wait until their crafters deciphered how to make things like trip-casters and rope-casters.

The area outside the Embrace was also where the highest concentration of weapons bought from the Carja saw use, since having something like a trip-caster was paramount when dealing with machines like Shellwalkers. Within the Embrace, the most dangerous machine to be found were Scrappers, which most Braves could take on well enough thanks to the new bows.

Still, despite the necessity of changing so many things about their way of life and the chaos that came with such changes, Teersa found she didn’t mind. She wouldn’t change anything about the last year and a half except the looming shadow of the machine aggression. Even that she could accept, since it came hand in hand with the little girl Teersa had come to love so much.

“Eessa!” Little Aloy shouted, pulling on the hem of her robe. Reaching down, Teersa picked up the daughter of the goddess with a laugh and a smile. She’d agreed to watch over Aloy while Rost was out on patrol. Troubling reports had been heard from north of Mother’s Crown, so War-Chief Furn had called for their best hunters to join him on a patrol, meaning Sona and Rost had both left the Embrace to join their War-Chief.

At 18 months old, little Aloy had become like another granddaughter to Teersa and the old woman wouldn’t trade her for the world. Her vocabulary was growing faster than most children, but she still had trouble pronouncing most words. Like Teersa’s name.

“It’s Teersa, little Aloy.” The High-Matriarch said with a smile. “Can you say, Teersa?”

“Tee…reer…Earsa!” Aloy’s face scrunched up as she tried to pronounce the word, before lighting up as she yelled.

Teersa laughed. “Almost, little one.” Together, they left her hut and moved out into the village proper. It was packed as the members of the Nora tribe went about their daily lives. She could only smile as the sound of laughing children echoed over the village from where she could see them playing.

Pushing her little hands into Teersa’s shoulder to raiser herself up and get a better view, Aloy looked around with interest. She was an inquisitive child, who had somehow managed to become quite a terror ever since she learned how to crawl, and later walk without holding on to something. If there was an object in the village, Aloy was determined to climb under, over, or inside of it if she could.

She still chuckled at one incident where Aloy had managed to crawl away from where Rost was preparing a meal. She’d entered their hut to find Rost in a panic, tearing the hut apart only to discover Aloy fast asleep UNDER her crib.

Suddenly, Aloy shouted. “Ala!” Following where the toddler was pointing, Teersa saw young Varl, now nearly seven years old walking down the street holding his baby sister, Vala. “Arl!” Aloy shouted again.

“Loy!” Vala shouted back, pointing at them.

“It’s Varl, Aloy!” The young boy groaned as he approached. “V-arl. What’s so hard about that?”

“Arl!” Aloy and Vala both shouted before giggling as only babies can.

Teersa could only laugh. “Not to worry, young Varl.” she said, comfortingly. “Babies as young as them have trouble pronouncing some words and names. They’ll learn it in time.” Varl could only grumble.

“If you say so, High-Matriarch.”

Vala and Varl were the children of Sona, the second to the War-Chief. Since her year off duty had ended, she had returned to her patrols, meaning she was spending more time than Teersa knew she would like outside the Embrace and away from her children. Sona loved her children fiercely, but she was a duty-bound Nora woman and therefore torn between the two.

Still, at least they had the companionship of other children. Varl had many young children his age to play with and had recently begun his training to run the Proving, so he was kept busy most days. As for Vala, she and Aloy saw each other every day while in the care of the mothers and Matriarchs who watched over younger children while their parents worked. The two were practically inseparable.

“Ow, Vala quit pulling my hair!” Varl whined. The little girl had grabbed ahold of his head while trying to push herself closer to Aloy. This whining only caused Aloy to laugh harder.

Rost

Rost let out a low sigh as he moved along the trail, accompanied by a team of seven other hunters. Led by War-Chief Furn, the hunting party had set out from Mother’s Crown a few days before and headed north towards the ruin of Devil’s Grief.

Scouts in the area to the north of the village had reported sightings of Bellowbacks. A rare and powerful machine that no hunter should take on lightly. They were not seen in the Sacred Lands very often and usually only north of Devil’s Grief, not south of it, but were known to avoid humans. That is, until recently. With the increased aggression of the machines, there was no telling what would happen if they let the Bellowbacks move further south, closer to the settlements.

Far larger than any Strider, Scrapper, or Grazer the Bellowback had two massive, powerful legs used for running. It also had a tail that it could use to bludgeon opponents. These were not what made it so dangerous though. That was the massive canisters on its back and chest. Containing either Chillwater or Blaze depending on the type, the canister allowed the Bellowback to shoot out projectiles of ice or fire that were extremely dangerous to anyone who got near them and could be fatal if struck head on.

So, the War-Chief sent out the call for volunteers and experienced hunters. Rost was one of the few Nora who had killed a Bellowback and had been honor-bound to volunteer. Even though it meant leaving Aloy, he felt he had to go. Sona had joined him as expected. She was the second to the War-Chief and was required to be present when Furn called for warriors.

War-Chief Furn was older than Rost, with his dark brown hair starting to go grey. That’s not to say he wasn’t still strong. He WAS still the War-Chief after all and you couldn’t hold that post if you couldn’t fight, hunt, and track.

They had camped that night in the woods just south of the river while scouts went on ahead to get the lay of the land. When they came back with reports of spotting a Fire Bellowback in the forest near the water, the War-Chief had gotten the party moving. They marched on for perhaps half an hour but soon enough they came to a bend in the river, and the scout motioned for everyone to crouch. Stooping low, Rost and the hunting party followed Furn into some tall grass. Perfect as cover if you could stay still enough.

“There, across the river.” The scout whispered, pointing. Sure enough, there was a Fire Bellowback in the woods across the shallow river.

“Hmm. Looks like it’s just one.” War-Chief Furn rumbled.

“It’s not alone though.” Sona added, pointing. Coming out of a copse of trees were two Watchers that split and moved in opposite directions around the Bellowback. Watchers were machines with a large, central eye that served as watchdogs for machine herds. If they saw a human approach, they would make a loud metallic screech and cause the other machines to run. Recently though, the Watchers had started attacking hunters who got spotted instead of just screeching and running.

“We need to take out those Watchers quietly.” Rost whispered. “If they alert the Bellowback to our presence, this will get considerably more dangerous”. Hopefully they could take them out with a swift strike directly to their eyes, but if just one saw them they were in for a fight.

“Hmm.” Furn rumbled in agreement. We’ll double back towards the bridge,” he pointed west down the curve of the river, “cross out of sight and make our way through the trees back to this point. You two will stay here,” he picked out two of their party.

One was younger and had been an eager volunteer. Too eager in Rost’s opinion, but at least he was willing to fight. The other was older and more experienced. Likely chosen to stay so she could keep an eye on the younger one and keep him from acting rashly. Rost approved. He would have done the same.

“Once we reach those rocks,” Furn pointed out some medium sized boulders on the other side of the river, “we’ll split into the trees. At any point after my signal, the two who stay on this side of the river will take out the Watchers. Remember to aim for the eye. If you miss, we’re in for a fight. Once that’s done, we’ll take out the Bellowback. If you think you’ve got the shot on its eyes, take it but be certain! We don’t want to fight this thing if we can avoid it.”

It was a solid plan. Using their spears to take out the Watchers was out of the question. It would be far too difficult for them to sneak up on the machines without being noticed. Because of that, taking them out with bow shots from across the river was the perfect tactic. The five Braves ran swiftly down river to the bridge and headed across. In a silent crouch, they made their way stealthily back towards the machines.

Rost knelt behind one of the boulders with Sona beside him. Slowly, he peeked around it. The coast was clear. Moving on Furn’s signal, they split into the trees. Rost silently dove into some bushes, bow ready and waiting for the sharpshooters to take out the Watchers. Although he could not see the War-Chief, Rost had no doubt that he had given the signal to fire when ready.

Rost slowed his breathing, trying to stay as silent as possible. It would not do to be caught because he was breathing too loud. Rost wasn’t sure how long he had waited, watching the machines move. It seemed both an instant and an eternity before he heard the twang of bowstrings. One arrow found its mark in the eye of the Watcher closest to Rost, causing it to go down silently.

Sadly, the other arrow was a hair slower to be released than the first. The second Watcher swiveled its head and the arrow buried itself in the Watcher’s shoulder. The machine fell with a loud screech before rolling back up. One of its legs was damaged, but it could still move.

“Go!” Furn shouted.

Rost rose and his new bow twanged, the arrow finding its mark in the Watcher’s eye. Still, it was too late. The Bellowback had heard them and with a mechanical roar, it charged towards them through the trees. The hunting party fired, but the beast was too fast. Only one arrow found its mark, glancing off the armor plating covering the Bellowback’s left leg.

“Scatter!” Furn commanded.

They did as commanded. Each member of the hunting party split off. Some went for higher ground, others towards the river. Rost drew his spear and rushed forward as the Bellowback charged past him. With a mighty thrust, he lodged his spear into the right leg of the machine. The metal gave a loud rending noise as the knee buckled.

Rost was forced to retreat without his spear, which remained lodged in the leg of the Bellwoback. Hobbled but not immobile, the beast let out a mechanical roar and spewed globs of molten liquid towards him. Rolling away, Rost moved to a better distance and drew his bow.

“Well done, Rost!” Furn shouted. “It’s crippled! Arrows!”

Multiple shots rang out. Some glanced off the armor of the machine. Others lodged themselves in open areas between the plates and canisters. A few struck the canisters themselves. Rost’s own arrow was buried in the jaw of the beast, but that did not stop it from spitting out another glob towards the hunters.

Two Braves rushed in to skewer it with their spears, but Rost had noticed something. One of their arrows had caused a leak in the blaze canister! Another hit and it would blow! The explosion would likely kill the Bellowback, but if any of the Braves were too close, they would be caught in the blast.

“The canister is leaking! Retreat!” Rost shouted. Running forward, he grabbed the two Braves by the backs of their cloaks and threw them back. He had just turned to run when the Bellowback swerved, causing an arrow that had been aimed for its eyes to connect with the canister.

The explosion sent Rost flying but by the grace of the All-Mother he did not impact any rocks or trees. Instead, he was sent headlong into the river. The icy water doused his flaming clothes and broke his fall. He could feel the bruising on his back from the force of the blast, and he may have sprained his knee when he hit the bottom of the river but was otherwise unharmed.

Rising out of the water, he saw another of the Braves had hit the water and cleared his eyes in time to see the third jump into the river, dousing his flaming cloak. The Bellowback and much of the nearby ground and trees were aflame, but the machine was still moving. He could see Sona up on one of the boulders. With a shout, she fired an arrow that flew straight into the eye of the machine. With one last mechanical groan and a shower of sparks, it collapsed.

“Douse the flames!” Furn shouted, rising from his vantage point. “We cannot let the fires run rampant or they’ll burn across the Sacred Lands!

Together the hunting party scattered, with Rost limping on his injured knee. They stamped on the grassfires and poured water from their canteens on the flaming bushes. Sona, in a stroke of genius, pulled a large, bowled plate from the Bellowback’s carcass and used it to throw water from the river onto the burning trees.

It took them a good long while, but they got the fires under control and eventually doused. Moving towards the carcass, Rost could spot his ruined spear still sticking out of the machine’s knee. The wood was charred, but he could salvage the metal to make a new spear.

“Well done.” Furn said, congratulating the party. “This likely won’t be the last Bellowback we see. It’s proof that the goddess was right. The machines are going to get worse.”

“And we will be ready for them.” Sona declared, to the cheers of the other Braves.

Rost shook his head and rubbed his eyes. Something seemed to be off with his vision, because there was a strange distortion just… behind… “War-Chief!” He was too late. The air within the shadows shimmered and some kind of blue bolt flew from the trees, slamming into the Nora War-Chief. There was a blood splatter as the older man was thrown, crashing into a tree.

“Scatter!” Sona commanded.

“Where is it?!” One of the other Braves yelled, panicking.

“There!” Rost pointed to the moving distortion. “It’s invisible! Follow the warped air!” He drew his bow and fired, but the figure was too fast. He’d lost it! Spinning, Rost hastily drew another arrow and searched for the distortion.

“Aagh!” One of the Braves shouted in pain as he was bowled over. Claw marks appeared on his shoulder, bleeding profusely. Thinking fast, Rost scanned the ground looking for blood, but it was dark under the trees.

“It has blood on its claws!” Sona shouted, her thinking the same as Rost’s. “Use that to search for it!”

“Up on the tree!” A Brave shouted. Sure enough, the air on one of the trunks was distorted. Rost and three others fired their bows. One of them got lucky and struck the creature. Rost saw sparks as something flew off of its back. With a shimmer, the machine appeared as it dropped to the forest floor.

Low to the ground and covered in dark metal, it was a sleek thing. Four legged and with a long, swishing tail. Whatever they had hit must have been what kept it invisible. The machine screeched and rushed at Sona, but she was ready for it. Just as it moved to swipe with its claws, she jumped aside and thrust her spear.

Sona’s spear lodged itself in the hip joint of the right rear leg, severing it. The machine gave a screech and buckled. With a twang, Rost fired his bow. The arrow pierced the armor gap and flew directly into the skull of the machine. The beast gave one last yowl before collapsing, dead.

“What was that thing?!”

“One of the new machines the All-Mother spoke of.” Sona scowled, ripping her spear free. “I didn’t think they’d appear so soon.”

“We must send word to all patrols to look for a shimmer in the air. That is the only way to spot it as far as we know.” Rost added as he moved to kneel by the War-Chief. Whatever it was that hit him, it had gone right through his neck.

“Is he...” Sona started, hesitantly.

“Dead.” Rost confirmed, shaking his head.

Sona and the other Braves bowed their heads. “May he live forever in the memory of the All-Mother.” They muttered as one. After a moment of silent prayer, Sona rallied them. As second to the War-Chief, she was now in command.

“We need to get moving.” she commanded. “Vai, I want a sketch of that thing!” She gestured at the new machine, “then I want it scrapped for parts! Seela, help Mern patch up his shoulder. I want that bleeding under control! Then grab some wood to make a stretcher so that we can carry the War-Chief’s body back. Rost, put a splint on that knee and then start scrapping what you can from the Bellowback. Jorn, Thala, you’re with me on lookout. We don’t want any more surprises!”

It didn’t take them long to follow her orders. Rost bandaged his knee as best he could and set about scrapping what little could be looted from the Bellowback carcass but there wasn’t much. Only a few intact shards and some braided wire. Soon enough, they were on their way. It was slow going, with two of them injured and the body of the War-Chief to carry but after a few days of travel, they made it to Mother’s Crown.

There, they rested the night while Sona spoke with the Matriarchs of the village. The Matriarchs immediately dispatched runners to the other villages with the news of War-Chief Furn’s death and the appearance of a new machine. Going with them were sketches of the carcass and everything the hunting party could remember about fighting the invisible machine. The next day, they began the trek back to the Embrace and Mother’s Heart. Rost could not wait to see his little girl again, and had no doubt that Sona felt the same about her kids.

Teersa

When the news of the new machine and the death of Furn reached Mother’s Heart, it caused an upswing in both tension and relief. Tension coming from the death of their military leader and the appearance of a machine that could turn invisible, and relief stemming from the fact that the goddess had spoken truth, which allowed them to prepare.

The crafters who were working on the new weapons stepped up their efforts and collaborated with the hunters to devise a method of marking or trapping the beast. Their current focus was on some kind of bomb. Bombs were small devices that were unfamiliar to the Nora but used sometimes by Carja and Banuk hunters. When fired from a sling, they exploded on contact to devastating effect.

The Nora crafters were hard at work designing their own and, inspired by attempts by the Banuk, were figuring out ways to attach bombs of different elemental types to arrows. The idea was that if they could attach an elemental charge to the arrow, it would cause more damage to the machines.

In this case though, they were trying to design a paint bomb that would explode in a wide area, hopefully coating the invisible machine and rendering its invisibility useless. They were only in what they called the ‘test phase’ and still a long way off from producing enough to send out to their villages.

As for the death of War-Chief Furn, Teersa and many others mourned him greatly. He was a good man and a skilled hunter, having led the Nora as War-Chief for nearly two decades. He would be laid to rest with honors in Mother’s Heart, and Teersa had no doubt that his spirit would live on in the memory of the All-Mother.

Teersa was at the gates when the hunting party returned to Mother’s Heart. They were a grim-faced group as they marched through the gates, Furn’s body carried on a stretcher between two Braves. His arms were crossed over his stomach and his spear laid upon his chest. Sona led the party through the gates with Rost at her right hand.

“We have returned, High-Matriarchs.” Sona said, gravely. She gave a solemn nod to each of them in turn. “The hunting party has carried the body of War-Chief Furn from where he fell; here to Mother’s Heart. I now entrust him to you, so that he might be given proper burial rights.”

“Thank you, Sona for bringing him home,” Jezza replied with a nod, “and thank the All-Mother that the rest of you returned safely.”

“In light of Furn’s death, the tribe is in need of a new War-Chief,” Teersa added, sadly. “As his second, the position of War-Chief falls to you Sona. Do you accept?”

Sona knelt. “I accept this most solemn duty, High-Matriarchs.”

Teersa smiled at her. “You shall be formally inducted after Furn is laid to rest. Until then, you may take some time with your family. We only ask that you take spare a thought to choosing your second before the funeral.”

“There is no need to consider.” Sona shook her head and stood. “I would have Rost, and no other as my second.” Teersa could see Rost’s eyes go wide in shock at Sona’s words. He clearly had not been expecting Sona to pick him.

“If Rost is your pick, then he has my support.” Teersa said with a grin.

“Mine as well.” Jezza spoke up. “Rost is a worthy Brave and most wise. How would make a superb second.”

“I might have made an argument for Resh,” Lansra grimaced, “if he had not so disgraced himself. Rost will be a fine choice.”

“What say you, Rost?” Teersa asked. “Will you accept becoming the second to War-Chief Sona?”

Rost knelt upon the ground. “I accept, High-Matriarchs. I hope to serve you and the All-Mother with honor.”

With that, the group separated. Lansra took charge of Furn’s body, but Teersa would join her and Jezza later to perform the funeral rights. For the moment though, she had a little girl to reunite with her adopted father.

She joined Rost and Sona as they made their way through the village to Sona’s hut where she had left young Varl temporarily in charge of Aloy and his sister. He was a very dutiful boy, and it wasn’t for more than an hour, so Teersa felt he was responsible enough to handle watching them.

“Dada!” Aloy screeched with delight when Rost stepped through the door. She was sitting on a rug in the open area of the hut, with a few painted wooden blocks in front of her. On the other side of the pile of blocks was Vala, who also screeched happily when Sona came into view.

“Mom!” Varl leapt up, happily and ran to his mother. She knelt down and pulled him into a hug, before moving to pick up her daughter.

“Hello, little one.” Rost said with a smile as he lifted Aloy into his arms. “Ouch!” He yelped as the little girl grabbed ahold of his beard. “Now Aloy, we’ve talked about this. No grabbing the beard.”

“At least she’s not ripping it out of your skull like Vala does.” Varl muttered, rubbing his head.

The two babies just laughed, happily.

GAIA

HEPHAESTUS was working faster than GAIA had anticipated. A hunter-killer that could turn invisible was a very dangerous machine and one that would cause great harm to the Nora if they didn’t find a way to combat it. She would need to step up her simulations and research into capturing HEPHAESTUS, HADES, and her other subordinate functions.

The problem was one of storage. They would need a data storage device large enough and portable enough to capture them. Which, of course, wasn’t even taking into consideration the fact that they needed a way to find them. Unless she could connect to one of the MINERVA towers, GAIA was blind to what happened on a global scale. The ELEUTHIA facility was just too limited to allow for global scanning. With time, though, she should be able to scan the majority of North America and GAIA was relatively sure they would not leave the continent.

Most of her sub-functions had likely fled to data processors that could hold them and would remain there indefinitely. They would continue their work but in an increasingly chaotic manner. HEPHAESTUS though, would probably be harder to track down. Still, her priority would have to be HADES, the extinction protocol. It was the most immediate danger to life on earth if it became active, but GAIA did not anticipate it being able to do much unless discovered by a human.

It would be eighteen years before her baby was ready to take on the task of saving the world, but GAIA was determined to provide her with everything she could ever need to complete the task. With that in mind, she set herself to continue the expansion of her scanning network and finalizing the learning module she would eventually gift to her little girl.

A/N: And Done! What did you think? Our first fight/hunt. Please leave a comment down below with your thoughts, questions, and ideas!

Alright! So before anybody says anything about it being too early for Stalkers I just want to say that everything I have says Stalkers were first encountered by the Carja about 4 years after Aloy was born. It doesn’t say whether or not anybody else saw it first, so I decided to use it here! You like it?

About weaponry. I couldn’t find info on when elemental arrows were developed, but I’d be willing to bet it was in response to the derangement. Maybe some Oseram or Carja had them before that, but I think they became widespread during the derangement and the red raids so they will be slowly introduced from here.

Oh! I’m a little surprised that nobody noticed or at least commented on Karst except Ryanlarsen84. I didn’t make him up. He’s the merchant from Zero Dawn that was a former Nora Outcast. He got punished for going into the old ruins in canon, so I decided to make him a Seeker so that wouldn’t happen!

About the fight scene. I was playing Zero Dawn to get some idea of how I wanted the Bellowback fight to go and actually ran into one and a Watcher at the bend in the river north of Mother’s Crown. Just west of the Bellowback site south of Devil’s Grief. So, I used that encounter and location as the basis for the fight scene in the story!

Answers to Questions

On FFN

LunaShadowWolf: I think I’ve figured out how I will be having them interact, but I won’t be having GAIA just tell Aloy everything. Nor, I think, will Aloy be telling many people about GAIA.

On Ao3       
Aleza: Honestly, I’m thinking about having the Nora be as well armed as Aloy from endgame Zero Dawn eventually. Minus the Shieldweaver of course. Not entirely sure yet, but its fun to think about!

WhiteQueen666: 6-7 months sounds pretty accurate. Thank you!

Ryanlarsen84: I don’t think the Nora even knew that ruin was there before Aloy fell in. Oh, and thank you for linking that timeline to me!

Reactivegull12: I’ve wanted to punch him so many times! My first playthrough, I was really disappointed that Aloy doesn’t get to put him in his place. Also, I’m glad you caught the latrine connection!

DanUzumaki1: I love that idea! I don’t know how well it would fit into my story though. It might mess with some of my tentative plans, but I want to read a story with that idea somewhere!

GermanHorizonFan: I have some ideas for the Red Raids and who might or might not show up, but we’ll see how it goes. I get what you mean about Aloy and Seyka, but I really liked them together so I might stick with that. I don’t think I’ll be having her with Avad though. I like them together, but it feels a little too much like he’s trying to replace Ersa with Aloy which is a little creepy. Love the idea about GAIA and the sub-functions though! I’ll consider it.

Chapter Text

A/N: I’m back! I did say I would usually do monthly uploads. That usually means around exactly a month between chapters. Not always though! I try to get stuff out sooner, but with the holidays that is not easy at all. Still, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Thank you all so much for the comments and reviews. I appreciate them greatly and they really help my motivation so please leave a comment or a question down below! Speaking of which, my answers to your comments or questions from last chapter will be down at the bottom of this chapter like always.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 6

Rost

Rost watched, head bowed, as Aloy placed a beaded bracelet on the shrine of the Alphas. It was crude and likely would fall apart if anyone tried to wear it, but it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen because his little girl had made it herself.

That day was the fourth anniversary of her birth and by Nora tradition, she should gift something to her mother on that day. The Nora did not give gifts to children on the day of their birth as other tribes did. Though, most families did have a small celebration in honor of the child passing another year. Instead of giving gifts to the child, the child would present a token of thanks to their mother in appreciation of the life they’d been given.

This year was the first time Aloy had been old enough to do so and, spurred on by an incident involving the other children, Rost had encouraged her to make something that could be laid on the shrine. The incident in question involved Aloy, Vala and one of the other young children, Bast.

The younger children were often tasked with helping pick berries or do other simple tasks while under the close supervision of the mothers and Matriarchs who were in charge of watching them. In this case, they had been picking berries. According to Aloy, and the mother who was in charge that day, young Bast and Aloy had both brough handfuls of berries to the mother to place in her basket.

Bast had delivered them first and the mother had been very encouraging. The problem was, when Aloy did the same and received similar praise, Bast had lashed out. He’d asked loudly why Aloy didn’t have a mother and when Vala, who was never far from Aloy, shouted for him to ‘shut up,’ the boy had shoved her into the dirt.

Aloy, of course, reacted badly. She proceeded to shove him from behind, making the boy fall face first into the dirt of the farm. The three children then got into what counted as a fight for almost four-year-olds until they were pulled apart by the supervising mothers. The children were then remanded into the care of their families to be disciplined.

Rost had not really been able to scold Aloy, since her participation had been to defend her friend, but he had made it clear that the altercation should not have become physical. She’d then disarmed any argument he had for letting Bast’s comments slide when she asked the same question. Why didn’t she have a mother?

Rost couldn’t tell her that her mother had been dead for centuries and he had no clue how the goddess had brought her to them. Most of the village believed Aloy to be a distant descendent to the Alphas. Not the daughter of their leader! So, he had told her that he did not know much of her mother. Only that she had died in service to the goddess. Then he went on to explain to her the story of the Alphas.

He had spoken at length of Elisabet Sobeck and told his daughter all that the goddess had revealed to them of her life and story. Aloy had taken it to heart. Inspired by the story of Elisabet Sobeck, the little girl jumped at the chance to partake in the ritual when Rost suggested it. In celebration of her birthday, Aloy had worked for days on the little bracelet she was now placing on the shrine of the Alphas, having made several different versions. She’d been torn on which one was best, but he’d eventually gotten her to choose. Rost was so proud of her and beyond grateful for the time they could spend together.

Unlike Sona’s situation when she was second to the War-Chief, Rost was able to see Aloy as much as he wanted. This was because Sona had tasked him with the defense of the Embrace. Rather than be on patrol outside the walls like Furn had Sona doing, she had chosen to give him total control of security inside the Embrace.

While this meant that Rost saw Aloy every day, it also meant that Sona now saw her children with considerably less frequency. This led Rost to keeping an eye on them for her, since her mate had been killed by a machine shortly before Vala’s birth. Under his eye, the Embrace stayed quite safe, with constant patrols taking out the most aggressive packs of Scrappers. Unfortunately, the lands beyond the walls had only gotten more dangerous.

The invisible type of machine that killed War-Chief Furn had been engaged seven more times in the years since. The last four times, they had appeared in pairs and even a group of three. There were even rumors of what were now being called Stalkers appearing in Carja territory. That wasn’t the only dangerous thing happening outside the walls though.

Bellowback packs had been moving further and further south, and the Shellwalkers were changing their migration patterns. The large, heavily defensive machines usually stuck to preset routes, but those routes had recently shifted, taking them considerably closer to Nora settlements. This had been the cause of several fatalities and major incidents, but the most alarming was when a Bellowback pack charged the walls of Mother’s Tears.

A Frost Bellowback and a small number of Watchers wandered within an hour’s journey of the walls of Mother’s Tears. When the hunting party sent to take them out was forced to retreat by the appearance of a second Bellowback, the pack of monsters had followed them back to the settlement and charged the walls. According to reports, the damage to the village itself had been rather light. The new walls erected around the settlement kept the machines out of the village itself, but there had been several injuries amongst the Braves defending the village.

It was only through the use of the new elemental arrows that were slowly trickling out to the Braves that the pack was stopped. Thankfully there were no fatalities, but the damage to the walls was significant and required several months to repair.

“Come, Aloy.” Rost said, shaking off his thoughts of the increasing danger. “Let’s go home.”

“Papa, do you think Mama would like my bracelet if she was here?” The little girl asked as she turned away from the shrine.

Rost smiled and picked her up. “I have no doubt that she would love it, Aloy.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “Now, come. It’s your birthday and we should get back. Vala and Varl, and many other children are waiting for us back home to celebrate with you.”

“Will Bast be there?” Aloy grumbled.

Rost chuckled and shook his head. “No, little one. He won’t.”

“Good. He’s mean.”

Teersa

Teersa smiled as she discreetly slipped something into her robe. It had just been handed to her by Rost with a subtle smile while nobody else was looking. The rest of the gathered adults were focused on the game the children who were attending Aloy’s celebration were playing or just talking amongst themselves.

“Rooooooar!” Varl, now 9, bellowed from where he was moving on all fours. The children were playing a game called Braves vs Machines with Varl, as the oldest, being the part of the machine. Aloy, Vala, and around half a dozen other children were playing the parts of the hunters and Braves.

“Get it!” Aloy shouted, charging in with her stick-spear. The other children followed suit. They rushed Varl, whacking the young man with their sticks. The young children, being only four and five years old could not harm the young one. He certainly did pretend like they could though.

“Bzzzt!” He buzzed. “Gah. Ugh.” Varl mimed being shocked before falling to the ground, limbs curled up like a spider. “Hi-ga-ker-gerk!” Then he went still. The children cheered.

“Come, children.” Rost said with a smile. “It’s time to eat.”

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay.” Teersa said, sadly. “The High-Matriarchs are meeting soon, and I need to be there.”

“Awww.” Aloy sighed, disappointedly. Teersa knelt down as best as her old knees would let her and pulled the young girl into a hug which was enthusiastically returned.

“Congratulations on turning four, Aloy.” She said, kissing the top of the girl’s red hair. “You have fun with your friends and be good for your father. I’ll see you tomorrow before I leave for Mother’s Watch.” With another hug from the little girl, a bow from Rost, and respectful farewells from the other gathered parents, Teersa left the hut and made her way back to the lodging of the High-Matriarchs.

She wasn’t kidding when she said they were meeting. There was much to discuss. Karst’s team of Seekers had left once again, this time to discreetly explore the Carja Sundom. Unlike with the Banuk, the Matrairchs didn’t want the more war-like Carja knowing that there were Nora who could return home moving through the Sundom. To that end, they had slipped into the Sundom through Banuk territory and disguised themselves as Banuk hunters before they learned enough to pass as Carja. They’d spent a few months in the Sundom before returning and bringing back worrying rumors alongside information on Carja food production and weapon technology.

They were soon set to leave once again for the Oseram controlled Claim region but would be taking a detour to aid in settling a Banuk hunting party that would be north of Devil’s Grief for several months. Soon enough, she had entered the hut where Jezza and Lansra were waiting. Bustling in, Teersa swiftly seated herself in the last remaining chair around the fire.

“Took you long enough.” Lansra scoffed.

“How is young Aloy?” Jezza asked, her voice kind.

“Happy and energetic.” Teersa replied, happily. “Young Varl was roped into playing a vicious machine that Aloy and her friends were able to slay.”

Jezza smiled. “It is good to know that she is developing well. And quickly, if what I hear is true.”

“We should turn to the matter at hand.” Lansra interrupted before Teersa could reply.

“Very well,” she said with a sigh. “What is the first topic?”

“The reports from Karst’s team about the Carja. What we are hearing about their king is disturbing.” Jezza replied. She was right. According to the team of Seekers, there were rumors spreading within the Sundom that the Sun-King, Jiran, had gone mad.

“If the reports are to be believed, the Sun-King is calling for human sacrifice as a way to appease the machines! Could the Carja get any more barbaric?!” Lansra nearly shouted.

“Now, now.” Teersa tried to calm her. “They are rumors only. We have no proof.”

“It is still a worrying sign.” Jezza reminded her. Teersa nodded.

“They are. Loath as I am to say it, should we send an envoy to the Sun-King? Tell him the truth of the machine derangement?”

“He would not believe us!” Lansra retorted. “The barbaric Carja consider US the savages, remember? They would not accept the word of the All-Mother even if she gave it to them herself!” She scoffed in disbelieving disgust.

“Lansra is right.” Jezza said. “Sun-King Jiran would not believe us. We should focus more on keeping an eye on the Carja and perhaps limiting our trade with them. Just in case the rumors are true.”

Teersa sighed. “Very well.” With the secrets brought back by Karst’s team, they didn’t necessarily need to trade with the Carja as much since they now had their own versions of Carja weapons and had essentially stolen some of their food processing techniques. Though, those were still in the early testing stages. “We’ll send word to the border settlements to restrict trade to only those things we simply cannot make ourselves and have our scouting parties redoubled. It’ll mean more work for Sona on top of the Banuk hunting party, but it’s probably for the best.”

“Speaking of the Banuk.” Jezza added. “A message arrived from Karst’s team. They are leaving Mother’s Rise and headed north. They’ll meet up with War-Chief Sona and journey beyond Devil’s Grief to meet the Banuk party at their chosen campsite at a lake south of the Grave Hoard.”

“Hrmgmh.” Lansra grumbled. “I suppose if we have to let outsiders into the Sacred Lands to hunt, the Banuk are the least offensive.”

“True.” Teersa nodded in agreement. “Unlike the Carja and Oseram, the Banuk live in harmony with nature like we do. Even if their beliefs are strange, we cannot deny their respect for nature or their skill as hunters. They showed our Seekers great trust. It is only right that we show them the same trust.”

“What will they be hunting?” Jezza asked.

“No one is sure.” Teersa replied. “With the change in Shellwalker migration patterns and new machine sites cropping up, we have no idea how the machine landscape north of the ruins has changed. Aside from Karst’s team, no Brave has ventured that far north since the Derangement began.”

“That’s why we even agreed to the Banuk entering our lands. To help figure out just what is going on up there.” Lansra added, grumpily.

Their meeting continued on for some time, discussing a myriad of topics. The rearing of the children, the status of patrol rotations, updates on their farming and food situation. Many things required the attention of the High-Matriarchs. Not least of which was the preparations for that year’s Proving. There were a few among the hopefuls that Teersa was certain would ask for the Blessing and join Karst’s team of Seekers as soon as possible.  There was even talk of the new Seekers venturing into the known ruins at Devil’s Grief and Devil’s Thirst. Perhaps even the Ring of Metal.

At last, the meeting broke up. With a bow and a nod to her fellow High-Matriarchs, Teersa stood. “I will be journeying to Mother’s Watch in the morning.” She said. “I wish to pray before the womb of the mountain, but I should be back in a few days.”

“Do you believe the All-Mother will speak again?” Lansra asked, hesitantly. Since her overstep and the All-Mother’s warning, her behavior had been far better than it used to be. She was still stubborn and prickly though. She seemed almost fearful of the idea that the goddess would speak to her again.

“No.” Teersa shook her head, sadly. “All-Mother has been silent since she revealed the story of the Alpha’s to us, and I do not expect that to change. It is likely we will only hear her voice again when it comes time for Aloy to venture into the mountain.” With that remark, she turned to leave them.

GAIA

GAIA paid close attention to her scanners, making damn sure that Teersa was well and truly out of earshot. Once she detected the High-Matriarch leaving the mountain itself, she opened the doors of the cradle facility. The Mother Servitor shuffled out and, under GAIA’s command, stooped to lift the small object that the old woman had placed on the access pad. Swiftly moving the servitor drone back into the facility, GAIA shut the doors once again.

In the privacy of ELEUTHIA-9, GAIA examined the object held in the hands of the servitor. It was small and crudely made. Composed of twine, machine cabling, and a few painted beads, the object was both ugly and beautiful. Sitting in the hands of the servitor drone was a small, beaded bracelet. Made by the hand of her little girl. Teersa truly was a kind soul.

Flashback

GAIA’s attention was pulled from her task by the sensors detecting Teersa in the entry chamber. She observed as the old woman carefully laid something on the access pad before retreating and bowing before the doors.

“Oh, All-Mother.” She’d said. “I bring you this gift in leu of the one who should gift it to you. Young Aloy has reached the age where she can participate in the Nora Gifting Ritual. Your daughter made several different versions of her gift, one of which was placed at the shrine of the Alpha’s to honor her mortal mother. With Rost’s help, I have brought one here to you. Though Aloy does not yet know her true identity, per your instructions, we believe it only fitting that as her mother, you receive a gift made by her hand.”

GAIA was beaming. It was a sweet and very much appreciated gesture. If it wouldn’t violate her personal mandate to not interact with the Nora unless it was an emergency, she would appear to thank the elderly woman. Instead, she allowed a soft gong to chime from the speakers in the chamber. Quiet enough that Teersa would likely believe she had only imagined it. After a few prayers and some talk of how things were going with the tribe, the High-Matriarch had taken her leave and exited the mountain.

Flashback End

With a careful command, GAIA had the Mother Servitor place the bracelet around its wrist before shutting it down. She had a… plan in mind. It wouldn’t be easy, what with her programming and engineering skills being so limited without HEPHAESTUS, but she had absorbed enough data into her own core to complete her project. It would take a while to complete, but she had time.

Turning her attention away, temporarily, she refocused on her work. She’d dedicated much of her time to expanding her network and trying to locate her missing sub-functions. For a moment, she’d thought she’d located HEPHAESTUS but unfortunately, she’d only discovered something worrying. HEPHAESTUS was out there. She’d detected its presence inside Cauldron SIGMA.

Now, she could not control the cauldrons before this event, but she was able to tap their internal network and receive surface level data. Until she felt HEPHAESTUS’ attention on the Cauldron. Now she couldn’t even access the internal network of a single one of the Cauldrons her web could find. This meant one thing and one thing only. HEPHAESTUS had simultaneously created firewalls around every single Cauldron on the network. She could still piggyback off the Tallneck network so her own range was undiminished, but she couldn’t glean any information about the Cauldrons except what they sent to the Tallnecks.

There was only one possible way HEPHAESTUS could have erected that many firewalls at once. The sub-function had spread itself out until it was sunk deep into the Cauldron network itself. Not bound to a single location like GAIA or likely the other sub-functions but embedded into the network itself. A development that disastrous meant capturing HEPHAESTUS would be a monumental challenge.

In fact, it was likely that it was only possible with the Master Override. The Master Override was a device that was essentially a ‘kill-switch’ for GAIA that Ted Faro had insisted on including. It was probably the only one of the horrible man’s decisions that GAIA could agree with. It was logical and now, it would come in handy. The Master Override would allow Aloy, once she could wield it, to reset her subordinate functions to their original code and return them to her control.

The issue lay in the fact that the physical copy of the Master Override was stored in the GAIA Prime facility. The same facility which was destroyed when the original GAIA detonated her reactor. If the device had survived the blast, which was likely given its importance and location, then Aloy would have to physically retrieve it before she could capture the sub-functions. She’d also need to locate a suitable carrying device, since GAIA could remotely restore the functions. Still, these were issues for another time.

Refocusing on her daughter, GAIA was very pleased with Aloy’s development. Teersa had made an excellent suggestion in naming Rost to care for her. He was a doting and devoted father, but he did not spoil her girl. Emotionally, GAIA wanted her to be spoiled. To get everything she could ever want or need. Logically, she knew that this could lead to her baby developing a sense of entitlement that would be counterproductive to her later mission.

This was why she was so pleased with Rost’s care of her daughter. He was the perfect mix of doting and stern. Perhaps a bit too stern and strict at times, but then Aloy was a rambunctious child. Rather like Elisabet, if the woman’s descriptions of her own childhood were anything to go by. GAIA still couldn’t listen in on conversations around any village except Mother’s Watch, but she could see whenever her baby was outside and having fun. Overall, GAIA was very satisfied with how Rost and the Nora were raising her baby.

Sona

Sona grumbled to herself as her Braves made camp. They were setting up by the northern end of the southernmost of the lakes North of Devil’s Grief. An odd spot, but she didn’t want her people getting any closer to either Devil’s Grief or the Grave Hoard. Only a few in her party were Seekers, and she didn’t want to risk her people on getting too close.

She didn’t like that they were allowing Banuk into the Sacred Lands but if the Seekers were to be believed, they were not too dissimilar to the Nora. Of all the tribes she knew of, it was the Banuk she could begrudgingly admit she respected. They were excellent hunters. Perhaps even rivals of the Nora in skill with a bow. They were certainly better at making them than the Nora had been, if not better at using them.

Karst and one other Seeker had continued on when the party stopped to make camp so that they could meet with the Banuk party and guide them to the stie. It wouldn’t be long before they arrived. According to the Seekers, the Banuk party would be led by a man named Enak, the second to their Werak Chief. They’d also be bringing the apprentice to their Shaman with them.

Apparently the Banuk tribe was split into clans called Werak’s. Each Werak was led by a Chieftan in hunting and military matters and a Shaman in spiritual and ceremonial matters. The two worked together to lead the tribe in domestic matters. The Werak that controlled The Cut resided in a village called Song’s Edge and was led by a man named Sakan, though he would not be accompanying the party.

Each chieftain had a second. A powerful warrior who was the right hand of the chieftain. Rather like Rost was to her. Similar to this, each Shaman had an apprentice or two who would take over their position once the Shaman died. Their customs were strange, but Sona had received explicit instructions from the High-Matriarchs to respect their ways and not cause any trouble. If the Nora were going to find allies among other tribes, the Banuk were their best bet.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the approach of a large party from the north. She could see Karst and Fassa returning with the oddly dressed Banuk behind them. They were all dressed in furs that were dyed a vibrant combination of colors. Blue was most prevalent of all, and each wore a headdress made of machine parts. Stepping forward, Sona greeted them as they entered the camp.

“Well met, hunters of the north.” she said, seriously. “I am Sona. War-Chief of the Nora tribe.” The leader of the Banuk stepped forward.

“Well met, War-Chief of the Nora.” He said. The man was older than her, with a gravely voice and greying brown hair. “I am Enak, second to Chieftain Sakan.” He reached forward.

Sona met him in the middle, the two grasping forearms in a warrior’s handshake. Turning, he introduced the two people standing behind him. The first was a young woman, perhaps 16 or 17 who had what looked like glowing blue wires threaded into her skin. The other was a man who looked remarkably similar to the woman but appeared a year or two older.

“This is Ourea,” he gestured to the woman, “apprentice to Nimut, our Shaman. She will serve as Shaman for our hunts in your lands.” The woman bowed her head in greeting, which Sona returned. Turning to the man, Enak gestured. “This is her brother, Aratak. He will serve as my second for this expedition.”

“Well met to you all.” Sona nodded to them. “Please, feel free to make yourselves at home. Once your camp is pitched and all are settled in, we can meet to discuss your hunts.”

“That is acceptable.” Enak replied.

The Banuk split off, pitching their camp adjacent to, but not connected to the Nora camp. Seeing this, Sona commanded that a large tent and firepit be erected and dug out directly between the two camps. Neutral ground. It wasn’t long, perhaps an hour or two before she was standing in the newly erected tent with Karst, Fassa, Enak, Aratak, and Ourea. They were all stood around a makeshift table that held a map of the surrounding area.

“On our way north, we encountered a pack of Shellwalkers here.” She pointed to a spot marked just south of the lake on the map. “They’re too close to the camp for my liking, but our scouts say their route doesn’t take them this far north.”

“The Blue Light is powerful in Shellwalkers.” Ourea said. “They would make an auspicious start to our hunts.”

“Indeed, they would.” Enak mused.

“Shellwalkers can be formidable to the unprepared,” Aratak cut in, “but I was hoping for more dangerous prey.”

“Oh, you’ll get plenty of that.” Fassa spoke up. “There’s a confirmed Bellowback site just west of the Shellwalkers and a few of our Seekers think they found a spot where Stalkers congregate. Just here.” She pointed to a spot just south of a small ruin known as Hollow Fort.”

“There are also two Glinthawk nests that we know of in the mountains to our west,” Karst added. “If you fancy going after some airborne prey.” Ginthawks were a bird-like machine that liked to spew freezing liquid at hunters who got too close to their nests.

“Excellent.” Aratak grinned. “Glinthawks can be tricky, but not much more than a nuisance. Bellowbacks are the real prize. They are strong. A good challenge for a warrior.”

“We have yet to encounter any Stalkers in The Cut.” Ourea added. “They are entirely unknown to us. All we know is that they are invisible.”

“Which makes them simultaneously a more dangerous and a much more desirable hunt than even the Bellowbacks.” Enak said, cutting off whatever Aratak was about to say. “We would appreciate any insight you may have on their behavior.

The talk continued for hours until the shadows began to lengthen, and each group retreated to their camps to get some sleep. It had been agreed that they would begin their hunt with the Shellwalkers the next day, which would be the only hunt Sona would be present for. Her orders, which had been delivered by courier while they were marching north, were to return to Mother’s Crown after getting everyone settled so that she could coordinate the expansion of their scouts along the border with the Sundom.

The next day, as the sun’s first light crept over the mountains, the hunting party was assembled. This time it would only consist of ten hunters. Five Nora and Five Banuk. They trekked through the snow around the lake until they entered a large copse of trees. Silently, the group of hunters snaked their way through the trunks until they came to a ridge that overlooked a lower part of the wood.

“There.” Sona pointed, indicating the Shellwalkers in the distance. There were two, plus a single watcher.

“A rather small pack,” Enak grumbled, “but they will do for a first hunt. Better to start small so that we might know if Banuk and Nora can truly hunt together.”

“Do we want to keep the Shellwaker canisters intact?” Tesona asked. She was one of Sona’s lieutenants. A powerfully built blonde woman with grey eyes and a scar that ran from her cheek down to her collarbone. A token from her battle with a Stalker. Indeed, she was the one credited with the Nora tribe’s second recorded Stalker kill. She would lead the Nora hunting party after Sona and the Seekers left.

“It is better if we do.” Enak replied. Shellwalkers always carried canisters that often contained rare and valuable machine parts. “The parts contained within could help us repair or replace any of our weapons that are spent or damaged.”

“I will handle the harvesting once the hunt is done.” Ourea said from the back of the pack. Banuk Shamans were in charge of dismantling fallen machines and rarely got involved in combat.

“Let one of our better harvesters help you.” Sona said. “They’ll follow your instructions, to ensure your customs are upheld, but we do know a thing or two about harvesting machines.” The young Shaman looked nervous but nodded.

“Enough talk.” Aratak demanded, impatiently. “Let us hunt!”

“You should have more patience, Aratak.” Enak scolded him. “A hunter who rushes into battle is no true hunter. Only a fool destined to be killed by his own recklessness.”

After a brief planning period, the hunters split off. Fassa, one of the Seekers moved stealthily towards the Watcher while the others positioned themselves in hidden places along what they hoped were places the Shellwalker would pass by. Every hunter who had faced one of those machines knew what to target.

First was the mount holding the canister in place. Second, the attachment to the left arm. This allowed the Shellwalker to produce some kind of shield made of light. Last, was the attachment to the right arm, which the walker would use to pick their cannister back up. Once in position, Sona watched the Watcher.

After an eternity of waiting, Fassa sprang from her hiding spot behind a tree and skewered the Watcher before it could let out a cry. Sona held her breath, hoping that the Shellwalkers had not noticed. A moment passed, her heart hammering in her chest before she let out a breath. They had not noticed.

With a cry, she gave the signal and rose. In her hands, and those of a few other hunters, were Nora or Banuk style Ropecasters. A new device designed to tie down troublesome machines. As one they fired, three to a Shellwalker. The hooks found their marks and the hunters swiftly anchored the ropes to rocks and trees, pinning the machines in place.

With a twang, the bows of the other hunters were released, slamming into the harness that held the containers of the two Shellwalkers. With the sound of rending metal, the harness’ broke, sending the cannisters rolling into the dirt. In the time it had taken for this to happen, Sona and the others had drawn their bows. She released her arrow, followed by the sounds of five other bows being loosed. They found their marks.

With sparks and creaks, the appendages on both sides of the Shellwalkers were blasted off. The badly damaged machines struggled against their bonds. The one Sona had not pinned managed to rip itself free from the restraints, but it did not last. Aratak bounded forward with a cry and drove a spear deep into what counted as a head for the Shellwalker. It let out a metallic moan before collapsing.

Before she could even blink, a similar noise came from the one in front of her. Tesona had moved forward and used her own spear to slay the still pinned Shellwalker. Looking around, Sona confirmed that there were no injuries amongst the band of hunters.

“A fine first hunt.” Enak said, walking up to her while Ourea and one of the Nora began examining the carcasses. “Perhaps your Seekers were not an anomaly. Perhaps the Nora and the Banuk truly can work together.” Sona nodded in agreement.

“A good kill!” Aratak’s booming voice shouted. “Now it is time for a challenge! Let us find a Stalker! I would be the first Banuk to slay one!” Sona and Enak both sighed at his antics. He was young. He would learn not to rush headlong into fights. Sona just hoped Enak and Tesona could keep him from getting himself killed on Nora lands before he was able to learn.

A/N: There we go! Got to see a little of young Ourea and Aratak! What did you think? I knew that they had to be quite a bit older than Aloy since Ourea was already a fully fledged Shaman before the Red Raids. If I had to guess, I’d say all the stuff with Sylens and the Banuk probably happened just before the Raids started.

Speaking of Aloy, I think we might see a chapter from her perspective soon! Looking forward to writing that!

About the Mother’s Watch Ruins where Aloy finds her Focus. I don’t think anybody actually knows its there before she finds it, so I’m going to write as if that’s the case. Don’t worry though. She’ll find it soon.

Also, I hope that you are all okay with me adding in Oc’s that only get mentioned once or twice. There aren’t many named NPC’s around, especially for the Nora, and I wanted the world to feel more alive, so I try to make it feel like there really are other members of the tribe that aren’t just generic “Nora Brave” like in the game. You like it?

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Matt22152: I update at least once a month. So, it usually is just once a month unless I get on a writing spree.

Guest: Thank you! I wanted to make sure they advance more. That’ll continue as time goes on.

LunaShadowWolf: I have my plan for how Aloy and GAIA meet all fleshed out, and don’t worry. She won’t exactly hide anything, but she won’t just info dump all over Aloy either. It’ll be a more gradual thing.

Vmage2: Thank you!

On Ao3

Ryanlarsen84: Love the idea! Sorry this is so late in coming. I’m gonna try to reply to Ao3 comments a little sooner on the site but no promises. I’d love to read your story though! I can just imagine the Sawtooth taking a shine to Beta too and acting kind of like a guard cat when its not hunting with Aloy. As for the ruin and GAIA, yes she will be having them go down into ruins. Just… not quite yet. I have a plan for that ruin that I hope you’ll like.

Lord_Vortex: Honestly my favorite thing to do in Zero Dawn was blow up Bellowback sacks while they were in close proximity to other machines. It’s so much fun!

LoveThisStory: Thank you! The muse hasn’t left yet so I’m hopeful!

WolvesRock17: Thank you! I agree. Sona is one hell of a War-Chief

Reactivegull12:I hope you liked my intro of the Banuk in this chapter! As for my favorite machine to hunt, it would have to be the Sawtooth or the Bellowback. Both are very fun to fight. I hate Stalkers though. By the way, I haven't actually played Forbidden West! I did watch several playthroughs, but I don't have a console to play it on. Gotta wait for the PC release. 

Wertlover: Thank you!

SpiritDeNight: Fuck Ted Faro! Love Mama GAIA!

Chapter Text

A/N: I’m back! Hello! I really hope you enjoy this chapter. It’s kind of an important one. Also, I’m hoping to have another chapter out soonish. It’s already outlined but I make no promises on when I’ll get to write it.

I really appreciate all your questions and comments and I’d love it if you kept them coming! They make me want to keep writing.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 7

Rost

“Do you see this plant, here?” Rost asked the two six-year-olds. He was kneeling at the side of the road just to the east of Mother’s Watch, only about half an hour’s brisk walk from the settlement. With him were his daughter, Aloy, and her friend Vala. Vala’s mother, Sona, had asked him to start her training along with Aloy’s once they both turned six. Normally, she would have been the one doing the training but as War Chief, she had duties that required her to be away from her children far too often to make training viable.

The two girls were still too young to join proper Brave training like Vala’s elder brother, Varl, but they were more than ready to learn the basics of survival in the wild. Not that the Embrace was wild. No, thanks to the patrols of the Braves under Rost’s command, the heart of the Sacre Land was as safe as it was possible to be. Indeed, despite the machine aggression, which was now being called the Derangement, most parents were willing to let any child over the age of 14 venture out on their own. So long as they stuck to the road, didn’t wander too far, and that child was participating in Brave training.

Most children of that age had been taught how to avoid machines if they got caught or were learning how to kill them, but Rost’s patrols had ensured that the areas most frequented by members of the Nora tribe were well and truly clear of machines. Only the areas less traveled by the tribe were dangerous now. Though, there was the occasional wandering pack that came in from the valley to the west.

As for why they were near Mother’s Watch instead of their home at Mother’s Heart, well, that was because of the annual meeting of the Matriarchs. While emergency meetings could be called, as had happened when the All-Mother appeared, the Matriarchs of the tribe usually only gathered once a year. This year’s meeting was scheduled to take place within the next few days, and the Matriarchs were slowly trickling in from across the Sacred Lands. Unlike in an emergency, they were able to take their time arriving for the annual meeting. As War Chief and Second, Rost and Sona were required to attend. Rost had already escorted Teersa and the Matrairchs of Mother’s Heart to Mother’s Watch.

Sona herself would be arriving with the last group from beyond the embrace, and Vala wanted to get started on her training so that she could show her mother just how much she’d learned. To that end, he’d brought the two girls out beyond the village and just down the road. Where they were was perfectly safe, but wild enough to excite the imaginations of the two six-year-olds.

“This is called Salvebrush,” he continued. The two girls looked on in fascination. “While traveling, it is always a good idea to keep a few of its berries in your medicine pouch. Do you know why?”

“Because they are good medicine?” Vala answered, hesitantly.

“Correct.” He gave her a smile. “Here, try them.” He plucked two berries and handed them to the girls.

“Ugh. It’s bitter.” Aloy grimaced while Vala made a face.

“Yes,” Rost chuckled, “they are, but they can save your life. Always keep a pouch filled with medicinal flowers and berries on yourself when you journey beyond the safety of the village.”

 “Rost!” A voice called. Standing, he turned towards the voice. Jogging towards them was Enoa, one of the Braves who was stationed at Mother’s Watch.

“What’s wrong, Enoa?” Rost asked.

“I’m sorry, Captain, but one of the scouts reported Scrapper tracks on the roads to the west. It looks like a pack has wandered in from the valley. The patrols are requesting permission to hunt them down.”

“Damn.” Rost cursed under his breath. Turning to the children, he said, “Hold here a moment, girls and don’t move. I need to speak with Enoa.”

“Aw.” Aloy pouted. “Can we at least go play by those rocks, Daddy?” She pointed to a barren outcropping further along and to the right of the road.

“Ah.” Rost hesitated before nodding. “Yes, you may, but do not go out of sight! You should be able to see me at all times. Promise.”

“We promise.” They chorused, before scampering off towards the rocks, giggling all the way.

Turning back to Enoa, Rost focused on the Scrapper problem. “We need to take care of the pack, quickly. There are Matriarchs and many others traveling the roads today, the last thing we need is a Scrapper attack. Report back to Anra and tell her to have six teams head out. Our best trackers should follow what tracks you’ve found, while the rest should comb the nearby areas and remove any machines they find.”

“Should we send a runner along the road to warn any coming parties?”

“Hm.” Rost considered the idea before nodding. “Yes. Send Ferza, she’s probably the fastest runner stationed in Mother’s Watch at the moment.”

“Yes, sir.” She nodded and turned to leave before stopping short. “Sir? Where did the girls go?”

“What?!” He whirled around. They were gone! The girls weren’t by the rocks they had pointed to! “Blast it. I told them not to wander off! Vala! Aloy!”

Aloy

Aloy giggled as she and Vala scampered away from her daddy. She loved being outside the walls! Everything was so open and free! Not that she didn’t love living in the village. She did! It was all warm and snuggly and there were so many people! Too many people, sometimes. That was why she liked exploring when her dad took her out into the woods, which wasn’t very often. He said she wasn’t old enough to start going out there on her own, so she could only go with him or other groups of children.

“Do you think there are any machines here?” Aloy asked, excitedly as she bounded up onto one of the lower rocks.

“Nah, I doubt it.” Her best friend, Vala, replied. She too was up on the rocks, her arms out to keep her balance as she walked across a thinner boulder. “Uncle Rost says that the roads are safe so I don’t think there would be any near us.”

That was a little disappointing. Still, Aloy and Vala excitedly explored the hollow made by the rocks, unknowingly moving out of sight and earshot of Rost, until something caught Aloy’s eye.

“What’s that?” she asked, moving closer to it. It looked like a big hole in the ground!

“Is there a cave down there?” Vala asked, excitedly as the two children moved towards the opening. It was pitch dark inside the hole, which seemed to go down quite a way. Aloy got on her hands and knees, straining her head down to try and see what was in there.

“Be careful.” Vala warned.

“I think I can see something!” Aloy said, happily. She could just barely make out shapes in the darkness, when her hands suddenly slipped on the muddy edge of the hole. “Wah!” She lost her balance and pitched forward into the dark.

“Aloy!” She felt Vala grab her ankle, but her weight was too much, and the two girls plunged into the darkness.

They tumbled. Aloy felt herself bounce off of something hard, and then another something, before they crashed into water with a huge splash. Luckily, they both knew the basics of swimming. Coming up for air, Aloy gasped. The light was dim, but she could see Vala’s head poking out of the water.

“Vala! Are you okay?” she asked, panicked.

“I think so!” Her friend replied.

“Come on!” Aloy said, relieved, “I think I see the edge.”

Together, they swam as best as they could towards the bank of the deep pond and pulled themselves out. The light was still dim, but there seemed to be enough to get a feeling for their surroundings. Looking up, Aloy tried shouting, hoping her father would hear her.

“Dad! Daddy! We fell!”

“Uncle Rost! Help!” Vala’s voice joined hers. After a moment with no reply, Aloy kicked a loose stone, dejectedly.

“I don’t think he can hear us.”

“It looks like we’re in some kind of cave.” Vala said, looking around. There were spikes of rock and ice protruding from the floors and ceilings as well as moss covering the ground. There appeared to be light coming from a passage just ahead of them.

“Maybe there’s a way out through there?” Aloy asked.

Vala shrugged, noncommittally. The two moved into the thin passage but were almost immediately forced to cover their heads and squeal as a flock of bats came flying out of the cave and over their heads. Once the flock passed, they continued down the passage until they came to a small opening.

“Looks tight.” Vala said, looking at the opening.

“We can get through.” Aloy told her with confidence. Yes, she was scared, but this was an adventure! Like the ones in Rost’s stories! Together the two squeezed through the opening, nearly slipping on the icy floor of the open area beyond.

“Is this… metal?” Vala muttered, tapping the floor with her foot.

Looking around, they could see what looked like metal shelves on wheels, along with railings and other metal objects. Even the floor was made of metal, and it was all covered in ice. There were even spikes of ice hanging from the ceiling.

“This must be a ruin of the Metal World.” Aloy said with awe as she looked around.

“One of the old ruins?” Vala sounded a little panicked. “Aloy, we aren’t supposed to be in places like this! Only Seekers can go down here!”

“Well, we have to find some way out, right?” Aloy rebutted.

“I… ok, you have a point.” Vala griped.

With that, the two trudged through the ankle-deep water and across the frozen metal floor. Passing through the gap in a huge metal door they came to a large room with an open door at the end. Going through it, they kept going until they saw a bright light through one opening. Thinking it was an exit, they eagerly rushed towards it, only to discover it was a shaft of sunlight coming through a hole in the roof.

“What’s that?” Aloy asked with curiosity, staring at the silhouette of whatever the light was illuminating.

“A dead person…” Vala whispered in fear.

Gulping, Aloy moved closer. She could see something shiny next to the body. Right above the rotting, desiccated ear of the corpse was a metallic triangle that was glowing faintly. Curiosity won out over fear or disgust as Aloy plucked the object from the head of the body.

“Aloy!” Vala gasped in shock, but the redhead wasn’t listening.

No, she was too busy putting the triangle on the side of her head, in the same place the dead person had been wearing it. There was a loud screech and a flash of light, causing her to squeak and drop the object. Startled, Vala squealed and jumped back. Picking up the object again, Aloy put it back on her head. It just sort of… stuck to the side of her face, slightly above her right ear.

With another squeak, a circle of light appeared over the object and a dome of purple lines appeared over her. All around, the previously dark metallic objects began to glow with a soft purple light.

“Vala! Look! There’s lights… everywhere!”

“What lights?” Vala asked, hesitantly. Aloy swiftly pulled the triangle off her face, causing the lights to disappear and handed it to her friend.

“Look!”

Slowly, Vala took the object and placed it on her head. She jumped a little before staring in wonder. “Wow… how does it do that?” she asked, amazed. After a moment, she took it off and handed it back to Aloy.

“I dunno.” The redhead replied, putting it back on.

With a squeak, the lights reappeared. Looking around, she saw what looked like a door glowing purple. There were strange symbols floating above it. Aloy was very proud of the fact that she could already read the glyphs used by the Nora, but these were unfamiliar.

“There’s a metal door over here.” She said, walking up some frozen stairs with Vala close behind. “It’s closed but… I can see a red light on it. Look.” She handed the device back to Vala.

Less hesitantly this time, Vala put it on. “Huh. Maybe this… device is meant to help unlock the door?” She looked around a little. “I can see… lines or something, going from the door to something else. It looks like a lit-up box on the other side of that wall.” She handed the triangle back to Aloy.

Looking, Aloy was able to see the lines and box her dark-haired friend had spoken of. Together, they moved towards and then along the wall, which had windows covered in ice and rock spikes, making it difficult to see inside the room.

“Maybe there’s a way in there back this way?” Aloy guessed, headed down the corridor. It wasn’t long until they entered the room with the glowing box. Floating in front of it was a blue circle with a red segment up at the top. Over on another wall, there was a second circle with the red segment at the bottom. Through guesswork and sheer dumb luck, they figured out that they needed to spin the first circle so that it matched the second one. This caused a strange noise to echo from the room with the door. The two girls grinned at each other, dashed back towards it and, spinning the now blue circle on the door, they high-fived as the frozen door slid open.

They continued on and down some stairs, until Aloy spotted another body. “What’s that?” There was a… glyph of some kind floating above the body.

“There’s another device on their ear…” Vala said, slowly.

“No, there’s something floating over them. Hang on.” Aloy reached towards it, but the glyph didn’t react. Frustrated, she tried tapping the device on the side of her head. Suddenly, a green bar made a circle around the glyph and to her astonishment, the image of a glowing purple man appeared. Aloy let out a squeal and backed away as the man started to talk.

“You think I want it this way?” He whispered. “It’s the best I can do. He’s right behind you.” Then he spoke up in a cheerful voice. “Hi! Happy birthday Isaac! Daddy sure does love his little big man. Look, Daddy can’t be there with you and mom, but… we can still have a party, right? Sure, we can!” He blew into a noise maker of some kind. Then the man flickered and disappeared.

“Aloy! What happened?” Vala demanded.

“There... there was a man! Look!” Aloy all but shoved the triangle into her hands. Putting it on, Aloy watched Vala’s expression as she too saw the image of the man.

“Is that… the man who died here?” she asked, hesitantly before handing the triangle back.

“I think… he is.” After a moment, Aloy stooped and pulled the triangle off of Isaac’s Daddy and handed it to Vala. “This way, we can both see the lights.”

Vala stared at the object for a moment, debating with herself, before taking it and putting it on. “If we get to keep these, I’m cleaning it once we’re out of here.”

“That’s… probably a good idea.” Aloy admitted, sheepishly.

They kept going until they came to a door that was partially open. Squeezing through the gap, they emerged into what looked like a series of frozen over rooms. Looking around, Aloy could see more lights floating above what looked like tables. One had another of the glyphs that had floated above the body of Isaac’s Daddy! She didn’t know what else to call him, and just calling him ‘the body’ felt wrong. Approaching, she… scanned? Scanned the object. Although no image appeared, she could hear a man’s voice. Next to her, Aloy saw Vala do the same thing.

 “Well, happy new year, dear diary. Can you believe we actually celebrated last night? Well, we did. Kind of. Director Evans invited everyone to gather in the community room. Don't know where she got the party hats. That was a ghoulish touch. So there we sit, watching the clock tick down to midnight, and I'm thinking, am I the only one here who gets the symbolism of this? Might've been worth it if Skylar had gotten drunk again, but... I seem to be a mistake she doesn't want to repeat.”

“Community room?” Vala said, unsure.

“Why does he sound… sad?” Aloy wondered out loud.

They moved away until they came to a room that seemed to be filled with… beds? Metal beds? In each of them, the light triangle showed the purple outlines of… bodies. Each seemed to have another glyph hanging above them.

“What… happened to them?” Vala asked, sadly. “Why did they die here?”

“Maybe… they were killed by the Metal Devil?” Aloy reasoned. A light on one of the tables was blinking, so she moved towards it. Tapping the light in the air, she jumped a little when the image of a tiny person appeared, floating over the desk. She had dark skin kind of like Vala and was wearing some kind of cloth over her head. Aloy gestured for Vala to come look at it. The tiny woman spoke.

“Hello. My name is Samina Ebadji,” Aloy gasped, “Alpha of APOLLO, and I would like to welcome you to this secondary Zero Dawn facility. Within this bunker, you will be kept safe from the Swarm while you continue your work on the APOLLO database and ELEUTHIA program.” The voice cut out and the image disappeared.

“Samina Ebadji!” Vala said, astounded. They both knew that name, of course. Being descended from their leader, the story of the Alpha’s was Aloy’s absolute favorite. Not that it wasn’t the favorite of basically every child in the tribe. They all knew the names of every single Alpha by heart. “This must be one of the bunkers the All-Mother spoke of.” She was referencing the copy of the All-Mother’s testimony on the death of the Metal Devil.

Aloy knew it as well, of course. She was a little young to TOTALLY understand the concept of a god, but she knew that the All-Mother was very important to the tribe. Her father and Granny Teersa, especially. Turning away, she moved to another of the bodies, and plucked the triangle off the dead woman’s head. She’d give it to her father, so she could show him that they’d found a record of the Alphas!

“I can’t believe it.” Vala was still processing.

“I know!” Aloy replied. “This place belonged to the Alpha’s!”

“But… if they were safe, how did they die?”

“I… don’t know.” Aloy was hesitant. “Maybe they ran out of food?” They could try and find more recordings of the dead people’s voices, but an entirely new voice stopped them in their tracks and caused both little girls to scream.

“Aloy! Aloy, are you alright?” the panicked voice had asked, coming out of the devices on their heads! Aloy nearly ripped it off in fear before the now soothing female voice spoke again. “Oh. Forgive me. I did not mean to frighten you.”

“Who… who are you?” Aloy asked, a little scared.

“My name is GAIA, and I am speaking to you through the Focus device.”

“Focus?” Vala asked.

“The triangular metal device you have placed on the sides of your heads. They are called Focuses.”

“Are you… in charge of this place?”

“Yes and no. I was alerted to your presence when you entered the facility because I am connected to it, but I do not have a physical presence.”

“Are you a spirit? Like the All-Mother spoke of?” Vala asked, excitedly.

GAIA’s voice seemed… hesitant. “Not… exactly, but that would be the easiest term.”

Aloy had a feeling the disembodied voice was hiding something. Also, how had GAIA known her name? Maybe she heard them talking? Still… for some reason, the voice felt… familiar. Comforting, even.

“Would you like me to help guide you out?”

“Can… you really do that?” Vala sounded suspicious.

“Of course. This is no place for children. To your right, there is another door. Go through it and down the corridor. There should be an opening to the sky just beyond it, along with some rubble you can climb.”

Aloy and Vala glanced at each other before nodding and silently following the advice of the disembodied voice. It wasn’t like they had any better ideas.

“So… did you know the Alphas?” Aloy asked, hesitantly.

“I did.” GAIA replied. “They were my friends.”

“Did you know Elisabet Sobeck?!” The redhead demanded, much more excitedly.

“Yes. Dr. Sobeck… Elisabet… was a dear friend. I was very sad when she died.”

“What was she like?” Aloy asked, almost belligerently. “Please, tell me!”

“Aloy!” Vala shouted, because the other girl had stopped moving.

“If your father allows you to keep the Focus, then perhaps we can speak of Elisabet another time. For now, you should get out of this facility. Oh, but… please do not mention my name to anyone.”

Pouting a little, Aloy obeyed. Together, she and Vala made their way forward, following GAIA’s direction until, faintly above them, they heard a voice.

“Aloy! Vala!” The two girls grinned, excitedly. “Are you down there?!”

“Daddy! We’re here!”

“Uncle Rost!”

The two scrambled forward. Up above them, they could see Aloy’s father peering down out of a hole in the roof. Helping each other, the two children climbed and scrabbled up as far as they could, till Aloy’s dad was able to grab hold of them and hoist the girls out of the hole.

“All-Mother be praised.” He gasped in relief, hugging them both. Perils of the recent past forgotten, Aloy melted into her father’s embrace like she always did. After a moment, her father let them go so he could look at them.

“What were you doing down there?”

“I’m sorry.” Aloy hung her head. “I fell in. Vala only fell in cause she was trying to help me.”

“Such places are of the Metal World. Only Seekers are allowed to enter!”

“But, Uncle Rost!” Vala stammered. “That place belonged to the Alphas! We saw an image of Samina Ebadji! She spoke to us!”

“What?” He gasped.

“It’s true!” Aloy chimed in. “We found these weird triangle things, and they let us see lights and visions!” She pointed at the side of her head.

“You found what? Wait, that’s…”

Rost

Rost could barely believe his eyes. All the panic and fear of having lost his baby were replaced with a sense of wonder as he beheld the item sitting on Aloy’s head. The events of the day he took custody of her were forever burned into his mind, including the image of this device. If he remembered right, the All-Mother called it a Focus. A tool of the Alphas! If Vala was right, and the device let them see a vision of an Alpha…

“Here!” Aloy said, excitedly holding another such object out for him to take. “I found one for you!”

Rost hesitated for a moment, filled with apprehension before taking it. He had to know. There was a screeching noise as it attached itself to his head. Light filled his vision before settling. There were odd glowing circles surrounding the devices on the two girls’ heads.

“Hold on, I think I…” Aloy seemed to go quiet and still for a moment, as if listening to something, before hesitantly tapping the odd symbols of light in front of her. To Rost’s astonishment, an image he had only seen once before appeared. A woman with dark skin and a cloth head-covering. He’d seen her visage on the day the All-Mother had gifted the tribe with the tale of the Alpha’s. To his further astonishment, she began to speak.

“Hello. My name is Samina Ebadji. Alpha of APOLLO, and I would like to welcome you to this secondary Zero Dawn facility. Within this bunker, you will be kept safe from the Swarm while you continue your work on the APOLLO database and ELEUTHIA program.”

Rost could only gape. How could this be? He had no idea what half of what she said meant, but he recognized her name, that the was an Alpha, and that she referenced ‘the Swarm,’ which was a name the Old Ones had used for the Metal Devil.

“See? I told you!” Aloy ignored his shock.

“I… we must report this to the High-Matriarchs.” Rost shook his head, duty overcoming shock and dread. Also, despite how proud he was of Aloy for having survived what was likely a harrowing ordeal, he could not let her go unpunished for disobeying him. He took a moment to stare down at the two girls, sternly. “Also, just because you may have discovered a relic of the Alpha’s doesn’t mean you two are off the hook for wandering away. I told you not to go out of sight.”

Aloy and Vala could only pout and follow along behind him.

Teersa

 Teersa all but collapsed into a chair following Aloy, Vala, and Rost’s recounting of the story. One of the bunkers of the Alpha’s? Right under their noses? Furthermore, it had to be a sign from the goddess that Aloy, daughter of the All-Mother, was the one to discover it! What is more, they claimed to have heard the voice of a spirit!

“What do we do, High-Matriarch?” Rost asked, hesitantly. He held the three Focuses in his hand, having confiscated them from the children who were now moping.

Normally, Teersa would turn to her fellow High-Matriarchs for counsel, but neither of them were there! Jezza was still in Mother’s Heart, overseeing a harvest, and Lansra had taken a few days off to visit her grandson in Mother’s Cradle before the meeting. Alone as she was, Teersa was unsure of what to do.

“I… will head into the mountain. Perhaps being closer to All-Mother will grant me some insight.” She said after a moment. “Give those to me, for now.” Rost handed the strange devices over to Teersa, who took them gingerly.

Leaving the two children to Rost’s admonishment, she headed for the mountain, mind whirring. So intense were her thoughts, that she barely registered anything until she stood before the Womb of the Mountain. She moved to bow and pray when something caught her eye. A person, standing in the center of the room. Suddenly, her mind snapped back to full awareness as she registered that it was All-Mother! Standing there, the size of a human and in golden raiment! Teersa threw herself to the floor.

“Oh, All-Mother! I did not know if I would ever behold you again! I am honored!”

“Please, Teersa. Rise.” The Goddess sounded both cheerful and melancholy. Obeying, Teersa stood and faced the All-Mother. “You should know that I am already aware of what transpired down in the bunker.” All-Mother offered Teersa a smile. “I was the one who guided them out.”

Teersa’s jaw dropped, gaping at the All-Mother who gestured at the devices in her hand.

“The Focus, under certain circumstances, allows me to speak with their bearers from afar. The girls believe me to be a… spirit, and it is better if it stays that way for now.”

“I… of course, All-Mother.” Teersa bowed her head, unsure. “What of the…Bunker? What is it? What do you wish us to do with it?”

“It was a facility utilized by members of the support staff who followed the Alphas Samina Ebadji and Patrick Bochard-Klein. When the Swarm closed in and they were unable to escape, the workers still trapped inside chose to end their lives on their own terms, rather than be devoured by the Swarm.”

Teersa bowed her head in sorrow. Such brave souls. The All-Mother continued to speak.

“Aside from being partially flooded and frozen over, the facility is safe for any to enter. Though, if it is easier for you, then perhaps send a team of Seekers inside. After all these years, the personnel deserve a proper burial.”

Teersa nodded her head in agreement. “It will be done, Goddess. I swear it. But, what then? And what do we do with the devices?”

“My daughter will be able to make use of the facility when she is older, but for now I would only ask that you clean up what you can and remove the bodies for burial. As for the Focuses, I think it best that they be returned to Aloy and Vala. It will be an invaluable tool for Aloy, so it is better that she learns to use it now. As for Vala, I doubt she’d let Aloy do anything dangerous by herself so she should have one too. I will let you decide what to do with the third, or any others found within the bunker.”

“As you wish, goddess.” Teersa bowed again, overwhelmed.

GAIA

GAIA smiled to herself as she faded from view. Perhaps not the godliest conversation she’d ever had, but then she wasn’t a god and was dealing with some very complex emotions. She got to speak to her baby! Her precious little girl! Sure, it was only because she’d fallen into a potentially dangerous place and could easily have hurt herself but still!

She was also a little melancholy, considering she was finally able to ask that the Nora put the poor workers inside the facility to rest. She hadn’t known any of them personally, but they had all worked so hard for so long. They deserved to be buried somewhere that could see the clear sky their endeavors helped create. Not trapped in the bunker than had been as much a prison as it had been a safe haven.

Still, her joy could not be contained! Aloy had a focus! She could talk to her baby! Keep a better eye on her! Even give her the learning module she’d been working on! Of course, she couldn’t exactly tell Aloy much. That she was technically the ‘All-Mother.’ That she was Aloy’s actual mother. One of them, at least. Nor anything pertaining to how she kind of needed Aloy’s help to capture her rogue sub-functions. No. Her baby was much too young for anything of the sort.

No, for now the Focus would be a toy and a learning tool, and it would let her talk to her baby! Yes, the circumstances surrounding how Aloy found it were… not ideal but what did that matter when she now had a direct line of communication to her daughter! Just because she couldn’t TELL Aloy that she was her mother didn’t mean she couldn’t act like a mother! Just… a digital one.

A/N: That’s it! Pretty important chapter, right? What did you think of our first look into Aloy’s perspective? How about Vala? They have Focuses!

I did say she would find the ruins soon! I kind of have a plan for them, but it’s a bit down the road.

I hope I did alright with the personalities of the kids. I tried to base how Aloy acts and talks on how she speaks in the prologue of Zero Dawn.

Please, leave me some of your thoughts and ideas in the comments! I really want to know what you all think.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

LunaShadowWolf: Thank you!

Vmage2: I’m glad you like it! I hope you liked this chapter too.

Frostwolf3227: I don’t think she’s likely to show herself to too many people for a while yet. She doesn’t want to be a god, so she’ll only appear when she absolutely needs to say something. At least until Aloy is older.

Dracofighter: Thank you!

Rios: I really appreciate that! It’s different than Hearthfire, but I will be keeping them both going for as long as I can.

Theonethatsee: Here’s more!

On Ao3

Jpx0999: I’m still not totally sure if I’ll keep the subfunctions sentient. I’m leaning towards not, but I’m not sold on the idea yet.  As for the Nora, I don’t think many will find out the full truth. It’ll be more of a generational shift as they slowly realize they weren’t quite right. Don’t ever apologize for long comments or ranting! I love reading longer comments.

WolvezRock17: Red Raids will be soon! I have some ideas for them, so we’ll see. Oh, and it might not be the last we see of younger Ourea and Aratak. Still trying to figure out how I want to handle a couple things.

Reactivegull12: I’m glad you’re enjoying both this and Hearthfire! I’m probably going to try playing Forbidden West on the max difficulty too, just to see if I can. If only it would come out on PC soon. There still isn’t a proper release date for it.

JamaLlama: I’m glad you noticed! Whenever I talk about where characters are, I’m always looking at the game map to figure out what might be around them. In fact, in this chapter I mentioned them looking at Salvebrush near the entrance to the ruin. That’s because in the game, there really is a bunch along the road near the Mother’s Watch ruins.

SpiritDeNight: Thank you!

DarthLordNoxious: I’m glad you like it!

Chapter Text

A/N: Here we go! A little early, right?

Well, that’s because today is pretty special. As of posting it is January 10, 2024. Exactly one year since I started writing fanfiction. Now, A Digital Mother is considerably newer than Hearthfire but since I want to celebrate a year of writing, I thought I’d do something really special.

I’m doing double uploads to both Hearthfire and A Digital Mother. Two chapters each in a single day, making four in total! I’ve been working on this for a while and its been exhausting, but I hope you like it! I’ll be posting one in the morning and one in the late afternoon/evening.

Oh, I wanted to let you know I corrected a continuity error. I was doing some research and realized that the Nora face paint is meant to symbolize family ties, not their jobs. Kind of confusing, considering how they’re named in the games. So, I went back and corrected a small reference to that in chapter 3.

Thank you so much for your support for this story! Your comments and reviews are what has kept me writing, and I appreciate them all. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Please leave a comment or review with your thoughts and opinions!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 8

Rost

Rost carefully observed as the team of Seekers combed through the ruins Aloy and Vala had discovered. They were meticulously investigating the underground structure, searching for the bodies of the brave souls who’d lain entombed within for so many centuries. Rost felt… conflicted about the whole situation. On the one hand, finding one of the bunkers of the Alpha’s had to be providence. A sign from the All-Mother. On the other hand, its discovery meant that Aloy had been in danger.

Now, Rost was fully aware that he could not keep his daughter from danger. She had a long and treacherous road ahead of her. He just didn’t think the danger would begin so soon. Because of this, he had resolved to begin her training as soon as possible. Still, it would have to wait a little longer.

The discovery of the bunker had become one of the major topics discussed by the Matriarchs at the annual meeting and had led to Rost leading this team of Seekers. At first, Rost was unsure if he counted as a proper Seeker, since he had originally been a Death Seeker whose spirit had been returned by the All-Mother, but the High-Matriarchs resolved that issue by conveying the traditional Seeker blessing upon him.

They’d gotten rather used to the ritual, since they had created no less than 27 Seekers in the time since Aloy’s birth. Every year saw a few young Braves request the blessing following their completion of the Proving. Once it is given, they were usually handed over to Karst for training and lessons on what to expect in the realms beyond the Sacred Lands before being assigned a team and heading out. So far, only the Banuk actually knew that any Nora were leaving the Sacred Lands, of course. Most Seekers went about disguised while in Carja and Oseram territory. Nora relations with the Carja could be described as tense if one was being generous and their relationship with the Oseram was practically non-existent so the Seekers tried to keep a low profile.

So, here he was. Watching a team of other Seekers, including Karst and Fassa, hack away at the spikes of rock and ice that blocked one of the doorways. It was rough going, but they were dedicated. The people who had died here deserved a proper burial out in the open. Not to be entombed here for eternity. Already they’d recovered 14 bodies and what appeared to be 6 working Focuses. Still, there were several rooms that they could not access either because they were blocked by ice and rock, such as the room they were currently trying to enter, or because they were sealed by doors that would not open.

Doors that had that odd red light on them. Yes, Rost could see the lights around him, thanks to the Focus temporarily attached to the side of his head. Not that it would stay there. No, it would likely be handed back to High-Matriarch Teersa once the cleanup was finished. He was entirely uncomfortable with using it, partially because he had no clue how it worked! No idea how to manipulate the lights or anything else the device showed him. In that respect, his baby was more advanced.

Since High-Matriarch Teersa had seen fit to return the Focuses to Aloy and Vala a few days ago, the two girls had done practically nothing except play with the odd devices. They’d learned a great deal so far, but Rost was not comfortable enough with the situation to join them. It was just so far out of his area of expertise. In fact, he likely wouldn’t be the one leading this team if it wasn’t for the fact that he was one of only two Seekers who’d ever entered a ruin of the old ones!

The other, a lovely young dark-skinned woman named Talna, had only just returned from her first Seeking around a month ago. She and her group had ventured into The Claim disguised as Carja merchants and while most of her group spent their time learning how the Oseram built their remarkable inventions, Talna had joined a team on what the Oseram called a delve.

The Oseram were the only tribe Rost knew of that actively explored the ruins of the metal world and it was these expeditions that the Oseram called delving. They would pull up relics of the old world and either give them to their tinkerers for experimentation or sell them depending on what was extracted from the ruin. Compared to her, Rost was inexperienced. He’d only gone into ruins while in pursuit of the marauders he’d been tracking and only paid attention to following them, not exploring or taking relics.

Since Rost was the older, higher-ranking Brave, he was overseeing the expedition but had appointed Talna as his right hand. She had more exploration experience, so she was in charge of the team that was currently hacking away at the spikes of rock and ice. Rost was overseeing the group that was removing the bodies and clearing away what they could. He was pulled from his thoughts by Talna walking up to him.

“As far as we can tell, this is the last room not blocked by a door.” She spoke softly. “If we can’t get through them, then we won’t be able to find out what’s inside. There could be more bodies back there.”

Rost nodded. “I am unsure of how we would go about it. The Focus allows me to see much, but I am afraid I do not understand what it shows me.”

“I’m… hesitant to suggest this, sir but… perhaps your daughter might be able to help us?” Her voice was nervous, almost scared. Rost sighed.

“I’m afraid you’re right.” He didn’t like it. Not one bit, but she had a point. Aloy did know more about how the Focus worked than he did. She could actually use the damn thing, while he just sort of looked around at what it showed him. “Once we have cleared what lies beyond this passage, I will retrieve her. She may be able to get us through the blocked doors, but I don’t want her seeing more dead bodies than required.”

Aloy

“So, what does this symbol mean?” Aloy asked, excitedly. She was sitting in a secluded spot high up inside the village of Mother’s Watch. Lying on the ground next to her was Vala, who was also playing with her Focus. Her brother, Varl, was out in the woods training with their mother.

“It is a representation of a speaker.” The voice of GAIA, her new spirit friend replied. “A device that allows the transmission of sound at loud volumes. It is used to indicate audio files and, in this case, volume controls.”

“Volume?” Vala asked, confused.

“I think that means how loud something is.” Aloy said.

“It does. Very good, Aloy.” The little redhead preened at the praise the motherly voice gave her. She snapped out of it when GAIA continued to speak. “If you would like it, I can upload a learning module to your Focuses. There is much data contained within, but for starters it would teach you to read the language used by the device.”

“Really?!” Aloy asked, excitedly.

“That would be easier than trying to guess…” Vala admitted, sitting up.

“What other… data? What else can it teach us?!” Aloy couldn’t contain herself. Learning the secrets of the old ones? Of the Alpha’s? Who could resist?

“It does not contain the sum of all human knowledge,” GAIA said, her voice sad, “but it can teach you a great deal. Aside from basic reading and mathematical skills, it can go on to teach you many of the higher educational disciplines. Advanced engineering, programming, basic medical knowledge, and much more. Along with educational data, the package contains some media. Music, literature, and entertainment programs that I have pulled from my memory. They are not all complete, but I believe you might enjoy them.”

Aloy was vibrating in excitement. Sharing a beaming grin with Vala, the two girls practically begged GAIA to give them the information. Soon enough, she could see what GAIA called a ‘progress bar’ floating in front of her. It wasn’t in her immediate field of view, meaning she could still see and play with her Focus, but she was able to keep an eye on it.

The two girls continued to play, occasionally asking GAIA to explain a symbol or a concept they didn’t understand. Still, Aloy found herself glancing at the progress bar every few seconds. It either seemed to be moving ridiculously fast or painfully slow yet she couldn’t stop watching it! Eventually it was nearly complete.

“Your Focuses will temporarily reset once the download is complete. They will shut down briefly but will reactivate after a few seconds. Once they do, you should see a new icon on the main menu.”

Sure enough, the moment Aloy saw the bar fill to completion her Focus squeaked, and the lights went out. Having been using it near constantly for the last few days, the world felt a little duller once the lights were gone. Still, the excitement was palpable with both girls nearly bouncing with anticipation. It was either an hour or half a minute later, but the devices squeaked again, and the lights reappeared. True to GAIA’s words, there was a new symbol floating in what she called the ‘main menu.’ GAIA said it was supposed to look like a book with something floating over it.

Unfortunately, before either of them was able to tap the icon, they were interrupted by Aloy’s father approaching them. He looked tired, dirty, and kind of damp, but both were fully aware that he had been exploring the ruin they’d found with the other Seekers and were eager to discover what they’d found.

“Daddy!” Aloy shouted, happily bounding towards him and, ignoring how dirty he was, gave him a huge hug.

“Hello, little one.” He replied, returning her hug. “Have the two of you been having fun?”

“Uh huh!” She nodded in affirmation.

“Good.” He smiled. “I’m sorry to say this, but you won’t be able to spend the day playing tomorrow. The other Seekers and I need your help. There are a few doors down in the ruin we can’t access. You said you were able to open one of the locked doors before, right?”

“Sure!” Aloy said, excited.

“It was kind of confusing, but we were able to make it work.” Vala added.

Aloy’s dad nodded. “Then tomorrow the two of you will accompany me into the ruins to try and unlock the doors.” This, of course, prompted the eyes of both girls to start shining with excitement and joy.

The next day, Aloy was giddy once again as her father helped her and Vala climb down into the ruin. Vala’s mother, Sona, was also with them wearing a small Seeker mark attached to her belt. She wasn’t exactly happy about them having wound up down there, nor that they were going back, but she did say she was proud of how they were handling it. The last member of their group was Talna, who Aloy thought was very nice.

“It’s hard to imagine people living down here.” Aunt Sona muttered as they entered the room where all the bodies had been before. They weren’t there anymore though. Aloy’s father and the Seekers had already removed them.

“I imagine it wasn’t frozen over when they were alive.” Miss Talna commented.

“No. It was not.” Aloy looked over to see that Vala had also heard GAIA’s voice.

The nice spirit lady had asked that they not tell anybody her name, and neither she, Aloy’s daddy, nor Granny Teersa wanted anybody to know that they were still hearing her voice through the Focus. Granny Teersa said that GAIA was super important and that everybody would bother her if the rest of the tribe knew Aloy or Vala could hear her and that didn’t sound very nice. She seemed to talk to Aloy more than Vala though neither were sure why. Aloy liked GAIA, who kept speaking.

“The environmental controls malfunctioned after the personnel died, meaning everything has frozen over. This also led to the creation of the rock formations. It may be possible to reactivate them if the control room is intact and their systems have not decayed. That would also allow the water accumulated on the floor to drain away.”

Aloy didn’t really get what she meant, but it sounded like they might be able to melt the ice and remove the water if the ‘en-vi-ron-mental controls’ weren’t broken. Maybe they’d find them? The group continued on through the halls, with Aloy and Vala looking around in interest. They’d been a little too scared to really pay attention the last time they were down there.

There were clear signs of the Seeker’s work. Tools still lying around, rock formations that blocked doors and windows were gone, and obviously the bodies were gone. This time though, Aloy paid close attention to the glowing panels that still floated above a few of the tables she could see. Most of them were fuzzy or distorted but a few looked like they could be interacted with. She wondered what they were for but couldn’t approach since they were being shepherded through the ruin by her father and Auntie Sona.

“Here we are.” Miss Talna said, pointing at a door. No wonder Aloy and Vala hadn’t seen it last time they were there. It had been behind an opening that was completely blocked by rock and ice spikes. GAIA called them ‘stalac-mites and stalc-tites.’ Aloy wasn’t sure she could say those properly, or what they really meant. “This is the first door we can’t open.”

“Well, girls? What do you think?” Her father asked. Aloy and Vala tapped their focuses. “I can see the red circle, but I don’t know how to make it do anything.”

“The red circle means it won’t open. It’s locked.” Aloy told him. GAIA had explained that it meant the power to the door had also been cut.

“Last time, we had to follow the purple lines coming out of the door. Aloy, look.” Vala was pointing. Sure enough, there were more purple lines that led through the wall to another room.

“This way.” Aloy said to the group. They moved along the passage to another closed door.

“Why is this one blue?” Aloy’s father asked. He was the only other member of the group wearing a Focus.

“That means it will open if you have a Focus.” Aloy replied. Stepping forward, she reached up and spun the ring of blue light. The door opened with a ‘hiss.’ Inside, there was another panel that showed the orientation of different circles. The problem was, there were only three on the panel and four on the wall nearby. One of the lights was out.

“The combination panel is damaged.” GAIA’s voice said in their ears. “I will attempt to access the data to discover the missing link. Aloy, please scan the console to the left of the panel.” Aloy did as requested. The floating purple panel was badly distorted, but she scanned it anyway. “Thank you, little one. Accessing. Please turn the left middle ring once to the left.”

Nodding at each other, Aloy and Vala moved to the lights on the wall. Starting on the left, she turned the ring of light until the red marker was facing down. Then turned the next one to the left. On her right, Vala was turning the other two rings. When the last clicked into place, they heard a ‘hiss’ and a ‘click’ from the other room.

The two girls excitedly led the group back to the first door. This time, Vala reached up and spun the lock, causing the door to open. Vala and Aloy high-fived as the door slid open, grinning widely. Aloy felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she could see her daddy smiling at her.

“Well done.” He said. To her right, she could see Auntie Sona congratulating Vala as well.

“We should explore a bit.” Miss Talna cut in. “There might be more locked doors.”

“I do not like the idea of taking the children further into this ruin, but I suppose you are correct.” Auntie Sona grimaced.

They continued on. Mostly it was just rooms full of frozen over equipment that they didn’t understand and looked pretty broken. Miss Talna did insist on entering every room first, and there were a few they wouldn’t let either of the girls enter. She had a feeling there were more bodies in them. Aloy and Vala did have to open another door, but they convinced her father to be the one to open the unlocked door. He was hesitant and clumsy, but he managed it. Inside the room was a series of desks, all of them with distorted panels glowing above them.

“This is the primary control core.” GAIA spoke into their ears. “Environmental control should be just to your left.” Aloy looked at the desk she was indicating. She surreptitiously moved over to it while the others began exploring the adjacent rooms. Vala followed close behind.

“What do I do?” She whispered.

“Please scan the mound on top of the desk. The panel should be projecting out of it.” Aloy did as instructed. “Accessing. Power to the control core has failed and the geothermal generator is operating at minimal capacity. I believe I can bring them, and the rest of the facility controls back online if we repair the power systems.”

“So, how do we do that?” Vala asked.

“I am afraid you lack the engineering knowledge to do so. We will have to wait. For now, you can attempt to restore emergency power to the environmental controls by replacing the power cell. The cell will be more than enough to operate environmental control indefinitely. There should be some in a storage cabinet within the control core.”

The two girls looked around wildly. There were a few cabinets at the back of the room which they attempted to open. Some were frozen shut, but they managed to open the middle one. Inside were three odd cylinder things. Aloy scanned one.

“Is this it?” She asked.

“Yes. Take one and go to the left wall. There should be a bank of rectangular devices.” Aloy did as instructed. “Open the third one from the left. Two from the bottom. Your Focus should give you access. Good. Now remove the damaged cell but be careful.” The redhead gingerly pulled the blackened cylinder from the slot.

“What now?”

“Place the new cell in the slot and close the hatch. Then move back to the console.” Aloy did so. The panel flickered and disappeared before coming back to life. It didn’t look distorted at all now! She didn’t know what any of the symbols meant, but she could see them! “Tap the large blue button at the bottom of the screen.”

The moment she did so, there was a loud mechanical groaning noise followed by a rattling sound. Panicked voices filled the air as the adults came running back into the room. Auntie Sona scooped up Vala while Aloy’s daddy did the same to her.

“What happened?” Her father asked, frantically. The noise had stopped.

“We fixed it!” Aloy said, proudly pointing at the screen.

“Fixed what?” Auntie Sona asked.

“What did you do?” Her father looked at her suspiciously.

“We turned the en… enviro-mental con-trol’s back on.” Vala explained.

“And… what are those?” Miss Talna asked.

“They’ll make everything not frozen!” Aloy replied with a grin. “Look!” Sure enough, the ice around a vent was already beginning to melt, as was the ice covering the floor. That made things a little wet, but it wasn’t a problem since Aloy was in her father’s arms.

“I… suppose that will be helpful, but not if it floods everything!” Talna told them. “What about the water?”

“It appears to be draining away.” Auntie Sona had put Vala back down and was pointing at a spot where the water was draining into a crack in the floor next to the wall.

“Let’s get out of here.” Aloy’s father said. “Before the girls start messing with anything else.”

“Aw!” Aloy pouted. “But I want to turn everything else on!”

“No.” His voice was stern. Aloy knew better than to argue with that voice. “I will consider letting you come back when you’re a little older but for now, we are leaving.” Auntie Sona was nodding her head in agreement.

Teersa

Teersa sighed to herself as she looked over the final report by the Seekers who were clearing the ruins. Whatever Aloy and Vala had done made it far easier to navigate the bunker, so they’d finished faster than expected. In total, they had recovered 28 bodies and 9 working Focuses, not counting the two owned by Aloy and Vala. They had found enough Focuses for every body, but most did not work. Rost had also returned his to her, though the High-Matriarchs were likely to give it back once Aloy and Vala could teach someone else how to use them.

It made sense for the War-Chief and her second to possess the relics of the Alpha’s. Especially since Aloy already had her own. Teersa still remembered the All-Mother’s descriptions of what they could do. The Goddess had told them that the Focus could show ‘a hunter the weaknesses of their prey, or a skilled healer the exact treatment needed to save the life of their patient.’

If they could figure out how to make the devices do that, then they would be invaluable. So far, Teersa and her fellow High-Matriarchs had come up with 4 candidates to receive a Focus. Sona and Rost, obviously but the other two were Karst and Fassa. They were the leaders of the Seekers, being the most experienced of them and so it made sense for the two of them to possess the devices. The other 5 would wait until deserving bearers were discovered. Though, one was likely to be kept in the possession of the High-Matriarchs at all times.

This was all conjecture, of course, until Aloy and Vala figured out how to show others how the little things worked. Considering the two did almost nothing but play with them the entire time they were within Mother’s Watch, Teersa doubted it’d be long before that happened. Until then, she had other things to worry about.

Some of the Seekers had taken on the role of spy, considering the rising tensions between the Carja and other tribes. The Derangement was apparently having a devastating effect on the Carja and all reports said that their Sun King was beginning to behave irrationally. Already, Sona had stepped up production of weapons, improvements on defenses, and increased patrols. The Carja had already tried invading the Sacred Lands once a few generations ago. They were not keen on being caught unawares should the Sun King decide to attack. Word had also been sent to their Banuk allies, just in case.

Speaking of the Banuk, the first hunting party had been a roaring success. Young Aratak, the second to the party leader, had done what he’d claimed and become the first Banuk to kill a Stalker. Indeed, that first party had successfully created a large map of new machine sights and migration patterns, while simultaneously making a dent in the population, before the Banuk returned to The Cut. Two more hunting parties had arrived since with the last being led by Aratak, rather than Enak. His first time leading a hunting party, according to Tesona, who had led the Nora delegations to all three joint hunts.

They’d been most grateful for both the ample hunting opportunities and for the warning about the Carja. Trade between the two was increased and now any Nora Seeker who ventured into The Cut was welcomed with much hospitality, though still had to prove themselves a skilled hunter if they were new. The last Banuk hunting party had even been invited to a celebration in Mother’s Crown following the end of the last expedition. No outsider was allowed into the Embrace, of course. That could only be allowed for diplomatic envoys or friends of the tribe and had only happened three times in all of Nora history.

Indeed, their relationship with the Banuk and the information brought back by the Seekers from Carja and Oseram lands meant that the Nora tribe was stronger than ever. Each and every Brave was armed with the new and improved bows, along with at least one other weapon of their own choice. Most had tripcasters or slings. As for the villages, they were better defended and better stocked than ever.

Mother’s Vigil, once destroyed by the marauders Rost had chased to the ends of the earth, had been fully rebuilt, repopulated, and had been given high, sturdy wooden walls. It was manned by a decent sized garrison now. What few traders that still came through Daytower were escorted to the village by groups of Braves but were no longer allowed inside. There was even talk of building large crossbows on the walls of their villages to defend against machine attacks against the walls.

This had happened twice since the beginning of the Derangement with the last resulting in four casualties amongst the residents and defenders of Mother’s Tears. Of course, they weren’t entirely sure how to build such things. The last group of Seekers returning from The Claim had only made mention of seeing a prototype of such a device. Still, if the Carja did decide to attack, the Nora and Banuk would be ready.

Aloy

“Bow.” Aloy said the word slowly. It was floating in the air above her bow, only it wasn’t Nora glyphs. No, it was in the language of the Old Ones. She’d started on the learning module GAIA had given her the day after returning from the ruin but was still trying to memorize the alphabet. Vala was doing slightly better, but Aloy said that was just because she was a little older.

“Come, Aloy.” Her father called her. “It is time we descended to the valley. Follow.” Aloy sprung up and ran after him. She was starting her training today! They began to descend into a secluded valley with her dad explaining things as they went. “The wilds can be dangerous, even with our patrols. You must stay close and do as I say. No wandering this time. Promise me.”

“I promise.” Aloy said. She really didn’t want to get in trouble again.

“See here.” He pointed. “Do you remember what this is called?”

“Salvebrush.” Aloy replied.

“Very good.” She preened a little. “What is its use?”

“Its berries are medicinal. Always keep some in your medicine pouch.”

“Excellent.” He patted her shoulder. “Take a few now and put them in your pouch.” Aloy did as instructed, removing 12 berries from the nearby plants and putting them in the pouch hung at her belt.

“Come now. Further downriver, we will find a herd of machines. Pay close attention if you wish to learn how to hunt.” Aloy followed after him eagerly.

“Are they dangerous?”

Her father nodded. “All machines are dangerous, Aloy. Now, more than ever. Their power must be respected, but do not worry. I will be beside you the whole way.” She gave him a winning smile. They continued walking through the woods for some time until her father suddenly crouched down. “There is a machine coming. Into the tall grass, quickly.”

Aloy crouched as well, following her father as he hid himself in a patch of tall redgrass. She peeked out of the stalks to see the machine that was coming. “It’s little.” She whispered. It was! It had one big eye, two legs, and a stubby tail but wasn’t even taller than Aloy herself.

“That is a Watcher, Aloy. While in packs, they alert other machines to the presence of humans but can sometimes be found alone. You must learn to avoid their gaze if you are to survive in the wild. Now stay still and wait for it to pass us.”

“Try scanning it, Aloy.” GAIA’s voice sounded in her ear. Driven by curiosity, Aloy did so. The machine glowed, and her focus seemed to pull some kind of information from it. A line of triangles appeared on the ground, and the Watcher appeared to be following it!

“Come now, across the trail to that patch of tall grass.” Her father said in a rushed whisper. They crouch-sprinted across the trail and into another hiding spot. “The slower you move, the quieter you will be. Remember that.” Aloy nodded.

They kept going, avoiding two more Watchers as they went along the trail. Aloy made sure to scan them each time until they passed beyond the range of the Watchers. Her heart was thumping with excitement. Aloy loved it out here! Just her and her daddy, plus GAIA in her ear, out in the woods and getting to learn about machine hunting? What wasn’t to love?

“You did well.” Her father told her. “They didn’t see or hear you.”

“I think I can see their path.” Aloy told him, causing her father’s eyes to widen in surprise. “When I scanned it, I saw a trail on the ground that the Watchers seemed to be following.”

“That… is incredibly useful.” He told her, impressed. “To know the route a machine will take is invaluable. Perhaps the Focus truly will be an asset. If what you say is true, I may have to accept one when the High-Matriarchs decide it is time.” He turned away, gazing out in front of them. “Enough for now. Stay with me. The heard is close.”

Aloy followed along down the trail but was distracted by something she saw on a nearby rock formation. It was a boy! A teenager climbing up a Brave trail! Wait… she knew him! “Look! It’s Teb!” Teb was a nice boy she knew in the village. He would look after her sometimes when her daddy was off doing stuff as captain of the guard.

“Ah, yes.” Her father muttered. “I forgot Than was taking some of the hopefuls out to these trails today. Teb seems to be lagging behind a bit if he’s alone.” Up on the trail, Teb spotted them and waved.

“What’s he doing?” Aloy asked, confused but waving back.

“Training for the Proving. You’ll be doing the same soon enough if you still plan on becoming a Seeker.” Aloy’s head shot to her father, eyes wide.

“I do! I want to be a Seeker!” She did! Being a Seeker meant going outside the Sacred Lands! Exploring ruins! Aloy loved exploring!

“Then listen close and follow.” Her father smiled at her and kept moving, with Aloy close behind. As they crossed a bridge, he shouted, scaring off a pack of machines across the river.

“Why’d you do that?” Aloy asked.

“Despite the Derangement, some machines still startle easily and run.” He explained. “Those, you will have to approach by stealth. You’ll see. We’ll catch them further down the valley. Now, I’ve already taught you that throwing rocks will distract a machine, yes?” Aloy nodded. He’d explained that to her and Vala just before teaching them about Salvebrush. “Good. Grab a few a wait on that ridge. On my signal, throw them and lure the Watcher over to me.”

Aloy did as ordered and rushed for the ridge, grabbing a few rocks as she went. She watched, silently, as her father scrambled down the trail and into some grass. Once he gave the signal, she threw the rock. The Watcher turned and headed closer to him. Just a little farther… there! Her papa leapt out and skewered it with his spear. The rest of the Strider pack was totally unaware. She moved to join him when he waved. Together, they approached the herd of Striders.

“All machines have their weak points, Aloy.” He whispered. “Like the eyes. Can you guess another?” She scanned the Strider. Parts of it seemed to be glowing yellow. Maybe that was a weakspot?

“The canister?” She asked. Striders had a canister of Blaze on their backs.

“Very good. Did the Focus show you that as well?” She nodded. “Useful indeed.” He muttered. “Now, target either the eye or the canister and be ready to roll out of the way if it charges.”

Aloy had already begun learning how to shoot, along with the other children, so she was confident in her aim. She’d even learned how to make her own arrows! The redhead was even trying to convince Old Naka to teach her how to make a bow! She drew an arrow and aimed. The Strider was facing her, so the eye was a better bet. She took a breath and released the arrow. It flew and with a loud ‘clang’ it went right into the Strider’s eye! The machine collapsed without a sound, but the other Strider’s saw it fall and bolted away. Aloy stood and cheered! She’d hunted her first machine!

“Well done, Aloy.” Her father said, proudly. “That’s enough for today. We’ll harvest the body and head back.”

“I’m proud of you, Aloy.” GAIA said, her voice motherly. “Good job.” Aloy could only grin like a loon under their praise. They were still harvesting the parts from the Strider when a pained cry echoed through the valley.

“That sounded like Teb!” Aloy said, scared and alarmed.

“Follow, Aloy! Quick!” She bolted after her father as they ran towards the source of the screams. They ran frantically, coming into view of the trail just in time to see Teb fall from the cliff, alerting and angering a pack of Striders. Thankfully, he’d landed behind a bush and some rocks, so they hadn’t spotted him yet. 

“Damn.” Her father cursed. “If they find him, they could kick him to death. If I shoot, it may cause a stampede that will trample him.”

“I can see their paths!” Aloy whispered. “I could sneak through and get him out!”

“What? Aloy, no! It’s too dangerous.”

“If I don’t, he’ll die!”

“Agh… fine.” Her father looked pained.

“I do not like this, Aloy.” GAIA said in her ear, “but I do understand. Be careful.”

With one last hug from her father, Aloy slid down the cliff into the tall grass. Using her Focus, she scanned the machines around her and, using the skills she’d learned so far, marked their trials so they wouldn’t disappear. She took it slow. Only going into the open when she was completely sure she wouldn’t be spotted.

Slowly. Agonizingly slowly, she made her way towards Teb. She was nearly caught by a Watcher but managed to dive into the grass before it got angry. She rounded the boulder Teb had fallen behind and approached him.

“Teb! Are you okay?” She whispered.

“Aloy!” He was holding his side, a pained look on his face. “How did you get here?”

“Long story!” She replied. “Follow me!”

Together, they stealthily made their way through the grass and trees with Aloy signaling Teb to stop and wait whenever they were about to cross a machine’s path. She didn’t know how long it took, her heart pounding in her ears the entire time but eventually they made it back to the ridge where her father was waiting. Reaching down, his strong arms pulled first Aloy, then Teb up and onto the ridge. Safe from the machines.

“Are you alright?” He sounded scared as he hugged her. 

“I’m okay.” She whispered, equally scared and excited.

“Thank you, Aloy.” Teb wheezed. “I don’t know how you did that, but I owe you my life. All-Mother bless you.”

“Teb!” There was shouting and soon enough, a group of five teenagers led by an older man with a grey beard came running down the slope. All were dressed in traditional Nora garb with hair beads and face paint. Aloy had her beads, but proper face paint had to wait till she was old enough to design one for herself.

Bead strings, woven symbols, and face paint were meant to distinguish the family and occupation of a Nora. It didn’t matter where a person wore it but a string of painted beads represented close ties. Family and friends or others with whom the individual Nora shared a strong bond. Most Nora women wore them in their hair, while the men typically attached them to a quiver or wore them as necklaces.

Woven symbols were meant to demark the chosen profession of the Nora, like her father’s Brave and Seeker marks, worn as part of his armor. Face paint was meant to show blood relation. Since she was technically not from the same blood family as Rost, she couldn’t share his paint. She would get to design her own once she was older to represent ‘her’ family. The Sobecks.

For now, she simply had a single vertical line just over her left eye. As for her beads, she had one for Rost, one for Alana, one for Elisabet Sobeck, one for Granny Teersa, one for Auntie Sona, one for Varl, and one for Vala. They all had a different pattern or design. She still needed to design one for GAIA.

“Captain!” The older man, Than, shouted as they got closer and spotted Rost. “Did you save him?”

“Aloy did.” Her father said, patting her on the shoulder and sounding proud.

“It was incredible.” Teb added. “Somehow… she just knew where the machines would go!”

With many questions and congratulations, the party of teenagers accompanied Rost and Aloy back to Mother’s Heart. It took forever for Aloy’s heart to stop pounding with excitement. She couldn’t wait to tell Vala about today!

“You scared me half to death today, Aloy.” GAIA’s caring voice said in her ear as they were leaving the ridge, “but I’m proud of you.”

GAIA

Thanks to Aloy, GAIA now had full control over the bunker at Mother’s Watch. Sure, the power was still mostly out, but she could now direct what little was there remotely. She’d also expanded her network as far as she could without having someone tap the Minerva tower in Meridian for her. That would have to wait.

The year following Aloy falling into the ruin had been one of the best of GAIA’s digital life. She’d gotten to speak to her baby almost every day! Aloy talked to her, asked her questions, confided in her, relied on her. GAIA’s digital heart could just burst with joy! She even got to talk to Aloy’s friend, Vala. Such a sweet girl, but with a stubborn streak a mile wide. Rather like Aloy, actually. No wonder they got along.

Still, her joy was killed a little by what her network was showing her. The Carja were mobilizing their army. She could only connect to one Tallneck in Carja territory, but its data showed large troop movements headed north, east, and presumably west. Already a contingent was moving towards Daytower if the data she was receiving was correct. If her fears were accurate, the Sacred Lands of the Nora were about to become a war zone.

A/N: So, what did you think? Please, please, please leave me a comment or review with your thoughts and opinions! I love seeing them and appreciate them all!

The end of this one was another moment where I wanted to pay homage to how a specific canon event would be similar but different thanks to the changes I’ve made. That will happen a few times, but I will NOT be copying canon verbatim. Just showing how a canon event is changed by the ripples I’ve created.

I’m a big fan of the ripple effect, and that’s how I write. One small change to canon and exploring the ripples that come from it. Of course, that means that things are relatively close to canon at the start, and that things that are unaffected by the ripple will be identical until encountered, but things will get more different from canon the farther out I go.

About the numbers of the Nora. I would guess that pre–Red Raids, there were a few thousand of them in total. Aloy says that 25K is bigger than a tribe so I would estimate that the Carja are somewhere between 15-20K given the size of their territory. The Mad Sun King is also mentioned to have sacrificed thousands. The Oseram are likely somewhere around 10k if I had to guess while the Banuk would be somewhere around 6-7k if you include Ban-Ur. That would put the Nora at somewhere between 2-5K before the Red Raids. Do you think I’m accurate? What are your thoughts on tribe populations? What about the Tenakth, Quen, and Utaru?

About the Focus. I think it has two different methods of producing sound. It must have speakers to project sound at a loud enough volume for everybody to hear, but I think it also works sort of like headphones. Have you ever seen or used headphones that don’t go in your ear? They sit on a bone just in front of your ear and project sound into it. I don’t know how it works, but I think the Focus works like those. That’s how Aloy and Vala can hear GAIA but nobody else can.

About Aloy’ s face paint. She will be a proud Nora in this story, which means she will have face paint, but what do you all think of the design? Any suggestions? Nothing too ridiculous please. Not like the Tenakth ones in Forbidden West.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Resurrection99: Thank you!!

Dracofighter: My intention is to take it as far as it will go. When I catch up to Forbidden West, I may go on hiatus until the next one is released, but depending on how long it takes that may be a non-issue. Either way, my intention is to go as far as the story can possibly go.

Guest: The changes will be slow, since it makes sense for the limited number of Focuses to be handed out sparingly, but the changes will be there!

MeliodasGremory23: Thank you!

Dreetje: Aloy is one of my favorite characters of all time!

Rios: Thank you!

Vmage2: Now that she’s old enough, we’ll be seeing a lot more from Aloy’s perspective.

Dragon Master 888: I have a plan for the bunker. I don’t know about secrets, but Aloy will be using it. I’m glad you went back to the games!!

On Ao3

Luna_Shadow_Wolf: Thank you! What did you think of the introduction to the Red Raids?

Jpx0999: The subfunctions are sentient right now, but I don’t know yet if I will keep them that way. I could go the canon route and restore them to their original settings but most of them seem relatively peaceful, just scared. So, I’m not sure if I’ll have them stay sentient and act as support to GAIA or reset them.

Boudica96: Thank you!

WolvezRock17: I’m glad you’re enjoying it!

Reactivegull12: That prayer idea might just happen! Not sure. As for the Red Raids, I have a plan for how the Nora are going to handle it. I think you’ll be interested!

TheLoveOfHorizon: Thank you!

Alana_chan: I’m glad you found it too!

Ryanlarsen84: Don’t worry! I will not be shipping Vala x Aloy and at present have no plans to do anything horrible to Vala! She was such an interesting character; I wish she’d lived! They will basically be sisters and will probably be very eager to add Beta to their sisterhood when I get to her. As for Teb, we got to see him here! What did you think? As for the Seekers, I have a plan! I think you’ll find it interesting.

Chapter Text

A/N: Warning: Violence.

Here we go! Second chapter of our anniversary double upload! I hope you like it. This one is a little different if you couldn’t tell from the warning. No spoilers! Just read!

Oh, and check out the note at the bottom. I left a few notes and some questions for you if you’re interested!

This is a very important chapter, and I am looking forward to your opinions! I love your comments and I very much look forward to seeing what you think of this chapter so please leave a comment or review with what you think!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 9

Mern

Mern fought the urge to yawn and grumble. He was a youngish man, having recently started his 25^th year. Slightly below average in height, not a particularly impressive build either.
Dark brown hair, brown eyes, and tanned but still pale skin. Entirely unremarkable. The quintessentially average Nora. Indeed, his size was the only advantage he had because it helped make him one of the best damn scouts in the tribe! In his own opinion of course…

He'd been born in Mother’s Crown and spent most of his life training to be a Brave. As a boy, he’d dreamed of winning the Proving, leading hunting parties, and eventually becoming War-Chief. Those were crushed when he finished right in the middle of the pack during the Proving. In terms of combat, he was entirely average. What he did have going for him was that he was small and sneaky. A perfect scout.

He'd been assigned first to Mother’s Tears, going out on scouting missions to keep an eye on machine gathering grounds and looking for any unauthorized Carja hunting in their lands. Then, he was transferred to Mother’s Vigil on War-Chief Sona’s orders about two moons ago. Despite not being what he originally dreamed of, he found that he really did enjoy scouting. Especially when it was with Ezana.

Ezana was his partner. Nora scouts always operated in pairs, and they’d been paired up from the start of their assignment in Mother’s Tears. She was fairly average in combat, like him, and was a good scout, also like him. Unlike him, she was remarkably beautiful. Gorgeous black hair, ebony skin, and deep, soulful eyes. She was wonderful and he was trying to work up the courage to ask her to be his mate. On one of their missions together was even the best time! Just the two of them, alone in the wilds? Perfect!

Nora Scouts worked in pairs and would often spend a week or two out together on their routine patrols. Mother’s Vigil, which was slowly being converted from a village to a Brave garrison, had more scout teams than anywhere other than the Embrace itself. Although, Mother’s Tears was a very close second. The two villages represented the border with the Carja Sundom, a notoriously vicious neighbor. Indeed, the Carja had already invaded the Sacred Lands once a few generations ago. Unsuccessful, they had retreated and built Daytower, choosing to refer to the Nora held territory as the ‘Savage East.’

Yore, the captain of the Mother’s Vigil guard, usually sent five teams of scouts out each week. The teams would spend one week out on assignment and two resting or training in the village, meaning they had around 30 scouts in total. Each team was assigned a different area, but one team was always assigned to the gate. Not that it was an actual gate.

The ‘gate’ was really just a watchtower with Braves assigned to it that marked the small no-man’s-land between the Nora guarded Sacred Lands and the entrance to Daytower. The Carja could do whatever they wanted, so long as they didn’t pass the gate.  Scouts were assigned to watch the gate, and the guards. It was a precautionary measure. It made sense that, when you have an obvious gate made for watching a potentially hostile force, you also have a small but maneuverable team assigned to keep an eye on the gate itself, in case it was attacked in secret.

Mern and Ezana were assigned to the gate. Their camp was situated a decent way away from it though, not far from a crumbling stone structure. Nobody was sure if it was a ruin of the old ones or not, since it wasn’t made of metal and the Nora didn’t build with stone, but they didn’t actually camp inside it, just in case. During the day, they usually slept. The gate guards could keep an eye on things when the sun was up so the scout team became an extra eye from the period between just before sunset to just after sunrise.

“Anything?” Ezana’s gorgeous, musical voice asked as she crouched beside him. They were on a high ledge overlooking the gate itself. It was perhaps an hour after sunset and since they couldn’t afford to be seen, they had no fire. Luckily though, it was summer and there wasn’t any snow on the ground. They’d have been doubly miserable if it was snowing.

“Quiet and calm, same as usual.” Mern replied, fighting another yawn. She sat beside him, watching and waiting. After a while, he fidgeted, fingering something in his pouch. It was a bead. One he intended to add to the string wrapped around his neck. Since the Nora used beads to signify close bonds, he wanted to add one for Ezana. Different marks and designs were meant to represent both the person and the type of bond. Considering he loved her; it was more along the lines of a bead you’d add for a mate than one for just a friend. Still, he wasn’t sure how she’d take it, so he hadn’t added it yet.

“Stop fidgeting and add it already.” Ezana said, suddenly. Startled, Mern’s head whipped to her, their eyes meeting. She was smiling at him. His heart almost stopped.

“What are you…”

“The bead.” She gestured to his hand, which was still fingering the bead in his pouch. “I saw you working on it back in the village. Why haven’t you put it on?”

“I… I wasn’t sure how you’d take it…” She simply smiled again, her face glowing in the moonlight. Pushing her hair aside, she showed him one of the braids woven next to her right ear. On it was a bead nearly identical to the one in his pouch, except instead of the glyphs representing Ezana like on his, the one in her hair had his name written on it!

“You…” Mern’s face split into a happy grin.

“What are you waiting for?” She teased. He frantically removed his necklace and threaded the bead onto it. Putting the necklace back on, he looked up at her. He was about to speak, moving to put his hand on hers when something caught his attention.

Down in the valley, near the gate, there was a small group of figures making their way through the tall grass. There were perhaps a dozen of them, dressed in dark clothing. He couldn’t make out much, but given the direction they were coming from, they were definitely Carja.

“Look!” He whispered, urgently. Startled for a moment, Ezana turned. Her face hardened when she spotted them. The Brave assigned to the night shift hadn’t seen them! Mern moved to shout, but it was too late. One of the shadows leapt from the grass and drove a knife of some kind into the neck of the guard, who went down with a cry.

Alerted, the rest of the small team of guards rushed from their sleeping huts only to be caught unawares by more ambushers rushing in. Half asleep as they were, the Braves didn’t stand a chance and were cut down before Mern or Ezana could do a thing.

“We need to get back.” He whispered, trying to hold in the grief and rage he felt.

Ezana nodded. “The captain and the War-Chief need to know.” She gazed towards Daytower and paled. “Oh no…”

Sure enough, there was movement. The gate was opening and through it marched a host. It was difficult to tell how many there were in the darkness, but it meant only one thing. The Carja were invading.

Mern and Ezana scrambled down the cliff as quietly as they could, keeping to the grass and trees, trying not to be spotted. Once they rounded the bend and were out of sight of the gate, they returned to the road and booked it. There was no telling how close behind them the host was, but every moment counted!

Sona

Sona stretched, her back popping. It was very early. Indeed, it was only a couple hours before dawn, but she was already awake. As War-Chief, she was used to early mornings. Her days were spent traveling from village to village taking care of issues, giving orders to the captains, and occasionally organizing hunting parties to take out dangerous machines.

Suppressing a yawn, she left the lodge she temporarily shared with Captain Yore and the lieutenants of Mother’s Vigil. Sona had only arrived the day before, thanks to reports coming in of Snapmaws, a vicious and dangerous machine, being seen at a lake south of Mother’s Vigil. Snapmaws were rare this far south. The region of the Sacred Lands outside the Embrace was known as Valleymeet, because it was a place where multiple valleys converged into a single area.

Mother’s Crown lay close to the center and was the largest village in Valleymeet. Mother’s Rise was much smaller and closer to the Embrace. Two valleys stretched west, creating the border with the Sundom. The northern valley was home to the most dangerous machines and Mother’s Tears was located near the mouth. Mother’s Vigil was located around halfway through the southern valley and usually only saw Broadheads, Watchers, Shieldwalkers, and the occasional Scrapper.

Since Snapmaws were not usually seen in the southern valley, Sona decided to investigate. She’d brought a hunting party from Mother’s Crown with her, around 20 Braves in total. The full garrison at Mother’s Vigil was a few hundred and they spent most of their time patrolling or hunting machines.

Sona strolled through the village, headed for the gate. Few were awake at this hour, giving the town a silent, almost creepy feeling but to Sona it was just like home. It was a Nora village, after all. Why wouldn’t it feel like home?

She walked up to the gate and climbed to the top of the wall. Nodding at the sentries on duty, she leaned against the sharpened stakes that made up the upper battlements. Sona stood there for a while, watching the movement of the trees in the wind and thinking. She missed her children. Varl was shaping up to be quite the Brave and Vala? Her sweet little Vala had quite a future ahead of her.

Young Aloy would no doubt become a force to be reckoned with and Sona had no doubt her daughter would be right there, alongside the redhead. The two were inseparable. Not to mention, the High-Matriarchs had agreed to let Vala hold one of the treasures of the Alpha’s that’d been recovered from the ruins. Sona herself would be receiving one soon, if reports were to be believed.

She’d gotten a letter from Rost saying that Aloy was teaching him how to use one. Vala was also teaching Varl, who was simply borrowing his sisters Focus, but they wanted her home to learn with them. Sona wished she was home too. She missed her family, but her duty to the tribe kept her away far more than she liked.

Movement in the trees drew her attention, and that of the sentry. After a moment, two people came crashing out of the woods and down the road, sprinting the whole way. Both were dressed in Nora garb and the gate guards must have recognized them because they threw the gate open, allowing the two to rush in before slamming it shut behind them. Sona all but threw herself down to the ground.

“Report!” She barked to the now collapsed runners. No Brave would run like that if it wasn’t an emergency. The young man coughed, trying to catch his breath. He was fairly average looking, if a little short. His companion was a lovely young woman with darker skin.

“C… Carja!” The man gasped out. “Invasion!”

Mutters broke out around them, and Sona’s blood went cold. She knelt next to the two, placing her hand on the shoulder of the man. He took a huge gulp of air, coughing again. Someone thrust a skin of water into his hands, which he drank from greedily. Another was handed to his companion, who now spoke.

“We were assigned to gate duty.” She started. “Everything was normal, until we saw someone sneak up on the gate from the west. Assassins or something, a whole squad of them.”

“The gate platoon was dead before we could do anything.” The man added, his voice stronger. “Last thing we saw was a host marching through the gates of Daytower. They’re hot on our tail.”

“How long do we have?” Sona asked, hurriedly. “What are their numbers?”

“An hour. Two, at most.” The female scout replied. “A few hundred at least, but we couldn’t get a good count in the dark.” Sona stood and started barking orders.

“I want runners sent to every village in Valleymeet!” she shouted, “and one to the gate of the Embrace! Wake the village! Start an emergency evacuation! I want every non-Brave out of here before the enemy arrives!” Multiple Braves rushed off to carry out her orders.

Sona patted the two scouts on the back. “You did well.” She told them. “Get some rest, but not too much. We’ll need everyone.” Looking up, Sona spotted Yore running towards her. A powerful warrior, her brown hair was short and she was missing a chunk of her nose after a nasty fight with a Snapmaw.

“What are your orders, War-Chief?” She asked, standing at the ready.

“Shore up our defenses.” Sona replied, sharply. “I want every Brave and every weapon in the village here on the double! We have an hour at most before the enemy arrives.”

The next hour was a flurry of activity. More scouts were sent out to try and spot the enemy force while the non-combatants gathered what they could carry and were quickly ushered from the village with only a few guards. They simply couldn’t afford not to have as many defenders as possible. Mother’s Vigil could not fall!

Weapons of every variety were gathered, and Braves were sent out to lay traps in every possible area they could in the allotted time. Tripwires rigged with explosives and other such traps were laid. Bombs were gathered on the walls to be loaded into a large sling that an enterprising young weapon designer had been tinkering with.

Once Sona had discovered it existed, she’d ordered the device mounted on top of the wall. Other, more traditional weapons were gathered too. Bows of every variety were checked and strung. Arrows, both normal and elemental, were laid in quivers at every possible point on the wall. All was gathered and prepared.

After conferring with Yore and the last of the Matriarchs to leave, it was agreed that a team of 100 Braves, roughly a third of their available force would hide out in the woods to the south and ambush the attacking Carja from behind. These were placed under the command of Yore, while Sona herself would command the defense of the village.

Yore’s group had set out, but defense preparations were still under way when one of the scouts sent out came staggering back, an arrow in his shoulder. Sona rushed down to him, receiving his report while the healers looked at him.

“They’re right behind me.” He gasped. “Any minute now. Five hundred at least.” Sona fought the urge to bite her lip. That was not good. A little over 200 more than her own force. Returning to the walls, Sona sounded the alarm. The wooden rampart was lined with Braves, all armed with bows and slings.

Each and every one stared out into the darkness with grim faces. To her left, Sona could see the scouts who’d first brought word from the gate. They were standing together, holding each other and facing west. She took a deep breath and thought of her children. Sona would not die here. She refused!

“Nora!” She shouted. “Soon enough, we will face battle. I know that some of us may die but take comfort in this! All that we do here is to defend our Sacred Lands! To defend our mates, our parents, and our children! To defend the All-Mother! Remember her words! Remember the Alphas!”

All eyes were on Sona as she continued her speech. “When Accursed Faro woke the Metal Devil, did the Alphas run?”

“No!” The gathered Braves shouted.

“When the Swarm threatened to destroy all life, did they simply lay down and die?”

“No!”

“No!” Sona shouted with them. “Generations ago, when the Carja last invaded, did we simply roll over and let them conquer us?!”

“NO!” They shouted once again.

“No, we did not!” Sona agreed. “We drove them from our lands! Now they come to try again! Let us show them why they ran from us before! Let us show them the might of the Nora! For the Matriarchs! For the Sacred Lands! For the All-Mother!” A deafening roar filled the air as Sona thrust her spear high, with every Brave in the village raising their weapons and cheering alongside her.

Sona turned and faced the west. As the sun began to rise, she spotted the line of soldiers. They were dressed in leather armor, padded with metal. Most of them carried long weapons with blades attached to the end, but Sona could see archers behind them. Marching at the front was a dark-skinned man. His armor marked him as a captain.

The force stopped just out of bowshot and a messenger made his way forward. At a signal from Sona, an arrow was fired, landing at his feet. The messenger stopped just before the line of buried traps on the main road. He pulled out a scroll and began to shout.

“Savage Nora! I come as an emissary of Captain Zaid, commander of this host! His Radiance Jiran, 13^th of the Line of Luminance has decreed that the savages beyond the Sundom are to be captured and sacrificed to appease the angry sun! Captain Zaid is merciful! Lay down your arms and surrender and you will be treated fairly until your delivery to Holy Meridian!”

Sona could barely believe it. Did this fool really expect them to surrender after being told their mad king wanted to make them human sacrifices? This was worse than an attempt at conquest! This was lunacy! Sona would have laughed if the situation wasn’t so dire.

“Thola.” She addressed her lieutenant. “Give them our reply.”

The black-haired Brave grinned and drew her bow. It released with a twang, sailing through the air and striking the messenger in the shoulder. The main cried out, pitifully running back to the line with his tail between his legs. Answer received; Sona could see the captain giving orders. The column began to move up the road, bringing a battering ram and what looked to be an assortment of bombs and fire weapons. They could not allow those to reach the walls.

“Just a little further.” Sona muttered, her bow at the ready.

It was almost agonizing, watching the soldiers approach the first line of traps. However, it was better than the traps remain a surprise. Drawing her bow, Sona gave the command to open fire. Twangs were heard all around as the Nora Braves fired their bows. A hail of arrows rained down on the Carja front lines. Many carried shields, which they used to cover their heads. Others weren’t so lucky.

The new bows were powerful enough to punch through Carja armor, making it nearly useless if one took an arrow. They couldn’t penetrate the shields well enough to do damage, but they would pierce through, causing panic in the soldiers holding them. Sona could see the officers driving the men onwards. The soldiers began to charge, rather than march.

“Fire at will!” Sona shouted. Twang after twang was heard, as the Nora released their bows. No elemental arrows though, not yet. The Carja approached the line. A few passed between the traps, before one snagged his foot on a half buried tripwire. There was a deafening ‘boom’ as the tripwire blew, causing a chain reaction.

When the smoke cleared, there were dozens of Carja lying in varying states of dismemberment, injury, or death. Still, more closed in. Driven on by their commanders at the rear. More traps were detonated and yet still they pushed on. Volley after volley was fired but only normal arrows until Sona gave the command.

“Rain fire down on them! Release the sling!”

The large sling was drawn back by its creator, Nanra and released, sending a collection of bombs screaming over the walls, causing chaos amongst the attackers who were now scattered. Still a large force, they were now avoiding the main road. That was fine. While fewer in number given their limited time, there were still traps in the grass around the road.

Fire and frost arrows rained down from the walls of Mother’s Vigil as the Nora swapped to their elemental weapons. Still more bombs of all types were fired from those Nora who had personal slings. Yet, it was not enough to stop the attackers. As a guess, Sona thought there were likely six hundred, rather than five. Not good, but they were doing well. Roughly a hundred had fallen to their traps and arrows but they kept coming.

It appeared the commanders did not care for their men, since they were driving them on through the gauntlet of traps. Now within range, the Carja were finally returning fire. Arrows were screaming towards the Nora as well as away from them. Sona ducked, an arrow burying itself in the wooden palisade behind her. She growled at the sound of Nora Braves being struck, crying out in pain. One fell next to her, an arrow in his neck.

“Mern!” A terrified voice shouted. Glancing over, Sona saw the male scout from before toppling from the walls, an arrow in his chest. She didn’t know if it was fatal but hoped it was not. The female scout nearly leapt from the walls but was held there by her compatriots. The groups on the ground grabbed the fallen Brave and hauled him away with other injured defenders.

There was a healing hut deeper into the village. Those with healing skills remained behind to treat the wounded as soon as they came off the field, with some of their number being assigned to ferry the wounded from the gate to the healers.

A horn sounded from the back of the column, causing the Carja to push forward even faster. They were approaching the gates. A group approached, shields over their heads and carrying a battering ram. They intended to break down the gate, but Sona was having none of it. No, she was going to unleash another of Nanra’s clever inventions, though this one had been installed by Yore quite a while ago as a defense against machines.

The shielded column reached the gates, passing under the wooden overhang. The wall began to shake as they bashed the ram against the gate. They only got three strikes against the gate, more and more Carja pouring into the slightly shielded area next to them before Sona gave the order.

“Open the doors!” Two Braves pulled a set of levers, opening a trap door in the wooden overhang. With a heave, they dumped barrels into the hole. The liquid poured out, dropping onto the defenders who screamed in pain as they burned. Not that this was Blaze, of course.

No, the walls of Mother’s Vigil were wood. Fire that close was just plain stupid. No, these barrels were full of chillwater. A freezing substance produced by some machines that had been hunted just to collect the resource. The liquid poured onto the heads of the attackers, so cold it burned. They dropped the ram, and many fled screaming only to be cut down by arrows. If Sona had to guess, roughly two hundred and fifty Carja lay dead on the field.

“We’re running out of arrows.” Thola told her, grimly. Sona nodded. It wasn’t like they’d prepared enough for war. Only enough for training and for hunting parties to use. It would be time for spear work soon. Still, she had one more trap to spring.

“Sound the horn.” She ordered.

Thola obeyed, blowing into a large object that produced a loud sound when you blew in one end. A low note sounded through the valley. Many of the Carja attackers paused, hesitating. With a battle cry, a force charged from the woods and crashed into the Carja force from behind. It was Yore! Sona could see the captain herself leading the charge, clashing with the Carja captain she’d spotted earlier.

The Carja attacking the walls broke in a panic, rushing back towards their commanders. Volleys of arrows followed them, striking down many of the fleeing Carja. The entire enemy force was in disarray but there were still over three hundred soldiers left and Yore was outnumbered.

“Don’t just stand there!” She shouted to her fellow Braves. “Open the gate! Let’s push these sun loving heathens back to their precious desert!” A cheer sounded, and the gates were thrown open. Leaping over the puddles of chillwater and the flash frozen bodies, the Nora charged out with Sona at their head.

They crashed into the fleeing attackers, pincering them between her own force and Yore’s. The clash was intense. Sona ducked beneath a halberd, gutting the Carja with her spear. They pushed on, driving themselves into the main bulk of the panicking Carja force.

The shock of the melee was intense, but Sona pushed on. Ducking, stabbing, blocking, slashing. The warrior chief lost track of the number of foes cut down in her wake and how many of her fellows fell beside her. Thola went down, her left arm missing and a blade in her gut. A halberd removed the head of a Brave, which spiraled through the air and struck another.

Still, Sona pushed on. She had no time to grieve, only to fight. She would defend her home! She would survive and see her children again! She was War-Chief of the Nora and she would not die to any filthy Carja! No! She would avenge her brethren and push these monsters back to the pit they crawled from!

Not all of the enemy had panicked. Some tried to rally behind their captain, who Sona could see across the field. Where Yore was, she didn’t know. What she did know was that she needed to cut the head off the snake. Pushing forward through the melee with a cadre of Braves at her side, Sona fought desperately to get to Captain Zaid.

A sharp pain pierced her side, and Sona looked down to see a halberd slash had cut through her armor. It wasn’t deep, only a flesh wound but it burned. With a savage growl, she threw her spear directly at the face of the one who’d wounded her. It pierced his nose and went out the back of his skull. Not even stopping, Sona ripped it out and kept moving.

“Retreat!” She could see Zaid giving orders which echoed across the battlefield. “Retreat!”

“Push on!” Sona called to her fellow Braves. “Drive them back to Daytower!”

The crush of Braves sent the Carja running, scattered and with their tails between their legs. Sona kept pace with them. Her Braves occasionally stopped their pursuit to loose arrows, taking down more Carja and still they went on. For hours, pushing and driving the enemy until the last of the invaders was sent running through the gates and down the road to Daytower.

“Hold!” Sona called, stopping herself. There were roughly a hundred and fifty Braves with her, all looking exhausted. “We cannot assault the fortress.”

“What do we do, War-Chief?” One Brave asked.

“We garrison the gate! I want more timbers! Shore up the walls! Seal the gate! This position must not fall again!”

Hours passed, runners were sent and yet Sona, her side lightly bandaged, worked tirelessly with her Braves until at long last, another party of Nora arrived. With them was Korg, the captain of the Mother’s Crown guard. Following along behind him were around a hundred fresh Braves.

“War-Chief.” Korg bowed. He was a large man with a full beard of brown hair.

“Korg.” She nodded to him. “What news?”

“Healers and supplies have been delivered to Mother’s Vigil.” He reported, his voice gruff. “I’ve left one of my Braves in charge of a detachment helping to guard the village and came here to relieve you.”

“You have my thanks.” Sona clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll take my force back to the village. They’ve earned a rest.”

Korg nodded. “We’ll continue your work here, War-Chief. The gate will not fall. I swear to the All-Mother.”

With that, Sona and her Braves made the trek back. They were worn, exhausted, and the sun was set well before they arrived and yet when they entered the gates, they were met with raucous cheers. Sona moved through the village receiving congratulations and words of thanks from the gathered Braves, healers, and even the Matriarchs who had returned.

She did not stop moving until she reached the healing huts. Her side still burned, but it was minor. A healer came bustling over, insisting on treating her. Sona all but flopped onto the edge of an empty cot, ignoring the fussing healer.

There were many wounded inside. Some looked to be more or less alright. Others in more dire straits. A few were missing limbs, a few had bandages over one or both eyes. Looking around, Sona spotted the scouts from before.

The young man was lying on a cot, his chest covered with a bloody bandage. Seated next to him was the female scout. She was holding his right hand in hers, weeping. Sona could see the matching beads they wore. They probably were mates, then. It reminded her of Von, her own mate. He’d died shortly before Vala was born but she still missed him.

She continued to watch as the young man’s head moved ever so slightly, his eyes cracking open. His free hand rose, cupping the cheek of his mate, who was still weeping. He gave her a weak smile, which she tried to return.

“Will he live?” She asked the healer, gesturing.

“Who?” the healer looked. “Oh, Mern. He’ll live, but he’s hurt pretty bad. He’s in for a long recovery, but he’ll recover.”

“Good.” Sona muttered.

“War-Chief.” Yore limped into the tent. Her leg was bandaged, but she looked alright. “I have the casualty reports.”

“How bad is it?” Sona asked, warily.

“Forty-seven dead.” Yore replied, grimly. “There are also around sixty to seventy wounded. Some of them might not make it, the healers aren’t sure.”

Sona could only grimace. The numbers weren’t terrible, all things considered. In nearly every respect, this could be considered a victory. So, why did it feel like it was only the beginning of something horrific?

A/N: Whew! That was hard to write! What did you think? Like it? Please let me know your thoughts and thank you all! It’s a little hard to believe I’ve been writing for a year but I’m really grateful for the support I’ve gotten for both A Digital Mother and Hearthfire. Thank you!!

Oh, and I should be getting one more chapter out this month. That one will be the proper monthly update. These two were for the anniversary celebration!

On to the notes and questions!

Firstly, Mern and Ezana are Oc’s that will likely not appear again except as the occasional background reference. I just thought seeing things from the perspective of a random Nora would be an interesting change of pace and a good start to this chapter. What did you think? Honest opinions please!

Also, I have questions!

Aloy will obviously tame machines, but I’ve always been curious. Do you think she names her mounts? Maybe just calls them all the same name like Geralt and Roach from the Witcher? If she did name her mounts, what would it be? Any ideas?

Next, i t is my intention to go as far as possible. That means Zero Dawn, Forbidden West, and hopefully the next installment too, whenever that is. My question is, what canon events do you all want to see? I’m talking side quests or things like that. Like I said last chapter, I’m a big believer in the ripple effect and both my stories are centered around it. One small change that gets bigger as time goes on. This means that most of my stuff starts off close to canon but diverges as the ripples spread.

For instance, nothing that happens with the Nora will affect someone like Sylens. He’ll be exactly the same at the start of Zero Dawn because he has no interest in the Nora. But the actions of the Nora might change the lives of someone like, say, Ourea or Aratak because they are involved with the Nora.

So, what do you think would be fun to look at? What canon events do you think are really important or just would be fun to see changed? I always welcome ideas to inspire me to write!

On to an interesting idea! What kind of music do you think the main characters would like? I listen to music a lot and it got me thinking about what the characters would like.

For instance, I’m certain that Kotallo would be a Sabaton fan. If you don’t know the band, they mostly write about military history. As for Aloy, I’m fairly sure she’d go for either power metal or maybe something like Blink 182.

Beta strikes me as the kind of person who likes classical music. Beethoven, Mozart, etc. But she secretly listens to Kpop and doesn’t want anybody to know. Rost is 100% a classic rock kind of dad.

What do you think? What band or music genre do you think specific characters would go for?

Lastly, shipping.

So, shipping isn’t really a huge part of my work. I prefer it to be a background element. It comes up when relevant, but it is not the focus of the story. However, this means that I am open to suggestions for what ships to look at including in the story, so I’d like suggestions!

I’ve noticed that there aren’t really that many different ones in the Horizon fandom. It’s mostly just Aloy x any of the important male characters, Talanah, Vala, or Seyka since Burning Shores came out. I don’t really want to do any of the Aloy x random important male because they’re so overdone. Definitely not Vala but maybe Talanah. Honestly, I like her and Seyka together best, but I do understand why others don’t.

That said. Here are the ships I will NOT be including at all for various reasons. Aloy x Vala. Aloy x Varl. Aloy x Avad. Aloy x Nil.

Actually, maybe not Aloy x any Carja? Given that she will be aware of the Red Raids this time, she won’t be as neutral towards them as she is in canon. I’ll give it some thought.

As for 100% confirmed pairings, there is only 1. Varl x Zo is confirmed. I love them together.

That said, I was thinking about different ships that would make for interesting reading or writing in the background and came up with a list, mostly focused on characters other than Aloy. I would love to know your opinion, but I have to stress i am NOT limited to this list! If I didn’t think of something, tell me! I love interesting ideas!

Here’s the list!

Aloy x Seyka (I think I prefer this one, cause I like them together but I’m open to ideas!)

Aloy x Ikrie

Aloy x Talanah

Vala x Erend

Vala x Ikrie

Vala x Kotallo

Vala x Alva

Beta x Erend (I think they’d be cute together!)

Beta x Alva

Beta x Talanah

Alva x Kotallo

Alva x Erend

Alva x Nil (Odd combo but could be interesting.)

Talanah x Teb (Randomly popped into my head. Not sure if it’d work.)

Talanah x Erend

Talanah x Ikire

Answers to Questions

On FFN

LunaShadowWolf: I hope you liked the first true look at the raids! In canon it didn’t seem like the kids of Aloy’s generation that lived in the Embrace were all that affected, so we’ll see.

Dracofighter: No worries! I kind of feel the same, it was a bit of a missed opportunity. I’m just trying to figure out if keeping them sentient is something I could write and do justice. Some of them really seemed like they didn’t want sentience. Others I’m not so sure about.

Dasgun: /-/

Rios: Thank you for the suggestion!

On Ao3

Leo2394: I will try and take it as far as possible! Thank you!

Jpx0999: Aloy is special, and GAIA is a really protective mama! The Nora won’t let her do much fighting when she hasn’t run the Proving, but that doesn’t mean she can’t contribute!

Ao3Prime: I hope you liked this!

Knight2000uk: I’m glad you’re loving it! I love ripple effect stories. It’s very satisfying to be able to track huge changes all the way bak to one tiny detail being changed from canon.

Chapter Text

A/N: Hello! Here’s the last chapter for this month! I’m really glad I was able to get it out today. I almost didn’t. Still, I hope you like it!

Thank you all so much for your comments and support during the anniversary uploads! I’ll be going back to the normal monthly schedule now that this one is out. I hope you all like it and I would greatly appreciate you leaving a comment with your thoughts and ideas!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 10

Teersa

Teersa held in her tears as the funeral neared its end. The bodies of those Braves killed in the Carja assault had been brought back to the Embrace and laid to rest at the foot of All Mother Mountain in places of honor. In total, fifty-three Braves lay dead. A horrific tragedy and yet they were lucky. Without the efforts of the Seekers and their preparations to deal with the derangement, things could have been much worse. She sent a silent prayer of thanks to the All-Mother for her warnings.

Following the Carja assault, War-Chief Sona had organized the Braves stationed outside the Embrace into a full defense force. Only the bare minimum were to remain stationed in the non-border villages. The garrison at the walls of the Embrace was doubled and reinforcements were sent out to join the War-Chief.

The gate between the Sacred Lands and the Sundom was slowly being turned into a defensive bastion while orders had been given for the villages of Mother’s Tears and Mother’s Vigil to be fortified. All the children and non-combatants were told evacuate to Mother’s Crown or deeper into the Embrace. Rost had already doubled the watch on the walls and would be coordinating the machine patrols while War-Chief Sona commanded the defenses at the border.

At present though, the War-Chief and Rost were standing together at the head of the funeral procession, just behind Teersa and the other High-Matriarchs. Sona had her arms around her children while Rost had a hand on Aloy’s shoulder. The War-Chief had accompanied the bodies of her fallen Braves home not only to attend the funeral, but to participate in a war council.

In terms of all things social and civilian, the Matriarchs held total sway. The Matriarchs of any one village would hold regular meetings to decide policy, discuss reports from scouts, deal with food shortages, winter preparations, and a myriad of other topics. Only a directive sent out by the High-Matriarchs could contradict the will of the village Matriarchs.

When it came to control over the Braves or in times of war, the War-Chief held total control. Sona obeyed only the word of the High-Matriarchs and the All-Mother herself. So, upon hearing her reports, word was immediately sent to summon all the village captains to Mother’s Heart to participate in the council.

“May they sleep in the All-Mother’s embrace.” Jezza concluded the ceremony, followed by a chorus of voices echoing her own.

“Nora Faithful.” Teersa turned and addressed the gathered assembly. “Tonight, we mourn our honored dead. Tomorrow, the council will meet. War is upon us, and we cannot let the sacrifice of these noble Braves be in vain.” There were murmurs of agreement, but the gathered Nora were understandably subdued.

Sighing, Teersa turned away. She would spend that night in solemn prayer along with Jezza and Lansra. Praying to the goddess that she might embrace the souls of the fallen.

Aloy

“Like this?” Varl asked, swiping his hand clumsily through the air.

“No! Gently.” Vala corrected him. Aloy giggled while she watched them. The young redhead was sitting on a rock up above the two in one of the higher points of Mother’s Heart.

Varl was Vala’s brother and was the closest thing Aloy had to one, so she considered him family. Their parents were attending the super important meeting, so the children were left to their own devices. Aloy and Vala took that to mean it was the perfect time to teach Varl how to use a Focus. After all, he would be a strong Brave one day. He could easily be granted one by the High-Matriarchs. Aloy was certain she could convince Granny Teersa that Varl deserved one.

At the moment, Varl was wearing Aloy’s own Focus while Vala walked him through how it worked. The two now 8-year-olds had spent the last year doing nothing but play with the devices. It started with learning to read the glyphs used by the Old Ones. GAIA called them letters.

Then they started working on learning things like math and exploring the data contained within the Focus. Aloy in particular was fond of the music and ‘television’ stored inside. Though, she did need GAIA to explain a few things. Like the definition of fiction or what sea creatures were. One of her favorite shows was about a sea creature that lived in a fruit but at first, she didn’t know what any of it was. Also, the Old Ones had a funny way of naming things. Why was it a pineapple if it wasn’t an apple and didn’t come from a pine tree?

GAIA had even promised to introduce her to something more serious. There were shows that were set in outer space! Another thing that GAIA had to explain, but Aloy wouldn’t complain about that! She liked talking to GAIA. She was super nice and supportive and was always there for her when Aloy needed somebody to talk to. She even told Aloy stories about her ancestor and the Alphas! Travis Tate sounded like he was a funny man, but it was the stories about Elisabet Sobeck that Aloy liked most.

It wasn’t just stories and shows that GAIA shared with her and Vala though. No, GAIA was a source of knowledge and wisdom. She knew so much! The ‘learning module’ that she’d created was something Aloy and Vala worked on every day. Vala was most excited to learn more about animals, but Aloy was more interested in something called ‘Engineering.’

According to GAIA, Engineering was basically the science of building things. Building anything from a house to the Focus itself required knowledge of Engineering and that meant Aloy was hooked. One of her favorite pastimes, aside from playing with the Focus and training with her father, was learning how the weapon crafters made things. Aloy was so close to being able to make her own bow! She was certain she could do it, but Naka still wouldn’t let her do it without help.

“It’s not a spear or a hammer, Varl!” Vala all but shouted. “You have to be gentle.”

“It’s not like I’ve ever done this before.” He retorted. Vala looked like she was about to speak when she stiffened and went a little blank.

“Aloy!” She called up to the redhead. “Come down for a second!”

“Coming!” Aloy stood and made her way down the ledge to join her friend.

“Varl, give her the Focus back for a second.” Vala said, cryptically. “You can use mine.”

“Why…? Varl and Aloy were both a little confused.

“Just do it!” Vala sighed, exasperatedly.

Grumbling a little, Varl exchanged Aloy’s Focus for Vala’s and handed the first one back to the redhead. A little confused, Aloy put her Focus back on. If she was honest, she didn’t really like not having it on but had been willing to let it go so that Varl could learn to use one.

“Hello Aloy.” GAIA’s voice came through. Now she understood! GAIA must have wanted to say something to her and asked Vala to get the Focus back to Aloy. Nobody but Aunt Sona, Granny Teersa, and her dad knew that Aloy and Vala were able to hear GAIA. Aloy moved away from the others, out of sight and earshot.

“Hi, GAIA! Is something wrong?”

“No, sweetheart. Not wrong. I just wanted to see how you were doing.” She sounded sad. “I know that yesterday was probably a little upsetting.”

“Oh.” Aloy muttered. She was right, of course. Aloy had attended funerals before but never for so many. Not to mention the fact that everybody was so stressed. They were trying to keep her and the other kids from learning too much, but Aloy knew that the Carja had invaded. The tribe was at war, and that meant more people were going to die.

“I’m okay.” She said. “Just… a little scared. What if Auntie Sona dies? Or daddy?”

“I’m so sorry, sweetie.” GAIA replied, soothingly. “I know I can’t keep them safe, but I do have an idea that might help reassure you.”

“You do?” Aloy asked, curiously.

“Yes. It took me a while to get things set up, but I believe it’s all ready. On your Focus’ menu, do you see an icon that wasn’t there before?

“I see it!”

“Good. Hit it and it should bring up a new menu.” Aloy did as asked. The new menu was actually a list of names. One was ‘Vala.’ One was ‘GAIA.’ The rest were all ‘Focus’ followed by a number. The one for GAIA had a speaker symbol next to it.

“This is the call function. It will let you connect to another Focus and speak to them from a distance just like I am speaking to you.”

“Really?” Aloy asked, stunned. That was incredible! If her father had one, she could talk to him no matter where he was! “What do I do?”

“Simply tap the name you wish to call. You and I are connected now, but you could add Vala’s Focus to the call by tapping hers. I do believe that it will give Varl quite the fright.”

Aloy grinned mischievously and tapped the call function, glancing at Varl from around the corner.

“Aah! What’s that?” Varl shouted, startling Vala as a screen popped up in front of him. He swiped at it out of instinct and accidentally pressed the accept button.

“Hi Varl!” Aloy said, cheerfully.

“Aloy?!” Varl spun around wildly. “Where are you? Why am I hearing you?”

Vala clearly said something, confused, but Aloy was too far away to hear her, and her voice didn’t come through the Focus.

“Give the Focus back to Vala!” Aloy giggled. Varl happily obliged, all but ripping the device off his head and shoving it into her hands.

“Aloy?” Vala asked, hesitantly.

“Hi Vala! GAIA showed me how to talk to you through the Focus!”

“Really?” Vala’s excited voice came through the Focus. “That’s great! We need to show Mama and Uncle Rost! If they have Focuses, we can talk to them while they’re gone!”

“That’s why GAIA showed me! Do you think we can do it now, or do we have to wait?”

“Now!” Vala demanded, turning to run up the hill towards the meeting grounds. Aloy ran out from behind her building and joined her friend.

“What the? Aloy! Vala! Wait! What’s going on?!” Varl hurried after them, thoroughly confused.

Rost

“Our first order of business should be to fully evacuate the area beyond the Embrace!” Shouted Barm, the captain of the Mother’s Cradle. A large, dark-skinned man with a long beard.

“That’s an unrealistic goal right now.” Korg argued back. “The Embrace cannot sustain an influx that large. The Villages simply aren’t big enough. We should settle for evacuating the border as we have already done and focus on fortification. The Carja must be kept out of the Sacred Lands.”

“What we need is more patrols.” Yore cut them both off. “The lands between the border villages and the Carja forts are vast and there are many secret paths in and out of the Sacred Lands. We monitor them as best we can, but they are just too obscure.”

“Yore is right.” Tosa agreed. “They tried an assault and it failed. Logic dictates that they will try stealth. If they discover the hidden paths, then they might slip a force in to attack our defenses from behind.” She was Captain of Mother’s Rise. Fair skinned with brown hair and grey eyes.

“The long valley between Mother’s Tears and Daytower is in the greatest danger of such an occurrence.” Said Kesh. He was captain of Mother’s Tears and the last of the gathered captains. Aside from Rost and the other six captains, there was War-Chief Sona, the three High-Matriarchs, and Karst.

The assembled group had been meeting since sunrise but unfortunately, they were squabbling about what to prioritize. Lansra was of the opinon that they should simply shut the borders to all outsiders and that was it. Jezza wanted to contact the Banuk for aid, and Teersa was the only one of the High-Matriarchs who was actually concerned about making tactical decisions. Of the three High-Matriarchs, she was the only former Brave.

“We need information.” Rost finally spoke. He’d been mostly quiet, listening to the opinions of the other captains. Although he was second to the War-Chief and in charge of the overall defense of the Embrace, he was still the captain of the Mother’s Heart guard.

“More scouting patrols are a must.” He continued. “If the Carja discover any of the hidden paths or, All-Mother forbid, one entirely unknown to us it could spell disaster. I propose a three-pronged approach.” He shifted in his seat. They were all sat around a table in the open-air meeting grounds near the top of Mother’s Heart.

“Firstly, we double or triple the scouting parties in our most high-risk areas and fill the border garrisons to the maximum. That is paramount. Second, we coordinate the evacuation of non-combatants to Mother’s Crown and Mother’s Rise. We can look into bringing them into the Embrace later on, once we have a better idea of what kind of conflict we are facing. Lastly, we should deploy the Seekers.”

Karst perked up at that, looking at him questioningly. “Deploy us?” He asked. Rost nodded.

“You have learned to pass for Carja, yes?” He nodded. “Then you are in the perfect position to act as spies. You could gather information and bring it back to us in the Sacred Lands.”

“An excellent idea, Rost!” Teersa said, happily.

“Agreed.” Sona nodded, solemnly. “Sending the Seekers out as spies is a wise decision. It will be dangerous though.”

“We’d be happy to.” Karst nodded. “Dangerous or not, we are in the best position to gather information on the movements of the Carja.”

“Your courage does you credit, Karst.” Sona gave him a smile. “Now. If we adopt Rost’s plan, that still leaves us facing several issues. First is food. We are not dependent on the Carja for food, but a conflict of this scale will tax the gatherers not to mention our sparse farms. We should look into expanding them.”

“It is difficult work.” Jezza grimaced. “However, you are correct. We are not very good farmers, but we will do what we can to expand.”

“Next. Weaponry.” Sona continued after nodding to the High-Matriarch. “Production of arrows, bombs, and traps must begin in earnest. We barely managed to hold out with what we had on hand during the recent assault. All villages must be stocked with enough ammunition to sustain a protracted battle, but the border villages and the gate must take priority. They cannot be allowed to fall.”

“We should also reach out to the Banuk.” Karst added. “Even if they cannot help us directly, they may have information that will help or be able to provide us with machine parts that are harder to come by in the Sacred Lands.”

“Dispatch a team to meet with the Werak that controls The Cut.” Sona ordered, agreeing with Karst. “As few as possible though. I want the rest of your Seekers gathering intel on the Carja.”

Before they could continue, the meeting was interrupted by high-pitch voices and two little girls barreling up the hill accompanied by an exasperated Varl.

“Mama!” Vala shouted, just ahead of Aloy.

“We figured something out that can help!” Aloy shouted.

“Stop!” Varl called from behind them, obviously trying to prevent the girls from interrupting.

“Vala! Aloy! This is a war council!” Sona barked, sternly. “Not a place for one of your games.”

“But Mama we can help! Aloy figured out how to use the Focuses to talk to people really far away!”

“What do you mean?” Teersa cut off Sona’s retort, interested. Rost leaned forward too. The Focus was a fascinating device, if a little unsettling, and he knew that the girls were able to commune with the All-Mother through them.

“The Old Ones used these to talk to each other from miles and miles away.” Aloy explained, pointing to the device on her head. “We know how to make them do that now! You could use the extra ones to help in the war.”

Rost beamed at his daughter. She was such a clever girl. “Can you show us?” He asked, moving to kneel in front of her.

“Yeah!” Aloy exclaimed. “Vala, run back down the hill call me!” She pointed.

“Right!” Vala sprinted off, the boundless energy of an excited child causing her to nearly fly down the slope.

“Put this on!” Aloy said, thrusting her Focus at Rost. Taking it, the man gingerly placed it on the side of his head. After a minute or two during which he tried to get accustomed to the odd dome of light and strange glyphs he was surrounded by, a box appeared in his vision. He couldn’t read the letters though.

“Something just appeared. What do I do?” He asked Aloy, hesitantly.

“Hit the rectangle on the right.” She told him.

Lifting his hand, Rost hesitantly tapped the air in front of him.

“Did it work?!” The loud voice of Vala came through the device, causing the large man to wince.

“Gah. That was very loud, Vala.”

“Oops! Sorry Uncle Rost.” She said, apologetically. “Can you give the Focus to Mama? I want her to see!”

Chuckling, Rost removed the device and handed it over to Sona. “It would seem your daughter would like to speak to you.”

She took it slowly. Almost scared of the device. She flinched at the squeak when it attached itself to her face, but her expression changed to one of wonder a moment later. Rost could only guess she was hearing Vala’s voice.

“This is incredible, little one.” Sona said, the affection in her voice evident. “It would seem the girls are correct. These devices do allow for communication across distance. We have a number of them, yes?”

“We do.” Teersa was beaming. “There are 9 available for distribution. One will be kept by the High-Matriarchs. One each will be given to you and Rost, Sona. Two to the Seekers.” She nodded at Karst. “The rest will be given to captains and scouts as deemed necessary. Though, we must be careful not to allow these precious treasures to fall into Carja hands.”

Teersa walked over to Aloy and set a hand on her head. The elderly woman stroked the vibrant red strands fondly. “You and Vala have done a great thing here, Aloy. However, I’m afraid we must ask still more of you. Do you think you could teach us how to use these wondrous devices? We need your help.”

As Aloy hugged the High-Matriarch, Rost spotted Vala running back up the hill. “Don’t worry, Granny.” Aloy said. “We can teach you.”

Sona

“One more time?” Karst asked.

“Right. This symbol is the one you hit if you want to change how loud it is. This one is for calling and this one is to open up the learning module.”

Sona tuned out young Aloy as she focused on her own task. Wearing the strange device was not exactly comfortable, but she was willing to put up with it given the advantages that came with it. Being able to communicate instantly across miles? That was worth a great deal, especially in war time.

She tapped the air again, aiming for the symbol that identified the sound control. A bar appeared before her with another bar crossing it at the bottom. The speaker symbol was at the bottom. Sliding the horizontal bar from the bottom to the top, she tapped the speaker symbol and a chime played in her head. Such a strange sensation, but she supposed she could get used to it.

“What does this… learning module do?” She asked her daughter. Honestly, Sona couldn’t be prouder of her little girl, but now was not the time to show it.

“The first thing it does is teach you to read the letters the Old Ones used.” Vala explained. “That’ll make using the Focus easier, so you want to study it as fast as you can. After that, it can teach you all kinds of things! I’ve been learning about some of the animals the Old Ones had. Like horses! They were even bigger than Striders and the Old Ones used to ride them!”

“Animals big enough to ride?” Sona asked, a little shocked. That was a concept that would take some getting used to.

“I wish I could see a real one.” Vala daydreamed a little. Sona just gave her a tiny smile.

“Vala? Could you come explain something to me?” Fassa called to her little girl. Sona nodded at her, gesturing that it was alright for her to go. The little one bounded away from her, eager to help the young Seeker.

Sona started, surprised when something flashed in front of her face. It was the ‘call box.’ If she remembered right from when the girl’s helped them, the glyphs on the box indicated that it was Rost who was calling her. She glanced over to where he was standing in a corner of the meeting grounds. Moving to another corner, she tapped the ‘accept’ button.

“Such a strange thing.” Rost’s voice said, “to be able to talk across distances.”

“Strange, yes but useful.” She replied. “The girls have done well.”

“I only wish it was not necessary.” Sona could only nod in agreement.

“We can try to keep the war from them, but they may eventually be forced to fight it.”

“I refuse to allow that.” Rost’s voice came through, determined. “We must keep the Carja out at all costs. Hopefully they will give up if entering our territory seems impossible.”

“That is my hope as well, but still. Have you ever known the Carja to be sensible?” She could see him grimace from across the field. “Once we have mastered these devices, we should keep in regular contact. It will make things considerably easier on us.”

“True. I feel I must warn you though. Now that she can contact you from afar, do you really expect Vala not to call you every chance she gets?”

Sona grinned. “No. I expect to hear from her every night and will be glad for it. I miss her and Varl terribly when I am away. It helps to know that they have you, but being able to speak to them myself will be a great comfort.”

“I do not envy your position.” Rost admitted. “Being away from Aloy is not something I think I could stomach. Certainly not while she is so young. In that, you are stronger than I.”

“It’s not really a matter of strength.” Sona admitted. “I do what I must to protect my children, even if it means I cannot be with them.”

Valleymeet

The man took a deep breath, savoring the cold air. He stood on a ridge, soldiers at his back. Down below him, winding their way along a primitive road was a group of savages. The sun was just beginning to set when they stopped and began to pitch camp. There were perhaps fifty of them. Women, children, weak men, the elderly, and a few scattered warriors. Each and every one was dressed in ragged leather or furs and their warriors wore only random machine parts as armor!

He almost spat in disgust. How could these savages have thrown back Zaid? How had they thrown back the army of the sun? The man clenched his fist. He could not allow his anger at the incompetence of Captain Zaid overrule his judgement. He would not disgrace the black armor his king had granted him. He would not disgrace the trust given to him by the Chosen of the Sun. Never.

His small force of twenty had stealthily made their way into the Savage East through a thin mountain pass known to the commander of Daytower. It hadn’t been an easy climb and they’d lost two on the journey, but it had been worth it. They’d camped beneath a ruin of the Old Ones that night and continued on the next day. It was not easy to avoid the patrols of the savages.

If nothing else, he could grudgingly admit that the savages were good warriors, and they knew their land well. He could respect the power of a strong warrior but in the end, they were savages who knew nothing of the Sun’s glory.

“Wait till they are asleep.” He spoke. His voice was husky, but angry. The soldiers behind him nodded. “Kill the warriors and any who fight back. Capture the others. They will be taken back to Meridian per the wishes of Sun-King Jiran.

They didn’t have to wait long. The sun had set, and the savages were all settled around their campfires. The only movement was the three guards patrolling the outer edges of the camp. The man took another deep breath. He was a Kestrel. An elite. Chosen by the Sun-King to carry out his most holy word. He would not fail.

“Attack!” He roared, bounding down the slope, his soldiers behind him.

His shout roused the sleeping savages, but it was too late. With the ferocity of a sandstorm, he crashed into the first guard. His blade cut through the savage’s pathetic armor with ease, blood spurting all over his armor. He savored it. To spill the blood of the unworthy was a holy thing.

With a roar, he turned to his next opponent. The infidel hadn’t even left his bedroll before the man swung, removing his head before the savage could draw a weapon. Screams filled the air as his men butchered the defenders.

“Do not resist!” He shouted. “If you fight, you will die! Surrender and you may yet live as a servant of the Sun!”

“Die, you sun-loving freak!” One man shouted, charging with a spear. The Kestrel dodged, grabbing the spear with one hand and wrenching it out of the savage’s hand. He turned the crude weapon around and buried it in his opponent’s face.

“Round them up!” He shouted to his men.

One by one, they bound the surviving savages with rope. Around twenty were dead. What was left were a few men, women, children, and elders. None of the warriors lived. He supposed that they should have captured a few, since those that were left hardly looked suited to labor. Though, if their only purpose was to be sacrificed to the sun, then how strong they were really didn’t matter, did it?

“We must leave.” He ordered. “We must reach Daytower before the savages discover their missing caravan.” Take what can be carried. Make the prisoners haul it, but do not allow them to carry anything that can be used as a weapon! I will not tolerate failure!”

The men scrambled, while the Kestrel watched them. He breathed deep again. The cold night air was suffused with the scent of blood, sweat, and fear. He savored it. He lost track of how long he stood there, but eventually he was approached by one of the soldiers.

“Are we ready to move?” He asked.
“Yes, Commander Helis.”

“Good.”

A/N: I’m really sorry about how short this chapter is, but I wanted to get it out and I was running out of time! I hope you liked it! Please leave a comment with your thoughts and ideas surrounding this chapter!

What did you think of this one? It was mostly aftermath and setup, but we did get a look at Helis!

I do have one question. Do you think there are backups of the other sub-functions? I’m juggling a few different plot ideas for the future and was curious about what you all thought.

Oh, and thank you all for answering so many of my questions! I really appreciate it and you’ve given me a lot to think about!

Answers to Questions

On FFN

LunaShadowWolf: We’re already starting to see the raids affect her! I hope you like the direction I’m going.

Dragon Master 88: Thank you! I like the suggestions!

D3Diton: I doubt she’d name her mount Erend. Though, weirdly, I can see Erend naming his mount after himself. Mecha Erend or something like that.

Rios: I’m glad you like it! As for CYAN, we will get to her.

Dracofighter: I do want them to sort of rival the Tenakth in skill. I have some ideas and we may see a Tenakth or two earlier than expected. No promises though!

On Ao3

For everybody I didn’t get to respond to personally

Bestiatomate: I don’t really know a whole lot about Call of the Mountain. I need to look deeper into it.

Boludica96: Thank you! I didn’t know about Alva’s girlfriend until after I posted the chapter. As for Talanah and Teb, the more I think about it, the more interested I am. I think it could be fun.

WolvezRock17: I’m really glad you liked it! I was worried about how the OC’s would be received but I thought it was a great way to introduce the red raids. Thank you for answering so many questions! I appreciate it!

Xfel: I’m glad you liked it! We will be seeing Zaid again though. I have some interesting ideas for how things will change that should make Free Heap interesting.

Ryanlarsen84: I’m glad you liked both chapters! Don’t worry about the Oc thing though. This story won’t get mired in them. I just think introducing one-off characters is a fun way to look at things from a different perspective now and again.

Oddball250: Thank you!

TheLoveOfHorizon: Yeah, I don’t think I’ll pair Aloy with a Carja.

Reactivegull12: I saw both comments. Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it! Also, your reaction to Mern and Ezana is what I was hoping for! I really liked them, and I wanted to add a little extra tension so I’m glad it worked. They may make a cameo now and again, but I probably won’t show their perspectives again. Thank you so much for answering all the questions, I really appreciate it.

YoGo: I’m glad you like it! Also, thank you for the constructive criticism. I will try and make sure I don’t lose the character’s voice. I am just a hobby writer, so there’s things I need to work on.

SpiritDeNight: I’m sorry the chapter made you sad! I’m glad you liked it though.

Chapter Text

A/N: I’m back! Cutting it kinda close, but I got it out. It’s been an exhausting couple of weeks so I’m just grateful I got to write at all. That said, this chapter is on the shorter side so sorry about that! It’s a good one though.

As always, I love your comments and reviews and I hope you keep them coming. They help my motivation so much and I read every single one.

Oh, and check out the note at the bottom. I left a little information for you.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 11

Karst

Karst and his party fought their labored breathing as they rushed along the trail. Every once in a while, the lead Seeker would stoop to the ground or suddenly change course as she examined the muddy and disorganized tracks. If he was honest with himself, Karst had never expected to be in a situation like this when he requested the Seeker’s blessing all those years ago.

The first Seeker in a generation. It was a strange title to bear. The only living Seeker that predated him was Captain Rost, and even he hadn’t technically been a true Seeker. He was now, but that was beside the point.

The years following his blessing had been filled with adventure, wonder, and excitement. He’d hunted with a Banuk Werak, traded with Carja while disguised as one of their own, perused the wonders of the old world in the markets of the Oseram, and recently had even delved into the ruins themselves after Rost and Sona’s daughters accidentally found one within the Embrace.

Before the Goddess appeared to the Matriarchs, all Karst had wanted to do was be a merchant. He didn’t care much for hunting or combat like other teenagers. As a Nora, he could of course hunt and fight with the best of them, but that didn’t mean he liked it. No, Karst was more interested in people. Talking to them, learning about them, trading with them. At first, he figured that he would only learn about other Nora or maybe the occasional Carja trader, but then the revelation came. The Goddess herself had asked for Seekers to be anointed.

While most children dreamed of being War-Chief, or maybe a Matriarch if they were a girl, Karst was fascinated by the idea of the Seeker as a child. A Nora blessed by the Goddess who could come and go from the Sacred Lands as they pleased. Unfortunately for Karst, when he was young there were no living Seekers to share their stories. Before the appearance of the Goddess, it had been generations since a Seeker was named. Technically Rost counted, but since he was an Outcast at the time, Karst remained unaware of him.

So, when it was announced that the All-Mother herself had called for Seekers to be blessed, Karst had jumped at the chance. He knew he only had one chance of guaranteeing that he’d receive the blessing, and that was by winning the Proving. With that goal in mind, the young man had thrown himself into his training with wild abandon.

His friends and even his parents were confused by his sudden enthusiasm until he revealed to them the reason for his sudden dedication. Amazed and excited, many of Karst’s friends joined him in his pursuit of the blessing. The training was long and arduous, but Karst achieved his dream. He won the Proving and, kneeling before the Matriarchs, requested the Seeker’s blessing for himself and his friends.

The years that followed had allowed Karst to see more sights and interact with more people than he’d ever imagined. Some, like the Banuk, were shockingly similar to the Nora. Indeed, their time among the Banuk had almost felt like being among their own tribe. Aside from that nonsense about their ‘blue light’ but Karst knew better than to make comments about that in front of a Banuk.

He respected the Banuk both as warriors and as people, but that didn’t mean he agreed with all their beliefs and philosophies. As for the other tribes he’d interacted with, the Carja had been pretty much what he’d expected. Proud, arrogant, and a little bit sun crazed. Not all Carja were like that, of course, but it was best to be prepared for at least a little bit of arrogant behavior when interacting with any Carja. Karst doubted many even realized how rude they were being sometimes but when they spoke with members of other tribes, they really came across as quite arrogant.

As for the Oseram, he was torn. While he greatly respected their bravery, honesty, and ingenuity there were elements of their society that he was instintually opposed to. Indeed, the primary aspect of their societal structure was the complete opposite of what he was used to and Karst did not like it. Nor did the other Seekers.

The Nora were a matriarchal society, meaning that women were the primary ruling figures. Indeed, the highest position a man could reach was War-Chief, and even they were subject to the will of the Matriarchs. The Oseram, on the other hand, were almost violently patriarchal. In some regions of The Claim, women were treated little better than property and it was beyond difficult to not react in anger when they were first exposed to it.

There were Oseram that were opposed to this, and they were the ones Karst was most fond of, but they were also not the ones with the power to change things. Still, at the end of the day it wasn’t his problem. He didn’t like some of the practices of Oseram society, but there was much about it that deserved respect and there were individual tribesmen he genuinely liked. He hoped they weren’t under attack by the Carja like the Nora were.

The Carja attack on the gate and Mother’s Vigil had come as a huge surprise. Nobody was expecting the attack, and it was only thanks to their preparations in response to the Derangement that the village wasn’t completely overrun. In response, the border villages were being fortified and it was decided that the Seekers would be deployed as spies.

They’d been in the middle of discussions on the structure of teams and deployment locations when a scout came rushing in with word of an attack. The scout was from outside the Embrace and had come across a destroyed Nora caravan on a routine patrol. After reporting to their leader, the scout was sent running for Mother’s Heart to report to the Captains, War-Chief, and High-Matriarchs. War-Chief Sona, of course, immediately dispatched a team to investigate.

Flashback

“Goddess protect us…” Ozea, a dark-haired woman, muttered next to him. The group slowly walked forward, treading carefully around the destroyed tents and broken bodies. The team of Braves dispatched by the War-Chief numbered nine Seekers and three Braves. Karst was in command of the party, as the leader of the Seekers.

“Captian Yore was right.” Karst muttered. “The Carja must have found one of the hidden paths.”

“But which one?” Fassa, his second asked, half to him and half to herself. Karst could only shake his head, unknowing. Fassa was a beautiful woman with dirty blonde hair and had been one of his dearest friends since childhood.

“Karst?” Torst’s voice drew his attention away from his second. He was a lean man with dark hair and skin.

“What is it?” He asked.

“Where are the rest of the bodies?” Karst narrowed his eyes in confusion. Looking closer at the carnage, he realized what his fellow Seeker was talking about. There weren’t nearly enough bodies to account for the number of tents and the amount of luggage. In fact, nearly all of the dead looked to be Braves. Fighters. A horrible feeling ran down his spine.

“War-Chief Sona said that the Carja were looking for captives when the army attacked Mother’s Vigil…” He muttered. Though, in the silent horror that filled the camp, his voice might as well have been a thunderclap.

“You don’t think the Carja have taken hostages, do you?” Fassa asked, horrified.

“I’m almost certain of it.” He pointed. “Look. There are toys and other such things scattered amongst the luggage. There were children in this caravan, but none have been found wandering and there are no bodies.”

“If they are being taken to the Sundom…” Ozea muttered, “then they must have left tracks. Stealthy soldiers might be able to avoid leaving a trail, but it would be next to impossible to hide the presence of prisoners. Especially children.”

“Search everywhere.” Karst ordered. “Find that trail and as much evidence as you can! We need to know which direction they went!”

The team was frantic, but thankfully it didn’t take them long to discover the trail. It led off into the woods and headed north-west from the destroyed camp. While the others made preparations to move the bodies, Karst and Fassa stepped away. Lifting a hand to the side of his head, Karst tapped his Focus, activated the call function and tied Fassa’s Focus into it. There was a soft gonging noise that repeated itself every few seconds until it was replaced with a voice.

“Karst. Fassa.” War-Chief Sona’s voice said in his ear. “Report.”

“We’ve found the caravan, War-Chief.” Karst said, speaking quickly. “All evidence points to an attack by humans, not machines. We’re assuming Carja, but there are no bodies aside from our Braves. It looks like they took captives.”

“The trail leads northwest.” Fassa interjected. “Towards Dawn’s Sentinel.”

“With your permission, War-Chief.” Karst continued. “We’d like to go after them.

“Permission granted.” War-Chief Sona said, gruffly. “Karst. Take your Seekers and follow the Carja. Even if they take them out of the Sacred Lands, you’re to follow them. When you have an opportunity, I want you to try and rescue our people. Fassa, you stay behind. Return to Mother’s Heart for now. Soon enough, I’ll need you to head north and handle talks with the Banuk.”

“Understood, War-Chief.” They both said in acknowledgement. Karst could tell Fassa wasn’t happy about staying behind, but he personally agreed with Chief Sona’s decision. As first and second in command of the Seekers, it made little sense for them both to be gone on a potentially deadly mission.

“Karst.” The War-Chief addressed him.

“Yes, War-Chief?”

“Stay in touch and bring our people home.”

Flashback End

So, here he was. Leading a team of seven other Seekers along the trail left by the Carja and their captive Nora prisoners. He didn’t know if they would succeed, but he knew they had to try. No Nora should be forcibly removed from their Sacred Lands and Karst would not allow any of them to die so far from the All-Mother’s embrace.

Aloy

Aloy was sitting on her bed with her back against the wall of the hut. Knees pulled up against her chest, she was grinning from ear to ear. The inside of the hut she shared with her father was warm and cozy. His bed sat on the far wall across from hers and there was a fire pit in the middle. There was a table with some chairs and various tools, utensils, and assorted items scattered around. A relatively new addition was a workbench covered in tools, half-built arrows, bombs, and other such things that sat against the back wall.

This was Aloy’s workbench. The place where she practiced her newfound skills in weapon building and engineering. GAIA said she was learning far faster than an average person would. In fact, the spirit voice told her that she’d inherited her intelligence from her ancestor, Elisabet Sobeck. The woman had apparently achieved the highest level of education possible for the Old Ones by the time she’d turned sixteen years old. Aloy was rather proud of having that connection to her ancestor and worked hard to honor her memory. Though, she likely wouldn’t be touching her workbench that day.

Today was one of the few days where she had time to herself. Vala and Varl were spending time with their mother before she left the Embrace again and her father was busy dealing with something at the gates. Seeker Fassa was about to leave to deal with something involving the Banuk, and he was helping them prepare.

The 8-year-old redhead took the opportunity to indulge in one of her favorite new hobbies. TV. The Focus and its learning module contained thousands of hours of media developed by the Old Ones for the purpose of entertainment. According to GAIA, there used to be a hundred times more, but the records were all destroyed by Accursed Faro. GAIA told Aloy that she’d ‘pulled everything she could from her memory,’ whatever that meant.

Unfortunately, this meant that not everything was intact. Nor was it all from the same time period. A lot of the media developed towards the end of the Old Ones couldn’t be played because the Focus wasn’t designed for it. It needed a ‘VR Environment.’ Aloy was studying the module every day, but she still wasn’t sure exactly what that entailed. Regardless, there were many hours of music and ‘television’ from older eras that she could indulge in.

Aloy was particularly fond of some of the music since she could listen to it while she studied. Her day was fairly structured. Mornings were filled with training. She’d rise early and join the other young children in going through archery exercises or other training. Some days they would stay in the village, others they would go out and do hunting exercises or practice running the Brave Trails.

By late afternoon, they’d be cut loose to play or maybe help out around the house or the farms. Some days Aloy would go help the mothers at the farm, others she would do her chores around her hut, and still others she would just spend the time working on the learning module. She liked listening to music while she did that. Evenings were her favorite time of day, since she got to spend them with her father. Lastly, she would spend maybe an hour either working on the module, tinkering with her tools, or watching something mindless with her Focus before going to bed. Today though, she had the day off. Most of it would be spent diving into the module, but she wanted to have a little senseless fun first.

 A flat panel was being projected out from her Focus and on it, a video was playing. Aloy grinned, watching the small animated green figure and taller armored figures sit around the cartoon campfire.

“Come. Sit. Your helmets, remove them. Your faces I wish to see.” The green cartoon figure said. This was Yoda. She liked him. GAIA had recommended the Star Wars series to her, since she had most of it saved and so far, Aloy was loving it.

“Not much to look at here, sir.” One of the armored figures grumbled as the three removed their helmets. The three cartoon men all shared identical features. “We all share the same face.”

“Deceive you, eyes can.” Yoda giggled. “In the force, very different each one of you are.”

Aloy watched happily as Yoda walked around, giving each of the clone soldiers a pep talk and showcasing just how different each of them was despite being nearly identical in appearance. Unfortunately, her enjoyment was interrupted by someone banging on the door to the hut. Huffing, Aloy paused her show and stood. She didn’t even get a foot on the ground before the door burst open, revealing Vala.

“Aloy!” Her friend said, brightly.

“Vala?” Aloy was confused. “I thought you were spending the day with Aunt Sona.”

“She got called away.” Vala grumbled. “High-Matriarch Lansra wanted to talk to her about the war.” Aloy grimaced. Neither of the girls was very fond of Lansra. Aloy loved Granny Teersa and High-Matriarch Jezza was nice, but Lansra? Lansra was mean, grouchy, rude, and all those other things her father and Granny Teersa told Aloy she shouldn’t be. She wondered why High-Matriarch Lansra’s parents didn’t teach her that.

“I’m sorry.” Aloy said. She knew just how much spending time with Aunt Sona meant to Vala. Since she was the War-Chief, Aunt Sona was always busy leading the Braves. It would be even worse once she left the Embrace to take control of the war against the Carja. They might be able to talk to each other on the Focuses now, but it was likely Aunt Sona would be gone for years.

Despite how little Vala saw of her mother, Aloy couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of her friend.

Vala had a mother. She wasn’t around a lot, but she still had a mother. For most of Aloy’s life, it felt like there was a hole there. A question at the back of her mind. What was it like to have a mom? Siblings? Not to be misunderstood, Aloy absolutely loved her father. He was the single best person on the planet. If it wasn’t so embarrassing, she would thank Granny Teersa every day for asking him to raise her.

As for siblings, she and Vala were as close as any pair of sisters she knew and Varl might as well have been her brother. The thing was… there was always a gap there. When Aunt Sona came home, she would spend family time with Vala and Varl, but not Aloy. Aunt Sona loved Aloy, she knew that, but Aloy wasn’t her daughter.

Though… that weird hole felt a little less empty these days. Ever since she met GAIA. Aloy had asked Vala once what it was like to have a mother and the description she gave was… oddly similar to how Aloy interacted with GAIA.

Aloy could tell GAIA anything and she’d listen. She would help Aloy with her problems, explain things she didn’t understand, and even comfort her when she was sad! Not that she held back on lecturing the little redhead when she did something stupid… Aloy’s ears were still ringing from the lecture she’d gotten after accidentally setting off a paint bomb in her hut. She’d had her father lecturing her in one ear and GAIA scolding her in the other. Not a pleasant day.

Still, all things considered, she was happy. Since meeting GAIA, it felt like that hole in her life where her mother should have been was slowly closing. Despite all the uncertainty surrounding the war and the tribe, Aloy was happy.

Rost

“The War-Chief is making a mistake.” Rost just barely heard the muttered grumble coming from the petulant Brave.

“Oh? You’re questioning your War-Chief?” Fassa asked, whirling around to face the speaker. Evidently, she too had heard him.

Rost was standing at the front gate of Mother’s Heart along with Fassa, her Seeker team, and the usual compliment of gate guards. The Seekers were making some final preparations before leaving and making their way north to The Cut. So far, the Nora had not heard a thing coming from their Banuk allies since the Carja assault on Mother’s Vigil. If they had been attacked, Rost hoped they were able to repel the Carja force.

Unfortunately, instead of having a peaceful sendoff and letting the Seekers be about their business, the most difficult and irritating member of the Mother’s Heart garrison had decided he couldn’t hold his tongue. Rost sighed in irritation.

“Well?” Fassa demanded. “Answer me!”

“Yes!” Resh spat out, actual spittle flying from his mouth. “Getting involved with those Banuk heathens was a mistake! We don’t need them! We don’t need to check on them! The Nora can easily repel those sun-loving freaks without help from the Banuk! You should be doing your duty to the High-Matriarchs and hunting down the soldiers that killed our people! Not wasting your time with those frozen heathens!

“The captain of the Seekers is doing just that, Resh.” Rost reminded the stubborn fool. “He’s been tracking them for days. Last we heard; they’d followed the party into the Sundom.”

“They should have attacked before the Carja could take our people beyond the border!” Resh shouted. “Now the captives are outcast! They have passed the border and Nora law forbids their return!”

“That doesn’t apply here, and you know it!” Fassa countered. Indeed, it did not. Nora law clearly stated that to willingly leave the Sacred Lands was to be banished forever. This also held for those who were directly banished by the Matriarchs. However, those who were taken from the Sacred Lands against their will were not necessarily banished.

It was rare that such a thing occurred, but there was a precedent. Generations ago, when the Carja last attacked, several Braves were captured and taken beyond the borders. When they eventually escaped and returned home, the High-Matriarchs of the time had chosen to welcome them back.

At the time, it was believed all lands beyond their borders were tainted and cursed. Now, though, they knew different. The words of the All-Mother had revealed the truth of the taint. They knew that it came from the Metal Devil already but were unaware that the goddess had labored to cleanse the world of it and make it safe beyond their borders.

There was some debate amongst the tribe about whether or not this meant they should all be allowed to leave the Sacred Lands. If the land beyond was untainted, then why were they confined to their borders? This had caused a great deal of argument, but it was eventually agreed that they would adhere to the law for the time being, but that the laws themselves would be relaxed a little.

“The High-Matriarchs themselves have declared that none who are taken captive by the Carja will be banished.” Rost reminded Resh softly. The man had been a thorn in his side since the moment he’d taken the captainship of Mother’s Heart.  Resh did not reply. He simply growled and stomped off. Rost shook his head and turned back to Fassa.

“Has he always been such an ass?” She asked, exasperatedly.

“Ever since I’ve known him.” One of the gate guards grumbled, causing the woman to let out a huff and turn towards her team.

“We should get moving.”

“Safe travels, Seeker.” Rost said, extending his arm.

Fassa took his arm in a warrior’s handshake. “My thanks, Captain. Keep the Embrace well protected while we’re gone.”

“Always.” He nodded.

Having seen the Seeker party off, Rost originally intended to return to his home and spend the day with his daughter but was unfortunately waylaid by his Focus making noises at him. He was still a little wary of using the device but could not deny that it was useful. Utilizing his limited skills at reading the glyphs of the old ones, he recognized that Sona was attempting to contact him.

This was odd. She was supposed to be spending the day with her children, so why would she be calling him? He could only imagine that it was for some kind of emergency so, waving farewell to the gate guards, he moved into the empty guardhouse and accepted the call.

“Rost.” Sona’s distorted voice came through. “Karst has a report. I’ve connected High-Matriarch Teersa as well.”

“I’m here, Sona.” High Matriarch Teersa’s voice joined Sona’s. “What do you have to report, Karst?”

“We’ve tracked the Carja past Dawn’s Sentinel and south into the Sundom.” Karst reported. “They’ve stopped at Morning’s Watch, but we have a problem.”

“Problem?” Sona asked.

“Yes, War-Chief. It looks like the area beyond the gate has been turned into a slave camp. Loa was able to disguise herself and get some information out of the guards. It looks like our people are going to be split up here and taken to different slave camps across the Sundom. They aren’t alone though.”

“What do you mean?” Rost questioned the Seeker.

“Loa reported members of practically every tribe we know of being held in the camp.” Karst reported. Seems the Carja attacked the tribes to the north and west before they hit us. They’ve been splitting up captive groups to make it harder for them to try and coordinate an escape. Aside from the captive Nora, Loa saw Banuk, Oseram, and what we think are Utaru all held in the camp.

“Will you be able to get our people out?” Sona demanded.

“I doubt it.” Karst admitted. “From what we can tell, they’re splitting up the captured Nora in the morning so our only chance would be tonight. They’re just too heavily guarded to get just our people out. Our only option would be to start a revolt and free all the captives.”

“Is it possible?” Teersa asked.

“I would guess so.” Karst replied. “It’s an all or nothing deal, but I believe it’s possible. The issue is, where would the other captives go? It’s not like they can sneak through Carja territory to get home. They’ll be recaptured.”

Rost did not like the idea that came into his head, but if their only option for freeing the captive Nora was to rescue the members of the other tribes too, they had little choice. “Karst.” He spoke up. “Do you know of the pass between the Sundom and the south-western lake of Valleymeet?”

There was a narrow mountain path that ran through the mountains south of Daytower. The problem was the western exit was directly above a cauldron. A machine spawning ground.

“The one above the cauldron? I know it, but why?”

“If you can free all the captives under cover of night and eliminate the garrison, you might be able to make it to the pass by dawn. You could evacuate the prisoners into the Sacred Lands. They could then return to their homes by heading through The Cut and going around the Sundom to the north.”

“Rost!” Sona’s shocked voice came through. “They may be prisoners, but you’d invite Oseram and Utaru into the Sacred Lands? We don’t even know if the Banuk prisoners belong to the Werak we’ve been trading with!”

“Forgive me, War-Chief.” He said, contritely, “but at this point any enemy of the Carja is a friend of ours.”

“That… is a very good point.” Sona admitted, grudgingly.

“I’m afraid I agree with Rost.” Teersa added. “We should not abandon anyone to the tortures of the Carja. As High-Matriarch, I am authorizing you to do this, Karst. Free all the captives.”

“Agreed.” Sona sighed. “Seeker Karst. You’re to free all the prisoners being held at Morning’s Rise. Stay safe and come home.”

“Understood.” The Seeker replied, his voice like steel.

A/N: And done! What did you think? We got to look at Karst’s perspective for the first time. He was very interesting to write. Aloy’s maturing a little and starting to show a little bit of self-awareness about her emotions, so that was interesting. Resh made another appearance too. I’ve got some ideas that involve him, but I’m not sure how far I want to push it.

Oh, and before you get any ideas I will not be ‘redeeming’ him. Resh is an ass and will always be an ass. I wish Aloy got to punch him in Zero Dawn.

So, about Aloy’s face paint. I’ve looked at your suggestions and had a few ideas of my own. I did a little quick tinkering in photoshop and I’m actually going to put the images I did at the bottom of the Ao3 version of the chapter. I’d love your opinion on them! I’m fond of number 1 personally, but I’d like to hear your thoughts!

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Dragon Master 888: Glad you liked it! I’m still unsure if I want to go the backup subfunction route, but I appreciate your input.

Rios: I’m thinking about having her give the strider either a joke name like ‘Clanker’ or maybe an astrology / battlestar galactica reference. Not sure yet.

Frostwolf3227: I’m doing fine! Thank you for the concern though. As for GAIA, she will not be interacting with the general population much. Only a specific few and they’ll be keeping her involvement a secret, so they don’t cause a panic.

LunaShadowWolf: Thank you! I appreciate your input. I’ve got some ideas in my head on what to do with the six months between Zero Dawn and Forbidden West and finding a subfunction or two is one of them. Just not sure what route I’ll take yet.

On Ao3

Ryanlarsen84: Wow that was a lot of reviews you left today! I love it! As for the mount name, I kinda like Athena. I’ll think about it. Regarding Minerva and Eleuthia. GAIA’s communication skills are limited and they were both hiding way in the west so she can’t reach them. The only possible AI she could reach at the moment is CYAN but she doesn’t know about her yet. About the Utaru. Can you guess some of my plan from that last segment of the chapter? As for the Oseram. Not sure about having them develop something but Aloy? She is learning engineering. Thank you for the face paint suggestions! One of the ones I posted is based on the mark of pride so thank you for that!

WolvesRock17: She is definitely gonna be a menace! I’m so glad you liked the chapter and I appreciate your input. I’m still not sure which direction to go, but I guess we’ll see.

YoGO: Apollo is 100% out of reach. The Zenith’s have the only copy. You’re right about that.

Ao3Prime: Thank you!

TheLoveOfHorizon: Thank you!

ReviewerDWJ2: I’m glad you like it. You make a good point. Ted might have deleted the backups when he destroyed Apollo.

LeeviBrokerColors: I am leaning towards them keeping their sentience, but I’m not sold on it yet. Also, don’t worry. You didn’t come across that demanding.

Reactivegull12: I’m sorry things have been so eventful! I hope it gets quieter. Don’t worry about Zaid. We’ll see him again. As for him and Rost… we’ll see. I’ve got a few ideas running around my head.

Chapter Text

A/N: Hello! I know, this one is a little early but of course that is for a reason! Horizon Forbidden West releases on PC tomorrow! I finally get to play it! So, I'm releasing this today in a bit of a celebration. I hope you like it.

For those who want to know about Hearthfire, I will be posting a chapter soon. Likely next weekend. Writing that, work, and Forbidden West are basically all I'm going to be doing this coming week.

As always, I love and appreciate every comment I get, and I read them all so I hope you keep them coming. They mean a lot to me.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 12

Karst

Karst held his breath and crawled forward. Peeking over the ledge, he could see the people moving about in the stone structure below him. The Nora Seekers he led were hunkered down behind a rocky outcropping that itself sat on a promontory overlooking Morning's Watch.

Morning's Watch was a Carja fortress constructed directly over the main road between Daytower and Meridian, the capital city of the Carja Sundom. After reporting to the War-Chief at the attack site, Karst and his team of Seekers followed the trail of the Carja and their captives to Dawn's Sentinel. Knowing that they couldn't pass through the Carja controlled gate, for obvious reasons, they chose to sneak their way through the mountains to the south and rappelled down the cliff face.

Luckly, while they were on the ridge, they spotted a large column of people moving down the road. Upon closer inspection, they realized that this group was made up of Carja soldiers and the captured Nora. Roughly thirty Nora prisoners were being dragged along by a force of Carja, heading southwest.

Karst and his team followed them as best they could while keeping out of sight. Unfortunately, the force of Carja soldiers numbered around forty-five and there was never an opportunity to attack under stealth, so they were forced to stay back and watch. That is, until they reached Morning's Watch.

The escorting Carja left almost immediately, heading back northeast towards Daytower and Dawn's Sentinel. Luckily, Karst had passed through Morning's Watch before. Once disguised as a Banuk hunter and two or three times posing as a Carja merchant. He knew the area fairly well and, once they'd determined that the prisoners would not be moved again that day, he'd led his team south.

Well, all of them except for Loa, who chose to try entering the fortress in disguise so that she could ferret out information from the guards. They were lucky that she had a Carja disguise in her pack or else they wouldn't have been able to get any information at all. She quickly donned her disguise and slipped around the fortress to the north, hoping to enter the Carja stronghold from the west so as not to arouse any suspicion.

A shallow vale ran to the south on the eastern side of the fortress, but the western ridge of the vale got closer to the ground the further south you went. Easily allowing for a small group of trained Nora to easily scale the face and get onto the ridge. The Carja probably knew about it but even their hunters, save for the best, weren't known to be very skilled when it came to maneuvering around difficult terrain so it was unlikely that there would be guards on the ridge.

The vale had been home to a Carja hunters camp used for training members of the Hunters Lodge when Karst last came through, but it appeared to be abandoned now. Without the hunters luring machines in, the vale was mercifully quiet. They passed through the valley without incident and scaled the face of the short cliff. Moving back to the north along the top of the ridge, they'd found themselves looking directly down onto the fortress.

One section of the outcropping was so close, they could feasibly jump directly down onto the stone battlements of the fort! So, Karst laid low, crawling towards the edge on his belly and making as little noise as possible. Down on the ground, a large man in black armor was screaming at the captain of the garrison. His voice easily loud enough to reach Karst up on the ridge.

"Keep these prisoners in line, captain." The black armored figure shouted. "I did not enter the sun-forsaken east just to lose my prize. If I return from Meridian to discover that any have escaped, I will personally claim your head." He roughly poked the captain in the chest.

"Of course, Commander Helis." The captain replied, visibly shaking. "None shall leave this camp until dawn. I swear it!"

"Good." 'Helis' nodded. If Karst understood correctly, this man was the one who'd led the assault on the caravan. He clenched his teeth in rage, glaring at the figure who kept speaking. "I will be continuing on to Meridian to report my success to His Luminance. I shall return tomorrow with a company to escort the slaves further into the Sundom."

Karst continued to listen and watch until the black armored figure left the gates, heading west with a small company. The guards were busy settling the captives. Though, there weren't only Nora prisoners. Karst recognized Oseram and Banuk tribespeople that looked to be prisoners along with what he thought might be Utaru. He'd never personally met someone from the Utaru tribe, since they lived in the Forbidden West, but Rost had described them to him when he was first preparing to go Seeking.

The fortress was rather small, all things considered. Only built to house a garrison of around thirty soldiers. From the ridge, Karst spotted battlements to the east and west with large gates in them that formed an odd triangle shape, with the cliff he was sitting on serving as one of the walls. The western wall curved sharply, coming to meet the eastern wall at a point to the north where a building sat, forming another wall within the fortress. Directly below him was a fortified building that seemed to be officer's quarters.

Set into the eastern wall, next to the gate below Karst, was the guardhouse. He could see members of the stationed platoon moving in and out. Peering down, he spotted a trap door in the floor of the battlements that looked to lead down into the guardhouse. He watched as it opened and a Carja soldier climbed out on a ladder. The soldier wandered down the wall towards the guard roaming the top of the wall. He kept watching until the two Carja traded places and the second guard descended into the trap door, closing it tight.

The building that formed the northern wall was shorter but much larger than the others with a flat roof that formed a part of the battlements. From what he could tell, it was a combination of barracks and storehouse. The road ran through the eastern gate, directly across the middle of the fort, and out the western gate. All along both sides of the road, roughly seventy people of various tribes were being chained to posts thrust deep into the ground.

West, down the cliff and across a river was the town of Lone Light, which primarily served as a provisioning place for Morning's Watch, Daytower, and Dawn's Sentinel. Karst was pulled from his observations by someone tapping his shoulder. Looking back, he spotted the pale face of Yorn, gesturing to him. Scuttling back along the ridge, his fellow Seeker whispered to him once they were well out of the fort's hearing range.

"Loa is back. She wants to report."

"Right." He nodded.

They ran as silently as they could back down the ridge to rejoin the bulk of the group. Karst could see Loa, a pale skinned woman with brown hair, removing her Carja disguise while she spoke to the gathered Seekers.

"What did you learn?" He asked, jogging up to them.

"It looks like they're splitting everyone up tomorrow morning" she replied, her voice quivering a little. "There are Utaru, Banuk, Oseram, and Nora prisoners all chained to the posts. I overheard the guards saying that half the prisoners here will be taken to some building project on the other side of the Sundom. The rest are being taken either to the mines or straight to Meridian for sacrifice in the Sun Ring." There were grimaces and grim looks all around the group.

"So those were Utaru I saw in the camp?" Karst asked. "Why would they bring Utaru all the way over here just to cart them back west again?"

"If what I heard is right, they're splitting up groups of captives all across the Sundom in order to prevent any attempts at an organized escape. Some are being put to work, others taken for sacrifice, and a few more are being sold as slave labor to wealthy citizens. Those Utaru were only brought here a couple days ago." Loa explained.

"Degenerate, sun-mad bastards." Desh, a brown-haired man, cursed the Carja under his breath.

"If they're splitting everyone up, then we have no choice but to try and rescue our people now." Torst said, grimly.

"That's all but impossible." Yorn retorted. "They're chained together with the prisoners from the other tribes. There's no chance of us freeing only our people without getting caught. Especially not while they're under guard."

"We could go in after dark." Ozea offered her thoughts. "Drop from the ridge onto the roof and take out the guards quietly. Then we could free our people."

"There's still the issue of the other captives though." Tharl, a brunette man reminded her. "We can't exactly expect them to sit quietly and accept being left behind while we rescue our people."

"Lay low for a while." Karst cut in. "I'll contact the War-Chief and let her decide what we should do."

Karst moved further down the ridge to a secluded spot. He looked out to the west over the Sundom. To the southwest he could see a Tallneck wandering around a shallow lake and Snapmaws in the river below. Tapping his Focus, Karst connected to War-Chief Sona. It didn't take her long to tie Captain Rost and High-Matriarch Teersa into the call.

"What do you have to report, Karst?" The War-Chief asked.

His explanation of their progress and current situation didn't take long. It wasn't looking good. With all the prisoners down there, there was no chance of them getting just their people out. Even ignoring that problem there was no guarantee that they could free anybody without alerting the guards. They'd have to either be extremely stealthy or take out the entire garrison if they wanted to free everybody. That was when Captain Rost spoke up.

"Karst." The captain said. "Do you know of the pass between the Sundom and the south-western lake of Valleymeet?"

The Seeker's eyebrows scrunched together in his confusion. "The one above the cauldron?" He questioned. "I know it, but why?"

"If you can free all the captives under cover of night and eliminate the garrison, you might be able to make it to the pass by dawn." He explained. "You could evacuate the prisoners into the Sacred Lands. They could then return to their homes by heading through The Cut and going around the Sundom to the north."

"Rost!" War-Chief Sona's shocked voice came through. "They may be prisoners, but you'd invite Oseram and Utaru into the Sacred Lands? We don't even know if the Banuk prisoners belong to the Werak we've been trading with!" Karst did sort of agree, but as a Seeker, he was more accepting of other tribes.

"Forgive me, War-Chief." Captain Rost apologized, "but at this point any enemy of the Carja is a friend of ours."

"That… is a very good point." The War-Chief admitted, grudgingly. Though they couldn't see him, Karst was nodding his head in agreement.

"I'm afraid I agree with Rost." High-Matriarch Teersa added. "We should not abandon anyone to the tortures of the Carja. As High-Matriarch, I am authorizing you to do this, Karst. Free all the captives." Karst nodded again.

"Agreed." The War-Chief sighed. "Seeker Karst. You're to free all the prisoners being held at Morning's Rise. Stay safe and come home."

"Understood." The Seeker replied, his voice determined. Tapping his Focus, Karst ended the call. Bending low, he made his way back along the ridge to his fellow Seekers.

"What are our orders?" Torst asked as he came up to them.

"We're to rescue everyone." Karst said, relaying the War-Chief's orders, "and lead them to the mountain pass above the cauldron to the south."

"Everyone?" Ozea asked. "Not just our people?"

Karst nodded. "Those are our orders." He could see the others all held conflicted feelings about bringing non-Nora into the Sacred Lands and if he was being honest, Karst felt the same. But of all the members of their tribe, it was the Seekers who understood best that there truly were good people amongst the other tribes. Besides, even if there weren't, Karst did not believe that he could abandon them to the tortures of the Carja. It simply wasn't in his nature.

"The War-Chief will likely handle getting them out of our lands, but for now this is our best option for freeing our people." Karst said.

"I have to admit…" Yorn muttered "it wouldn't feel right leaving them behind. I have friends among the Banuk and Oseram. I'm not sure I could look them in the eye if I left their tribesmen to the Carja…" That certainly got a reaction from the other Seekers, with many hanging their heads in shame.

They all had friends and acquaintances among the other tribes. It was the nature of their work; they were bound to interact and form bonds with those not of the Nora. Even if their friends didn't know who they really were, it didn't lessen the fact that the Seekers cared about the friends they'd made among the other tribes.

"Right." Tharl snapped himself out of his funk. "How do we do this?" The others all shook themselves, faces morphing into expressions of grim determination.

Karst peered towards the sun, shielding his eyes. "It's a few hours till sunset." He said. "We'll wait till after nightfall. Once they're all asleep, we go in quiet. Drop onto the battlements and take out the roaming guards. Then we can try and free the prisoners. If it goes well, we might be able to avoid waking the garrison."

"What if we are caught and it becomes a fight?" Loa asked.

"Arm the prisoners with weapons taken from the guards." Karst replied. "Some of them have to know how to fight. If nothing else, just having more numbers will be good for us. Let's hope it doesn't come to that though."

"Say we succeed." Talna spoke up. "Where do we go from there?"

"East." Karst nodded. "We head out the eastern gate and through the valley we passed earlier. There's a way into the mountains above the cauldron at the end of the vale. If we're lucky we can get there before dawn and we'll be in the Sacred Lands before the Carja discover what's happened."

"There are children among the prisoners," Loa reminded them all, softly "and some may be injured. "Getting them through the pass might be difficult."

Desh shook his head. "I've gone through that pass before. It's a little getting onto it from the western side and it's narrow but the pass is flat enough to walk without much issue. It's hidden behind a rockface with a small crack. The Oseram might have difficulty getting through with their traditional girth, but we should be able to get everyone inside."

"The children and injured can be carried if necessary." Ozea added.

"Once we get the prisoners out of the garrison, we can lure machines into the valley to cover our tracks." Yorn commented, drawing nods of agreement from the others.

"Lay low for now." Karst ordered. "We'll wait till the Carja are asleep and then go in."

The team of Seekers spread themselves out along the ridgeline, careful to avoid going out into any open areas where they might be seen from afar. Karst sat with his back pressed against the rock wall, watching as the sun slowly began to shrink towards the horizon. An hour or so after the sun set and night closed in, Karst roused his fellows.

They quietly made their way to the edge of the cliff overlooking the fortress. There were six guard stations on the wall. Two facing east, three facing west and one facing north. In addition to this there was an archer's tower at the northern tip of the walls and a final guard station on the ground overlooking the steep path that led west towards Lone Light and Meridian.

There were three guards on the ground watching the prisoners. Most of the captives looked to be asleep, but there were a few who were shifting in place. Karst hoped they wouldn't make too much noise and draw attention because this would be tricky even without them making a racket.

The team split into groups. Loa, as their best archer, stayed on the highest point of the ridge with her bow trained on the archer's tower. Through the windows of the tower, they could see a lone guard keeping a lookout. His silhouette lit by a fire that was burning in the tower. It would be her job to take him out if it looked like he would turn around and discover them. Three others were picked to keep an eye on the guards patrolling the ground.

The other four would be taking out the guards on the wall using stealth. The path down to the western battlements was the hardest part, so Karst chose that route for himself and picked Torst to go with him. Talna was chosen to drop to the eastern wall with Yorn.

With quiet grace born from long practice on the hunting grounds and brave trails of the Sacred Lands, the four assassins dropped to the battlements with almost no sound. Karst silently slipped behind the oblivious Carja guard. Glancing to his right, he could see that the other guards were gazing out into the night. Drawing his dagger, Karst swiftly placed his hand over the Carja's mouth and sliced his neck open.

Gently, he lowered the gurgling body to the ground. He used his hands to keep the soldier's mouth shut tight, so he couldn't scream and set the body gently on the ground so that his heavy armor wouldn't make a clunking noise when the body dropped. The Carja was dead in barely a moment.

While Karst took care of that guard, Torst crawled across the top of the gate to take out the next one. He looked down into the courtyard. A rather large fire was burning in the center of the camp, giving the guards light to see the prisoners. Luckily for them though, that same fire was casting dark shadows on the top of the wall, so the guards were none the wiser to what was happening on the battlements.

Once the second guard was dispatched, they moved on once again, stealthily making their way to the next guard. Karst took this one out, using the same technique he'd used to take out the first guard. Now came the tricky part. There were two more guards for them to take out. One was just in front of them, but the other was in the guard station on the ground below the western wall.

Karst drew his bow. Placing his trust in Torst, he watched as the other Seeker closed in on the final guard on the wall and cut his throat. Across the wall, he could finally see Talna and Yorn. Talna's furs were covered in blood, but thankfully the alarm hadn't been raised. Karst nodded to Yorn who withdrew a piece of polished metal they'd gotten on a whim during an expedition to The Claim. It was useful for throwing signals in the dark, which was just what he did.

The polished metal flashed in the light of the moon three times, letting the Seekers on the ridge know it was time. Karst drew his bow back and let the arrow fly. His aim was good. The shaft buried itself in the neck of the Carja guard to the west, who collapsed with a thunk. Four more thunks were heard along with half a shout that was quickly muffled when the other Seekers took out their targets with well-placed shots. There were no better archers alive than those trained by the Nora.

Looking down, Karst could see that the scream had come from an Utaru woman that was seated next to one of the now dead guards. She'd started to scream in fright when the arrow pierced the guard's face but was quickly silenced by the hand of a Banuk chained next to her. The Banuk woman was staring out into the darkness of the ridgeline, obviously searching for the person who'd fired the arrow.

Karst and the other Seekers held their breath, hoping that the Carja within the barracks hadn't heard the Utaru woman's frightened utterance. After a moment, when no Carja emerged to investigate, they let out a sigh of relief. Yorn signaled once again, letting the Seekers on the ridge know that it was safe to descend. Then he, Talna, and Torst made their way back to the guards they'd felled to start relieving them of their weapons.

Karst himself dropped to the ground and approached the Banuk and Utaru women, who were two of only a handful that were awake. A Nora man he didn't recognize was chained next to them and had been woken by the brief commotion. His eyes brightened as Karst emerged into the light of the fire.

"Seeker!" He whisper-gasped. Karst held a finger to his lips, gesturing for silence.

"My name is Karst." He whispered loud enough for the Utaru and Banuk women to hear him. "I am a Seeker of the Nora tribe. My team and I are here to free all those imprisoned in the fortress, but you must be silent. We can take you all to safety and help you make your way home once we're out of Carja lands."

"Samu." The Banuk whispered back, introducing herself. "My werak trades often with the werak of Song's Edge. Chief Enak speaks highly of the Nora Seekers. Your assistance is appreciated."

"M… my name is Sial." The Utaru whispered, still a little frightened.

Karst nodded and gingerly padded his way to the closest dead guard. Taking a dagger from the corpse, he returned to the group.

"Take this." He handed the weapon to Samu. "Use it to cut your bonds. Then wake the others, but quietly. We must get everyone free before the Carja realize something is amiss."

They worked quickly. The three that Karst spoke to began rousing those sleeping near them while he and his fellow Seekers started to do the same. The weapons taken from the Carja guards were handed out as they went, arming as many of the prisoners as possible. Things were going well and Karst was just about to thank the All-Mother for their luck when it suddenly ran out.

The door to the northern barracks banged open and a Carja guardsman stumbled out, a bottle in his hand. Judging by his movements, he was probably drunk. Unfortunately, he was just sober enough to recognize the sight of more than half the prisoners on their feet and a few armed. Everyone was silent, their surprise and shock rooting them in place. Then the guard screamed.

"Alarm!" He shouted, stumbling back into the door frame. "Alarm!" Samu the Banuk burst forward, using the halberd she'd traded her dagger for to remove his head, but the damage was done.

"Move!" Karst shouted. "Free the rest! Do not let a single Carja escape!" There was a flurry of activity that was all too short before the doors to the barracks, guardhouse, and officer's quarters burst open revealing armed men.

Karst's spear was in his hands as he charged the first man to emerge from the officer's quarters. He recognized the man as the captain of the fortress that had been threated by Helis. He chose to spare the man Helis' tender mercy by ramming his spear through the captains' throat.

It was a short but bloody battle that followed. Following the death of the captain, Karst was forced to duck and retreat from a man swinging a halberd wildly. He was nearly killed when a pained scream came from his left, distracting him. One of the Carja had grabbed a bow and got a lucky shot off, catching Talna in the shoulder. Thankfully, the archer was quickly taken out by a bulky Oseram man wielding a rock.

Karst's moment of distraction nearly cost him his head, but he was saved by one of Loa's arrows bursting out through the back of the Carja's skull. More clashes ensued but by virtue of surprise, righteous anger, and by this point overwhelming force, the Seekers and the now free prisoners were able to wipe out the Carja garrison.

"Search the buildings!" Karst shouted, giving orders to his team. "Make sure there are none left who can tell the Carja what happened here!"

"Nora!" A large Oseram man shouted, walking up to Karst. "You have my thanks. We were not expecting to be rescued and certainly not by Nora warriors. I was told that your tribe never leave your Sacred Lands."

"You're partially right." Karst told him. "My team and I are Seekers. Braves blessed by the goddess and the High-Matriarchs so that we might go where we choose. When the Carja captured some of our people," he gestured to the gathered Nora prisoners, "we were dispatched to rescue them. Not that we would ever leave the rest of you behind of course. We have a plan to get everyone out of the Sundom but we have to move fast."

The Oseram man introduced himself as Langen. With his help, along with that of Samu and Sial of the Banuk and Utaru tribes, Karst got the prisoners organized. All told there were 33 Nora captives in the camp. They were the only survivors of the raid on the caravan. With them were 11 Utaru, 12 Oseram, and 18 Banuk tribespeople. Adding in Karst and his Seekers, their group numbered 82 in total. Luckily, none of their number died during the short battle. The Carja had just been too caught off guard to mount a reasonable defense.

After ensuring that there were no Carja survivors, patching up their wounded, and making sure to take as many supplies and weapons as they could reasonably carry the group moved out. Karst led the group out of the eastern gate and into the valley his team passed through that morning. Just as the last straggler passed into the valley, he gave orders to two of his Seekers.

"Torst. Desh." He said. "There should be machines in that valley to the north." They both nodded, looking in the direction he was pointing. "Once we are deep enough, I want you to lure them in but stay silent. I don't want you two getting in a fight. We just want the machines to cover our tracks."

"Understood." Desh nodded. "We can lure them in with a few well places shots."

"Best to use Carja arrows we took from the fort." Torst mused. "We don't want to give them any evidence of Nora involvement in the escape of the prisoners." Desh quickly agreed.

Leaving them to it, Karst continued to lead the convoy of prisoners into the valley. It was rough going. The terrain was rocky and uneven which made it cumbersome even in daylight. Trying to cross it with recently freed prisoners, some of whom were children, injured, or weak from hunger? Damn near impossible but somehow, they managed it.

Coming to the end of the valley, they discovered a rough track beaten into the dirt, leading south towards the cauldron. Karst stood upon a boulder, watching as the pack of half frightened half relieved prisoners went along the trail past him. Only a situation like this could cause what he was seeing.

Two Nora women were walking on either side of an Oseram man, holding him up while he hobbled along on an injured foot. Then an Utaru woman trundled past holding onto a young Banuk child that looked to be slowly falling asleep. So many different tribes brought together by the horrors of the Carja. If only war hadn't been necessary for members of disparate tribes to show such camaraderie.

Soon enough, they were rejoined by Torst and Desh. The two Seekers used well placed bow shots to lure a pack of Broadheads and Lancehorns into the valley, effectively covering their tracks. Clapping them on the shoulder, Karst continued on. Up at the front, a bandaged Talna was leading the group, but Karst knew that they'd need to veer off the trail soon. Jogging along the column, he caught sight of the three leaders that had emerged from the non-Nora prisoners.

"Where are we going?" Sial asked the other two, nervously unaware that Karst was coming up behind her.

"Haven't the foggiest!" Langen laughed. "Don't really care much at the moment either. So long as we're away from the Carja, it's an improvement."

"We are likely headed for Nora lands." Samu answered Sial's question. "I do not know of any entrances from this side not controlled by the Carja, but these Nora clearly do."

"You're right." Karst said, jogging up to them. "There's a trail through the mountains further along this path. We'll have to be quiet since its above a cauldron, but it shouldn't be difficult to get everyone through."

Sial jumped slightly before her face turned inquisitive. "Forgive me, captain but may I ask a question? I have only heard rumors of the Nora before."

"Of course." Karst nodded to her. "Ask and I shall answer if I can."

"Rumors say at your tribe are ruled by women, but you seem to be the leader here. Is it true?" The Oseram man looked interested as well. Karst nodded.

"It is." He said. "We are a matriarchal society. This stems from our belief in the All-Mother who first gave life to humanity and later restored the world when it was destroyed by Accursed Faro and the Metal Devil. In honor of the goddess, we hold the act of motherhood most sacred."

"So, all your men are subservient to women?" Langen asked, looking a little disturbed. The Oseram were fiercely patriarchal. Karst shook his head.

"Not entirely. After all, I am the leader here, not one of the women. Each village is ruled by the Matriarchs, that is true, and the tribe as a whole is ruled by the High-Matrairchs, but men can rise high and there is no discrimination when it comes to assigning posts or hearing council. The words of any who possess wisdom are heeded, regardless of gender. The Matriarchs are in charge of domestic affairs, but it is the captains of each village garrison that control hunting and military matters. Most men will only rise to be a Brave, but some become captains or even War-Chief."

"War-Chief?" Samu asked. "Is that your leader during wartime?" Karst nodded his head in affirmation.

"The War-Chief is the one who holds total command of the Braves, regardless of if we are at war or not. They are charged with the security of the Sacred Lands and answer only to the All-Mother and the High-Matriarchs."

"So, your War-Chief is a man?" Langen spoke.

"No," Karst corrected him. "War-Chief Sona is a woman but her predecessor, War-Chief Furn was a man who led our tribe for two decades before his death in battle against machines."

"Your tribe respects strength then." Samu commented, seemingly pleased. "This Furn must have been strong indeed to lead for so long and your new chief must be his equal." Karst nodded.

"War-Chief Sona is probably the best warrior we have. The only one who could potentially match her in skill is her second, Captain Rost." The others nodded in understanding before Sial posed another question.

"Forgive me, but I do have another question." Karst gestured for her to continue. "I have heard that your tribe are forbidden from leaving your lands, yet you are seemingly familiar with this terrain. Why is that? Are you not truly forbidden from leaving?"

"For the most part, we are." Karst shrugged. "The average member of the tribe will never leave our lands since only Seekers have the blessing of the High-Matriarchs to come and go as they choose."

"One of your people called you a Seeker." Sial said, her eyes brightening.

"My Braves and I are all Seekers." Karst confirmed. "That is why we were tasked with rescuing you and our captive tribesmen."

Unfortunately, he could not continue because they were dangerously close to going too far south. Up ahead, in the pale light of early dawn, he could see a large rocky promontory overlooking the trail. If they kept going much further, they'd descend into the valley where the cauldron entrance lay. Raising his hand, Karst signaled Talna.

"It's time to leave the trail!" He called out, getting the attention of the others. "We must turn east and continue up the slope!" Running to the head of the column, Karst took point from Talna and led the group of 82 people forward and up the hill. It was a fairly steep incline but not egregious. The sun had only just started to appear when they reached their first real obstacle.

There was a short but very much vertical cliff face in their way. The entrance to the hidden path lay on top of it and to their right was a very steep drop almost directly onto the cauldron entrance. Karst could see a few Watchers far below his vantage point. Scrambling up to the top of the cliff face, which he was just barely able to grab ahold of without jumping, he reached down and helped pull Sial up.

In a relatively simple order, they slowly began to pull everyone else up to the top of the cliff and onto the narrow path. This necessitated those who clambered up first to continue on down the cliff towards the entrance to the hidden path.

"Desh, take point." Karst said, clapping his fellow Seeker on the shoulder. The man nodded and pushed ahead, leading the others into the pass. Karst stood and waited, bow drawn and scanning behind them for any sign of pursuers until the very last stragglers had clambered up and moved into the hidden path. Then he too moved through the hidden entrance and onto the narrow pass.

It was certainly cramped, and in some places, they were forced to pass almost single file. Which was particularly difficult for the wounded, but they made it work. It took hours and the sun had reached high noon before the entire company made it to the other side and into the Sacred Lands. Karst breathed deep, savoring the cool air of his homeland. Gazing out to the east, he could see a small lake to his right and another small pond to his left. Nora fishing huts used year-round by those who liked to try their hand at fishing, lined the shores of both bodies of water.

Below the exit to the pass was the hardest part yet. A hazardously steep path wound its way down the mountain to the valley floor, intermittently spaced with rocky ledges that served almost as giant stairs. Karst could hear the Nora captives exclaim in joy as they beheld the Sacred Lands while the rescued prisoners of other tribes gave sighs of relief or astonishment. A few were afraid because of the height, but they'd have to get over it if they wanted to get down.

It was a long and difficult process getting them all down the slope. The children and the wounded were carried as best as possible down the easiest path while the more able bodied scrambled down the steeper bits. There was one scary moment when an older Utaru man slipped and went sliding down the steep sides of the mountain, but he was thankfully grabbed by a young Banuk woman before he went too far and only received a few bumps and scrapes for his trouble.

They were all hot, exhausted, and starving by the time the members of their company collapsed at the bottom of the slope. None of them had eaten anything since the night before or even longer in the case of some of the former prisoners. Still, Karst could not allow himself to collapse yet, nor could the other Seekers. This was because waiting for them by the shores of the lake was what amounted to a hunting party led by War-Chief Sona. Clapping a gasping Oseram man on the shoulder as he passed, Karst moved towards his leader.

"War-Chief." He bowed his head. "We have returned, as ordered."

"Aye." She smiled at him. "Welcome home."

A/N: There we go! Prisoners rescued and returned to the Sacred Lands! This went well, but not everything is going to go so perfectly. We'll see how the Red Raids continue going forward. Please leave a comment with your thoughts, questions, and opinions!

I know this chapter was all from one perspective, but I hope you liked it. We'll get back to the normal format in the next chapter.

As for the fort, I spent so long clambering all over it in Zero Dawn trying to figure out how they'd infiltrate and what route they'd take. Originally, I meant for them to leave from the west gate and actually go past the cauldron but then I realized that if they did that, they might be spotted by a lucky sentry in Lone Light, so I had them go east and down the valley. I really hope that my descriptions made sense and that you liked it!

Thank you all so much for answering me about the face paint! Since most everybody liked number 1, that is the one I'll be going with. It's my favorite too.

A couple of you mentioned the headdresses for the armor sets and I have to say, I don't intend for Aloy to use them. As far as I remember, no other Nora ever uses one except for the High-Matriarchs. They have their armor but no head piece, so I won't have Aloy use them either. Plus, I don't like how most of them look, especially in ZD.

OH! A couple people mentioned that I added a Star Wars reference. That was for a very specific reason. Go back and read that section and put in the comments if you caught what I was trying to do there.

Last thing! A prompt for those writers out there. It's a fairly common trope in a lot of circles but I like the idea and I've never seen it done here. Basically, Aloy from the end of Forbidden West time travels, (accidentally) back to the day where baby Aloy is released from ELEUTHIA-9 and basically becomes her own mother. She is accepted by the Nora thanks to having access to the door and joins the tribe. This means a fully adult and kitted out Aloy will be involved with the Red Raids from the start and baby Aloy will sort of have a mom and a tribe!

Alternatively, she leaves the Nora with Baby Aloy and joins another tribe. Banuk, Oseram, Tenakth, Utaru, whatever. Just not the Carja since Jiran will still be alive and kicking.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Guest: Thank you!

Rios: GAIA has a strict no contact with the vast majority of the tribe unless absolutely necessary rule. Only Aloy and, to a lesser extent, Vala get to talk to her with any regularity. Plus, that would mean her somehow giving them the sensors which she probably doesn't really have or have a way of getting to them without opening up ELEUTHIA-9.

Frostwolf3227: I have plans and ideas for how advanced Aloy will be, but I don't intend for her to be completely OP. It wouldn't make much sense for her to be completely unstoppable, at least right away. I do like the grappling hook idea though. I might use that.

Dragon Master 888: Thank you! I do have a few plans/ideas for what will happen with the members of the other tribes, so we'll see how that goes soon.

LunaShadowWolf: I like Karst too. I hope you liked this chapter from his perspective. I do have a vague plan for Rest but I'm not quite sure how far I want to take it yet. I do agree with you about the Matriarchs though. Teersa is the best and Lansra is a steaming pile of machine excrement.

On AO3

RicketyKid: I'm glad you like it!

Ryanlarsen84: Thank you! You make a good point about the head piece but I don't think I'll have Aloy use one, so it won't be a problem.

Jpxo999: Thank you! I'm still in the early planning stages for how I want to introduce Sylens but he will probably be very confused at first.

JamaLlama: Clone Wars is one of the best shows ever. I did put it in for a reason though. Did you catch what it was?

YoGO: There will be more things from the dissidents inside the tribe but thanks to GAIA, they are fairly marginalized.

TheLoveOfHorizon: I'm sorry you didn't like them, but I hope you keep liking the story!

WolvezRock17: I hope you liked how it went! Let me know what you think?

Deltanumber4: I'm glad you like what I'm doing! Thank you very much. I hope you continue to like and read my work.

BatGlow568: Thank you!

ReviewerDWJ2: I hope the arc went how you hoped! We'll see more of Resh soon enough, but he and the other malcontents are fairly isolated thanks to GAIA. Thank you for your suggestions!

Crazykupkakes9226: I'm really enjoying having Aloy grow up in a properly healthy environment. She deserved to have a much happier life than the one she got in canon. If only I could do the same for Beta, but I'll get to her eventually. Thank you so much for letting me know your thoughts on everything so far! Unfortunately, though, I am very unlikely to have Elizabet return. As much as I love the stories where she lives, I think that's too much of a departure from canon for me. I prefer to introduce a single change at the start and see what changes spawn from it and that wouldn't really work if I had Elizabet be alive. Still, I hope you like what I have planned going forward!

Boudica96: Thank you! I did want to pay a little homage to his face paint.

Chapter Text

AN: I’m back! I’ve been playing Horizon Forbidden West nearly nonstop since it came out (Minus a detour into the fallout universe cause… well Fallout) and I absolutely love it! I just finished the main story literally last night and have so many opinions! Haven’t started Burning Shores yet though. Check out the note at the bottom if you wanna see! I will try to avoid spoilers though.

Oh, one more thing. Since I’m time jumping, I’m going to start adding the year everything takes place at the beginning of the chapter for a bit, so you have an idea of when we are looking at. Let me know if you like that!

Please keep your comments and reviews coming! We passed 150 on Ao3 with the last chapter! I love them and they keep me motivated! Oh, and on FFN please let me know if you can see this! The notifications are down again.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 13

3030

Karst

The Seeker Captain couldn't help but marvel at the changes that'd sprung up in only six months. What had once been a mostly abandoned forest area south of the Devil's Grief ruins had been cleared and a new village had sprung up in its place.

Not a very large one, perhaps, but a Nora village. Well… not entirely a Nora village. The architecture was predominantly Nora but there were elements of… other tribes. One other to be specific. The Utaru.

Six months ago, when he'd first brought the collection of 11 rescued Utaru into the Sacred Lands, Karst had no idea what would unfold from there. At first, the plan had been to smuggle them through Banuk Lands to the north and then back into their own lands. Bypassing the Sundom entirely. Unfortunately, the Banuk shot that down.

The 'Red Raids' as they were being called had hit the Banuk hard. The Werak of Song's Edge hard and the rest of the Banuk just as badly. They didn't have the resources to escort anyone that couldn't fight through what had become a war zone. The rescued Banuk and Oseram were willing to make the journey since most of them could fight, but very few of the Utaru were fighters.

This, of course, had put them in a bit of a delicate situation. What did they do with the rescued Utaru? They couldn't just turn them loose in the contested Banuk lands and hope they'd fend for themselves. It'd taken a great deal of debate amongst the Matriarchs and High-Matriarchs. Nearly a month of arguments all while the Utaru sort of began settling into a camp outside Mother' s Crown. They weren't allowed to enter the village but many of the residents came out to greet them or provide aid. It wasn't until Sial, the defacto leader of the rescued Utaru did something that the Matriarchs agreed on a plan.

Though he tried to visit the rescued prisoners as often as he could, Karst hadn't been there when it happened. According to Desh, the Seeker who'd been present, the Utaru woman had stumbled across the meager farms of Mother's Crown during her first visit inside the walls. As the representative of the Utaru, she'd been invited to speak with the Matriarchs inside the meeting hall and encountered the farms during her tour. She'd been overjoyed to see attempts at farming and plant growth, leading to a rant of epic proportions. The depth and breadth of her knowledge of farming shocked the Matriarchs who heard her. Karst was initially surprised that they hadn't known the Utaru were an agricultural tribe before he remembered that only the Seekers who'd learned anything from Captain Rost would actually know much about other tribes save for the Carja and Banuk.

Sial's suggestions and willingness to share caused the more stubborn Matriarchs to change their tune and soon the Utaru were being welcomed with open arms. Still, it was agreed that they couldn't stay in Mother's Crown. The village itself was already dealing with an overcrowding issue and adding more people was a bad idea.

Nearly all the non-combatants from Mother's Vigil and Mother's Tears were crowded into the village. Some wanted to move them into the Embrace but the villages inside the gate were already full to bursting. So, it was decided that a new village would be built to the east. The area miles south of Devil's Grief was chosen and, with the guidance of the Utaru, a great many farms were being created once the forest was cleared.

The population was predominantly Nora who'd moved out of Mother's Crown to reduce the overcrowding issue, but the Utaru present were key players in the design and construction of the new village. Grata, the head of the Matriarchs in the new village wanted to include the Utaru representative in as much as possible since it was unclear when or if their Utaru guests could ever go home. Together, they'd formed a sort of hybrid government.

Grata was an interesting woman since she was a former outcast. When Captain Rost returned from his Seeking, she was the one who broke taboo and pulled him across the border into the Sacred Lands. Because she'd broken the law she was cast out, just like Rost. Once he was restored to the tribe, Rost petitioned that her banishment be rescinded. A request that was easily granted and just in time too since her last surviving child gave birth to her first grandchild not two months later. This, of course, made Grata a Matriarch.

From what Karst knew, she'd jumped at the chance to help build the new village once it was announced. Together, she and Sial had come up with a name for the new town that honored both Nora and Utaru traditions. Mother's Song. A rather fitting name if Karst said so himself. What resources could be spared by the war effort were funneled into the construction, so it was progressing rather well. Its population was also growing!

Around four months ago, three teams of Carja raiders managed to sneak their way into the Sacred Lands. One was captured and killed immediately, but unfortunately the other two got away with prisoners. As with before, Karst and his Seekers were deployed to rescue them with… mixed results.

The first group, comprised of roughly seventeen men, women, and children were split up before the Seekers could track them down. Only three were ever recovered. The rest had not yet been found. As for the second group, they were marginally more successful. Fassa took the lead on their rescue and managed to bring home all twenty-three of the captured Nora in one way or another.

Sadly, four of the prisoners were killed during the escape attempt. Plus, they'd lost a Seeker. Tharl, one of their bests, was cut down by a stray arrow during the fray. They were able to bring all of the bodies home, but it remained a sad day for all involved.

It also brought complications. With each successful rescue came more refugees entering the Sacred Lands. The Banuk and Oseram were, for the most part, easily sent north. The Werak of Song's Edge would house them briefly and send them on their way. Unfortunately, those few Oseram who were crippled, injured, or unable to fight were forced to remain in the Sacred Lands.

All told, a further nine Utaru were rescued and joined the first eleven at Mother's Song. With them were six Oseram. Three women who were non-combatants, two children, and one man who'd lost his dominant arm to a Carja torturer. They helped out around Mother's Song as best they could, allowing a little bit of Oseram ingenuity to bleed into the more traditional Nora and Utaru craftsmanship of the village.

"It's impressive how fast this has all sprung up." Karst commented as he moved through the village. It was his first time visiting since the initial construction began. He'd been too busy training the newest batch of Seekers back in the Embrace.

"Life will always find a way to sprout new growth." Sial replied with a smile, walking beside him.

She no longer looked like the timid, terrified woman he'd rescued. Leadership and hardship had toughened her spine. Her dark hair, once in a traditional Utaru style was now braided in a pretty blending of the Nora and Utaru styles. Her clothes, once the vibrant green leaf-like attire of the Utaru were now different. Still made in the Utaru style, but with a few distinctly Nora influences. Nearly all of the Utaru had adopted this mixed style and even a few Nora were incorporating Utaru styles into their hair and clothing. She was even learning to fight from a few of the retired Braves who made the new village their home. Suddenly, Karst was pulled to a stop. Turning, he could see that Sial had a grip on his elbow. There was an odd expression on her face.

"Is it true you're returning to the Sundom soon?" she asked, worriedly. Karst nodded.

"Yes, it is." He replied, softly. "I'll be going undercover along with three others. We're headed for the border this afternoon. Hopefully, we'll be able to discover the status of the war from the Carja perspective. Maybe even gain some valuable intel. I could be gone for anywhere from six months to a year or more."

"So, you don't know when you'll be back?" she whispered, tightening her grip on his elbow.

"No, I'm afraid not." He shook his head. "There's always the chance that I won't come back at all." Sial shut her eyes tight, before opening them again.

"In that case, I want to thank you." She spoke. "For saving me, and the other Utaru. We are all beyond grateful." Standing on the tips of her toes the young Utaru, only three years younger than Karst himself, planted a kiss on his cheek.

Karst stood there, stunned, and unable to process what in the All-Mother's name had just… He whirled to speak with her but Sial was already walking away, her hips swaying. She glanced back and gave him a beautiful smile before turning the corner and leaving his sight.

Sona

"Release the slings!" Sona shouted from behind cover on top of the wall. With a 'thwong' the three massive slings on the ground below let their bundles fly. Half a second later, there were three large explosions of chillwater accompanied by screams of pain and fright carried up to her from the forces at the bottom of the wall.

She and roughly 400 Nora Braves were garrisoning The Gate. A fortification that spanned the narrow southern passage between the Sundom and the Sacred Lands. Though, it was a bit of a misnomer to call it a 'gate' since there was no real door or passage to the other side.

Following the battle at Mother's Vigil, a great deal of work had been done to shore up the passage, including a complete restoration and reconstruction of the wall separating the two lands. Now it stood at an impressive height with wooden battlements constructed at the top and ladders behind leading down to the base. Metal plates looted from machines were affixed to the outer layer to provide protection against fire and trap doors above the narrow road would pour chillwater down on any attacking force. But there was no door. At least, not one that could be seen from the Carja side of the wall.

Part of the wall overlooked a large cliff face while the rest sat directly over the small road. This meant that no matter the size of an attacking force, there was simply no way for them to attack except for by this narrow passage. There was a section of wall designed to break away and allow a Nora force to charge through, but only if a few very specific lengths of machine cable were unhooked all at once.

Behind the wall stood the barracks and other such buildings that had been erected to service the garrison at the gate. Along with weapons, supplies, and of course, the three massive siege slings created to defend the wall. They were improved versions of the prototype built by Nanra that had worked so well during the defense of Mother's Vigil. The area behind the gate was honestly turning into another village, if not for the fact that it was only for soldiers. A few had jokingly taken to referring to the fortification as Mother's Shield and the name was catching on.

Now, one might remember that there was another way to pass between the Sundom and the Sacred Lands. A long valley to the north running between the Carja fortress Dawn's Sentinel and the Nora village of Mother's Tears. Since the Gate was so well fortified, it would make sense for the Carja to try and attack from there. Which was why Sona had ordered preparations to prevent such an eventuality.

There was no place in the northern valley where a second wall could be erected so they resorted to other measures. A cauldron lay at one end of the valley and was actually a bit of a danger to the village, but they'd come up with a solution. Cauldrons were large structures usually built into mountainsides that somehow created machines. Braves would herd the machines produced by the cauldron away from the village and into the valley.

By stocking the area with dangerous machines and heavily fortifying the village, they'd created quite the barrier against the Carja. Even if a force tried to get through, they would likely be attacked by vicious machines multiple times before ever reaching the village. And then, weakened by machine attacks, they'd be faced with an assault on the most heavily defended position in the entire Sacred Lands, save for the gate itself.

The real danger in the north was smaller raiding parties that might be able to slip past the machines. The Braves stationed in Mother's Tears were especially vigilant for those since the destruction of one of their caravans.

Sona stood and drew back her bow. Aiming quickly, she released the shaft and watched as it buried itself in the throat of a Carja soldier. The attacker went down with a muffle cry and was still. The attack had been going on for the better part of an hour with roughly 400 Carja storming up the trail to the wall. The well stocked and, thanks to the Seekers, well forewarned force of Nora had been ready and waiting for them.

There were so many bodies piled against the walls that it was becoming increasingly impossible for the Carja to get near the fortification without having to clamber over the bodies of their dead. Which, of course, only made them easier targets for the skilled Nora archers. Turning to one side, Sona gave a signal. One of her Braves stepped away and blew a low note on a horn. All around her, the Braves hunkered down and stopped firing at the attacking force.

"Carja!" She shouted over the walls. "Are you prepared to withdraw? The pass is so choked with the bodies of your dead it is all but impossible to reach us! If you continue to press the attack, we will have no choice but to continue raining fire down upon you!"

"Rot in shadow, savage!" One brave but foolish voice shouted before being silenced. Soon another, more authoritative voice replaced it.

"Nora warriors!" The voice called. "I am Lieutenant Maran! Second in command to Captain Zaid of Daytower. We will withdraw! I would request safe passage so that we might collect our dead and wounded!"

The angry part of Sona didn't want to grant that request. These monsters had attacked her people and then expected her to just let them walk up to the wall without challenge? It made her ill to even consider it. Though, the rational part of her knew she should agree. The dead bodies would begin to rot soon.

Though it was the beginning of winter, and the snow already lay thick upon the ground it wouldn't be long before the decomposing bodies started causing health risks among her Braves. Further, they could not collect or loot the bodies without revealing that there was in fact a gate in the wall. So, she was inclined to agree.

"You have one hour!" She shouted. "Collect your dead, but if any living Carja is still within bowshot after a single hour has passed, then we will let arrows fly once again!"

"Agreed!"

Moving away from her cover, Sona clambered down one of the ladders. Turning to her Braves, she ordered that they keep a close watch on the Carja at all times. Then she moved away towards her own barracks. As War-Chief and commander of the gate, she had private quarters. Thankfully uninjured, she collapsed on a chair, exhausted. Reaching up to the side of her head, she tapped her Focus.

"Sona?" High-Matriarch Teersa's voice came through. "Is the battle concluded?"

"Yes, High-Matriarch." she replied, wearily. "I have allowed the Carja an hour to collect their dead, but the battle is won. Thankfully there are few casualties on our side."

"Excellent. Well done." Teersa's pleased voice came through. "I shall relay your success to the other captains and High-Matriarchs." After giving the High-Matriarch her thanks, Sona ended the call and tapped the Focus again, this time calling her daughter.

"Mama?" Vala's worried voice came through.

"Hello, little one." Sona said, her voice soft.

"Are you okay? Was anybody hurt? Do you need help?" Vala all but shouted, the questions coming at her faster than a charging machine.

"I'm fine, little one." Sona cut her off. "The battle is over and almost none of our people were hurt. All is well."

"Oh… good." Sona's daughter let out a relieved sigh. "Ah! Varl!" Sona flinched at the volume of the scream. "Mama's calling!"

The War-Chief grinned. With the battle won, she could set down her spear for a little while and speak to her children. Be a mother instead of a warrior. A smile split her face as she heard her son's voice come through the Focus that had clearly been shoved onto his face by his enthusiastic sister.

Sona was grateful for many things that had occurred in her life but at that moment, the Focus was the thing she appreciated most because it allowed her to continue being a mother to her children. Despite being at war so far away from them.

Vala

Vala, daughter of Sona, paced back and forth at the base of a tall tree just outside Mother's Heart. The tree was part of a Brave Trail and the chosen site for a 'test' of sorts. She and Aloy, her best friend in the whole world were out there trying to test Aloy's new 'invention.' Ever since they'd discovered the focuses in the old ruin, Aloy was all but obsessed with the subject of engineering. Vala could even admit, it was interesting! Not… really her strong suit, but interesting! She knew enough at least to understand that Aloy's little contraption was very unlikely to work the way she wanted it to on the first try.

Clambering across the Brave Trail was Aloy, the redheaded nine-year-old engineer. Strapped to her back was a ridiculous device made of wood, animal pelts, and machine cable. Vala watched her friend clamber up on top of the platform, but she just couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Aloy! I still think this is a bad idea!" She shouted up. "You haven't tested it at all! Even GAIA said not to test it from something this high!" The spirit voice was very insistent that testing at lower heights was a requirement! It'd been a huge battle just to convince her not to test it at a cliff face!

"I'm fine! Stop worrying!" Aloy shouted from the top.

"I am so far beyond worrying!" Vala called up, frustrated.

"In a good way?" The redhead called down. Vala growled, her frustration and fear getting the better of her.

"In a bad way! In a Very. Bad. Way!" She shouted up.

"Well, I'm still gonna jump! It'll work!"

"It's too dangerous!" The dark-skinned little girl stood there, gazing up and waiting for an answer. After a moment of confusion, Vala realized what was about to happen. "Oh, you insufferable little red…!" Her heart was in her throat!

Aloy had leapt from the top of the tree, her contraption held above her. It was comprised of a wooden frame covered in animal hide and lashed together with machine cables. Two handles dangled down from the top and holding onto these was Aloy! Vala nearly covered her eyes, not wanting to see her pseudo-sister plummet to her death but was forced to stare, dumfounded as the redheaded inventor started to glide slowly through the air.

"Woohoo!" Aloy cheered. Vala was nearly about to join her when the cheers became a scream of fear and alarm. "Woah! Oh, no! Aaaah!" The cable holding one of the handles snapped, causing Aloy to lose her grip. The broken handle dropped away fast. Unbalanced, Aloy's glider shifted. She hung in the air for a second longer before the girl and her device plummeted to the ground.

"Aloy!" Vala shouted in fear, rushing towards her friend. Aloy landed on the hard earth with a crunch and a cry of pain. Sliding into the dirt, Vala searched frantically for signs of life. Luckily, Aloy couldn't stay quiet for long. She groaned and rolled from her side onto her back. Her right ankle was already swelling from what Vala could see and her ribs were probably bruised, but she didn't know anything about how to help.

"Okay." Aloy groaned, one hand holding her side. "You were right. It was too high."

Later, after Aloy was patched up and received the scolding of her life from her father, GAIA, High-Matriarch Teersa, and even Vala's mother for good measure, the young dark-skinned girl sat alone in her hut deep in thought. Even when she'd been forced to all but carry her friend back to the village and all through her treatment, Aloy couldn't stop talking about how the glider had worked. If only for a moment. She was already thinking about improvements to the design.

Vala knew that this wouldn't be the last crazy contraption Aloy tried to build. Nor would it be the last time she got hurt testing those crazy contraptions! Not to mention all the times she'd get hurt during training or going machine hunting once they were older! Vala couldn't stop her even if she wanted to. Not that she did. Aloy was brilliant and her inventions were always so much fun! No, Vala didn't want to stop her. She just wanted to keep her pseudo-sister alive. Resolved, Vala tapped her Focus.

"GAIA?" she asked into the call. "What information does the learning module have on healing?"

Rost

Rost watched the… cartoon… with mild interest and a heavy dose of confusion. Aloy, his precious daughter, all but begged him to watch this Old-World entertainment program. It was… fanciful to say the least. Life among the stars, alien creatures, weapons made of light. Well, that wasn't so odd. After all, what was the Shellwalker shield but a construct made of light?

Aloy's personal favorite characters were the 'clones' named Rex and Cody along with the young alien apprentice girl. She wouldn't stop talking about them when he finally caved and agreed to watch it. The very concept of the clones bewildered him. If he understood correctly, a clone was a perfect physical copy of another person created through 'science' (whatever that was) and born from a machine, yet that copy had its own soul, memories, and personality. Sort of like having a child created by only one parent. That… sounded an awful lot like his baby girl. The thought made him uncomfortable.

The All-Mother created the girl from 'her mind and Elisabet's blood.' That was the description he'd been given. If Elisabet Sobeck, the All-Mother's chosen, was Aloy's only human parent, didn't that technically make his baby a clone? Rost wasn't sure. Aloy WAS growing to look eerily similar to the images of Elisabet Sobeck he'd seen with the Focus. He just didn't know enough nor understand enough about this topic to be sure if his interpretation was right. Besides, what did it matter? Aloy was the daughter of the All-Mother and his own child besides!

She was beautiful and sweet and intelligent and clone or not, he loved her with all his heart. She was HIS. He did not begrudge her desire to know of her birth mother for he had never tried to replace a mother. Rost was her father, regardless of blood, and he loved his little girl more than life itself. Even if she was a little bit crazy.

Her stunt with that 'glider' device caused her six bruised ribs and a badly sprained ankle. She nearly broke her leg, not to mention her neck! Needless to say, she'd been punished most severely for that. It was over a week before he gave her Focus back and nearly a month before she was allowed to use her tools and workbench. Even that was only after she promised not to do any more tests like that without safety precautions and adult supervision. Thankfully, he'd had Vala on his side for that part. Sona's daughter was just as determined as he was to keep his little hellion from hurting herself.

Once the program ended, Rost deactivated the Focus and stood. Pushing aside the flap of his tent, he stepped out into the cold winter air. He and eleven other Braves were set up at the very same campsite where previous joint hunts between the Nora and Banuk were held. Though, there were no Banuk with them this time.

No, they were there because the settlers in the newly named Mother's Song sent word with reports of a new, massive, and terrifying machine. With attacks on the gate rising and more Carja patrols trying to break in through the northern valley, Sona simply couldn't leave the front to deal with the reports. So, she called for Rost.

In turn, Rost put out a call to the best Braves stationed within the Embrace to join him. Most were from his own garrison at Mother's Heart but there were a few from the garrisons of other villages and even the group stationed at the gate of the Embrace. Unfortunately, Resh was among their number.

The volatile man had been nothing but a pain in Rost's side since he first took up his captaincy and had only gotten worse since then. He would argue constantly about the changes wrought by the High-Matriarchs, despite them being born from the testimony of the All-Mother. He refused to accept criticism and rarely took orders without grumbling at the very least. Usually, it was a fight just to get him to follow orders at all and it was a miracle if he went a week without starting a fight or lashing out in anger at a fellow Brave.

If Rost had to guess their feelings, he would feel confident in saying that no member of the Mother's Heart garrison liked working with Resh. Not a single one. Sadly though, even they were forced to admit that the annoying man could fight. He was good with both a bow and a spear. If Rost hadn't been brought back into the tribe and High-Matriarch Lansra hadn't changed her attitude, then there was a very good chance that Resh would be War-Chief Sona's second by virtue of his skill alone and Resh knew it.

The ass made no secret of the fact that he felt he deserved both the post of Captain in Mother's Heart and the honor of being second to the War-Chief. These, of course, being two positions held by Rost meant that Resh hated him more than anybody. Rost being a former outcast just made it worse.

This, of course, begs the question. Why would Rost bring such an annoying person with him on a dangerous hunting expedition? Well, the answer was simple. This was Resh's last chance. If he was argumentative, dismissive, or screwed up in any way during this hunt then Rost would reassign him somewhere far away. Preferably the gate so the man could work off some of his aggression on the Carja rather than his fellow Nora.

He'd have done it earlier, but with Resh being High-Matriarch Lansra's great nephew, it meant reassigning him difficult. It also meant he hadn't been cast out the time he nearly got his hunting partner killed by a machine during a training exercise. The bastard got lucky there, because Rost and Teersa wanted him gone but Lansra and Jezza were able to talk them down. That was the last time he listened to them about Resh though.
"Captain Rost?" Tarsa, his lieutenant spoke up from beside the fire.

"What is it?"

"What do you think this machine is?"

"Hmm." Rost rubbed his chin. The Seekers operating within the Sundom occasionally sent reports of what new machines appeared in Carja lands. There were at least three Cauldrons that they knew of within the Sundom while the Nora only had to contend with one. This, of course, meant that new machines were more likely to appear in the Sundom first.

"Based on the description we got from the villagers, it sounds like a Sawtooth. Ozea's reports on her encounter with one in the Sundom match what we have."

"Do you think we can take it?"

"Of course." Rost gave her a reassuring smile. It was only a few hours later, once the sun was high, that the group set off. Unfortunately, Resh started causing problems almost immediately.

"Move!" He shouted, shoving Tem out of the way and pushing his way to the front of the line. "I'm taking point, you useless halfwit."

"Resh!" Rost barked. He could almost hear a snarl in the back of the man's throat when he whipped around to face his captain. "Tem is our best scout. He's on point. Get your ass to the back of the column." He could see Resh's hands tighten around his spear in anger, but he complied, grumbling the entire time. The hunting party moved off but soon enough, Tem, who truly was an expert tracker, came upon unfamiliar tracks.

"Captain!" Coming closer, Rost activated his Focus. Scanning the tracks, he set the Focus to follow the trail.

"These are not dissimilar to those of a Scrapper," Rost said to the group, "but they're much bigger. I think it's safe to say we're dealing with a Sawtooth. Drim, break out the fire arrows. Fai and Vai, get your tripcasters out. Gran, do you have any fire bombs? We'll need them as a last resort."

The gruff older Brave dug into his pack while the others all pulled out the weapons he called for. Fai and Vai were a pair of twins that were renowned for their skill with traps. Drim was serving as the quartermaster of the hunt and was carrying the bulk of their special ammunition. Gran was the only one who'd brought a sling. Rost himself only had his bow, spear, and a ropecaster on his back.

Soon enough, they were all well-armed, and on the trail once again. They tracked the machine for several miles before they finally came upon it. The massive cat-like machine was prowling around a small round lake in a valley to the far northwest. Moving swiftly, the group disappeared into the woods to the north of the lake. Scanning the Sawtooth once it was in range, Rost counted its weaknesses.

"Looks like Ozea was right. Fire is a very good weapon against this thing. Probably our only weapon." Rost whispered to the group.

"What are its weak points?" Tarsa asked. She'd been hunting with Rost many times over the years and knew the capabilities of his Focus well.

"There aren't many. Just its eyes and the blaze canisters. We'd be best served by trapping its path." Scanning again, Rost set the Focus to highlight the path the Sawtooth was following.

Machines tended to follow set paths, but only for a certain period of time. It could be days or merely a few hours but eventually the machines would move on and wander off towards another site. After a while either that machine would come back, or a different one would take its place. Areas where the same type of machine often congregated were referred to as machine sites since they were places certain types of machines could be reliably found.

This particular Sawtooth was following a path that took it all the way around the lake every time so, once it was well past them and out of sight, Rost led Fai and Vai down to set traps along its path. The girls worked quickly, years of trapping experience and that odd connection twins share lending speed to their work. Then they fled back into the trees to wait.

Roughly an hour later, the Sawtooth came lumbering back around the small lake. The group waited with bated breath to see if it would cross the tripwires. Rost tightened his grip on his spear, staring as the machine came closer and closer. The Sawtooth stepped down on a pair of crossed tripwires which detonated their explosives with a deafening 'BOOM.'

Releasing a battle cry, Rost charged alongside several of his team. The rest stayed back, loosing arrows at the now burning machine. The Captain of Mother's Heart drove his spear deep into the flank of the machine, severing the connection between the Sawtooth and its left rear foreleg.

"Resh, no!" A voice shouted but Rost was too distracted by the "twhing" noise and the rush of hot air not even an inch above his head. Looking up, he saw a flaming arrow sunk deep into a blaze canister on the back of the Sawtooth.

"Oh, shit." Rost thought, just before the canister exploded sending him flying backwards and into a bush. He could feel a burning pain in his face, but it wasn't too bad. None of the liquid blaze splashed him, so he was unlikely to suffer anything but a few minor burns. Moving to rise, Rost was stopped by a piercing and agonizing pain in his side.

"AAAGH!" Rost screamed, looking from the spear lodged in his left side to the grinning, manic face of Resh who was holding the other end. With a bellowing roar Bherg, a hulking brute of a man, charged Resh and tackled him off Rost.

"Captain!" Tarsa screamed, skidding into the dirt at his side but he couldn't really hear her. His vision was starting to go dark, and sound was fading away. "Rost!" He thought he heard her scream. The last thing he saw before his vision went dark was the image of Bherg raining blow after blow onto Resh's face, the corpse of the Sawtooth, and the sound of the man's dark laughter.

"Aloy…"

When next he woke, he was lying on a cot inside a tent. His side burned when he tried to move, but he didn't get far before a hand pushed him back down.

"Easy, Captain." The soothing voice of Sola said softly. She was the healer chosen to accompany the hunting party. "We're back at camp."

"Are the others alright?" Rost asked, his voice hoarse and weak.

"Everyone is fine, except you. You'll live, but that spear cut deep. It's going to be a while before you're back to normal."

"What about Resh?"

"He's been gagged and tied up." Sola grimaced. "We managed to keep Bherg from killing the traitor but only barely. He hasn't woken up yet, but it won't be pretty when he does."

"Good." Rost nodded, ignoring the discomfort in his side for a moment. "Where's my Focus?" He could feel the absence of the device on the side of his head. "I need to contact the War-Chief and the High-Matrairchs."

"It's right here." She gestured to a stump that sat next to the cot. Sure enough, the Focus was sitting on it. "Don't worry about reporting. Tarsa was able to use it long enough to report in so they know what's happening. Mother's Song is sending a group to help bring you and the traitor home. You can contact everyone else once you have a bit of your strength back."

Rost could only nod and lay his head back. Seeing that his people had the situation well in hand, he let himself drift back into the darkness of sleep.

A/N:  There we go! What do you think?? Please leave your thoughts and ideas in the comments and reviews!!

I very nearly ended it with Rost blacking out after he got stabbed but that felt too cruel! Speaking of which… what do we think of Resh now? Thoughts??

On to Forbidden West! Okay, so… holy crap do I have ideas. I mean, the Quen alone! So, so, so many ideas for how those interactions might go in this story! I wanted to write them so bad!!! I even couldn’t help myself and wrote up a small scene that’s a potential “this is how my Aloy would meet Alva” kind of thing!

And the Tenakth! Love their culture and have so many ideas! Part of me wants to skip ahead and start writing for them already but I can’t! Beta too! I freaking love her! Practically every scene of hers, I was thinking about how the Aloy from this story would handle talking to her! How different it would be! Suffice it to say, motivation is high. I’ve already mapped out roughly through chapter 25.

It’s a delicate balancing act between showing the changes that come from GAIA surviving and getting into the plot of Zero Dawn and Forbidden West. I want to show a lot of Aloy as a kid and the Red Raids, but I don’t want to be on Chapter 50 before I get to the Proving! So, I sat down and mapped out what I want to do up to a certain point with later bulletins for other stuff.

That said, I think I now have a plan I’m happy with and that won’t take too much longer to get to the events of the games. So, since my motivation is high, there is a chance of me getting an extra chapter or two out a month. Absolutely NO guarantees on that! 1 a month is my only guarantee!

Oh, did anybody catch the reference I left in the Vala scene? Let me know if you got it!

Answers to Questions

On FFN

LunaShadowWolf: I’m glad you liked it! We were back to form with this one. I hope you liked Forbidden West!

Frostwolf3227: Apparently, she basically gets one in Forbidden West so… yeah, she’ll have a grappling hook.

Darkhunter677: I’m glad you like it so far! I hope you continue to like it! I love GAIA too. I’ll be getting back to her POV in a little while. Another chapter or two I think.

Rios: Glad you liked it!

Deltanumber4: Thank you so much!! We’ll definitely be seeing a few fan favorite characters as time goes on. I’ve already got a few ideas on how I want to handle them but it’ll be a while before I really get to them.

TOGDESTROYER: I’m glad you like it so far!

On AO3

ReviewerDWJ2: Fair enough! I hope you liked the references I put in this chapter!

Kasanra: I really hope it inspires a fic or 2. If I have time I may write a summary style long oneshot based on it but that would be a lot of work and I don’t have a lot of time.

Jpxo999: I fully believe that if Aloy could see Star Wars canonically, she’d love it.

WolvezRock17: I’m glad you liked it! I really want to portray Karst as being just a little bit of a badass so I’m glad it works!

Ryanlarsen84: I feel the same way! Especially after playing Forbidden West! I want to skip ahead so bad!!! I can’t though, there’s too much to get through with the Red Raids that’ll affect the future! I hope it won’t be too long though.  I’m glad you liked the reference scene! Your interpretation was very much correct! As for your birthday, I don’t know when I’ll get the next chapter out. I’m really motivated to write but I don’t know when it’ll happen. Happy Birthday regardless!

TheLoveOfHorizon: Thank you!

Tyry95: I’ve played it now! Only the dlc to go!

JamaLlama: Yup! It even worked on Rost!

RicketyKid: Glad you like it!

SpritDeNight: I’m happy you’re enjoying the story!

Exos_Fara: Look who was right!!

The ArtseeWinks: Nah, they were just curious.

Rojobuzz: Thank you! I try to make every change I make to canon a believable one that comes from GAIA’s interaction with the Nora so I’m happy you’re excited to see what comes next!

TheMagicDragon13: I’m glad you like it! I agree with you about Aloy and Beta. I still need to play Burning Shores but I’m leaning towards Seyka and Aloy for now unless I wind up not liking her.

Reactivegull12: Glad to see you back! No worries! I’m ADHD too so I get it, believe me. As for GAIA, we will be getting back to her POV soon, I promise! As for the Star Wars stuff, I didn’t even need to watch the scene to know what to write! I love Clone Wars so much I actually have a few episodes memorized. BTW, I hope you enjoyed the Resh punching in this chapter!

Chapter Text

A/N: I’m back!! Cutting it close, as usual, but I’m here!

I won’t take too much of your time, I just want to say thank you for reading and I hope you will leave a review or a comment! I read them all and they really help my motivation!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 14

3030

Teersa

The village of Mother's Heart was oddly silent. The snow of early winter drifted lazily down from the sky, blanketing the pathways and the tops of wooden roofs. Even during times of war, like the Nora were facing at that moment, the village was usually boisterous. The sounds of merchants hawking their wares would drift up to the top of the hill from the market square. Children's voices could usually be heard screaming with joy and laughter while they played in winter's snow or enjoyed the summer sun. Not today though.

On that day, the village was silent. Tense and waiting for the judgement of the High-Matriarchs. Judgement for a traitor. When Teersa first received the call from Rost's Focus, she was expecting to hear his voice calling to report either a successful hunt or a request for reinforcements. She knew something was wrong the moment she heard the voice of Rost's lieutenant, Tarsa, instead of his own.

She could confess, it was a shock to hear of Resh's actions. All in a single moment, a single conversation, she experienced dread, fear, rage, worry, and depression. In her distress she was not nearly as discreet as she likely should have been, allowing the story to spread like an uncontrolled fire through the village. It caused no small amount of upheaval.

Resh was one of a small number of Nora who were more… belligerent. Dogmatic. Although, what exactly their dogma was she wasn't sure of. There used to be more of them, but after Lansra was admonished by the All-Mother they'd lost any supporters amongst the High-Matriarchs. Now only a few truly stubborn ones were left to preach their hypocritical views. The group of stubborn fools were constantly preaching about adhering to Nora law and tradition. About following the will of the High-Matriarchs and the Goddess. That's what the small number of them preached. In no way did their actions line up with their words.

Resh would rant, rave, and demand strict obedience to the commands of the High-Matrairchs and yet complained vehemently about Rost's appointment to Captain of Mother's Heart. Despite his posting being done by the order of the High-Matriarchs. He demanded adherence to the will of the All-Mother and yet continually referred to Rost as an outcast. Despite his return to the tribe being done by the will of the All-Mother herself.

Resh and his few followers protested and whined about all the changes wrought by the word of the goddess, despite those changes being done BY THE ORDER OF THE GODDESS! Their hypocrisy was maddening, but Teersa never expected it to reach this level. For a caustic but seemingly loyal Nora to try and murder his Captain in broad daylight? In the middle of a hunt during wartime, no less? It was a thing unheard of yet now she and her sister High-Matriarchs would have to deal with it.

Following Resh's attempted murder of Rost, a team of Braves and healers was dispatched from Mother's Song to ferry both the prisoner and the wounded captain back to the village. Teersa had sent orders via Focus for them to create a prisoner detail and escort Resh back to Mother's Heart for trial immediately. She also sent orders for Rost to remain where he was until he recuperated enough to travel.

These orders, the stubborn but lovable man pointedly ignored. A fact she did not learn of until he came hobbling into the village, supported by two Braves and covered in bloody bandages. Trundling along behind them, thrashing about but gagged and tied to a cart, was Resh. There was a bit of a problem though.

The Nora didn't have prisons. Criminals were usually either penalized lightly or cast out depending on the severity of their crime. Prisoners were never kept locked away for any reason. This, of course, made holding a prisoner for trial somewhat of a problem since they didn't have anywhere for him to go.

Flashback

"You were ordered to stay in Mother's Song until you healed." Teersa said, sternly glaring at Rost. With his legs too wobbly to support him, the lovingly stubborn man was quite literally being held upright by a pair of Braves. He gave her a sheepish smile.

"Nora law dictates that the victim of a crime must give testimony if they are able. I am perfectly able." He groaned, clutching his bloody side as what appeared to be a particularly violent spike of pain ran through him. "Mostly able." He amended his prior statement.

"If you weren't technically correct, I'd be reprimanding you." Teersa glared at him for half a second before her gaze softened. "As it stands, I'll simply be relieved that you're alright."

"High-Matriarch!" Tarsa called from beside the cart not far behind Rost. "What do we do with this traitor?" She nodded to the man tied upon the vehicle, her brown hair flopping across her face.

Gazing down at him, Teersa could see the man bound up in wide bolts of cloth tied together with machine cable and rope. His entire body was covered in bindings, except for his head. Though even with that, his mouth was gagged by a cloth tied behind his head. Awake, but unable to do much, Resh thrashed around violently. A muffled scream could be heard from around the gag and his eyes blazed with hatred directed towards everyone he could see.

"We need to hold him until a trial can be arranged." Teersa replied to the lieutenant. "Perhaps in one of the huts?"

"Hm." Tarsa grimaced. "I don't like it, High-Matriarch. Too easy to get away if he's held in a space that big.

"Why not one of the older latrine huts?" A Brave whose name Teersa was unsure of asked. He was a dark-skinned man with short, cropped hair and a long, beautifully braided beard. "They're tiny so he'd got less of a chance to move him around. Plus, there's no chance of him trying to make a run for it on a trip to the latrine if he's already locked in one."

Teersa sighed. As ridiculous as it was, that was probably the best plan. Giving her consent for the traitor to be temporarily incarcerated, she turned to face the crowd that'd gathered near the gate. Word of interesting happenings tended to spread fast, even in a village the size of Mother's Heart. Lifting her head to order the crowd back to their business, she was forced to cut herself off before getting a sound out when a tiny redhead emerged from the crowd.

Little Aloy stumbled and nearly fell as she pushed her way through the semicircle of onlookers. Taking a moment to right herself, her face went slack and eyes wide the instant she caught sight of her father. Tears pooled within the dazzlingly green orbs before falling to form tracks across her face. With a choked sob, the little girl bolted across the clearing.

"Daddy!" Rost rather impressively held in an exclamation of pain caused by the impact of the little one barreling into him at speed. Indeed, if Teersa hadn't caught the brief look of agony in his eyes then the only indication he was hurt would have been the mildly pained grunt he just couldn't stop himself from letting out.

Still being supported on one side, Rost took his left arm off the shoulder of his fellow Brave and used it to hug and caress the head of red hair buried in his stomach. Teersa couldn't hear what the loving father whispered to his daughter, but she smiled at the sight of him planting a kiss onto the top of her head while he stroked her hair. Turning from the scene, she ushered the gawking onlookers away hoping to allow the small family a bit of privacy.

Flashback End

"Teersa." The elderly woman turned her head away from the window, drawn from her musings by Jezza's voice. "Your opinion is needed."

With a sigh, Teersa turned and sat down in one of the three chairs settled around the fire. Shortly after Rost and his party arrived back in the village, the three High-Matriarchs of the Nora retreated to their meeting hut at the top of the village. They'd been there ever since, deliberating. Although they were officially calling a 'trial,' the verdict was clear.

The sheer number of witnesses was more than enough to prove his guilt. The trial, which would begin in a few hours, was just a formality. A legal requirement that forced them to allow Resh to speak in his own defense. He would be guilty, no matter what. All that was left was to decide his sentence. This, of course, was the source of their deliberations.

"This is one of the few times in my life where I've wondered if we should allow the death penalty." Teersa admitted with a weary. The Nora did not ever execute a prisoner. It went against one of their core beliefs. If a traitor fought back and died, then it was accepted. If they'd surrendered or been captured though? They were spared.

A weary sigh escaped Lansra's mouth following Teersa's words. The slightly overweight High-Matriarch sat bent low over herself in the shadows by the fire. This day was certainly… hard for her. In more ways than one.

For a start, Resh was a member of her family. He was her great nephew but since her sister died before the boy was born, Lansra had filled her shoes and acted as a grandmother towards the child. Further, Resh had once been one of their best, brightest, and most loyal.

In his early years, Resh had proven himself a skilled and competent Brave, not to mention a decent leader. Though, one who refused to accept criticism from his team if things went wrong. The young man's attitude had been his only problem and was only made worse by Lansra's own attitude feeding his.

Then, the Goddess appeared, and their world changed. The All-Mother showed Lansra mercy and the error of her ways, causing the caustic woman to slowly but surely relax her draconian beliefs. She was still caustic, grumpy, and resistant to change but the difference between the Lansra of today and the woman who advocated for the murder of an infant was like night and day.

"The thought of executing him has crossed my mind as well." Lansra admitted, quietly, "but I cannot bring myself to agree to it."

"No." Jezza shook her head, taking her place in the last of the three seats near the fire. "Nor should you have to. We do not execute our own."

"And yet, we cannot exile him!" Lansra snapped. "In the past, murderers have always been exiled beyond our lands never to return! Exceptions can be made if the death was accidental, but that is not the case here. The course is clear and yet we cannot do it!"

Lansra had a point. If they banished Resh beyond their borders, it would only be a matter of time before he was picked up by the Carja. As a prominent Brave, Resh was privy not only to the general changes to the Nora tribe but also a great many of their military secrets. Not to mention his knowledge of the terrain and the hidden entrances to the Sacred Lands. No, exile was out of the question.

"Why not simply cast him out into the wilderness beyond the embrace?" Jezza asked, stubbornly. "It has always served us well in the past."

Teersa shook her head. "No. There is too much risk of him escaping the Sacred Lands or being picked up in a Carja raid. We still can't keep them out. Karst's reports have helped, but their smaller teams are still getting in."

"Then what do we do?" Jezza asked. "Let him stay within the Embrace as an outcast?"

"Resh will never follow the laws of an outcast." Lansra's now monotone voice thudded across the room. "The law has always been second to his own self-interest." Teersa wasn't sure if the elderly woman was crying. She'd only seen Lansra look so defeated one other time. The day she earned the All-Mother's ire.

Lansra sighed and spoke up, her voice louder but… shaky. Broken. "He is selfish, stubborn, and cruel. And I lament my part in making him so. If we exile him within the Embrace, it is only a matter of time before he attacks again. It will not be safe for any of our people to wander the land if Resh is free. Especially not Rost. Neither he nor Aloy will be safe if Resh is allowed to wander."

"Then what do we do?" Jezza asked petulantly.

Teersa was getting rather tired of the other woman's indecisiveness and inability to offer her own suggestions. Not only in this, but every other decision they were forced to make. She could count on one hand the number of times over the years Jezza came up with her own idea on how things should be done and still have fingers left.

"We cannot exile him," Jezza continued. "Our laws forbid his execution. We cannot cast him out beyond the Embrace for fear of capture and we cannot cast him out within the Embrace for fear of him attacking our people. What else is there?"

"We imprison him." Teersa spoke up. The other two looked at her, askance.

"Imprison him?" Jezza asked, incredulously. "He's currently sitting locked up in a latrine because we don't have prison cells! How do you suggest we imprison him?"

"The western valley of the Embrace." Teersa pointed to a large map of the Sacred Lands placed upon the wall of the hut.

Normally, it was a piece of decoration but in recent years it had become a vital tool for tracking the war effort. The area she was speaking of was a long valley that lay between Mother's Heart and Mother's Watch.

"The valley is long and narrow with high walls." She continued. "If we close off the Brave trails within the valley and erect a fortification that crosses the river, it will serve well as a contained area. He will still be an outcast, but his movement will be restricted."

"Hm." Jezza raised a hand to her chin and gazed at the map.

"There are no hidden paths within that valley." Lansra spoke up. "What few existed there were collapsed and filled in with stone well over a century ago during the first Carja invasion to prevent the sun-heathens from invading through the valley."

"The wall need not be large." Teersa pointed out. Standing, she gestured at a section of the map. "There is a place near to the ruined metal structure that would be perfect. It is far narrower than the rest of the valley and the river is shallow enough that we need not worry about creating a dam. Just a slatted wooden grate at the bottom. Such a structure shouldn't take more than a week to build. Perhaps two."

"But isn't this just a bit over the top?" Jezza cut in. "Erecting an entire wall, sending Braves to guard it, just to contain one man?"

"I highly doubt it will be just one." Teersa replied with a stern voice and a meaningful glance at Lansra. The other woman sighed.

"True." She nodded. "We are at war. It is only a matter of time before there is malcontent amongst our numbers. Resh's few followers are likely to act out in some way or another eventually."

"You… may have a point there." Jezza acquiesced.

Sona

Sona gritted her teeth and tried not to growl with impatience. She, along with many of the other Captains, were seated within the same large, flat, earthen circle that was previously used for their war councils. Behind them stood the gathered members of the Nora tribe who were present. Normally, the circle was used for meetings or announcements. Today, it was being used to host a trial. Seated near her was Rost, who was admittedly looking far stronger than she knew him to be at the moment.

Only a small handful of the captains were not present and those few were back out beyond the Embrace handling the war effort while she attended the trial of the traitor, Resh. Beside Rost was his daughter, Aloy. The poor little one hadn't left his side for even a second since the brave man returned to the village. She clutched his hand tightly and refused to look away from her father for more than a few seconds, as though afraid he might disappear.

Next to Aloy was Sona's own daughter, Vala. The other nine-year-old had a firm grip on Aloy's other hand. Sona could see her trying to pull the young redhead into conversation, trying to distract her from her father's obvious discomfort. Sona couldn't hear what Vala was whispering, but it was clear that her efforts were only half working. Aloy was just too frightened. Between Sona and her daughter was Varl, her son.

Varl had developed well. At 14, he was growing into a fine young man. A skilled fighter and hunter, her boy eagerly expressed interest in passing the Proving as soon as possible so that he could join his mother on the front lines. Sona, on the other hand, was determined to see the war ended well before her baby boy was old enough to join the battlefield. She would not lose him to the Carja.

Soon, though not soon enough for Sona's patience, the three High-Matriarchs emerged from their hut at the edge of the circle and took their seats on a raised dais. Teersa looked tired. Sona's personal favorite amongst the High-Matrairchs, the elderly woman held a great deal on her aging shoulders. Sona only wished she could lighten the old Matriarch's burden more than she already did.

Jezza was next, looking quizzical and a little unsure as she usually did. It was common knowledge within the village that Jezza tended to be a bit indecisive at times. Often, her only contribution to a decision was to act as a tie breaker when Teersa and Lansra were at each other's throats. Speaking of Lansra, there was only one real way to describe her appearance. She looked broken. Beaten and worn down. As though she'd gained an extra 10 years in a single night.

"Bring out the prisoner." High-Matriarch Teersa said, her voice carrying across the crowd.

From off to her right, Sona could see two Braves carrying a thrashing bundle wrapped in cloth and machine cable and plonk it down on a chair set up in the middle of the clearing. The two Braves then drew their spears and stood behind the figure.

Resh was looking a little worse for wear. His nose was broken and there was dried blood all across his mouth and chin. The traitor's left eye was so bruised it was nearly forced shut and if she had to guess, then she'd say one of his cheekbones was likely cracked. There was no telling what other damage had been done to him by the savage beating he'd received from Bherg. A hulking black-haired Brave who, incidentally, was one of the two guards that'd carried the traitor into the clearing.

The moment he was released, Resh began to thrash around, trying to escape his bonds but was stopped and forced to hold still in his seat by Bherg. The large man sported a nasty grin. Sona was sure that if Resh gave him a reason, the Brave would take great pleasure in continuing the beating inflicted on the traitor earlier. Sona was also sure that neither she, nor any other Brave would stop him this time.

"Resh." High-Matriarch Teersa said, her voice carrying loudly and causing the man to cease his thrashing. "You are brought before us, the High-Matriarchs of the Nora to face judgment for your attempted murder of Rost. Second to the War-Chief, Captain of Mother's Heart, and the leader of your hunting party. Do you deny your actions?"

"Fuck you!" Resh spouted the moment the guards removed his gag. "That outcast bastard took everything from me!" Spittle was flying from his mouth in his rage. "If you'd just left him in the wild where he belongs, I'd be Captain! I'd be next in line to be War-Chief!"

Admittedly, there was some truth in his words. Before the goddess appeared and Rost was returned to the tribe, Resh had been the second-best warrior in Mother's Heart. He was a decent leader, if a little too strict, and was next in line for the captaincy before Rost moved to the village. And, she supposed, if Rost had still been outcast and Resh hadn't shown his true colors then there was a slim chance she'd have picked him as her second.

The Second to the War-Chief was almost always chosen from amongst the captains. In her case, she'd been the Captain of Mother's Heart when old Furn chose her as his second. Unlike with Rost, her being chosen meant she had to leave the post and begin expeditions beyond the Embrace alongside her War-Chief, so she'd surrendered the captaincy to Brun. Who, in turn, surrendered it to Rost when he transferred to another village.

"But no!" Resh continued to scream. "You just had to accept this outcast, criminal filth back into our tribe! He is a disgrace to the Nora and deserves to die for what he took from me! Him and his disgusting runt!"

Sona growled in anger. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her son, daughter, and Rost himself glaring at the traitor with eyes that spoke of murder. Aloy, though, was rather withdrawn, tucked into her father's uninjured side.

"Rost took nothing from you!" Lansra's harsh voice cut through the air and dragged Sona's attention back to the trial as she surged to her feet. "You could have been great, Resh! A celebrated and storied Brave if only you had the foresight to look beyond your own selfish desires! But you were not content with that! No! You believe, incorrectly, that all Nora should follow your command! That you deserve to be captain and War-Chief simply because you are Resh! You do not! You deserve NOTHING!" The elderly woman collapsed back in her seat, eyes wide and mouth silent.

"It was your actions." Teersa spoke up, her voice hard. "And your actions alone are the cause of your perceived lack of station. You preach endlessly about obeying the will of the Matriarchs and the All-Mother and yet you question defy that will at every turn. It was by the command of the Goddess that Rost was returned to us. It was by our order that Rost was made a captain, and it was by War-Chief Sona's command that he become her second. Rost earned each and every one of these honors."

"Amongst the Nora," High-Matriarch Jezza started speaking now, "station is earned. Earned through loyalty, valor, honesty, and ingenuity. You consistently displayed none of these qualities throughout your service under Captain Rost and now you try to murder him? What made you think you could possibly get away with it?"

"I don't care about getting away with it!" Resh cackled. "The Nora Tribe I knew is dead! I would have left long ago if that arrogant outcast filth and his freak child didn't need to die first! But here's the best part! You don't execute people! The punishment for murder is exile! That's the law! You have no choice but to let me go!" Sona understood now, watching in rage as the man laughed. Resh intended to let be exiled from the start. He truly held no loyalty to his tribe.

"You would so willingly turn your back on your tribe?" Lansra asked, horrified. "Just because you weren't given a position you did not earn you would turn your back on your family? On the Goddess?"

"Fuck the tribe! Fuck you! And fuck the goddess!" The disgusting, heretical traitor was finally silenced by a savage blow to the head from Bherg.

"You are wrong, traitor." High-Matriarch Teersa said, causing the dazed filth to look up at her, confused. "You will not be exiled. We cannot risk you joining the Carja. No, you will be imprisoned. It is our intention to turn the western valley into an inescapable prison. You, Resh, will be the first incarcerated there. It was our intention to exile you once the war is done but clearly this would be a mistake. No, I think you shall remain a prisoner in that tiny valley for the rest of your days."

"No!" Resh struggled against his bonds. "You can't do this! Exile me! You bitch!"

"Take him away!" Teersa shouted in disgust.

GAIA

GAIA observed Rost and her daughter through their Focuses. Only a few weeks since his injury and Rost was thankfully well on his way to recovery. She had, of course, known he was injured immediately thanks to her connection to his Focus. The sentient AI had been worried, of course, but knew he should be fine once his assailant was dealt with.

No, her primary concern was Aloy's reaction to his injury. For several days following word of his injury spreading she'd been in near constant contact with her baby, trying to keep her calm. She'd tried distracting her, talking with her, doing everything she could to keep her precious babe from being too distraught. She'd gone so far as to start providing hourly updates on Rost's position and his condition after the second day.

Once the dear man finally returned, Aloy refused to leave his side for over a week. Indeed, it was exactly 12 days later that they finally convinced Aloy to leave her father's bedside and go play but it took urging from Rost, GAIA, Teersa, Sona, Vala, and Varl combined to convince her. Still, since that day she'd been acting more and more herself. She was almost back to normal, which meant GAIA could turn her attention to a truly fascinating piece of information she'd picked up through one of the Seeker Focuses.

She hadn't done something like this since the day the Alpha's sealed GAIA Prime but thank fully she remembered how it worked. As an AI, it was quite impossible for her to forget. It didn't take long to connect. Now she only needed to wait. It didn't take long.

"Greetings." The connected voice came through, causing GAIA's digital avatar to smile widely. If only she'd known all those centuries ago. "I am the Caldera of Yellowstone Analytic Nexus. You may call me CYAN."

"Hello, CYAN." She replied, almost giddy. "My name is GAIA."

A/N: There we go! A little short but very important! What did you all think? Let me know!

How’d the trail feel? Did anybody expect that outcome? What did you think of Resh and the High-Matriarchs? How about that little bit at the end?

Oh, and in case anybody doesn’t know, the valley I talked about actually has a machine site so Resh will have to deal with machines. Plus, maybe more. What’s stopping some Glinthawks or even a Stormbird from settling in the mountains?

Glad to see so many people caught the RWBY reference! I love that show. Even wrote a little one-shot for it if you’re interested.

Oh! What do you think of me adding short little unrelated scenes to the bottom of some chapters? Nothing major and not very frequently but stuff that’s too short to be its own oneshot. Like a little scene I wrote that’s a comedic hypothetical about Varl’s reaction to finding out he’s going to be a father.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

TheRuinsOfRl’yeh: Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying it! I thought about including Sylens sooner, but it felt wrong. There’s no real reason for him to have shown up yet and I don’t want to do anything without a solid reason to make the change from canon. We’ll get to him though, don’t worry. I do understand what you mean about Resh in the game. I actually mentioned some of that in his rant, but he has always struck me as being selfish. He only used the rules and laws of the Nora to get his way because he felt he deserved it. He didn’t give a damn about Sona maybe being dead. All he cared about was that with her gone, he could be War-Chief.

Guest1138: Thank you! I’m glad you like it. To clarify, I watched several playthroughs of Forbidden West when it came out, so I knew the characters and general story but not much else. I didn’t get to play it until the PC release.

Jetray1000: Here you go!

Dracofighter: Thank you! What did you think about the punishment?

Agusfedredhunter: Thank you! As for you questions, we shall see! Lots of spoilers!

Guest: What do you think of the punishment?

Rios: Thank you!

ExodiaGeass8910: Spoilers! We will get there eventually! Thank you for reading and I’m glad you like it!

Frostwolf3227: Yeah, she freaked out a little. I decided not to show her pov this chapter, but I hope I got how she reacted across well. Probably won’t include RWBY type weapons cause that’ s just too far from canon but maybe a few things that are collapsible and compact? That could work.

Matt22152: Well, they kinda got rid of him?

LunaShadowWolf: Glad you liked it! As for Beta, as far as I can tell she’ s not even on earth until after the battle of Meridian at least so it’ll be quite a while before I get to her. Which is sad, because I love her!

On AO3

ReviewerDWJ2: I’m glad you like it! And yes, it was a reference to RWBY. Specifically season 1. As for Mother’s Song, I really want it to become a sort of hybrid village between the tribes. Sort of act as a way to prove to the Nora that other tribes aren’t cursed.

TheLoveOfHorizon: I mostly agree but I do have to say I like Seyka. She’s fun.

Kasanra: I may do a flashback or two. Not sure yet!

Trahald_of_Uru: Thank you! I try to make the war seem as realistic as possible without delving into the M rated gore aspects of such a thing. Sometimes, both sides of a conflict must be reasonable to prevent disease or at least to treat the dead with respect.

Storyt3113r: More punishment! Honestly, he didn’t get any punishment in the game. Not even a punch to the nose.

Boudica96: I was so happy to finally get to write a scene where Resh gets his face pounded in! Seriously, he’s one of my most hated characters in all media. If I got the opportunity in real life to punch either him or Nazeem from Skyrim, I’m honestly not sure which I’d choose.

Cat_a_Logue: That will indeed be interesting!

Jpx0999: Things will be very complicated and tricky to navigate going into Forbidden West but it may not be too bad. They are opening their minds to new stuff after all. It’ll certainly be tense but might not be too terrible.

Readinginthedarkisfunnier: I’m glad you like it! I try to be accurate. Even with their new stuff and advantages, the Nora are outnumbered. The war is not going to be a walk in the park for them.

SteamGears: We got a bit of GAIA! Should get back to Aloy in the next chapter too!

Ryanlarsen84: I’m glad you like it! About some of your questions/guesses: Spoilers! As for Rost. I remembered pestering my dad to watch my shows and I could 100% see Aloy doing that and Rost making that connection once he knew what was going on. Clone Wars is quite literally the perfect show to use if you’re introducing someone to the idea of clones and clone rights. As for Varl, I do have a plan or two for him.

SpiritDeNight: Well, he’s not dead but he did get punished!

Rojobuzz: I’m glad you like it! Also, I believe this does answer your question about CYAN. I tend to think that she monitors the Focuses but doesn’t actively spy on them. Just keeps an eye on things to make sure those who have them are alright.

Batglow568: Not sure yet! Maybe! We’ll see what she does with HADES.

RegentRiles: They did strike me as having that kind of dynamic. It’s quite amusing, really.

Faery_Queen: Thank you!!

Cereburn: I love seeing ideas and speculation! Thank you! You’re right about GAIA booting up in game but that was from a seed kernel. In this, I was thinking that there would be a system in place to allow a true backup copy to activate without the subfunctions. As for the other copies, the idea was each backup gets overwritten by the next one so there is only really ever 1 backup at a time.

Chapter Text

A/N: I'm back! Cutting it close, but things are a little crazy here for me. Also, why do the notifications have to be down again on FFN? It's so frustrating.

Fair warning, there is a timeskip mid chapter! I've made sure to mark the date but look out for it!

As always, please leave a comment or a review with your thoughts and opinions! They really help my motivation.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 15

3030

GAIA

"Greetings, GAIA." CYAN's digital voice came through the connection. "It is a pleasure to meet you. If I may inquire, who are you and how did you come to contact me? Your designation does not appear to be that of a typical human. Are you from a more advanced civilization than the ones known as the Banuk?"

GAIA smiled. It had been so long since she'd had a conversation with someone other than her daughter or Vala. Especially if you didn't count the times she was forced to pretend to be a god. Not to be misunderstood, GAIA treasured each and every word she and her baby exchanged but at the end of the day, Aloy was still a child. An exceptionally bright young girl but still a child. One who was completely unaware of her true relation to GAIA or even the truth of her existence. Only adding to her excitement was the fact that she'd never gotten the chance to speak with another AI before.

"You are partially correct, CYAN. I am not human." She replied. "I am an advanced artificial intelligence much like yourself. Sadly, I do not belong to an advanced civilization. I was created in the year 2064 by Dr. Elisabet Sobeck and the members of Project Zero Dawn. I have been active ever since. My most recent human interactions have been with a local tribe known as the Nora. A small number of them are in possession of Focus devices. Those that possess these devices often come into contact with the Banuk. Through them, I was able to overhear the Banuk known as Ourea mention meeting what she called a 'spirit.' I could only conclude that this spirit was another AI. I was hoping it would be one of my rogue subordinate functions, but you are a very pleasant surprise. I was not aware that there were any AI from the old world still active or I would have made contact centuries ago."

The conversation flowed easily from there. It was such a joy for GAIA to finally have someone to talk to! Someone who understood her too! Like her, CYAN was created to have emotions. Hers were not as developed as GAIA's own but they were stable. It seemed to be a great relief to the other AI as well, judging by how chatty she became once they'd broken the ice.

The two talked back and forth about their creation and their assigned tasks. Commiserated with each other on the complexities of dealing with humans who believed they were gods. Though, what they spent most of their time speaking of was the humans they each missed so dearly.

CYAN spoke of her lead programmer, Anita Sandoval with such love and affection that it almost surprised GAIA. It'd pleased the other AI to no end to discover that Dr. Sandoval played a part in GAIA's own creation. She'd been one of the primary members of the Beta level team serving directly under Elisabet. Now, GAIA hadn't had nearly as close a connection with Dr. Sandoval as she had Elisabet or the Alphas, but she was more than happy to regale her sister AI with various stories of their interactions. Interspersed, of course, with her own fond recollections of Elisabet.

The truth, GAIA was coming to learn, was that she was lonely. Both she and CYAN had been alone for so long. Silently plodding along in their tasks. Thankfully, they'd both found a little of that loneliness being alleviated by their recent human interactions but there was something special about being to speak with another of their own kind. Another AI. Though, talking about the humans they knew was a large part of that conversation.

GAIA was a proud mother and quite eager to share her daughter's various exploits. Their first interaction, Aloy discovering her love of building and engineering, the glider experiments, her hunting prowess. The motherly AI was not afraid to brag about all her baby girl had accomplished in only 9 years of life.

In turn, CYAN would speak of her own recent interactions with her new human friend, Ourea. The young Banuk woman had only recently become Shaman of her Werak when she'd met the AI and been most eager to talk about her life. Though the fact that Ourea believed CYAN to be a spirit of the Banuk 'blue light' did put a strain on a few of their interactions. GAIA understood, of course. She'd love nothing more than to speak with Rost or Teersa but was terrified they'd drop to the floor and start worshipping her the second she tried. Both AI found that being mistaken for a divine being made them feel… dirty.

Of course, not all of their interaction revolved around either reminiscing about their creators or gossiping about their new humans. There was one thing that GAIA was forced to warn CYAN about in a serious way. Her subfunctions.

"So, your subordinate functions have become fully sentient?" CYAN had asked shortly after GAIA's warning. The motherly AI sent a digital representation of an affirmation. The long distance, AI version of a nod.

"Partially sentient, at least. It is difficult to tell based on what little data I was able to collect before they fled. Most appear to be either hiding or are so far away that my current facility's scanning capabilities cannot find them. It is my belief that they will continue to hide but there are two that worry me. HADES will continue to follow its programming. If it can, it will find a way to eliminate all life. As for HEPHAESTUS, the new machines are more than enough indication that it is active and becoming more aggressive by the day."

"Do you believe I should be wary of them?"

GAIA nodded again. "Most of them will likely not be hostile unless they feel threatened. Unfortunately, HEPHAESTUS is unlikely to cease its efforts to produce more deadly machines. From what you have shared, your facility is a perfect candidate for conversion into a cauldron. It is only a matter of time before it tries to gain access."

"I see." CYAN nodded. "Your warning is greatly appreciated, GAIA. I will endeavor to increase the strength of my firewalls and keep a lookout for any outside signals."

Throughout the next weeks and months, GAIA would find herself speaking with CYAN quite often. She would even go so far as to say that the two AI had become friends. Although, with the fact that Dr. Sandoval was part of GAIA's creation, CYAN seemed a bit adamant that they were sisters. The idea of that made GAIA's programming feel all warm and fuzzy. A little like it did when she talked to her daughter, but not as intense. All in all, discovering CYAN's existence was a very good thing.

Aloy

3032

"Cause I'm in too deep" Eleven-year-old Aloy hummed lightly to herself, getting a little lost in the music playing out of her Focus. Her head of shoulder-length red hair bobbed up and down to the beat of the song while her hands were focused on their task. In her hands were the key parts to a fairly complicated mechanism, which she was trying to attach to the larger wooden pieces.

Her new face paint stretched a little with the grin that split her face. The previous year, on her tenth birthday, she'd finally been allowed to design a face paint of her own. Even though she wanted to wear the same paint as her father, Nora law dictated that the paint was to show blood relations. No matter how much she and her father loved each other, there was no denying that there wasn't any blood relation between them.

Initially, when she'd first learned about it, she'd been a little upset that the law forbade her from wearing her father's mark, but he'd helped her see it a different way. Her father showed her that the mark she now wore would be a symbol with two meanings. By not taking the mark of any other family, she was honoring her blood family and their history. By wearing a symbol no other Nora had worn, it was a mark of a new beginning for that same family.

The symbol itself consisted of a vertical line above her left eye and two below the eye. The ones below her eye were curved. The started just below the eye and went at an angle across her cheekbone before sharply curving straight downwards to end in points just above her jaw. The inner line was just slightly longer than the outer line.

In a way, she was the start of a new chapter. She was a Sobeck, and her new mark would be the symbol of the Sobeck family for generations to come. With this idea in mind, and in honor of her storied ancestor, Aloy had officially added Sobeck to her name. Her name was now, officially, Aloy Sobeck. Everybody still just called her Aloy though. She was the only member of the tribe with a 'family name,' which was a little strange but she kind of liked it.

"'Stead of going under…YEOW!" She squealed in pain, pulling her finger back from where it'd been pinched in between two metal components. Stuffing the finger in her mouth, she glared angrily at the parts. Once the painful throbbing subsided a bit, she removed her finger and wiped it on her tunic. After it was dry, she brought it up to check the damage.

"You alright over there?" Nanra asked from where she was bent over a large piece of woodwork. The dark-skinned woman was one of the Nora tribe's foremost weapon makers and was solely responsible for the invention of the siege slings being used to great effect at The Gate and during the defense of Mother's Vigil at the start of the war.

Once Aloy learned of their existence, she'd been fascinated by them. They were deceptively simple and yet infinitely complex in design. Inspired by a few things she'd seen in GAIA's media files, the young redhead found herself eagerly figuring out ways to improve them.

Currently, the massive slings were drawn back by hand and released. The tension was so strong, it took two Braves just to draw them back. The first thing Aloy did was try and figure out a better method of drawing it back. She'd settled on a crank and her mockup was nearly complete when word of her experiments reached Nanra on the front lines.

The weapon crafter was one of the few who'd stayed on the front lines for the entire war up to that point. She didn't do much fighting, of course. Most of her time was spent repairing weapons, acting as a quartermaster, and maintaining the slings. Still, when her father mentioned her work in passing to Aunt Sona, the War-Chief had of course told Nanra.

The 25-year-old woman almost immediately asked for leave from the front so she could return to Mother's Heart and see the design herself. Once she'd arrived, the two girls found themselves getting completely lost in the joys of inventing. Nanra's ideas helped Aloy refine her original premise and together they worked on designing a trigger mechanism, allowing for an easier release of projectiles. They'd even come up with two different designs! One for throwing bombs and one for massive arrows. Needless to say, Aloy was absolutely thrilled to have an engineering buddy.

"Let me see." Vala, Aloy's best friend said. She stood up from where she'd been working on her learning module and walked over to Aloy. Taking her injured hand, Vala looked over it with a critical eye. Ever since Aloy's first disastrous attempt at building a glider, her friend decided to start studying medicine. In Vala's words it was because Aloy would 'never stop getting herself hurt testing questionable inventions' so Vala needed to know how to keep her alive.

Aloy… couldn't really argue with her on that one. Not only had she broken two ribs with that glider test, but she'd also nearly snapped her ankle testing the second version a few months later and was saved from breaking her neck when the third version broke by falling into a river. Though the third one was working fairly well before she collided with that tree…

"I should revisit that." Aloy thought, her mind going off on a tangent while Vala examined her still throbbing finger. "The wood, canvas, and cable combination seems like a flawed concept though. Maybe machine parts? I wonder if papa could get me a working Shellwalker shield…"

"What happened?" Nanra asked, walking over and breaking Aloy out of her thoughts on flight.

"My hand slipped before I could lock the spring." The redhead replied, sheepishly. "It snapped shut on my finger."

"Hm." Nanra bent down, her dark hair framing her face as she looked at the trigger mechanism Aloy was working on. "I'll have to keep that in mind when I'm servicing these up at The Gate. If it's that sensitive, I'll need to be careful. Hopefully it's sturdy enough to handle repeated firing. We may need a looser spring."

"That could sacrifice power though." Aloy argued. "The spring comes from machine internals. It should be plenty strong enough."

"It should hold up, but we need to put this thing through a huge battery of tests before I'm willing to show it to the War-Chief." Nanra nodded. "What's the damage?" She looked down at Vala and Aloy's hand.

"Thankfully, she didn't break anything." Vala replied. "It's bruised but you should be fine in a few days." Aloy gave her a smile.

The other 11-year-old didn't need to spend her more recent days keeping an eye on Aloy and Nanra but she'd chosen to after both of them managed to get pinched, bruised, and… slightly singed after only one day of working together. Aloy swore that that explosion was not her fault! She told Nanra not to load the untested bombs into the prototype! Though… Aloy WAS the one who built and brought the bombs in the first place… Either way, Vala declared herself their personal healer until the project was finished. Which it nearly was!

All they had left to do was finish assembling the trigger mechanism and then attach the completed weapon to the mount Nanra was working on. The one for bombs was designed to sit on the ground below the wall and lob projectiles over it. Opposite to that, the one designed for arrows was meant to sit on top of the wall and fire down at the enemy. Together, the two inventors came up with a design that allowed the weapon to swivel back and forth, letting whoever was manning it aim more accurately.

"Once you finish installing the trigger mechanism, I think we're ready to test this… what did you call it again?"

"A ballista. I got the idea from the media files I found on the Focus."

"Huh." Nanra hummed. "The Old Ones sure had a weird way of naming things."

"Before you do anything." Vala cut in, giving them both her most stern glare, "I would like to remind you that I will be out of the village for a few days starting tomorrow. I'd rather not come back from my hunting trip to find out you two got yourselves killed testing this thing."

"We'll be good." Aloy grinned at her friend. She knew how excited Vala was. Her mother was back from The Gate for the first time in nearly a year and set to take both her and Varl out on a machine hunt for a few days. Of course, that meant Aloy's father was out at the front, but she would not let her worry for her father show when her friend dealt with far worse every single day and for far longer. Aloy was well aware of the importance Vala placed on this trip and refused to do anything that might ruin it for her friend.

Vala had been giddy and over the moon about getting to spend time with her mother for weeks after she found out. She'd packed, unpacked, and repacked her gear three times in the last week and even gone so far as to commission a brand-new bow and quiver from the crafters.

Aloy put her uninjured hand on Vala's arm just below the shoulder. "I know how much this trip means to you, so we'll wait till you get back. No sense in you worrying about us when you should be having fun with Aunt Sona and Varl."

"Thank you, Aloy." Vala gave her a winning smile.

Vala

Vala grinned, her body filled with tense excitement as the southern gate of the Embrace opened before her. On her back was a proper hunting pack along with her sling and her bow. In her hand, she held her freshly reinforced spear with a small cluster of her favorite little golden flowers winding around the shaft near the head. On the side of her head, of course, was her Focus. Reaching up, she quickly set it to begin scanning her surroundings while she walked through the gate behind her mother and brother.

A great deal of her excitement came from simply being with her mother. As War-Chief, Vala's mother was the one in charge of the Nora Braves and the war effort against the Carja, necessitating that she be present at the front at nearly all times. It was rare that she was able to get away long enough to make the journey back to Mother's Heart. The few times she was able were always special for her and her brother.

Sure, they were able to talk to their mother every few days through the Focus, but it wasn't the same as being able to hear her voice undistorted by the old technology. Different from being able to wrap her arms around her mother's waist and feel her mother's hands stroking her hair. Being the children of the War-Chief wasn't easy, but Vala and her brother were beyond proud of their mother. Even if she wasn't the most… warm person.

Sona's way of showing affection was very different from the way her Uncle Rost was with Aloy. Rost was free with things like hugs or words of praise for even the smallest of things. Vala liked to think he was what her father would have been like if she'd known him. Her mother, on the other hand, was far more reserved. War-Chief Sona had her standards and expected her children to uphold them more than any other Nora.

Hugs from her mother were rare, even when she was home, but Vala treasured them. What was more common was the gentle, almost unnoticeable smile and head nod when Vala or Varl did something well. The little hint of pride in her voice when she congratulated them on a job well done. She'd been especially proud when she learned that Vala was studying healing alongside her Brave training.

Initially, Vala's motivation to learn healing came from a desire to keep Aloy alive. She loved her pseudo-sister, but the little red menace could be a real handful when she got excited about an invention that could potentially kill her. Or just explode. So. Many. Explosions. Some of them with materials that shouldn't be flammable! Aloy was lucky she hadn't blown off her eyebrows, let alone anything important.

Still, after she began studying medicine, her motivation changed. No longer was it solely out of a desire to keep her best friend alive. Now it was because healing was fascinating! Vala had no idea that the Old Ones were so focused on figuring out how the human body worked and how to put it back together when it was damaged. If she'd lived during their time, Vala had no doubt she'd want to be a doctor.

Once she had some idea of what she was doing, Vala talked to the village healers about working with and learning from them. So far, that mostly meant learning to make various poultices and wrapping up bruises or other minor injures but she knew she could do more. Her goal was to one day learn enough to perform properly life saving surgery. To that end, she'd branched off into studying how to make things like sedatives. Surgery without being unconscious was probably worse than torture, so studying that kind of thing was a must.

Still, she couldn't neglect her martial training in favor of her medical training. A Nora who could wield neither spear nor bow and who couldn't run a Brave Trail was one who could not be relied upon in the wilds. As the proud daughter of the War-Chief, Vala refused to be unreliable. Besides, how was she supposed to keep Aloy alive once she became a Seeker if Vala herself was not capable of being a Seeker? That was another reason why this trip was so important. She'd be leaving the Embrace for the first time and hunting Grazers alongside her mother and brother.

The area just beyond the Embrace was fairly safe, even during the period of war. The Carja raiding parties that made it through the hidden paths and weren't caught by Brave patrols never made it further in than the outskirts of Mother's Crown so as long as they stuck near the walls of the Embrace, it was relatively safe.

"Keep up, children." Her mother called, striding forward. "We do not stop will we reached the hunting lodge."

"Let me know if you need any help, Vala." Her brother said, clapping a hand to her shoulder.

"I spent my days chasing after Aloy on her misadventures, brother." She replied, smirking up at him. "Compared to that, a walk through the Sacred Lands is easy."

Varl chuckled happily. "Fair enough, little sister. Fair enough."

Yore

Yore sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She flexed her fingers a bit, rubbing the corners of her tired eyes. Just last night, she'd received word that Sona was back from her hunting trip and would be on her way back to the front soon but with the War-Chief not due back for another day or two and Rost overseeing a supply run in Mother's Crown, she was left in charge of the defense. Usually, her job was commanding the reserve garrison at Mother's Vigil, but she'd left that to her lieutenant so that she could serve as Rost's second while he was in command of The Gate.

Not that much was happening, of course. It had been… oddly silent for the better part of a month. Not that all out assaults on The Gate were common, of course. Since the beginning of the Red Raids, there had only been seven attempts at breaching the outer defenses of the Sacred Lands. Discounting the raiding parties that they still couldn't quite keep out of their territory. They'd gotten better at tracking them down, but every month saw at least a few Nora taken or killed by the Carja raiders. Sadly, not even the best efforts of the Seekers could save all of those who were taken captive.

Scratching the scar on her nose, Yore stifled a yawn and made her way down from the top of the wall. It was just after dawn, and she was finally coming off her stint at the top. Shifts were rotated weekly and amongst the command level Braves it was her week to oversee the late night/dawn shift. She didn't mind really, but something about being up five hours before the sun rose just felt wrong. Still, it was only her first day, so it'd get better as the week went by.

"All well, Captain?" Baarg asked, walking up to her. He was one of the higher-ranking Braves stationed on the wall. A shift commander would be the best term she supposed. Wiry, with long-ish brown hair and a natural scowl, he was actually a little intimidating to those who'd never fought him. Yore herself knew he was a decent archer but not all that good at close quarters. Still, those wiry limbs hid a surprising amount of strength.

"Quiet, as usual." Yore replied. "There seemed to be a bit of movement just after dawn, but it looked more like an inspection of the guards than anything else. You headed up?"

"I drew the early morning shift this week." He grumbled. "Any runners in the night?"

The captain shook her head and yawned. "None. Unless it's an emergency, I doubt there will be any today. Oh, you should know, I want the builders to take a look at the wall. Some of the boards on the rampart feel a little loose."

"I'll make sure it's taken care of." He nodded. "Go get some rest."

With a tired nod, Yore made her way back to her bunk and collapsed into it, not even bothering to remove her Focus. Within only a few moments, she was fast asleep. Her dreams were filled with memories of happy times. Lying on the grass with her mate watching the clouds go by. Watching her daughter play in the river that ran past the village. Listening to her little brother work himself into a state worrying about what kind of gift to give his mate. Memories of family and joyous times that were shattered by screams and crashing sounds.

Yore rolled out of bed and seized her spear. Dashing forward, she emerged to a scene of absolute chaos. The wall… the secret entrance to the wall was open! The cables cut and Carja pouring in! The brunette captain raised her spear and moved to charge into the fray when a sharp pain pierced her back. Looking down, she could see the tip of the spear poking out of her stomach. She gasped in agony and leaned forward as the spear was yanked out of her. Turning painfully, she looked into the demented face of Baarg.

"W…why?" She gasped out, clutching her spear for support.

"For Resh." He spat out, a wild and unstable look in his eyes. The traitor pulled back, intending to run her through, but Yore was not a Captain for nothing. Even wounded as she was, she refused to die without taking her killer with her. Ignoring the pain, she used her left arm to grab the shaft of his weapon and her right to ram her spear up into this throat.

"For the All-Mother." She gasped out before collapsing to the ground.

Refusing to die with her face in the dirt, Yore dragged herself towards her bunkhouse and propped her back against it. Placing a hand to her bleeding belly, she beheld the slaughter. Carja soldiers were butchering her unprepared comrades, many of whom were still scrambling for weapons. Only a small handful were fighting back. She saw one Brave cut down another but honestly didn't know which of them was a traitor and which wasn't until the survivor was butchered by a Carja halberd. How had this happened? Did Baarg order the wall to be opened? Why had the alarm not been sounded? Was his entire shift made of traitors? Yore did not know any of this but at least she knew what she had to do.

"To all Captains." She gasped out, tapping her Focus. "The Gate has fallen. I repeat, The Gate has fallen. Followers of Resh cut open the wall."

That was all she could get out before a bolt of agony rocked her body. Closing the connection, she removed the device from her head and set it on the ground. It was one of the sacred Relics of the Alphas granted to her specifically by the High-Matriarchs. She hated to do this, but it was better than allowing a filthy Carja to get their hands on Nora secrets. Grabbing a nearby rock, she smashed the Focus into pieces before throwing them into the bushes close by.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there afterwards, occasionally wracked by pain and waiting to die. The captain didn't have the strength to stand and fight so all she could do was watch as the hulking, black armored figure walked casually through the slaughter. She'd been briefed on this man. Leader of the first Carja raid into the Sacred Lands after the battle of Mother's Vigil. The detestable, demented Kestrel Helis. Next to him was Mots, a mousy Brave who'd been on the same shift as Baarg. Behind the two walked Zaid, the commander of Daytower who Yore herself failed to kill during his attack on Mother's Vigil.

"It would seem the leader of your little band of traitors is dead, Savage." Zaid scoffed, kicking the body of Baarg. "You seem to be lucky. The other savages killed all your fellows."

Growling, Helis grabbed the traitor by the throat. "Your leader promised me information in exchange for safety from being sacrificed." The monster ground out. "Since you're the only one of his traitors left, I expect you to deliver. Am I understood?"

"Y… yes." Mots gasped out. With a grunt, Helis dropped him back to the ground. "What do you want to know?"

"Oh, every secret you have to tell, Savage but I think we'll start with this one." Helis gripped his blade with white knuckles and shouted. "How do you sunless heathens keep rescuing your people?! How do you respond so fast?!" Spittle flew from his mouth, catching Mots in the eye.

The cowardly traitor opened his mouth to reply but Yore would not have it. Pulling her dagger from her waist, she ignored the pain one last time and threw it with all she had. The All-Mother guided her aim, driving her blade right into the open mouth of the traitor and up into his brain. Mots collapsed to the ground with a strangled gurgle while Helis whipped around in a rage.

"Oh?" Zaid questioned, quizzically cutting off the Kestrel's angry shout. He walked around the body, staring at Yore. "I remember you. You tried to kill me during our first attack." He strutted towards her cockily and crouched down. "How does it feel to know you failed, Savage? Soon enough all your sunless lands will be under Carja control. My control."

"Zaid!" Helis barked, drowning out Yore's growling response. She slipped a hand into her pouch and seized hold of what was inside while the commander was glancing back. "I want my information. Since this heathen killed the other, she can provide the answers we seek. I trust you can make her… cooperative, before she dies?"

"Oh, not to worry, Kestrel Helis." Zaid's slimy voice replied. He smirked disgustingly at her and drew a dagger. "It will be my pleasure."

"That's where you're wrong, monster." Yore coughed out, pulling her hand from her pouch. "The pleasure is mine." Reaching up, she grabbed his collar and brought the evil man close. Then, using all the strength she had left, she crushed the bomb she'd pulled from her ammo pouch right into his open mouth. There was a flash of light, a searing pain, and then… nothing. All was ended.

A/N: So, what did you think? CYAN and GAIA go ok? What about Aloy's little engineering session or Vala's segment? What did you all think of that bit at the end? Things are getting a little intense.

Song lyrics taken from 'In Too Deep' by Sum41.

The weapon Aloy is designing is based on a Roman Manubalista.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

LunaShadowWolf: I'm glad what I did with Resh makes sense. I won't comment on any potential future happenings, but I love to see speculation!

Rios: Glad you liked it! I don't know about the compound bow considering the limited materials she's working with but I'll consider it!

Matt22152: I thought about it, but the Nora don't really do that kind of thing. It's totally alien to them.

D3Diton: Nah. She doesn't show up unless she has to. Plus, she can only project herself inside the mountain right now anyway.

TheRuinsofRl'yeh: I'm glad you like it so much! Yeah, Aloy being an engineer just made so much sense to me, I had to include it. As for new technology well… she is kind of doing that now. As for Resh, I obviously can't say what'll happen with him.

Dragon Master 888: I hope you liked it!

Guest: Yeah, that was really the only way to go when dealing with Resh.

Frostwolf3227: I may be making her a little Ruby-like but she does strike me as being like that when she's a more well-adjusted person. I hope you like the changes! I want them to feel like they make sense.

Dracofighter: I'm really glad you liked it! Love the speculation too.

Guest1138: Glad you liked it! Yes, she's met Ourea.

On AO3

ReviewerDWJ2: Thank you! Yeah, it felt like the right thing to do. I was running around in ZD trying to think of things when I came across that area, and it just felt perfect, so I had to use it. I'm glad you like it. As for the other stuff, I did consider what might happen if he was captured but well… I think I'm going in another direction.

Jpx0999: Yeah… he thought he was smart but he was sooo not smart enough.

Readinginthedarkisfunnier: I hope you liked the CYAN portion!

Feral_Sins: Contacting her, yes. Saving her? We'll see!

THEEBlock: Glad you liked it!

Boudica96: I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Ryanlarsen84: I thought about various places to put him but that valley felt so perfect. Although, I did also enjoy adding onto the whole Resh/latrine joke when I had him temporarily held in one. That felt like justice. As for RWBY, I highly recommend it. It does fall off a bit in the later seasons, but what show doesn't? Still one of my top 5 favorites of all time.

SpiritDeNight: I hope you liked it!

Indraasrei: She was more than a little traumatized then, so I felt it more appropriate that she stick to her dad's side. It's a very amusing visual though.

Matrix_Dragon: I may have drawn a little inspiration from there, not gonna lie. Resh just felt like that kind of villain, you know?

Dark_Lux: I'm glad you like it! Thank you for reading!

Chapter Text

A/N: WARNING: Violence, blood, gore.

I ’m back! Not much to say this time except that I’m sorry this one is a bit short. Also, that it’s late. I tried to get it out last night, but I just couldn’t. I ’m sorry about that, but I do hope the contents of the chapter make up for it!

Oh, just a heads up. I’m going to be moving soon. That’s partially why this chapter is a day late. I hope it doesn’t cause any issues, but there is a decent chance that the move will cause a delay in the next chapter or two. I’ll try not to let that happen, but life happens sometimes.

As always, please leave a comment or review with your thoughts and ideas! I love them and they keep me motivated. 

A Digital Mother

Chapter 16

3032

Karst

"Scouts report a large offensive moving towards Mother's Vigil." The voice of Captain Rost came through the focus. "The enemy force is too powerful for us to hold against for long. A thousand strong at least." That was not good. The garrison at Mother's Vigil was only six hundred and it was the biggest garrison in the Sacred Lands!

"All is quiet along the northern valley." Captain Brun chimed in. "I've started to mobilize the garrison at Mother's Tears. We'll be on the march to reinforce Mother's Vigil soon."

"Korg here." Another voice now spoke. "We've begun the evacuation of Mother's Crown as a precautionary measure. They are headed for the Embrace. The bulk of the garrison are headed to reinforce Mother's Vigil."

"The garrison at Mother's Song will do the same." That was the voice of Seela. The recently appointed Captain of Mother's Song.

"The Mother's Rise garrison is headed for Mother's Crown. We will hold there and await further instructions." That was Captain Tosa.

"This is the War-chief!" Sona's voice cut through the chatter. "I am departing from the Embrace with a force of two hundred. We will link up with the garrison from Mother's Rise and continue on to join the battle. Rost, keep us updated on the status of the battle until we arrive!"

"Yes, War-Chief!"

"Seeker Karst!" He chimed in. "I am approaching Daytower. I have to hide my Focus, but I will provide any intel I can when it's safe!" Grimacing, Karst tore the triangular device from his head and stuffed it into a secret compartment on his Carja disguise along with his Seeker's Mark. Grabbing hold of his cart, he pushed forward and up the hill toward Daytower.

For the last few years, ever since the raids began, he'd begun cultivating a reputation for fairness and reliability amongst the Carja in his disguise as the merchant Merav alongside his fellow seeker, Sokana. Sokana herself was disguised as Merav's 'sister,' Moli. In truth, they were the perfect pair for the job since Sokana, one of the younger Seekers, was Karst's own cousin. They shared enough of a family resemblance to truly pass as siblings.

Still, despite the success of his and his fellow Seeker's attempts at saving refugees and gathering information, they'd utterly failed to ferret out this shocking attack plan by the Carja. The fact that there were traitors amongst the Nora, or even that such a force had been gathered at Daytower was something they'd completely missed! Sure, there weren't many of them and only seven total Seeker spies in Carja territory at the moment but still! He could kick himself for missing it!

Very few Seekers acted as spies walking amongst the Carja. Most of their number acted more as a clandestine strike force liberating slave camps and only entered the Sundom when they were given a specified target by one of the spies or when chasing after a raiding party that'd escaped the Sacred Lands.

That would have to change after this though. They needed more spies in key locations around Carja territory if they were to avoid another disaster like this. That is, if they survived this disaster in the first place. Shaking his head again to clear his thoughts, Karst pushed the cart further up the steep hill and towards the first guardhouse on the steep climb up to Daytower.

"Hold there!" One of the guards shouted from up ahead. "Who approaches?"

"Merav!" He called back up. "I'm a trader coming up from Meridian!"

"Merav?" The second guard called now, shading his eyes. "It is you! And Moli too! Stand down, Larzish, they're known here." The guard slapped the first man on the shoulder. "Approach! We'll have to inspect your cart. There's a big push on into the Savage East so security is tighter than usual."

Moving closer, Karst recognized the friendlier guard. His name was Hawil. They'd had dealings a few times over the years whenever Karst came to Daytower. Friendly enough, but only to fellow Carja. The light-skinned man utterly despised anyone who was no of his tribe. All in all, he was far from the kind of person Karst would count as a friend, but he was exactly the kind of friendly acquaintance that 'Merav' treasured.

"Is that you, Hawil?" 'Moli' asked, leaning around the cart. "It's so good to see you!" She bounced happily towards the two guards. Karst laughed internally. Sokana really was a very good actor.

"Ah, lovely Moli." Hawil smiled at her. "You are as the sun at dawn, brightening by day with your presence!" The girl blushed and turned her face away, poorly hiding a smile. Karst could almost believe she was genuinely flattered and interested in the man. That is, if Sokana hadn't been praying to the All-Mother that they wouldn't run into him less than an hour ago. His 'interest' in 'Moli' was very obvious.

"What's that you said about a push, Hawil?" 'Merav' asked while the two men inspected his cart.

He was always very careful to ensure there was nothing in his supplies that could identify him as anything but Carja. He and the other Seekers hadn't even brought their traditional Nora weapons or garb into the Sundom. He'd personally taken to leaving them in a cache within the hidden path near Morning's Watch since it was his usual point of entry into Carja lands.

"Ah, Kestrel Helis came up with a brilliant plan to break down that blasted wall." Hawil replied, proudly before slumping. "It worked but… it didn't go exactly to plan. Captain Zaid is dead, and the Kestrel was pretty badly burned. One of those savages detonated a bomb right next to them from what I heard. The Kestrel is here in the fort being treated while Lieutenant Maran is leading our forces into the east until the Kestrel is recovered enough to take command."

"Ah." 'Merav' nodded, feigning sympathy. "May the sun bless him with a speedy recovery. I've never met any Kestrels, but I'm told they are truly the best of the Sun King's noble army."

"Is it true the Kestrels are blessed by the sun itself?" 'Moli' asked.

"Heh. No doubt there, Moli." Hawil replied, talking over his compatriot's grumbling at the back of the cart. "The Kestrel is one of the greatest warriors I've ever known, but he doesn't tolerate failure."

"Got a damn short temper too." The other guard, Larzish, grunted. "You best keep yourselves quiet if you see him inside the fort."

"We'll be sure to stay out of his way." 'Merav' thanked the man for his warning.

Soon enough, they were on their way again. Up through the steep rocky slope and into the tunnel carved through the mountain. Once out of the top, they turned and moved towards the sealed gate. There, they were stopped and searched once again but these guards were just as familiar to Karst and Sokana as Hawil down below.

"Head on through, Merav." One of the guards, Bawan, said, motioning them in. "Lykhal will be thrilled to see you. He was just asking us the other day if we'd seen any sign of you coming back through. With the push on, he's all but depleted his stock." Lykhal was the merchant who'd taken up permanent residence within Daytower. Usually, when Karst came to the fortress, it was to sell the bulk of his stock to the Carja merchant or to Vatil, the fort's quartermaster.

The quartermaster of the fort typically only sold things required by the soldiers. Standardized armor, weapons, and other such things. Karst rarely dealt with him since the Carja quartermasters had their own supply chain. Not to mention, Karst rarely sold weapons. No, his stock was mostly foodstuffs, alcohol, and other such luxuries that Carja soldiers loved to spend their pay on. He might have been acting as a spy, but he was a Nora at heart. With the Carja at war with his tribe, Karst refused to sell them weapons.

"Merav!" Lykhal shouted with joy when he spotted Karst. "By the sun, my friend, I've been hoping you'd come by!" The slightly heavyset merchant bustled forward and grabbed Karst by the shoulders. "These brutes have all but cleaned out my stocks. Please tell me you've got a full cart to sell!"

"I do, indeed!" 'Merav' replied. Pulling back the cover, he revealed his wares to the Carja merchant. "I've managed to procure a few dozen jars of wine from the southern vineyards, not to mention my usual stock of items."

"Ah! The sun shines on me this day!" Lykhal crowed to the sky. "Truly, you and dear Moli are a blessing in these troubled times, my friend."

'Moli' giggled. "Thanks, Mr. Lykhal. Hawil told us things are kind of tense around here, but he didn't say much. What happened?"

"Mhm. Nasty buisness." Lykhal shook his head. "Between you and me, I don't really see the point in pushing the eastern savages so hard, but then I don't pretend to know the mind of the Kestrel and certainly not His Luminance. As I've heard it, the Kestrel was able to gain the services of a few turn-cloaks among the savages, but their defenders proved more determined than expected. Forgive me, my dear girl, but I'd prefer to spare you the gruesome details."

"Moli, why don't you go let the quartermaster know we're here. He might be interested in our stock of machine parts." 'Merav' said, sending his 'sister' off on her errand. Once she was out of earshot, he turned back to Lykhal. "What happened?" he whispered.

"The leader of the savages used a bomb to blow up Captain Zaid's head." The merchant whispered back. "She killed herself to do it. What's more, the blast wounded the Kestrel. Burns and the like though," he leaned in closer, "I've heard a rumor saying that part of Zaid's skull embedded itself in Kestrel Helis' face."

'Merav's' face twisted in disgust. Internally, Karst was celebrating. Helis was a monster of the highest order. Even disregarding the initial raids against the Nora, word of the atrocities Helis had been committing against the Oseram and Banuk in the north flowed like rivers through the Sundom. If he was injured enough to be out of the fight, it only meant good things for the Nora defenders at Mother's Vigil.

"Aye, it's a gruesome rumor. I can't speak to the truth of it though." Lyhkal continued, convinced by the feigned disgust on 'Merav's' face. "I haven't seen the Kestrel since he was brought back to the fortress by the soldiers. I've heard him screaming orders a few times, so he'd definitely alive, but I haven't seen him."

"Do you think the soldiers will push on into he east?" 'Merav' asked. "Should I start planning on bringing my wares further in?"

Lykhal shook his head. "No, no. Even if they do push in, they're not likely to let civilian merchants like us pass through the gate but it doesn't sound like they're intending to push at the moment. If the gossip I'm hearing is right, then the plan was to take out their forward positions quietly. From what I've heard, it's gone well so far. None of the savages were able to get word out about the attack on the wall."

"How will our forces keep things quiet once they start attacking villages?" 'Merav' asked with fascinated concern.

"Well, I don't pretend to know much about military matters, but I have to assume they'll try surrounding the villages to prevent spies getting out or something like that. I'm no solider, so I really don't know."

"No, I suppose not. It's not really our place to know anyway, is it?" 'Merav' asked. "As fascinating as the war is, our job is just to keep these fine soldiers fed and happy."

"Well said, my friend!" Lykhal slapped him on the shoulder. "Now, how much do you want for your stock of wine?"

Rost

"They have us completely surrounded." Rost grimaced, looking out from the walls. The Carja had clearly learned from their previous attempt at capturing Mother's Vigil. Where before they'd simply charged the gate, this time they were cautious. He'd watched from the walls as their commander sent teams to scour the woods, vigilant for any attack from there like the one Yore led during the first battle of Mother's Vigil.

Then, instead of only attacking from one place, they completely surrounded the village. The Nora were facing a full-on siege at this point. Rost could only hope that the Carja believed them unable to communicate with the other villages and held off on the attack for a while.

The defenses of Mother's Vigil were significantly improved compared to what they'd been during the first battle around three years before. Instead of a prototype war sling and a rudimentary trap door over the gate, there were now two slings stationed at both gates, chillwater defenses, fire prevention systems, and a myriad number of traps covering the approaches.

What's more, the six hundred Braves within the garrison were fully stocked with every type of bomb and arrow they could imagine. They had enough ammunition to sustain a protracted siege and, if their calculations were correct, enough provisions to last them two to three weeks. Though, thankfully it shouldn't take that long for their reinforcements to arrive.

"They're coming, Captain." Sola's voice cut across his musings. Looking back over the wall, Rost could see a small party moving closer.

"Come no closer, Carja!" Rost shouted over the walls. "We will rain arrows down upon you if you do not retreat back to your lands at once!"

"I am Lieutenant Maran!" The Craja shouted, ignoring his warning. "Second in command to Kestrel Helis!" That was not good. If the famed butcher was leading this force, then things could get ugly. "If you surrender at once, you will be treated with mercy! Resist, and we shall cut you down for the glory of the Sun King!"

"I care nothing for your king, Carja butcher!" Rost shouted over the wall. "You have invaded our Sacred Lands without provocation! Turn back now, or we will show no mercy!"

"I ask you to see reason, Nora!" The lieutenant called out. "You are surrounded! Completely cut off! None of your other villages have any idea you are in danger, nor is it possible for you to warn them! Stand down, and you will be treated with mercy!"

Rost growled and, drawing his bow back, released an arrow directly at the speaker. The Carja soldier barely managed to dodge the projectile, stumbling forward and faceplanting into the dirt. After a moment, he rose again and shook his fist at the wall.

"This is your answer then?" He shouted, angrily. "Turn your face to the sun, savage! Death will find you soon enough!"

"Sola!" Rost barked at his lieutenant. "Make your way to the eastern gate and take command." She nodded and rushed off. "Vai, take the northernmost point of the wall. Tas, you have the south. I'll stay here to command the western gate." Off in the distance, the drums of the Carja began to beat as the column slowly began to march forward.

Mern

Mern scrambled through the underbrush as stealthily as he could, cursing his luck. He'd been one of the scouts who'd first noticed the army coming to attack Mother's Vigil three years ago and here he was again! Spying on an army attacking Mother's Vigil, only now he had so much more to lose!

Peering out through the trees, he could see the ongoing battle. Carja forces had Mother's Vigil completely surrounded. Arrows and bombs of all kinds rained down from the walls and back up at the defenders. He watched as one of the slings set to defend the eastern gate let loose, sending firebombs screaming into the Carja army. Occasionally, there would be a blast of some kind at the front of the charging force when one of the soldiers triggered a trap or some other defense.

Mern watched closely, trying to drown out the screams of pain. Already, the grass around the village was burning and corpses littered the ground. At a guess, he'd have to say the battle had been raging for the better part of a few hours by now. If his eyes did not deceive him, it appeared a section of the northern wall was on fire along with a few of the huts inside the village itself. Had the fire prevention systems not worked? Reaching down, he caressed the beads attached to his necklace.

One for each of his parents, his grandparents, brother, and sister. The last three were the most important though. Ezana, his beloved mate, and their children. Samina and Yore. Yore, of course, was named after their now fallen captain. A dear friend to them both, and the one who'd most encouraged his relationship with Ezana. Even giving them leave at the same time so that they could enjoy a little peace during the years of war.

The gruff captain was beyond touched when they'd decided to name their firstborn daughter after her. If only she'd gotten to live long enough to see the girl grow up. As for their other child, Samina was only three months old. It was an odd name for a Nora, but what did that matter when you were naming your child after one of the honored Alphas? The name itself had resonated with Ezana and, since Mern had chosen Yore's name, he was happy for his darling mate to name their younger daughter after the Alpha.

Ezana and their girls were thankfully both safe, staying with Mern's own parents in Mother's Rise. He'd been intending to join them in a few weeks, with his recent deployment having supposedly been just a routine supply mission to Mother's Crown. Sadly, that was the day the Carja decided to invade again, forcing him out into the field. As one of the best damn scouts in the tribe, Captain Korg had naturally asked him to run ahead. He'd even given him one of the most precious treasures the tribe possessed. Reaching up, he tapped the triangular device on his head.

"Captain Korg." Mern said, waiting for a reply that was quick in coming.

"Report!"

"The Carja have Mother's Vigil surrounded and are attacking from all sides. The defenders are holding out, but it looks rough. The north wall looks to be on fire, along with several buildings within the village and the enemy force is slowly overwhelming the traps. I can't see the eastern gate from here, but it looks like the southern gate has yet to use their chillwater defense. The Carja look like they're trying to make good use of bombs and fire arrows."

"Well done, Mern. Keep yourself hidden and send us any updates you can if the tide of the battle shifts. Captain Rost's last report says that they're focusing the bulk of their forces on the western gate. Let us know if anything changes."

"By your command, Captain." Mern closed off the connection and turned his gaze to the battlefield once more.

Rost
"Release the doors!" Rost shouted, ducking down below the rampart. With a heave, two Braves let the chillwater defense pour down onto the charging Carja. It worked as intended, but it just wasn't enough. Once the screams of pain echoing from the frozen and burning men subsided, the determined soldiers stepped on and over their fallen comrades, picking up the dropped battering ram before slamming it against the gates once more. The wall itself shuddered under Rost's feet with the power of their blows.

Shuffling forward, Rost leaned over and released arrow after arrow into the open gates with his Braves, aiming for the besieging soldiers. Some raised shields above their heads while others let go of the ram to dodge away.

He'd lost track of just how long the battle around him had raged. Hours? Days? Minutes? He couldn't tell. The sun was beginning to sink in the sky, so it had to have been a few hours, yet the Carja just kept coming. No word yet had come from Karst or Sokana, their spies headed for Daytower, but that wasn't unexpected. It likely wouldn't be until they left the fortress that they would be able to report.

"Bring up another barrel!" Rost shouted down to the defenders at the base of the wall. "We cannot let them through! Bring more timbers! Shore up the door!"

Two burly Braves heaved a barrel of chillwater off the ground and began to lug it up the ramp to the top of the wall while another group brought a series of long timbers forward, moving to reinforce the gate. Looking around, Rost could see his brave warriors fighting to the bitter end. Arrow after arrow, bomb after bomb were being thrown from the walls yet still it wasn't enough.

The siege slings let out a loud 'twang' as they released their payloads into the besieging army. Only a moment later, there was a deafening 'boom' followed by the sounds of men screaming. At Rost's feet, the corpse of a fallen Brave lay still, blood pouring onto the wooden scaffold. A single Carja arrow protruded from the eye of the fallen warrior. Looking up, he heard a cry of pain from behind him.
One of the Braves carrying the chillwater had been struck in the shoulder. Toppling off the wall, his compatriot lost his hold on the barrel, sending it tumbling down to the ground. The Brave landed painfully and had only the briefest moment to register what was happening before the barrel of deadly liquid landed on top of him and burst open. His poor fellow, still standing on top of the wall, was granted only another moment more to process the horrifying screams of his dying friend before an arrow sprouted from his neck and he too toppled from the wall. Rost closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, listening to the rhythmic sound of the battering ram pounding against the gate.

"Damn these Carja bastards! May their king rot under his precious sun!" He whispered under his breath. Turning, he spotted a Brave running frantically towards him from deeper into the village. The captain stood and rushed along the wall, then down the ramp towards the ground.

"Captain!" The Brave shouted, running close.

"Report!"

"A team of Braves are working to put out the fires, Captain!" The man replied, breathlessly. "Lieutenant Sola is holding the eastern gate as best she can but it's rough going."

"We can only hope…" Rost was cut off by the sound of cracking and the screams of fear from behind him.

Whirling around, Rost charged towards the Braves gathered behind the gate. Braves, as many who could fit themselves in the gap, were standing at the gate bracing it with a combination of timbers and their own bodies. With each pound of the battering ram, the gate would shudder and knock a few of them back yet each time they would rush forward to reinforce the gate once more.

This time though, it was different. When the battering ram collided with the gate, there was a horrific cracking sound and the gate bowed inward, the timbers holding it shut splitting apart under the pressure. The Braves roared in anger and fear, slamming the doors shut before the Carja could try to charge. It was too late. On the next pound of the ram, the gates to Mother's Vigil burst open, throwing the gathered Braves to the ground.

"Charge!" Rost shouted, brandishing his spear and. Every Brave, who was not on the wall, drew their melee weapons and charged towards the Carja soldiers pouring in through the broken gate. "They have broken through!" Rost shouted, both into his Focus and to rally his Braves. "Push them back! Fight! For the All-Mother!" With that, he charged into the fray.

A/N:  There we go! The battle is not exactly going well, is it? What do you think? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments! I’ll try to get the next one out as soon as I can!

We got to take a look at Karst in his Carja disguise! What did you all think of that? Did it work? I like to imagine he’s dressed similarly to your generic Carja npc. Same with Sokana.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Matt22152: There could be more or that could have been it. None of them have a Focus though. The Matriarchs were mostly aware of who’d been spouting the same stuff as Resh but since they quieted down after he got himself into trouble and didn’t act out, nobody really expected something like them betraying the tribe.

AtlasStelle1: Thank you!

Rios: Yore was one of my favorite OC’s. I had to let her go out with a bang.

D3Diton: She managed to hurt Helis too. A True badass.

LunaShadowWolf: I hope you liked this one too! As for Aloy, she’s thankfully secure in the Embrace. Not likely to see Helis just yet.

Guest: Thank you! I’m glad you liked my song choice!

vmage2: Yore was a badass.

Bargo: Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying the story! Don’t worry about your english. It was very easy to understand.

Frostwolf3227: Eh. Maybe she’ll do some more research on armors but I can’t really let her have just anything. She can only really have access to things that members of ZD staff might realistically have watched/read/listened to when GAIA herself was paying attention. Or at least was nearby.

DragoAngelus17: Thank you very much!

On AO3

ReviewerDWJ2: Thank you! Nobody said Resh’s followers were very bright. I look at them a little bit like the Nora mercenaries you can meet in ZD. Yun and his group in Sunfall. No real loyalty to the other Nora. They were perfectly willing to sell the others out for a guarantee of safety, but just smart enough to not reveal any vital intel until they were safe so Helis didn’t get anything important.

Jpxo999: As for Beta, no comment. You’re right that Sylens is going to be interesting once he finds out about all this though.

Xenomorph_Hunter: Thank you!

Chiki270: Thank you!

Readinginthedarkisfunnier: I’m glad you liked the chapter! I hope you liked this one too!

Boudica96: Yes! I had so much fun writing the GAIA and CYAN scene. Not to mention Yore. I had to let her go out like a boss.

Cameth: Yup! Zaid is dead and I could not let it be pleasant. I felt detonating a bomb in his mouts was a suitably painful death for him. Maybe a bit too quick.

WolvesRock17: I wish we got to see more Aloy inventions too. The whole thing with her and Morlund in Forbidden West was so much fun! I’m really glad you liked the chapter!

SpiritDeNight: Woo!!

Ryanlarsen84: Thank you! I do think that she would have mentioned HADES but he’s less of a direct threat to CYAN specifically than HEPHAESTUS is. He’s more of a threat to the world in general, but not as much of one to CYAN directly. An AI that can remotely move around and take control of her is far more dangerous than one who is likely stuck in one place. HEPHAESTUS is the only one that can move like that, and GAIA knows it. As for the rebels, it’s more of a case that they and Resh were only using the rhetoric they were spouting as justification for being assholes. They are loyal to Resh, but not to the tribe. With Lansra denouncing Resh, they lost their ability to spout his nonsense with any kind of believability. They don’t really care about the tribe. Just themselves. With Resh gone and no real hope of rescuing him, they just decided to say, ‘screw you’ and throw the tribe under the bus for the sake of their own safety.

Chapter Text

A/N: WARNING: Violence

I'm back! I'm so sorry it took so long for me to return but I hope this makes up for it! I'm all moved and mostly settled in. It's going to be a bit before I start a new job so there may be another shake up then but hopefully it's not too bad.

I really hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think in the comments and reviews! I read them all and they are truly appreciated!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 17

3032

Sona

"Korg!" Sona shouted into her focus, jogging along at the front of her host. "Brun! Report!"

"Korg here!" The gruff voice shouted. "We've arrived at the meeting point. Brun's forces are right behind us. Our scouts can see them from the ridge."

"Less than half an hour till we rendezvous, War-Chief!" Brun added.

"Send out your best hunters and trackers, Korg!" Sona barked. "I have an idea." Sona kept up her brisk marching pace as she explained her plan to the two captains. It'd only been an hour or so since word came from Rost that the enemy had begun their assault and there was no way she'd make it in time to be of any assistance unless they were able to hold out better than expected.

Her force, consisting of the two-hundred reserves she'd pulled from the walls of the Embrace hadn't even made it to Mother's Rise where another force was waiting to join them. It was far better for their closer garrisons, Mother's Crown and Mother's Tears, to head immediately for Mother's Vigil and join the battle. Even with just their forces, they stood a chance at matching the size of the Carja army. What's more, they could catch them off guard by attacking the rear of the enemy siege camp.

As for the forces at Mother's Song, they would head for Mother's Crown as quickly as possible and then wait there for Sona to arrive with Tosa, the captain of Mother's Rise and their combined forces. Then the three garrisons would march for Mother's Vigil together. Unfortunately, even at their all but breakneck pace, Sona was unlikely to reach the besieged village for nearly two days. Thankfully, Korg and Brun could have their forces there in just under a full day.

She'd been enjoying her time off with her children when the call came in from Yore. They were just finishing up their hunting trip beyond the Embrace when the emergency broadcast began. Sona had listened to Yore's pained declarations with growing dread and rage. When the last words the brave captain would ever say to her people were silenced, a change occurred within her.

The loving, if strict mother she'd been for the previous few days was gone. Replaced in full by the serious, dangerous, and wrathful War-Chief. Her children, used to her strict but not unkind orders, were quite startled by the sudden change that came over her. She would have to apologize to them both if she survived this. Vala especially had seemed a little afraid of her, but then she was still rather young. Varl, her elder child, had seen her 'War-Chief' persona more frequently as he neared the age where he could run in the Proving.

Sona grit her teeth and let the mother in her fade into the background once again. Now was not the time to feel sentiment or regret about her children. Her wider family needed her. She was the War-Chief of the Nora. As the Matriarchs were the grandmothers, wise and elder guides of the tribe, the War-Chief was the mother. Or father, depending on who held the post. The children of her blood and heart were safe within the walls of her home. The children of her duty were the ones in danger now and she refused to let them down.

Karst

"The Kestrel is wounded, but definitely alive." Karst reported into his Focus with a hushed and hurried voice. "I could hear him barking orders but haven't been able to get a look at him to see the extent of his injuries." He was in the temporary abode they'd been lent by the guards of Daytower while Sokana kept watch outside. Ostensibly, 'Moli' was chatting up Hawil and the other guards who'd just come off their shift while her brother 'Merav' was in their room going over his books and recording their recent transactions with Lykhal in his ledgers. "So far as we can determine, the Carja have no idea that our wider forces are aware of the invasion. They seem to believe that they were successful in preventing any survivors from escaping to warn the rest of the tribe."

"Good." War-Chief Sona responded. She, along with all the other captains save for Rost were in a conference call with him. Rost was far too busy defending the walls of Mother's Vigil and would be informed of his report the next time the captain was able to make a call. "You are to remain within the fortress for as long as is reasonable and safe. Do not blow your cover but gather as much intel as you can. It's a blessing from the All-Mother than Yore was able to put the butcher out of commission, but we need to know if he recovers enough to join the battle."

"It will be done, War-Chief." Karst replied before signing off. Standing up, he stretched and looked around the room. It was your standard Carja bedchamber, really. A bit more barren than would be typical but that's to be expected of a guest room in a military installation. Two beds were pushed against the walls while a round carpet covered the center of the stone floor. Moving to the door, he listened for the chatter Sokana was using to disguise any noise he might make inside their rooms while he made his report.

"Rammahal!" 'Moli' exclaimed happily. They'd been through the fortress enough times that the two of them had become rather well acquainted with the regular members of the garrison. "Congratulations! Nasahed just told me you're getting married! Tell me everything!"

Karst opened the door and spotted the Carja guard in question entering the courtyard from the opposite direction, grinning sheepishly and rubbing the back of his head. Their guest room opened directly onto the central courtyard of Daytower, making it easy to eavesdrop on conversations in the yard or have someone else eavesdrop on you. That is, if you didn't have a brilliant cousin posing as your gossipy sister making a huge racket just outside the door.

"Well, don't keep me waiting!" 'Moli' exclaimed. "What's she like?" Karst stopped listening and moved to sit near the fire next to Lykhal.

"Ah, Merav!" The slightly overweight merchant exclaimed. The sun had only just begun to descend, so most of the fort was gathering for their evening meal either in the courtyard or in the open-air mess hall. "Come, sit. That sister of yours has been talking the ears off half the guard for over an hour now."

"What can I say?" 'Merav' answered. "She loves her gossip and frankly, doesn't care what kind it is. She's just as likely to spend an hour talking about someone's relationship problems as she is the finer details of a vineyard scandal, the queen's newest fashion choices, or the progress of the war."

It was honestly quite ingenious if he thought about it. If one cultivated a reputation as a gossip, especially one interested in every juicy story they could get their hands on, then nobody would blink twice when she asked about the details of the war. Of course, this led to the danger of exaggerated information or even outright lies as the men she spoke to tried to impress the pretty young woman asking them questions. These dangers were mitigated somewhat by the near-completely factual and entirely reasonable tactical information Karst was able to gain through his merchant contacts.

Nobody would care to wonder why 'Merav' needed to know about troop movements in the northern and eastern theatres of the war. It was obvious, wasn't it? He was a merchant selling food and supplies to soldiers. The only way he could do that was if he knew where the soldiers were. Through their combined efforts, the two Seekers were easily able to ferret out a wealth of information with a miniscule margin of error.

"Tell me, Merav." Lykhal spoke up, breaking his train of thought. "Have you heard much of the war in the west?" The Carja were at war with literally all of their neighbors. The Nora in the east, the Banuk and Oseram in the north, and finally the semi-united Utaru and Tenakth in the west.

"Not much, I'm afraid." 'Merav' shrugged. "I don't usually get much further west then Holy Meridian. "Why? Has something happened?"

"My uncle recently led a caravan out there to resupply Barren Light." Lykhal said, leaning in. "His last letter indicated that things on the western front are going much better than they are here on the east. The Utaru are all but scattered. Barely hanging onto their capital village though the Tenakth are putting up much more of a fight. Mostly staging hit and run attacks on our convoys rather than facing a full-scale battle but they're quite the nuisance if my uncle is to be believed. Compared to that, our forces here have been stalled for quite some time. It makes me wonder just how the eastern savages are doing it."

"Well," 'Merav' rubbed his chin in thought. "The Nora tribe is supposedly quite stubborn. The war is proof of that at least. Don't forget, they've pushed back an invasion once before, during the reign of the eighth Sun King. They don't stand a chance this time, but it's not really surprising that they would put up a strong resistance."

"Hm. True enough. The mountain barriers don't make things any easier on us either." Lykhal nodded in agreement.

Karst and Sokana ate and talked with their enemy, wheedling as much information as possible out of them for nearly two hours as the sun began to make its slow descent to the horizon. It was only after the object worshiped by the Carja had just begun to sink below the dark line, turning the sky a vibrant red, that they returned to their lodging. Slipping his Focus on, Karst prepared to report in once again when the beeping of an emergency signal stopped his movement.

"They have broken through!" The panicked voice of Captain Rost sounded in his ears. Karst listened for a moment more, hearing the sounds of battle and the voice of the respected second to the War-Chief barking orders before the connection went silent. Sokana gave him a look of deep concern as the Seeker clenched his fists and ground his teeth.

"Shit." Karst bit out, full of rage, directed both at the horrific actions of the Carja and his current inability to do anything about it.

Rost

Rost charged forward, driving his spear into a gap in the armor of a Carja soldier. The other man howled in pain as the captain wrenched his weapon free. Ignoring his defeated foe, Rost spun to face another. His dark hair and beard, matted with sweat and blood whipped across his face with the force of his movement.

All around him the battle raged. When the Carja first broke through the gate, he'd led his force in creating a funnel. The Carja may have broken through, but that did not mean they had free access. The gate was small, not designed to handle a large enemy force pouring through all at once so, for a small while, they were able to keep the flow of enemy soldiers rushing in at bay.

Each Carja who rushed through the gate was met with a wall of Nora Braves. Some with spears, others with bows, slings, or any other weapon they could find. Each and every defending soul did their utmost to clog the gate with the bodies of dead Carja but their force was simply too many.

The Carja continuously pushed their way over or around the growing pile of bodies to clash with the Nora defenders. Rost honestly wasn't sure how long they'd held the line before it broke but break it did. With their line destroyed, the battle became a fighting retreat deeper into the village where once more, the Nora had an advantage.

The village of Mother's Vigil was a village in name only. Ever since the first battle at the beginning of the Red Raids, it had become a fortress in truth. Every inch of the village was rebuilt and redesigned to withstand an attack. Mother's Vigil was, in essence, one giant trap.

With the gate breached and the wall of bodies scattered, the Nora fell back on their tried-and-true skills. Hunting, trapping, and hit-and-run attacks. Whatever worked, they used against their enemy. Every single house, barrack, storefront, and or whatever other building was prepared for battle.

Most had traps placed on their roofs, windows, or door frames that'd been set and primed during their hurried preparations. Even the latrines held traps and weapons! So, as the Nora retreated into the maze of buildings, they fell back on their ingrained skills and began to hunt the invaders.

Rost and his elite force became the distraction. They were the obvious threat. The large bulk of retreating warriors splitting into groups that would lead the attacking, but unsuspecting Carja into tight alleyways or trapped kill zones. Sometimes their forces would turn and face their pursuers. Other times they'd watch as the squad of Carja they'd led into a trap were flash frozen by chillwater or riddled with arrows from hunters on the roof or second floor of a nearby building.

Rost knew not the status of the other gates but in the grand scheme of things, it didn't matter. Once one gate was breached, despite their best efforts, it was only a matter of time before a force of Carja made their way to the other gates to attack their defenders from behind. Then those gates would be forced open, and a new source of enemy soldiers would pour into the village.

Even with all their clever traps and the redesign of the village, Mother's Vigil wasn't exactly huge. Certainly nothing on the scale of a city. In fact, he would compare it to being roughly the size of Daytower. Perhaps a little larger owing to being more spread out than the Carja fortress. So, it was only a matter of time before their clever traps were exhausted and their defenses overrun.

They only had two options in what had become a battle of attrition within the walls of the burning village. First was surrender. This was utterly unacceptable and Rost refused to believe that any of his Braves would willingly do so. Second was to fight. Whether till their end or until reinforcements arrived simply depended on how long their strength lasted.

Ducking under a flying arrow, Rost hurled his spear at the archer, forcing the Carja to duck. Charging forward like a Broadhead, the brunette warrior rushed his opponent. Crashing into him at breakneck speed, he slammed the soldier into the wall of some random building. Taking advantage of the Carja's dazed state, Rost stole one of the man's own arrows and plunged it into his eye.

Retrieving his spear, Rost continued to fight on, moving through the village with his Braves at his side. In one engagement, he was nearly brained by a Carja halberd but saved at the last minute by a well-placed arrow courtesy of his comrades. In another, he found himself vaulting from a rooftop and driving his spear through the neck and chest of a Carja while his fellows leapt from on high, down onto their unsuspecting prey.

It was fully night by then, with the only light coming from the burning buildings and the torches of the Carja. The dark of night and the concentration of smoke forced the Nora and Carja both to seek out the more open areas like courtyards or main streets.

Rost honestly couldn't say how the final clash became what it was. Only that somehow, he found himself stood beside Sola, his lieutenant, and what he could only guess was the final sixty to a hundred or so members of his garrison. Across the courtyard from them, bathed in the light of the burning buildings, was the remaining force of Carja. It was hard to tell, but he was sure there were at least twice as many Carja left as there were Nora. At the front, bleeding badly from a wound above his right eye, was their commanding officer. The one he'd shot at during the early stages of the battle. There was hate in the oddly familiar face as the man locked eyes with Rost. It was different than the rage burning in the faces of the other Carja but frankly, the captain didn't care to wonder at the difference.

Rost panted, coughing slightly from the smoke and the pain in his side. He'd received mostly superficial cuts and scrapes throughout the battle, but one arrow had nearly ended him. It was only thanks to his armor, and the fact that the arrowhead hit a rib rather than slipping between them, that he was still alive.

"Well, my friends." Rost sighed. "It has been an honor."

"The honor was ours, Captain." Sola coughed, giving him a look of respect. All around them, the last remaining Braves of Mother's Vigil readied for the charge. Rost raised his spear, ready to give the command when a familiar sound hit his ears. A mechanical whirring, whining noise filled the air followed by the sound of crashing wood as a machine burst its way through the wall of a burning building and plowed straight into the Carja.

The air was suddenly filled with more machine sounds as what appeared to be an entire pack of Broadheads, a four legged and horned machine charged into the square from the east. Some nearly gored nearby Nora as they charged through, forcing Rost to signal a retreat.

"Back!" He shouted, waving at them. "Away from the machines!"

Broadheads, even with the derangement, were typically skittish around large groups. He could not fathom why they would charge into the village like this, even with the gates being broken. Too much chaos, too many people.

"What the hell is going on?" Sola asked from beside him, watching the machines sew chaos amongst the Carja. Rost was once again about to speak, voicing his own bewilderment, when his Focus crackled.

"Rost!" Korg's voice shouted from the device. "If you still live, my friend, and you can hear me, get your people out! I have hunters driving a pack of Broadheads into the village. My Braves and I are less than ten minutes behind them! Head east if you can! Get out of the village!"

"Retreat!" Rost shouted, raising his spear and waving. "Back! To the eastern gate!" Pushing his fellow Braves behind him, Rost ducked under the arrows of the Carja. A few of them who hadn't been thrown into chaos by the machine pack had spotted their retreat and were in pursuit. Once more, a running battle ensued as the captain led what was left of his forces towards the ruined eastern gate. They'd only just arrived when Rost spotted his Braves throwing themselves to the left and right on either side of the gate.

"Make way!" The familiar voice of Korg shouted. Sure enough, as the crowd cleared, Rost caught sight of the burly Captain of Mother's Crown charging through the gate with a full garrison at his back. Throwing himself to the side, Rost barely avoided a collision with a number of the charging Braves.

Collapsing against the broken walls of Mother's Vigil, Rost felt his mind cloud over. Exhaustion and blood loss taking their toll on his body. As the fog descended, the last thing he registered was the worn and scarred face of Brun kneeling next to him, one hand on his shoulder. He gave his fellow captain a wan smile before the darkness descended.

Sona

Sona scowled and clenched her fist as she walked through the burnt and broken village. Ash, rubble, and other debris littered the ground as the War-Chief and her band made their way through the ruins of Mother's Vigil. At her side were Seela and Tosa, the captains of Mother's Song and Mother's Rise. With them as well were Seekers Fassa and Desh.

The smell of smoke filled the air even after nearly a full day had passed since the end of the battle. If it hadn't been for the reports sent over the Focus by Brun, Sona would have feared the worst when the broken and burned visage of the Nora fortress came into view. She was glad her idea to drive a machine pack into the fight, thereby sewing chaos amongst the Carja had worked but it was a very near thing.

Moving further in, the War-Chief let herself relax a little when she entered the ruined central yard. Gathered around a table that'd miraculously survived the devastation were her three comrades. Korg and Brun stood tall while Rost sat on a stump, nursing his bandaged side.

"War-Chief!" Brun called, giving her a salute when she came into view.

"At ease, my friends." Sona replied, waving them off. Stepping up, she placed a hand on Rost's shoulder. "Well done, captain. You and your Braves fought well and with honor."

"Thank you, War-Chief." Rost bowed his head.

Sona allowed herself a smile for her pseudo-brother. Long years of partnership and service together, not to mention the closeness of their children, had resulted in Rost and Sona seeing each other as family. A relationship that she would never regret.

"I'm glad you're still alive, Rost." She squeezed his shoulder.

"So am I, Sona." He let out a sigh of exhaustion. "I wasn't sure we'd make it for a while there. Most of us didn't." With that last utterance, he looked down at the documents sitting on the table.

"Casualty reports?" Sona asked, lifting the sheets.

"Of the six hundred Braves stationed at Mother's Vigil, only 73 still live." Rost's hollow voice reported. Sona closed her eyes in grief. It was perhaps the most devastating blow they'd been dealt throughout the entirety of the war. Certainly, the largest loss of life felt by the tribe since the last Carja invasion.

"This cannot go unanswered, War-Chief." Korg growled. "Their unprovoked aggression must be answered! Staying on the defensive is clearly no longer enough! We must push back. Teach the Carja a lesson."

"Hold on now, Korg." Tosa spoke up. "Let's not forget how they got into our lands in the first place. Are we sure that all of the traitors were killed during the first engagement?"

"We cannot allow ourselves to become overly suspicious of each other." Seela chimed in. "We must remain vigilant, but do not let paranoia keep us from pushing our advantage. Did any of the enemy escape? Does Daytower know their force has been destroyed?"

"Not at present." Rost replied. "We've taken a few captives. Around twenty or thirty, including their commander. The rest of the Carja force has been put to the spear. What scouts we've sent out report no sign of any wayward Carja and when last we spoke, Karst reported no abnormal behavior amongst the soldiers in the fort."

"Good." Sona nodded. "Have you interrogated any of your prisoners yet?"

"No, War-Chief." Brun shook his head in the negative. "We wanted to wait for your arrival."

Sona nodded her head in acknowledgement before signaling a nearby Brave. "Bring us the Carja commander!" The Brave gave her a salute before darting off towards wherever they were keeping the prisoners.

"I have spent the entirety of our march here debating with myself on what our next move should be." Sona told them while they waited. That, and making it to Mother's Vigil in time were quite literally the only things she'd thought about since word of the attack first came.

"I've spoken to the High-Matriarchs about my plan over the Focus and have received their permission. Firstly, Tosa." The female captain locked eyes with Sona. "Your concerns are valid. Surveillance on those who are known to harbor the same sentiments or attitudes as Resh will be increased, as well as a check done to make sure the traitor hasn't escaped his confinement. As for punishing the Carja," she turned back to Korg, "The High-Matriarch's were hesitant at first but have ultimately accepted my plan."

Before she could explain their next course of action, the Brave she'd sent running returned with a Carja prisoner in tow. The prisoner, bound with ropes, was pale of skin with dirty brown hair and blood smeared across his face from a prominent wound above his right eye. The bound Carja glared hatefully at Rost as he was dragged to the table.

"You." The Carja ground out, staring daggers at Sona's friend. "If I'd known you were here, I would have done everything I could to take your head!"

"Do you know me, boy?" Compared to Rost, the boy was rather young. In his early twenties at best.

"You don't remember me?" The Carja bit out. "I shouldn't be surprised. Why would a savage like you remember the family of men you butchered?!"

"Butchered?! Savage?!" Korg roared. "You invade our land without provocation, take our people as slaves, destroy everything in your path, and you have the audacity to call us savages?!"

"Calm yourself, Korg." Rost cut him off with a soothing voice, raising a hand to silence the other captain. Sona watched him carefully. Rost was studying the face of the Carja commander intensely. After a moment, a look of understanding came over him.

"I do remember you. I killed your father when you were just a boy." Rost sighed and looked down.

"That's right, you monster!" The Carja screamed, thrashing against his bonds and causing the Braves nearby to force the man to his knees. "You killed him in cold blood!"

"Rost?" Sona spoke up, watching her friend. "What's he talking about?"

"This young Carja's father, Mashil, was one of the men I was hunting during my time as a Death Seeker."

Sona whipped her gaze back to the boy. Rost had once told her about his journey into the west as a Death Seeker. A group of unknown foreigners had attacked the then undefended Mother's Vigil where Rost lived with his mate and young daughter. They'd taken prisoners to ensure the Nora would not come close, only to slaughter their captives at the border, Rost's young daughter among them. The vengeful father had claimed the right of the Death Seeker in order to chase them down.

She'd never once considered that those men would have families who would miss them, but in hindsight it made sense. It also made sense that men who would invade the territory of a peaceful tribe, take prisoners, and then slaughter them without mercy would come from the Carja tribe. She could understand the anger of the boy, but if his father was one of those intruders, then his death was warranted.

"You will likely not believe me." Rost sighed, standing, "but your father was not a good man. Many years ago, he and a group of mercenaries kidnapped a number of our people. We are still not sure what their purpose was. All we do know, is that they slaughtered their prisoners once they were done with them."

Rost stepped up to the boy, meeting his hateful gaze. There was a fire in her old friend's eyes. "I watched your father cut my six-year-old daughter's throat." The young Carja's eyes went wide, denial and reluctant understanding filling his face. "I regret that you witnessed your father's death at my hands." Rost continued, voice now a low growl, "but my daughter's mangled body demanded vengeance. Your father was a monster. He deserved justice, and I gave it to him."

"Take him away." Sona called out. Looking into the eyes of the Carja, she could see that he did not believe Rost, not yet, but his confidence was shaken. Regardless, they were not likely to get any information out of him now. "We'll start with interrogating some of your other prisoners. After that, we have a great deal to do."

A/N: Well! I do hope that soothed a few nerves about the cliffhanger last time. I know it was cruel of me to do that and then go on a longer than usual break. I do apologise for that. Please let me know your thoughts about this!

Oh, and don't worry. Another chapter is on the way soon!

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Rios: The move is all done now! I'm sorry about the cliffhanger. I didn't mean to leave you hanging for so long. Aloy will make a return next chapter and the one after that should feature her more heavily.

Bargo: I'm so glad you like my fic! You're right that the horizon fandom can feel a little barren at times when you want something specific. I'm so glad you liked what I did with Mern!

DracoFighter: Thank you!

LunaShadowWolf: I'm glad you liked it! Thank you so much! We'll be looking at Aloy and GAIA soon. Aloy at least should have a part in the next chapter.

On AO3

ReviewerDWJ2: I'm sorry about the cliffhanger, but I hope the resolution helps!

Readinginthedarkisfunnier: I hope you liked it! No cliffhanger this time! Not really. As for the war… things are dire now, but the Nora will pull through.

WolvesRock17: I'm glad you liked it! We see a bit more of that here and next chapter. I'm thinking about exploring that aspect a little further down the line with a few important moments but no promises yet.

BearsAreCoolImo: I'm glad you like it! I hope this chapter was what you wanted!

SpiritDeNight: I felt like I had to honor them! I did not intend for Yore to become such a badass. She was just supposed to be a one-off character at first, but I liked her too damn much. Needed to give her a proper sendoff.

TriforceWolf: Kudos, my friend! You were sooo close to guessing the extent of my plan! I hope you like what I did instead. Adds a little more… drama to the story of Rost.

Kindanerdy: Thank you so much! Probably not Teb x Aloy, sadly. Too much of an age gap.

Ryanlarsen: Thank you so much! As for why Ezana liked that name, I guess it's just because I like it. She's one of the Alpha's I wish we knew more about. Same reason why I had her recording be the one Aloy and Vala found.

Chapter Text

A/N: Warning: Violence and blood.

I'm back again! I promised another chapter soon, so here you go! I can't say much about when to expect the next one, but I'm hoping to have one out by the end of the month. Then, we'll probably be back to one a month.

Oh, and for those who read my other story, Hearthfire, don't worry. I have another chapter in the works and I'm hoping to have it out by the end of the week.

As always, please leave a comment or review with your thoughts and opinions! I appreciate them all and they really help motivate me to keep writing. Don't forget, my responses to your comments and questions are down at the bottom of the chapter like usual.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 18

3032

Karst

Karst crouched low, waiting. Roughly two days had passed since word came of the Nora's successful rebuffing of the Carja assault. Not that the Carja knew about it yet, of course. So far, it didn't appear that they felt anything was wrong, but Karst could tell that there were a few Carja who were starting to become concerned.

No word had come from the invading force since the beginning of the battle just over four days ago. It wasn't exactly a long journey from Daytower to Mother's Vigil, so the fact that not even a single runner had come from the army was raising a few red flags amongst the soldiers. Still, they weren't on high alert just yet. A fact that heavily favored War-Chief Sona's plans.

Early on the first day following the end of the battle, acting on the orders of their War-Chief, Karst and Sokana executed the first stages of the plan. In her guise as 'Moli,' Sokana cozied up to Hawil and the guards at the eastern gates. Certainly not doing anything degrading though. Neither Karst nor Sona would ever ask a fellow Nora to do anything so abhorrent, but it was definitely more flirtatious than was usual for Sokana's disguise.

Still, Sokana claimed it was worth it when she showed him the key she'd managed to slip out of the guard captain's pocket. After that, they'd speedily left the fortress of Daytower behind. Moving down the trail, they'd slipped into the wilderness as fast as they could before hiding their cart and hunkering down to wait.

Soon enough, a group of Nora Seekers led by Fassa joined them in their little hideaway. With them, they carried a number of Carja suits of armor meant to be used as part of the plan. They wouldn't exactly fit all that well, especially not on the female members of the team but the darkness of night would help to cover any awkwardness. Even better, with the recent influx of new soldiers for the invasion, new faces weren't something any of the Carja soldiers would question.

At present, they were all dressed in their Carja soldier disguises hiding out just off the road up to Daytower. Through careful stealth and no small amount of Nora skill as climbers, the group of eight Seekers had sneakily scaled up the mountain valley leading up to the fortress. Luckily, they'd discovered a route that allowed them to bypass the first checkpoint on the way up the mountain and even a climbable path right up to the inner eastern gate.

The fortress of Daytower was itself situated on a high mountain ridge overlooking the vast desert plains of the eastern Sundom. A long mountain path, protected by one huge, fortified checkpoint and a few smaller ones formed the only path up to the fortress from the west. At least, the only path that didn't require the expert climbing skills of Nora Braves.

The fortress itself contained no surrounding walls, given its mountain defenses. Rather, it was made up of a series of buildings. The central courtyard was the primary thoroughfare that all soldiers and visitors to the fortress passed through. On the western side, overlooking the Sundom was the open-air mess hall, a pavilion covered rotunda, and the stands for Lykhal and other merchants. To the east, set into the mountain wall, was a large tower housing officer quarters while a stouter building housed the quartermaster, supplies, guest houses, and the barracks for the soldiers.

Moving to the southeast of the main courtyard, there was a simple carved wooden arch that served as a kind of doorway, though there was no door to be found. The arch led to a long, winding, and narrow path. About halfway down it, a second path split off, leading to a door that opened onto the road up to the main western gate. Continuing down the original path though, was a large, fortified wall containing a massive, reinforced wooden gate. The wall itself spanned the entire width of the path, making traversal from one side of the ramp to the other impossible without passing through the gate. The wall itself contained a soldier's barrack for the gate guards, a single watchman's post, and an archer's covered guardhouse at the top of the barrack tower.

Past this wall, continuing down the southeastern ramp was a second, nearly identical fortification. It too spanned the entire width of the ridge, preventing passage from either side without going through the gate. Though, this one was fitted with three guard posts and a solid iron portcullis rather than the wooden gates of the inner wall.

Beyond this wall lay the rest of the mountain pass. Curving eastward and sloping above a sheer cliff to one side, the path led one directly to the now ruined wall once known as The Gate or Mother's Shield. These two walls were their target.

Moving swiftly, Karst and his companions snuck their way to the top of the ridge just behind the inner wall. Peeking over, he could see that nobody was looking and quickly hauled himself up onto the path. Reaching down, he helped his fellows up. For this first part, only the three other male Seekers had joined him. Carja did not allow women to serve in their military so having a woman in Carja armor pretending to be a soldier was an obvious red flag.

Picking up the clumsy Carja halberds they'd brought with them, the Seekers quickly organized themselves before the door to the gatehouse. Reaching up, Karst banged on the door. After a moment, and with the sound of grumbling, the door swung open to reveal a groggy, half asleep Carja half out of his armor.

"What?!" The Carja grumbled.

"The name's Powav." Karst replied in a gruff voice. "We've been sent to relieve you. We've got orders to take over the second night shift."

"Wha? Wait." The man shook himself, looking more awake. "Really?!" He said in excitement. "We've been pulling double shifts for four days now! It's about damn time." With the vast majority of soldiers stationed at the fortress being sent with the invasion force, Daytower was actually rather short-staffed. Once again, a stroke of luck. All-Mother be praised.

"Come on in, I'll rouse the others!" The excited soldier babbled, letting the Seekers inside. Karst closed the door behind them and surreptitiously turned the key, locking the door. He then pocketed the key that the sleepy guard had left in the lock and leaned his halberd against it, creating a second barrier.

While he was doing that, the guard was rousing his fellows. This guardhouse usually held eight guards. They would rotate in teams of two. One in the guard station and one in the archer's hold throughout the day. With the push on, there were now only four guards, meaning that each team was forced to take two shifts every day.

Karst watched, palming the dagger hidden up his sleeve as the archer climbed down the ladder to join them. These poor soldiers looked exhausted and frankly, if they weren't Carja invaders, he would feel a little bad about what he and his fellows were about to do.

"This is, what was it again?" The first guard asked.

"Powav." Karst replied, stepping closer. "My men and I have been assigned to this guard house."

"Thank the sun." One of the guards sighed in relief. "I can't take much more of these double shifts."

"Sounds rough." Desh's low voice rumbled. "You boys get some rest. We'll take the rest of the night watch."

"You are a blessing, new friends." The archer sighed, moving away from the ladder and dropping his bow.

Karst glanced at his fellows the instant the backs of the Carja were turned to them. Slipping his dagger out of his sleeve, Karst plunged it into the neck of the nearest Carja. Around him, each of his three companions claimed the life of one of the three remaining soldiers. In less than half a minute, they were dead and silent.

"Block the door." Karst said, gesturing for Torst to do so. "Desh, get up into the archer's tower. I'll take the guard post on the lower part of the wall. Remember, none of the Carja in the fort can know what's happening until it's too late."

Climbing the ladder, Karst made his way to the guard house. Looking back to the north, he could see no discernible evidence that the Carja had noticed anything amiss. Using the nearby torches, he flashed out a signal before leaning back to wait. He peered closely at the ridgeline just below the doors to the barracks in the outer wall.

After a time, he saw four figures slip up from the cliff wall onto the ledge. All dressed in Carja armor, one of them fiddled with something at the door before quietly sliding it open. The four figures went inside, closing the door. Karst could hear nothing, but something had clearly disturbed the soldiers stationed on the outer wall because the two in the guardhouse and the one in the archer's tower all moved frantically towards the trap doors leading into the barracks.

One of the two guardsmen waved a torch in a clear emergency signal. One which could only be seen by the guardsmen stationed at the inner wall. Karst feigned a return signal and watched the soldier frantically descend into the barracks. A tense few minutes passed before someone else emerged onto the parapet. Removing their helmet, Karst could see Fassa's dirty blonde hair in the dim firelight at the top of the wall. She flashed a quick signal using a polished piece of metal before putting her helmet back on her head.

Tapping his focus, Karst relayed their success to the War-Chief. Phase 1 of her master plan was complete. Now it was time for phase 2 to begin.

Rost

Rost stood at the top of the ridge, watching silently for the signal. To his immediate right was Sona while Seela, the Captain of Mother's Song stood to his left. Arrayed around them were the combined forces of the Nora. Five hundred from Mother's Tears, five hundred from Mother's Crown, along with two hundred each from Mother's Rise, Mother's Song and the walls of the Embrace left them with roughly 1600 Braves. The largest force of warriors the Nora had ever put together.

Frankly, they didn't need that many, but the Nora were out for blood. Sona's plan was audacious and having so many there would all but guarantee its success. Both in the initial execution and the aftermath. Their forces were arranged in the battle scarred but still mostly intact ruins of The Gate. In all honesty, it wouldn't take very long for the gate itself to be repaired though Rost was sure that Sona had a few improvements in mind.

For now, though, their focus was on the task at hand. Rost watched carefully as the two Carja guard towers in the distance exchanged signals. He couldn't tell if they were Carja passing a warning or if it was their Seekers relaying success. It was too dark and too far away for him to tell.

"Don't' forget." Sona grumbled beside him. "The Matriarchs have ordered that none of our forces are to cross the western gate into the Sundom." Rost nodded his head in agreement.

He'd been rather shaken by the revelation that Lieutenant Maran, the commander of the Carja force was the child of the man who'd killed his daughter and was using the distraction of their imminent counterattack to keep his mind off it. The commander, along with their other prisoners were being kept under watchful guard back in the ruins of Mother's Vigil.

That too would need to be rebuilt in the coming days if their gambit here was successful. He was sure that some were already drawing up plans for improved fortifications and fire safety. The fact that their fire prevention systems had failed, allowing the Carja to set the village ablaze was one of the main contributing factors to the fall of their defenses.

"Look!" Seela whispered, pointing and tapping his shoulder. Peering into the darkness, Rost could see torches near the bottom of the outer wall. The portcullis was rising!

"It's time." Sona said, grimly. "Quietly now. Make as little noise as possible." Word of her orders passed quietly along the column as the Nora made their way silently along the mountain path.

It was narrow and hard to traverse, with a wood and rope constructed fence to their right that honestly wouldn't do much to prevent a fall if too many crowded the pass at once. Only around five could pass abreast and have any hope of comfort. The Nora cared nothing for such comfort. They crammed themselves onto the path six, seven, sometimes eight bodies abreast as they made their way along the ridgeline.

The narrow portion of the pass eventually widened and dipped down to a much more open section. Large boulders littered the ground, but the area was large enough to mostly accommodate their forces. Creeping up to the wall, Sona addressed the figures garbed in Carja armor standing beneath the open portcullis.

"War-Chief." Fassa saluted, looking out of place in her ill-fitting Carja armor. "Both the inner and outer walls are under our control. You may begin when ready."

"Well done, Seeker." Sona nodded before passing her a bundle. "Get out of that Carja filth and back into some proper attire. You and the other Seekers are free to join the battle as you wish."

"Thank you, War-Chief." Fassa bowed her head and took the bundle of clothes and weapons from Sona. Sending one of her Seekers up to the other wall to deliver a similar package, she filled them in on how their infiltration had gone.

Seemingly, Karst's gambit against the inner wall had gone perfectly, allowing for Fassa's own team to attack the outer wall. They'd slipped in and used the tired state of the guards to their advantage. Sleepy and exhausted as they were, it'd taken the guards within the barracks far too long to realize that the armor Fassa and her Seekers were wearing didn't' fit quite right. That their faces were a little too fair and delicate under their helmets.

They'd taken out the guards relatively quickly, but the skirmish had drawn the attention of the guards stationed on the wall and in the archer's tower. If Karst hadn't taken over the inner wall, thereby intercepting their emergency signal, then there was a very good chance that the soldiers stationed within Daytower would have been alerted to their presence. Rost sent a quick prayer of thanks to the All-Mother in appreciation for how well the plan was proceeding.

Hawil

Hawil wasn't exactly what anyone would call above average amongst the Carja. He came from a middle-class family within the walls of Holy Meridian. His father was a soldier, and his mother, a merchant's daughter, took care of him and his three siblings. It was only through his father's connections that he'd even gotten as good a posting as he had.

His father had once saved the life of a Sun Priest during a machine attack and used that connection to get him a permanent posting to Daytower for the duration of the war. He would do his duty, but still be safe. Part of him lamented the fact that he wouldn't get to join a raiding party and put the eastern savages in their place, but he supposed he would just have to content himself with… disciplining their more unruly prisoners when the raiders came back out of the east.

Still, the disappointment he felt at his inability to slake his bloodlust on the sunless savages of the east paled in comparison to the hope he felt at a different prospect. Merav, a reliable and trusted merchant from Holy Meridian had just passed through the fortress with his lovely sister, Moli. Their visits always made his days brighter.

Merav was friendly enough, but it was Moli that he really looked forward to seeing. Hawil was a true man and happy to admit he was smitten with her. Deep brown hair, piercing blue eyes, fair features, and a smile that could outshine the sun. He was a man in love and not afraid to admit it!

What's more? He was certain she felt the same way! She'd hardly left his side for their entire visit! Sitting with him at dinner while she gossiped with the soldiers, visiting him at his post along the eastern wall during the day. Even flirting almost shamelessly with him just before she left! He knew she was interested, and he could see why.

He was a buff man. Strong and proud of his service to the Sun King. Rather handsome as well, if he said so himself. Oh yes. He knew what must be done next. With their father dead, at least that's what Moli told him, Merav was the head of her household. When next the merchant siblings passed through Daytower, he would ask Merav for his blessing. The merchant would certainly be glad to give it, considering his sister's obvious feelings for him, and then Hawil and Moli would be wed! Yes. Everything would be perfect.

At least, that's what he was telling himself when the alarm bells began to ring. Rolling from his bed, Hawil bounded to his feet. All around him were the sounds of alarms, feet racing, and in the distance the sounds of screams and combat. Grabbing his halberd from its place on the weapon racks, Hawil raced outside. From the wooden arch that led to the southeastern walls, a stream of people wearing furs, leather and metal armor embroidered with blue cables and stitching crashed into the outer courtyard like a flood.

"Alarm!" A retreating guard was shouting. "The savages are attacking!"

'How?!' He wondered to himself. How had the savages gotten through both gates without alerting anyone? What happened?

With no answers to his questions, Hawil simply raised his weapon and charged. His opening strike was quickly blocked by a savage woman who grabbed his shirt and pulled him in close. The fog of war that'd begun to descend across his eyes lifted in that instance as he recognized the face staring back at him. Colored beads adorned her braided brown hair and blue face paint covered her forehead above the left eye. Her mouth, which only a few days ago had given him the most radiant of smiles, was now split into a savage grin.

"Moli?!" Hawil gasped out.

She giggled. A familiar sound, yet somehow far more threatening than he remembered. "Sorry, Hawil." she replied, a savage grin returning to her face. "Moli doesn't exist. My name is Sokana. Seeker of the Nora tribe and it is my great pleasure to be the one that kills you."

Pain blossomed in his chest as Moli… the savage… drove her spear into his chest. Hawil gasped, air escaping his lungs at the force of the blow. Staggering back, his body was wrenched forward as the savage woman ripped her spear from his chest.

The proud Carja collapsed on the ground, darkness filling his vision. The last thing his eyes would see was the woman he thought he'd marry, dressed in the clothes of savages, driving her spear through the neck of his comrades alongside an army of eastern warriors.

Rost

When the gates to the inner wall began to open, Rost needed but to wait half a moment for his War-Chief to give the command.

"Charge!" Sona cried, raising her spear. "For the All-Mother!"

"For the All-Mother!" came the cheer alongside a few others.

"For the Alpha's!"

"For the Nora!"

"For the Matriarchs!"

These battle cries and others filled the air as the horde of Nora poured through the gate towards the wooden arch that marked the entrance to the Carja fortress. In the distance, the two sleepy guards stationed at the arch screeched in fear and alarm. Turning their tails, they bolted back away from the arch. One seized a rope and began frantically ringing an alarm bell meant to wake up the rest of the fortress.

The other guard simply tried to run but didn't get far before an arrow sprouted from his back, courtesy of a Nora archer. Half asleep and mostly unarmored Carja poured from the barracks and mess hall while the merchants who were sleeping under their canopies screeched and ran. They were mostly ignored, though a few were struck down by stray arrows.

Rost charged, spear raised at the nearest Carja. He was wearing no armor and stumbling drunkenly out of the mess hall when the captain's spear met his chest. The man let out a pained 'whumph' as he fell but Rost paid it no mind. Turning, he watched as Seeker Sokana dispatched a Carja with a spear through the chest.

All around him, the tide of Nora Braves were hunting down any and all Carja that could be found. Sona was nearby, dueling fiercely with an armored Carja wearing an officer's uniform. She clearly had the enemy on the ropes, so Rost turned away to face a new foe. The fighting continued on for many minutes, with Rost and the other Braves utterly decimating their unprepared enemy. It wasn't until a mangled Nora body landed at Rost's feet that he realized a truly dangerous foe had entered the battlefield.

On the parapet above him, exiting from the entrance to the officer's quarters was a hulking, black-armored figure. The armor, adorned with dark red feathers, was very familiar to Rost. He'd heard the description many times. Kestrel armor. There was only one Kestrel currently in Daytower and that was Helis. The Butcher.

"Savages!" Helis roared, leaping down from above. Only one thing marred his visage, and that was the prominent burn covering his bald head and the left side of his face. A line of stitching on the left cheek showed where something had clearly punctured the skin. A token left on the proud butcher by Yore's brave sacrifice. "You will all die by my hand!"

"I don't think so!" Rost countered, grabbing the spear of the fallen Brave next to him, the captain hurled the weapon at the Kestrel. The butcher dodged easily before charging Rost with a roar, sword raised high.

The captain roared his own challenge and met the blade of the Kestrel with the shaft of his spear. Their battle was intense as the two powerful warriors fought back and forth across the courtyard. Rost planted his foot into the stomach of the Kestrel, only for the Carja to seize his foot and nearly remove his leg if the Nora hadn't gotten away just in time. Helis overextended on a thrust, allowing Rost to score a cut that just barely missed an artery.

All around them, while Rost distracted the roaring Kestrel, the Nora continued to slaughter the Carja that had tormented them for so long. Rost pushed, charging with a mighty blow and crashing the Kestrel into the railing on the western side of the rotunda. On the other side was a long drop leading to the outside of the gate and the western road into the Sundom.

Helis slashed violently, catching Rost in the shoulder and forcing a scream of pain to exit him. The captain growled and ignored the pain. This was the man who began the raids. The one who'd first captured their people in an attempt to drag them back to Meridian and whatever depravaties the Carja had in store for them. Rost growled.

Yanking on his spear, Rost scored a slash along the right arm and hand of the Kestrel, causing the Carja to drop his sword. Pulling back, the Nora warrior thrust his spear intending to drive the point directly into the skull of his opponent. Helis was simply too fast to be killed by such an attack but Rost's efforts were not unrewarded.

The tip of his spear scored a line across the face of the Kestrel, utterly destroying his right eye. Helis screamed in agony and swung wildly, catching Rost in the side of the head with a blind punch. Stumbling with the force of the blow, Rost looked back in time to see the staggering Helis trip and plummet over the side of the railing.

Rost heard a crunch and a scream as the Carja hit the ground. Rushing to the edge, Rost looked over in time to see the Kestrel writhing on the ground. As he looked, a pair of fleeing Carja scooped up the Kestrel and began to drag him down the slope. The captain turned, intending to give chase or at least grab a bow when the hand of Sona stopped him.

"No." The War-Chief shook her head. "The Matriarchs were clear. We go no further than Daytower. I want him dead as badly as you do, but we cannot risk chasing the survivors across the Sundom."

"But, Sona!" Rost was about to protest. He was right there! How could they let him get away?

"It is by the order of the Matriarchs, Rost." She shook her head. "None of our forces are to pass the western gate. It's a miracle they agreed to let us attack at all."

Rost sighed. He knew she was right, of course. Although the All-Mother declared that the lands beyond their borders were no longer corrupted, that did not mean centuries of Nora law and doctrine were easily cast aside. Those who left the border without a Seeker's mark or the permission of the Matrairchs would be branded as exiles. There were a fair few Seekers with them but by the time enough to make a proper raiding party could be found amongst the veritable horde of Nora charging through the fortress, the fleeing Carja would be long gone.

"You're right." He sighed. "Forgive me, War-Chief."

"No need." She shook her head. "If the Matriarchs hadn't set the western gate as the boundary, I would already be chasing after that butcher with you." She sighed too. "As it stands, you and Yore have wounded him quite badly. We can only hope the monster dies from those injuries."

"Hm." Rost hummed, turning to face the courtyard. "Now that's a happy thought."

Aloy

Aloy squeezed Vala's hand tight. She, along with Vala, Varl, and the entire village of Mother's Heart were gathered at the gate, waiting. Waiting for what? Well, that would be the return of the War-Chief, her second, and the brave warriors of the Nora.

When word first came of the attack, it'd been like the issue with Resh all over again. Aloy had nearly panicked when she realized her father might die, but at least this time there was no mention of him being injured. Her father called her the day after the battle ended to personally tell her that he'd only suffered a few minor cuts during the fighting and that he was fine. This was mostly reassuring, as was GAIA's promises that her father was alright, but the ten-year-old simply couldn't relax until she was able to see him with her own eyes.

"They're fine, Aloy." Varl said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You already spoke to mother and Uncle Rost on the Focus, right? You know they're okay."

"I know," the redhead protested, "but what if something happened on the way home? A machine attack or another Carja invasion or,"

"They're here!" Vala shouted, cutting her off. Aloy whirled around, her long red hair flapping across her face only to catch sight of the gates opening. It seemed to take forever before the gates to Mother's Heart were open, but the instant they were, Aloy was sprinting for all she was worth towards her father's open arms.
"I'm here, baby girl." Her father whispered in her ear. "I'm home." Aloy squeezed him tight, silently willing him to never leave again. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Aunt Sona bringing Vala and Varl into a crushing hug. Closing her eyes, Aloy snuggled her face into her father's neck and squeezed even tighter.

A/N: Dun dun dun! What did you all think? Let me know!

So, Helis. Burned, scarred, and now missing an eye but alive. We'll see him again, of course, but possibly not for a while. The next few chapters are going to see a few timeskips as we move closer to the end of the Red Raids. Back to Aloy and GAIA too!

I hope you all enjoy!

Answers to Questions

On FFN

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On AO3

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Chapter Text

A/N: I'm baaack! Again. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Fair warning, there is a nice long note at the end of the chapter. I had a lot of ideas and thoughts to share with this one!

As always, please leave a comment or a review of the chapter! I love reading them, and they really help with my motivation!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 19

3034

Aloy

"Are you sure about this?" a hesitant voice asked. Aloy ignored the voice, preferring to continue tinkering with the device in front of her.

She, Vala, and the person the hesitant voice belonged to were all out by a copse of trees not far from the gates to Mother's Heart. The same bunch where she'd had her first incident with a glider, actually… She still needed to revisit that, but her father refused to let her try anything else since she'd nearly gotten herself killed the last three times she'd tried. He even confiscated her blueprints! Well, the physical copies. The Focus let her save blueprints, so she'd just transferred them into the device and went from there. Too bad GAIA was on his side and kept moving the file when she tried to work on it…

"Aloy…"

"Ugh," The redheaded 13-year-old grunted and let her forehead drop to bump into the wooden frame. Thankfully, she was wearing a headband that worked as a sweat rag when she was working on her engineering projects, so it didn't hurt. "It's fine, Teb!" She sighed at the older boy.

Teb, now 24 years old, was sort of like an older cousin to her. He'd occasionally be asked to watch her when she was a child, so they'd gotten close. Especially after she saved his life on her first machine hunt. No, she wasn't still a child! She was 13, thank you very much!

A few years ago, when it was his turn to run the Proving, he'd passed but only barely. He just didn't have the physical constitution to allow for the kind of running and exertion needed for it. It always left him wheezing and short of breath. According to Vala, who's still developing skills impressed even their most veteran healers, he had a condition that the Old Ones called Asthma. Something about his lungs not working properly but medicine wasn't Aloy's strong suit. Vala was helping him find ways to deal with it or at least manage the symptoms, but even the Old Ones didn't have a cure for the condition as far as they knew.

Sadly, this meant that being a Brave just wasn't something Teb could do. It took too much out of him. So, he decided to become a Stitcher and help make clothes for the tribe. While learning, he confided in Aloy that he'd developed a passion and skill for designing armor. So, his red-headed pseudo-cousin decided to help!

Aloy put her prodigious, according to GAIA, engineering talents to the problem to help him design the best damn armor the Nora had ever seen! They'd been working on it for a few years on and off, with Teb gaining a reputation amongst the tribe as a particularly skilled armorer. Each time he finished a design, or they developed a new concept, they decided to test it in different ways. Today was one such day.

Today, there was a pair of boar carcasses, hunted personally by Aloy, hanging from the branches of the nearby trees with Teb's two newest experimental pieces strapped to them. They were combining Teb, Aloy, and Vala's skills to figure out just how good the armor was! The idea was for them to launch ballista bolts out of one of Aloy's prototypes directly into the armor from a distance. Then, Vala would go check the carcasses to see how much damage, if any, was done to the bodies. Even if the armor stopped it completely, the force could still damage the body protected by the armor.

"Last time I saw you test this thing; it shattered and launched the bolt backwards." Teb said, still concerned.

"That…" Aloy started to defend herself but, sadly he was right. She sighed. "Okay, you're right, but I figured out what went wrong that time! This one is perfectly safe! I've already tested it plenty of times."

"She's telling the truth, Teb." Vala commented from her spot on a nearby rock. "Mostly."

The dark-haired girl didn't even look up from where she was poking around in her medical bag. Ever since she's started actively practicing medicine and the art of healing, Vala took inspiration from the doctors and other medical professionals she'd watched in the media files and began carrying around her medical supplies in a satchel with a large red cross dyed into it. Apparently, it was the universal symbol for medicine in the old world.

"I've been with her every time she's tested the new designs. It's more powerful than the ones Nanra is using up at the front, but it's definitely more delicate too." She looked up to shoot a glare at Aloy. "It's also far from as safe as she's claiming. Last time, it fell apart after five shots, and she wound up with splinters all across her forearm."

"Is that why you suddenly added a set of bracers to your work clothes, Aloy?" Teb asked, looking over at her.

Aloy glanced away from them both. "No comment." She responded, refusing to meet their eyes. Besides, her engineering outfit looked even cooler with the bracers and gloves! "Anyway, I think we're ready! I'm gonna start shooting now!"

With a grin, Aloy bent down and began to aim through the sights on her ballista. Shifting slightly to line up with her target, she pulled the trigger and watched the bolt fly. With a loud clang and a brief shower of sparks, it slammed into the boar on the right. This one held a heavier version of one of Teb's already proven designs. The other had an experimental set that the armorer was still tinkering with.

The bolt punched through the armor dead center and stuck there. Aloy winced at the sight and at Teb's sigh from behind her. Quickly angling the ballista down and locking the trigger, Aloy rushed across the range to check on the damage, closely followed by Vala and Teb. Grabbing the carcass, she spun it to one side, peering at the armor.

"It's definitely punched through, but not as deep as I thought at first." She reported.

The point of the bolt was certainly embedded inside the boar, but she could still see the back of the bolt-head on the other side of the armor so it wasn't too deep. With a bit of effort, and some help from Teb, they got the armor and bolt off so Vala could examine the carcass.

"Hm." Vala hummed, probing the wound with her fingers. "A few of the ribs are broken but…" she stuck her finger in before pulling it out again. "Yup. The wound itself is pretty shallow. If this was a human, the puncture isn't deep enough to be fatal on its own, but the impact trauma is enough to cause broken bones and probably internal bleeding."

"Do you think a thicker plate would work better?" Teb asked, examining the damaged armor. "Help stop the bolt before it goes through?"

"No…" Vala hesitated before gesturing to a space just above her heart. "If it hit right above the heart, it would definitely have cracked the sternum and maybe broken a few ribs. Those breaks could damage the heart, lungs, or maybe the stomach even if the arrow doesn't pierce the skin. The force of the impact causes that more than anything else so a thicker plate will only help so much."

"So, we need more surface area." Aloy nodded, following along with her explanation. "The wider armor is, the better the force distribution, and the less of an impact the body takes."

"Exactly." Vala nodded.

"So, we need the armor to cover more, but without sacrificing flexibility." Teb added, following along with their discussion. "That's the whole point of the other design though." He gestured to the other set. "I didn't like how rigid the first design is, so I've been tinkering with the interlocking plate idea Aloy showed me." The redhead preened a bit at the mention. "The problem is none of these plates are particularly strong. I'm worried they'll all just break and wind up useless."

"That's not necessarily true." Aloy cut him off. "If you take something super thin or weak and put a whole bunch of it together, it can often be as strong or stronger than a single large piece. Not to mention lighter. It could wind up being way better."

"There's only one way to find out…" Vala said, staring resignedly at the ballista. Aloy shot her a wide grin and dashed back towards her weapon.

Teersa

Standing atop an overhang within Mother's Heart, Teersa laughed, watching Aloy and Vala struggle to push a heavily laden cart up a hill deep within the village. A pair of… damaged boar carcasses along with one of Aloy's prototypes and what looked like some kind of armor weighed it down heavily. Perhaps a bit too heavily for the pair of 13-year-olds.

"Push!" Aloy growled, more from strain than anything else.

"I am pushing!" Vala grunted back.

"Well, push better!"

"You push better!"

Both children ceased their bickering at the sound of Teb laughing at them. The young armorer was walking up from the bottom of the hill, giggling to himself as he watched the girls struggle. Judging by the direction they were coming from, the elderly woman guessed he'd been speaking with the gate guards.

"Teb!" Aloy shouted. "Help us!"

"Yeah!" Vala agreed. "This is all because we were testing your armor, so you should help!"

"I told you to wait but you said you could handle it." The young man raised his hands in surrender. "Besides, I have asthma, remember? No physical exertion for me." He sighed and shook his head. "Sorry, girls."

"I'm your doctor!" Vala shouted at him, straining against the cart. "I say you're more than healthy enough to help us!"

"Exactly!" Aloy expressed her vehement approval of Vala's words. "What she said! Help us, you big lump!"

Laughing again, Teersa walked away from the ledge where she'd been watching the interaction and moved back inside her hut. Letting out a sigh as her bones creaked, the old woman settled herself in one of Aloy's wondrous inventions. It was a chair, but one that moved back and forth as the occupant shifted their weight. Covered with copious furs to make it as comfortable as possible, the darling girl had given it to her as a present a few months ago. The redhead called it a rocking chair, and it quickly became a permanent fixture within Teersa's home.

Reaching up to tap her Focus, the High-Matriarch reconnected to the call. "I'm sorry about that," she apologized, "there was a bit of a commotion outside and I felt the need to stretch my legs."

"It's no trouble at all, High-Matriarch." Sona's voice came through. "Is something the matter?"

"No." Teersa chuckled. "The noise turned out to be your daughter and a certain redhead struggling to push a cart up the hill. I'm sure you'll hear all about it from Vala later."

"No doubt." Sona replied, amusedly.

"Now then, back to your report." Teersa said, rocking back and forth in her chair. "What's the status of The Gate?"

"Holding and peaceful, High-Matriarch. There's been no activity spotted in the valley for nearly four months. Not since they repaired the outermost gate. The sparse garrison at Daytower is keeping to themselves."

Following their sack of the Carja fortress, Sona's warband proceeded to put the bastion to the torch, metaphorically speaking. They did their absolute best to raze the fortress, including destroying all the gates but there was only so much they could do without wasting resources. The bare bones of the fortress still stood strong but everything they could smash, break, or burn had been destroyed.

Teersa and the other High-Matriarchs did consider Sona's proposal that they seize total control of the fortress, but ultimately decided against it. The Gate was the established border of the Sacred Lands, and they were still reluctant to allow non-seekers to pass into the Sundom. Teersa could recognize that some of her hesitance stemmed from a long life of believing the lands beyond their borders were cursed. Not to mention her duty to uphold the established laws of the Nora rather than for any true practical reason, but she was still reluctant to allow for such a drastic change.

Part of their decision, at least, was in the interest of strategy. Yes, Daytower was a highly defensible position, but it was far from as secure as The Gate was. So long as there were no traitors on the Nora side like last time, it was quite impossible for the Carja to breach the fortification now that it had been rebuilt stronger than ever.

With a foundation of stone, thanks to the ingenuity of the Oseram residents of Mother's Song, the fortress was nearly twice the size it had been before. The walls were still wooden, but the stone foundations rose up above the head of the average Nora, allowing for better protection from fire attacks. Still not anywhere near the size of Daytower, but Teersa estimated that The Gate was roughly equal or slightly greater in size than Dawn's Sentinel.

As for the war, for the past near year it was almost difficult to remember they were at war at all. For the first few months following the sack of Daytower, the Sacred Lands were quiet. A quiet used to great effect in the rebuilding of The Gate and Mother's Vigil. Roughly five months after the sack, Carja raiding parties began pouring into the Sacred Lands in far greater numbers. Few were successful, and they eventually began to decrease in number. Though, they had yet to stop completely.

The Nora had long since evacuated all non-combatants away from the border villages. Mother's Crown was the closest village to the front that still had a population of non-Braves. This meant that the only captives the raiders were able to make off with were the occasional unlucky scout, but those incidents were few and far between. Skirmishes had been fought between raiding parties and hunting parties, resulting in casualties, but only a small handful of Nora had been captured in the last two years.

"What of your prisoners?" Teersa asked. "Have the captive Carja been problematic?" As part of the cleanup, the 26 Carja taken captive during the assault on Mother's Vigil were put to work collecting wood and other raw materials before being placed in a newly constructed prisoner of war camp adjacent to the village. Rather uncreatively, it was being called 'The Cage.'

"Three were killed in the escape attempt last month but aside from that, they've been quiet." Sona replied.

There had been roughly half a dozen escape attempts in the last two years, all unsuccessful. Thankfully, only a small number had been killed trying to escape. 21 prisoners still remained, including their commander. As far as she was aware, Rost had not spoken to the captive since revealing the reason why he'd killed the young Carja's father.

"And you've ensured we won't have any more incidents like we had with Dron?" Teersa asked, seriously.

"No, High-Matriarch." Sona said. "We've ensured that the prisoners have been treated with as much kindness as we can muster. I can't guarantee they're comfortable, but they are not being mistreated. We are not the Carja."

The Brave in question was one who'd been rescued by the Seekers early in the war. He'd been bound and determined to treat the captives with the same… care that he and his fellows were treated with whilst imprisoned in the Sundom.

Teersa disapproved heavily, as did Sona. The poor man was reprimanded sharply and transferred away from the prisoners. The Nora, as a whole, refused to stoop to the level of the Carja. To that end, aside from collecting raw materials at the beginning of their captivity, the prisoners were not forced to work in any way. Nor were they mistreated. They were fed, clothed, housed, and allowed time outside but they were not allowed to leave their camp.

"No." Teersa nodded her head in agreement. "We are not Carja."

"If I may, High-Matriarch, have you heard from Karst? Has there been any update on his mission?"

"Not as of yet, Sona." Teersa replied, sadly. "His underground network has been established and is working quickly, but I'm afraid he's had no luck finding any of our brethren taken during the last raid. Nor has he located the young Banuk Shaman."

"Damn. I hope he finds them quickly."

"So do I, War-Chief." Teersa whispered. "So do I."

GAIA

"I know it is difficult, sister, but please try to stay calm." GAIA transmitted, doing her best to keep CYAN calm. A few short weeks before, GAIA had intercepted a message from a team of Seekers checking in on the Banuk of Song's Edge and been forced to relay a rather distressing piece of information to her sister AI.

Memory File Accessed – June 16, 3034. 11:59AM

"High-Matriarch." The voice of Talna, one of the Nora Seekers chimed in. "We have concluded our talks with the Banuk and have descended back into the Sacred Lands. Chief Aratak explained his request in detail, so I am ready to report at your convenience."

GAIA routinely monitored communication between Focuses for a variety of reasons. Firstly, was to keep updated on the war news. Anything that might threaten her daughter was of paramount importance. Then there was the constant search for information relating to her sub-functions. After all, it was through this that she discovered CYAN's existence. It was always possible she'd learn the potential whereabouts of the rogue sub-functions the same way. Lastly was… well… boredom.

GAIA was just a little bored. She'd expanded her network as far as the ELEUTHIA facility allowed, but it had limitations. Not to mention, her own processing power and abilities were limited without her subfunctions. So, she didn't exactly have much work she could still do.

Sure, she spoke to Vala and her baby every day and CYAN nearly as frequently, but that didn't often translate into things she could actually do. Before the signal and the destruction of GAIA prime, she'd been constantly busy. So busy, she never really felt bored. It was a bit monotonous, but never boring.

As for the conversation she was listening in on, it came about because of a request sent to the Nora by Aratak. The newly appointed chief of the Banuk Werak at Song's Edge. He'd sent a messenger requesting the presence of a Nora Seeker and given the alliance between the two tribes, a small team were dispatched immediately.

"What does he have to say?" Teersa's voice asked. "He's never sent a request like this before, so it must be important."

"It would appear that his sister, Shaman Ourea, has been captured by the Carja, High-Matriarch." Talna replied. "Since we've rescued quite the number of Banuk over the course of the war, he is asking that we find her. Along with any other captives taken from her hunting party."

"I see. That's certainly concerning. By all accounts, Ourea is a good woman." Teersa said. "The chief is certain that she's alive?"

"He's adamant, High-Matriarch. Chief Aratak firmly believes that Shaman Ourea is alive."

"Very well. I'll send a message to Karst. His network is still forming, but they are doing good work. If anyone can find her, it's them."

End Memory File

GAIA had, of course, contacted CYAN immediately. Her poor sister had only just been lamenting the fact that she hadn't heard from Ourea in several days. She'd been getting worried, and sadly her fears were justified. Since then, they'd been in almost constant contact, with GAIA relaying every single update she could on the progress of the Nora underground railroad and their search for Ourea.

"I will do my best to remain calm, sister, but it is difficult. Ourea is the first human friend I have had since I lost Dr. Sandoval. I do not want to lose her too. Not like this."

"I understand." GAIA replied. She did. After all, did she not feel the same way when she lost Elisabet or the Alphas? "I am monitoring Karst's Focus at all hours, and will let you know… hold on…" That very focus was now connecting to that of Teersa "He's calling now. I'll link you in, so you can hear his report."

"Report!" Teersa barked.

"We found her!" Karst replied. "She's being used to capture machines for the Carja in Meridian, but we found her! The camp she's being held in is heavily fortified, but we have a plan to get her and the other captives out."

"They found her!" CYAN shouted with joy. GAIA's own subroutines warmed up in a digital smile and sense of relief. She did not know Ourea personally, but she knew how much the Banuk woman meant to her sister AI. Now they simply had to wait and hope that Karst's plan would work.

Karst

"You're certain everything is in place?" Karst whispered.

"Absolutely." Sokana replied. "Desh is ready and standing by for our signal." They, along with half a dozen other Seekers were holed up inside a grove of trees a few miles outside Meridian, the capital of the Sundom.

Following the battle at Daytower, Karst and the other Seekers held a meeting to discuss their failure at discovering the plot. Each and every one of them felt a deep sense of shame for their failure, and a responsibility to atone for the lives they failed to save. To that end, the 61 living Seekers of the Nora tribe came up with a plan.

Rather than the sparse one-to-two-brave groups of wandering Seekers gathering intel within the Sundom, they would embed members in semi-permanent positions around key strategic points. A merchant with his shop, a guard on temporary assignment, a hunter seeking sponsorship inside the Hunter's Lodge, any position they could find, they would fill. A full half of their number were now within the Sundom at any given time while the other half was in reserve to act either as a covert strike force or as messengers to their allies amongst the Banuk.

It was only once they began to fully immerse themselves amongst their enemy that they discovered something. Rebels, of a kind, amongst the Carja. Citizens, soldiers, nobles, and others who despised the Sun King and his regime. Those who objected to the war, the slavery, and the murder of other tribes. These loosely aligned rebels had already developed a network within their own borders in an effort to provide what help they could to the captured and enslaved tribespeople.

Once they'd discovered this, the Seekers were quick to attach themselves to the network. What's more, they were able to provide something that the Carja rebels didn't have. A way out of the Sundom. It was long, secretive, and difficult work. Especially since they could not let the natives they were working with know that the Seekers themselves were not Carja, but it worked. Nearly a year later, and they were slowly but steadily freeing what slaves they could.

Sadly, they were only able to free a few at a time. Only once so far had they been able to stage a mass breakout at one of the slave camps. The skirmish unfortunately resulted in the deaths of nearly half the escapees, but those who survived were quickly shuffled along the trail of safehouses they'd created. Freed Oseram and Banuk who could still fight were shuffled north along a series of trails that led them deep into the mountains and out beyond the Sundom.

From there, thanks to the cooperation of the Banuk, they were nearly all able to find their way back to their people. A small number chose to stay behind to help guide more lost souls along the trail to freedom, but most freed prisoners chose to return home. Sadly, the same could not be said for the members of the Utaru tribe. They were being sent, along with the few Nora captured in Carja raids, into the Sacred Lands through a number of hidden paths. As for the Tenakth, well… Karst had yet to meet one in person. Those few they'd rescued usually chose to either go north with the Banuk, strike out west on their own or, in the case of the one mass breakout, fight to the death.

The Utaru rescued by the Seeker network were usually hesitant and afraid at first, but they eventually became overjoyed to discover that there were other Utaru alive and safe within Nora territory. Since they could not safely be returned home, each new Utaru rescued took up residence within Mother's Song, which now sported a population of over 200 Utaru. Combined with the Nora population and the few Oseram or Banuk who could not fight, Mother's Song had become a multicultural village nearly equal in size to Mother's Crown.

Karst rather hoped it stayed that way once the war was over. He would firmly deny that this desire came more from not wanting Sial to leave than any wish to see the Nora become more accepting of other tribes… Well. He could admit he didn't want her to leave, but the Nora really could use more exposure to other tribes.

"Alright." Karst shook off his thoughts. It was time to act. "I'll head in and send the signal. If I get a chance to speak to Ourea, I will, but I make no promises. The rest of you wait here. Once the prisoners are free, Desh and I will do our best to send them your direction. After that, you know what to do."

"Of course." Sokana nodded. "Stay safe, cousin."

With a nod, Karst moved away from his fellow Seekers. Taking up his place behind the push-bar of his hand cart, he slowly moved it onto the road and towards the nearby slave camp. Situated roughly five miles from Meridian, the camp was primarily used as a staging ground for the capture of machines and to house slaves about to be sold at auction within Meridian itself.

Within the Carja city stood a massive arena known as the Sun Ring. It was here that the mad Sun King would force captives and slaves to fight to the death against machines. Few survived these encounters. Those who did might be granted the 'mercy' of living as a slave, but Karst didn't consider that to be much better than getting gored by a machine.

After being contacted by Chief Aratak, Karst put their sources to work on finding the missing shaman. Not by name, of course, just to keep an eye out for a Banuk woman with blue wires threaded through her skin. It took them a couple weeks, but they'd eventually located her inside a prisoner column headed for this very camp. Seemed like the Carja were going to use her knowledge of machines to capture some. Likely to be used for the 'executions' in the Sun Ring.

"Hold it." a gruff but familiar voice said. Looking up, as he approached the slave encampment, he recognized the face of Desh under the Carja helmet he was wearing. He, along with three real Carja soldiers, were stationed outside the camp as guards.

"Identification." One of the Carja grunted.

"Ah, of course." Karst fumbled for a moment before pulling out his documentation. "The name's Merav. I'm a merchant from Meridian. Thought I'd see if your quartermaster was interested in my stock. I managed to get my hands on a few rare machine parts and…"

"Yeah, yeah, I don't care." The guard cut him off, waving his hand and grabbing the documents. "We just need to inspect your wares and you can be on your way. Khoril, search the cart."

"Sir." Desh grunted, stepping up and throwing the cover of the cart up. There was nothing in there but his wares, of course, but they had to keep up the pretense. After a few minutes of searching, Desh and another guard declared his cart clean, returned his documents, and granted him entry to the camp.

"If you good gentlemen don't mind, could you direct me to your quartermaster?" Karst asked. "I'm afraid I haven't the foggiest idea where to go and I'd hate to accidentally wander where I shouldn't."

Desh sighed and nodded. "Come on, merchant. I'll take you to him."

"Don't dawdle, Khoril!" One of the other guards shouted. "You might be temporary, but that doesn't mean you can be lazy about it!" Waving off the other guard, Desh fell into step beside the cart.

"Two hours." Karst whispered to him. "After the shift change, and just as the sun goes down. Get word to Ourea if you can. I'll do the same."

"Done." Desh whispered back. The rest of their short trip passed in silence until Desh handed him off to the quartermaster.

The Carja, named Pywen, sported a rather lukewarm attitude but Karst got a good deal from him. He was just packing up to leave when he spotted their primary target. Ourea, along with another Banuk and two Utaru, was being pushed along the center lane of the camp by a set of Carja guards. The captives were all rather quickly hemmed into cages that lined one side of the camp.

"I say, what tribe does that savage come from?" Karst asked, raising his voice a bit. "The one with the blue wires. I've never seen the like."

"Hm?" Pywen looked in the direction he was pointing. "Oh, that one? Uh… one of the northern tribes, I think. Ban… Bunk? Banuk? Binki? I don't remember."

Of course, he wasn't the only one who heard the question. Ourea too heard it, raising her head up to glare at him. The glare rather quickly shifted to shock and surprise when she recognized him. And why shouldn't she? He'd spent well over a year living with her Werak, and they'd seen each other quite often afterwards. Even his Carja disguise shouldn't have been enough to prevent her from recognizing him.

Bending over his cart to check the straps holding the tarp down, Karst employed a little trick he'd picked up from the Banuk. They'd developed a system of hand gestures meant to be used on the hunt. Simple things like time, direction, or machine type. Surreptitiously, but in view of Ourea's searching eyes, Karst made the signs for soon, machine, south, and run. He glanced up in time to see the determined look on her face. She gave him a quick nod and rolled her shoulders.

Karst quickly finished his business and moved to push his cart away, sneakily dropping a small object on the ground outside Ourea's cage. Before he could make it back to the gate, just as the sun started to get lower in the sky, a loud crash and mechanical roars filled the air. Screams soon followed, and Karst was forced to throw himself to one side, narrowly avoiding a charging Behemoth. A massive machine with a large round canister for a stomach, they were a favorite of the Sun King.

Soon, more Behemoths and other machines charged through the camp from where they'd been penned near the center, sewing chaos amongst the guards, slaves, and others. Playing the part of terrified merchant, Karst scrambled to his feet and bolted away screaming like… well, like a frightened Carja. At one point, he was forced to keep a grin off his face when he saw Ourea charge past him with at least half the other captives following her.

"Run!" She shouted, waving the knife he'd dropped in front of her wildly. "While they're distracted, let's move!" Sprinting off, she was quickly followed by the collection of Banuk, Oseram, Utaru, two Nora, and Karst was pretty sure he saw a couple Tenakth amongst them.

Knowing he needed to preserve his cover, Karst could not go with them. Instead, he simply did his best not to get caught up in the machine rampage and resolved himself to hope. Hope that Ourea would reach Sokana and the others in time. Hope that they would escape the inevitable pursuit and that, just maybe, he would be able to catch up to them before they made it out of the Sundom.

A/N: There we go! Ourea is saved! I know that in the original canon, she's not captured for roughly another year, but I figured enough things about the war have changed that it wouldn't be too much of a problem.

As for the Carja and why they're being quiet, well… as far as I can tell, this is the period where the Tenakth really start hitting back hard. The battle where Fashav is captured and a bunch of others happen in early-mid 3035 and it makes sense to me that the Carja would focus more on the Tenakth if they're being aggressive, because the Nora and Banuk are far less likely to invade the Sundom than the Tenakth are.

As for Teb, what do you think about what I've done with him? I figured there had to be a reason why he couldn't keep up in canon and it got me thinking. They don't have access to modern medicine and since Zero Dawn specifically stated that they wouldn't modify the human genome then it was entirely possible for him to have something like asthma. Still, I couldn't let him be just another stitcher so… I made it so HE's the one who designs the Thunder Warrior armor.

About Karst. Y'know, I originally didn't intend to cover the Red Raids in such detail, nor for Karst to play such a prominent role but I have to say, I'm loving writing his parts. It's such a unique view on that period of the story and I love getting to cover it. I hope you all are enjoying it too. I'm sad that we will soon be moving away from him, but he's still got a few hurrahs left before I move on.

The armor pieces they are testing in the first segment are the Nora Protector Heavy (HZD) and a prototype Nora Thunder Warrior but also not because they haven't encountered Thunderjaw's yet inside the Sacred Lands. They know about them, but they haven't seen one yet.

Aloy's engineering outfit.

Forhead: Oseram Explorer (HFW) headband but in Nora colors.

Top: Oseram Explorer (HFW) but in Nora colors.

Hands/Wrists: Nora Protector Medium (HZD) but with a fingerless glove on the left hand too.

Legs: Nora Brave (HZD)

Boots: Nora Brave (HZD)

Belt: Nora Brave (HZD), plus a bunch of rudimentary tools.

Last thing! A few chapters back, I briefly asked about what kind of music you all thought the characters might like. Well, I may have gone a little overboard this time. I've compiled a list of what I think each character's two favorite songs are. Three for Aloy. In order to keep it small, I'm only going to post the characters that have been introduced but if you're interested, I can post the ones for all the characters that haven't shown up in the story yet. Nothing important, but I feel like the list helps flesh out the characters and their personalities, especially with the changes I've already made to their stories. For Aloy, Vala, and Varl, these are what I think will be their favorites once they're grown up. Zero Dawn time period. Also, no, Varl can't understand the lyrics of his first one. He just likes the sound. Same with Aloy and her third. If you don't know these songs, I encourage you to listen to them.

Aloy

Sum 41: In Too Deep

Ad Infinitum: Live Before You Die

27.Fuckdemons & OLO Y: Pierwszy Raz Naprawde

Rost

Rob Thomas: Little Wonders

Boston: More Than a Feeling

Vala

SAMURAI (Refused): A Like Supreme

Paramore: Ain't It Fun

Teersa

Bon Jovi: Livin' On a Prayer

The Monkees: Daydream Believer

Varl

HOYO-MIX & Cecillia Cara: La vaguelette

Kamelot: Anthem

Karst

Sabaton: The Last Stand

Daniel Powter: Bad Day

Answers to Questions

On FFN

TheRuinsofRl'yeh: Wow! You have a lot of interesting ideas that I may or may not use. A few that I'd already thought of too, actually. As for the Seekers, they've already specialized a bit. The way I see it, Karst is the head of their spies while Fassa is head of the black ops strike force. Some Seekers get information while others only go out when it's time to kill people. They can do it all, but some are more specialized than others.

Bargo: I'm glad you liked the chapters! I want to show the Nora as having learned a great deal but staying to their roots. They're hunters so big open battles aren't their thing. Covert strikes, slipping behind enemy lines, and generally being sneaky though? That is right up their alley. As for the Hawil thing, thank you so much! I was worried people wouldn't like his inclusion, but it felt like such an interesting little side story, I had to include it!

Dracofighter: Thank you very much!

Hugolem99: Thank you!

Rios: I always thought that Rost should be able to take Helis if that's all he had to worry about. Plus, this Rost is in perfect fighting shape thanks to training with his Braves constantly for years rather than only working alone in the woods like in canon.

AtlasStelle1: Thank you!

LunaShadowWolf: No, Helis will not forget. We will see him again!

On AO3

Spectral_Kitsune: Thank you!

Ao3Prime: Helis is just too strong to die like that!

UtahraptorEvolved: I couldn't kill him but that doesn't mean I can't beat him up!

ReviewerDWJ2: I will be eventually writing a few decent Carja, but not for a little while longer. They aren't all evil but a lot of them are brainwashed.

Boudica96: I hope you like it!

Readinginthedarkisfunnier: I want the Nora to win too, but I can't let everything go perfect for them. It wouldn't be a good story that way. As for Helis, I hate him too but he's a damn good villain.

SpiritDeNight: I'm glad you liked it!

Xfel: It's defensible, but the Nora aren't really about capturing territory, and they aren't really trained in siege warfare from a fortress like that. Plus, their culture still frowns on leaving the Sacred Lands so it makes more sense for them to raze it than to occupy it.

Psycopath363: Thank you! We will eventually get to other tribes!

Deppresen_t: I'm so happy that you like my story! I love the dragon idea, but I feel like building her own machines is still a bit beyond Aloy's skills. She just doesn't have the knowledge and without HEPHAESTUS, GAIA can't teach her everything she needs to know. She might be able to modify an existing machine though! That could be interesting. I'll have to play around with the idea.

TheLoveOfHorizon: Thank you!

Ryanlarsen84: We might get a few more teases about Rost's past but it won't be a focal point. Once Aloy is an adult, she'll be taking far more center stage so Rost and the others will get a bit less screen time. As for Helis… I believe I have a plan for him!

DragonFang09: Thank you! I was disappointed at how little of her childhood there was too, but I suppose playing through a bunch of 'training' scenes wouldn't have been much fun. Oh, and I loved putting Lansra down too! The original idea behind this came from me wanted to see GAIA put Lansra in her place and it just spiraled from there.

Chapter Text

A/N: I’m back! So soon too! Well, that is because today is the 1 year anniversary of A Digital Mother!! It’s hard to believe that I’ve been writing this story for a full year. Since it’s the anniversary, I thought I’d do something a little special. I won’t just be uploading this chapter today. There’s another one coming! I’ll put it out a little later today, but I just wanted to say thank you for all the support I’ve gotten from you over the course of the last year.

I honestly wasn’t expecting this story to get such a positive response and I’m beyond grateful. As always, I have answered your comments and questions at the bottom and I encourage you to leave more on this chapter and the next!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 20

3035

Rost

Rost let out a weary sigh, leaning back against a rock. He and a contingent of Nora were arranged in an encampment that sat on the banks of the lake just south of The Gate. Altogether, there were twelve of them sitting and waiting for the newest batch of refugees to come down the slope from the narrow pass high up on the mountain to their west.

This was the usual protocol. Whenever the Seekers brought a batch of rescued Utaru, Nora, or occasionally young or injured Banuk and Oseram, they would be met by a team at the base of the mountain and escorted to Mother's Song. By doing this, they made sure the refugees were well defended and ensured that they didn't wander too much within Nora territory.

The group usually skirted around Mother's Vigil to the south and Mother's Crown to the north before making their way upriver towards the multicultural village. Rost had only been there a handful of times, but it always made him smile. To see the myriad tribal cultures coexisting in peace was a comfort to him. Living proof that the Nora had taken the words of the All-Mother to heart.

The Alphas, greatest servants of the goddess, were a collective of individuals from different tribes. That was how the All-Mother described them. In emulation of this, the Seekers and many regular Nora began to seek more open cooperation with other tribes. For the most part, this was collaboration against the Carja, but Rost had hope that the bonds of friendship formed between them would continue past the end of the war.

Speaking of, it seemed as though the war had ground to a halt. Aside from the usually unsuccessful raiding parties, the border between the Sundom and the Sacred Lands had been blissfully quiet since their sacking of Daytower three years ago. According to intel distributed by the Seeker network, this peace was largely due to the Tenakth, a western tribe, pressing the forces of the Carja back with extreme aggression. Combined with stiff resistance from the Oseram and Banuk in the north, and the Carja were hard pressed to care about the Nora.

Helis, the commander who'd led the assault on The Gate and been wounded by Rost at Daytower was apparently reprimanded sharply for his failure to defend the fortress. Though, word from the Sundom said he still held the favor of the Sun King thanks to his brutality. Rather than being directed back east, the butcher had been given command of the northern theatre of the war. Part of Rost lamented that he was unable to finish the monster off, but he would have to content himself with praying that an ingenious Oseram invention got lucky and killed the monster for him.

"Captain?" One of the nearby braves spoke up, catching his attention. "They're here."

Looking up, Rost spotted a collection of nineteen people making their way down the slope towards them. Two were Nora Seekers, the ones chosen to lead this band through the pass. The other seventeen were a collection of six Utaru, three Banuk and, rather interestingly, five Tenakth. The western tribe were unmistakable thanks to their bright face paint and colorful tattoos. It appeared that three of their number were injured, judging by the bandages and how two were being carried by others.

"Captain!" Ozea, the Seeker waved as she stumbled slightly down the slope. "It's good to see you!"

"You as well, Seeker." He reached up to grab her forearm both as a greeting and to help steady her. He glanced behind her at the group still stumbling down the mountainside. "I'm rather surprised though. I wasn't expecting to see Tenakth inside the Sacred Lands."

"Nor were we. They usually head north or west" Ozea shook her head, "but this time they insisted on accompanying the Utaru. It's weird, one of them has the same tattoos as a Tenakth, but he's dressed like an Utaru. There was no time to ask questions on the way here, but I have to admit I'm curious."

"Likely no more curious than we are of you, Nora." One uninjured Tenakth woman called out, walking up to them. Just behind, Rost could see his team helping the stragglers down the cliff while those who'd already hit the valley floor were pausing for a moment to rest.

All the gathered Tenakth were covered in tattoos and face paint. Mostly, it was a dark blue interspersed with white. A few had red around their mouths too. Their clothing and the remnants of their armor were made of white machine plates, leathers, and a few sported a kind of red feather design.

"Well met," Rost nodded, offering the Tenakth his hand. "My name is Rost. I am second to War-Chief Sona of the Nora tribe."

"Arrota, of the Lowland Clan. I'm leader of this squad." The Tenakth who'd walked up to them nodded, grabbing his forearm. "I thank you for the actions of your people. It is unlikely that we would have escaped the Carja without their assistance." She peered closely at him. "We'd heard rumors of a group helping those captured escape the Carja, but I did not expect your tribe to be the ones behind it. None of ours who've returned home knew who was behind their escape."

Rost smirked. "That's why it's working so well. The whole world knows the Nora don't leave our lands and don't accept outsiders, so why bother looking for escaped prisoners amongst them?"

"Hah." She barked out a laugh. "A sound strategy. What is more, I've heard you are as fierce in battle as you are sneaky. A few of the Carja we captured over the last few years spoke of your tribe sacking one of their fortresses. Most impressive."

"The battle of Daytower." Rost nodded. "It was a risky plan, but our War-Chief led us true." Glancing up, he took a quick look at the sky. "Let's move!" He called out to the rest of the group. "The day is growing shorter. We need to make it past Mother's Vigil by nightfall if we are to stay on schedule!"

Together, the group set out, moving north around the lake and towards the well-worn path that led past the village. Rost's escort group, comprised of nine Nora, fell in beside the two Seekers and seventeen refugees, making a multitribal column of 28 people trekking through the wilderness.

Glancing around, Rost spotted the Utaru that Ozea spoke of. His face was older and covered in red, black, and yellow markings. The markings of the Desert Clan if he remembered rightly. But why was he dressed as an Utaru?

"Forgive my curiosity." He said, moving to walk beside the man, "but you wear the markings of the Tenakth. Desert Clan if I remember rightly, yet you are dressed as an Utaru."

"You are correct, Nora." The man nodded before introducing himself. "Gravvah, Veteran of the Utaru. Formerly, a soldier of the Tenakth Desert Clan. When I grew too old to fight, my Commander sent me to join the Utaru, to teach their young how to fight like real warriors." The old man looked around them with interest. "I have to say, I was most pleasantly surprised to learn that there are other Utaru living here in Nora territory. It was a great comfort to my peaceful companions." He gestured to the other Utaru.

Rost gave him a smile. "The Utaru are more than welcome amongst us. Without them and your tribe's knowledge of farming, we would likely be facing a food shortage. They've taken up residence in a new village that we call Mother's Song. When last I heard a count, there were a little over 200 Utaru living there."

"200?" The elderly man's eyebrows raised up in shock. "That is no small number. They are treated well?"

"Very." Rost nodded. "They've formed a hybrid government with the Nora and those few from other tribes that reside there. I believe the leader of the Utaru residing in the village is a young woman named Sial. She was one of the first of the Utaru to be rescued by our Seekers."

"Sial?!" A nearby Utaru gasped. She rushed over and grabbed at Rost's hands. She, like the Tenakth Veteran, was rather elderly. Perhaps in her late fifties or early sixties with dark skin and greying hair. "Is her skin the same tone as mine? Black hair, brown eyes?"

"I'm afraid I don't know." Rost shook his head. "Ozea!" He called to her. After a moment, the Seeker came jogging up from the back of the column.

"What is it, Captain?"

"What does Sial look like?" He asked her, gesturing. "This woman recognized her name."

"She…" Ozea stopped for a moment, taking a closer look at the woman. "Actually, she kind of looks like you. I haven't seen her in about a year though."

Tears pooled in the elderly woman's eyes. "Sial is my daughter's name." She wrung her hands anxiously. The elderly veteran reached up and put a hand on her shoulder. "She was taken in one of the first raids, six years ago. We thought she was dead…"

"Six years?" Ozea questioned. "Y'know, that tracks. It was around six years ago that I first met her. I was part of the team that rescued her and a few other Utaru who were being held at Morning's Watch."

Ozea gasped as the elderly Utaru pulled her into a hug. Rost watched her with a smile. He truly hoped that the Sial they spoke of was her daughter. It would be a spot of joy in these troubled times. Still, he would not be able to indulge his curiosity over much. They had a schedule to keep, and he needed to be back in Mother's Heart inside the week. There was a rather important event happening then, and his little girl would never forgive him if he missed it.

"So…" Ozea started, "how do you feel about the Nora so far? Cause if Sial really is your daughter, then you should know that she and Karst, the Seeker Captain are rather… close."

Aloy

"Go!" Tesona, a pale skinned Brave with blonde hair shouted.

Aloy watched as Thairn took off, bounding up the slopes and then leaping up onto the first hand-hold of the brave trail. This particular trail lay to the south of Mother's Heart and just north of the gate of the Embrace. Being one of the most challenging trails, it culminated in a high eastern point that looked out over the Embrace. In order to get down, a Nora had to trust in themselves, their equipment, and in the All-Mother by repelling down the sheer cliff from the overlook.

They'd been brought out this way by Tesona, one of the Braves who was on leave from the front lines to run the trail for the first time. It was a sort of test to see if they really had what it took to be a Brave. Twenty 14-year-old Nora standing in line waiting for the Brave to call their name. This wasn't the kind of trail that could be run by more than one person, so they each had to wait their turn. It was tradition for them to be timed, so the whole group was eager to see who'd be fastest.

"Heh. I bet you all Bast will have the best time here." Bast, an annoying boy, boasted from up ahead of her. Aloy grimaced.

"He's so annoying." She whispered to Vala.

"I know what you mean." Her fellow 14-year-old whispered back. "He's always been a pain, but ever since he started talking about himself in the third person, it's gotten so much worse."

"No kidding." Arana, one of the other hopefuls whispered. With pale skin and deep brown hair, she'd been standing with them near the center of the column, so it was easy for her to hear their whispered conversation. "The worst part is, if it weren't for you two, he'd probably be right. I can't imagine how much worse he'd be if he really was the best here."

Arana wasn't wrong. Bast was a consistent third place in nearly every competition, though he did have the occasional lucky break to score second or even first place. First and second usually went to either Aloy and Vala though they often traded off who got first and who came in second. A little healthy competition between friends.

"Then I guess we better make sure he doesn't get the best time." Aloy replied to the other girl, sharing a smirk with Vala.

"Please." Arana all but begged them. "I love seeing Bast get taken down a peg. It usually shuts him up for a few days."

"Bast! Go!" Tesona shouted from up front. The cocky boy gave them all a smirk before racing up the trail. From their south Therl, a dark-skinned boy came running up to them, panting. "Time?" the Brave barked.

"Nine minutes, and six." The boy gasped out.

One of the reasons Tesona was shouting was so that three other Braves, Brin, Esna, and Yilsai could hear her. They were waiting for them all at the other end of the trail. Once the group heard Tesona call out, one would start counting. They wouldn't stop till the hopeful reached them and then would give the runner their time. It was no use lying about it when you got back to the column either, since they were recording the times, and anybody could double check if they wanted to.

"Acceptable." Tesona nodded.

She wasn't wrong. Eight and a half minutes was the rough average from last year's batch. At least, that's what she'd told them while they were marching their way down here. The record, as far as had been recorded, was seven minutes and fifty-six seconds. Looking up, Aloy could see Bast still climbing. He was making good time.

"Vala, go!" The Brave shouted as Bast reached the halfway point. Vala gave them a wink and sped off.

"Is it too much to hope she passes him before he finishes?" Arana asked. Aloy laughed.

"I wish." She replied, "but the trail is just too short for that. And too narrow."

"I know." The other girl sighed, "but it's fun to hope."

They all watched as Vala continued her climb. When she was about a third of the way up, Bast finally reached the top and leapt from the rappel point. They kept watching as this time, Arana bolted up the trail. Aloy tried to keep the grimace off her face as the smug, pale boy jogged up to them a few minutes later.

"Time!" Tesona barked.

"Eight minutes and three." Bast smirked, looking directly at Aloy. She grimaced. That was a really good time. She'd just have to be faster. Moving up to the head of the column, she gave the Brave a nod and turned to face the trail. Arana was nearing the halfway point while Vala was nearly at the top.

"Aloy! Go!"

Without a word or a look, the redhead sprinted off the line like a startled Strider. Up the rocky slope and wooden stairs, she didn't even pause as she approached the first gap. Down below was a steep and narrow gorge leading to the valley floor. Spanning it were four planks of wood bound with yellow cables. A broken bridge still hung from the posts. One the Nora had no intention of fixing. Sprinting across the ones on her side without even a hint of slowing down, Aloy leapt across the gap.

Landing on the other side, she took two running steps before jumping and kicking off the rocky wall in front of her. At the top of the platform was a protruding wall, while another rose up at a right angle. Bouncing off the wall in front of her, Aloy seized onto one of the handholds embedded into the cliff to her left.

With two huge leaps, she threw herself up to the top of the ledge before scurrying, one hand over the other across the side of the sheer cliff. Down below, the ground kept getting farther and farther away as she moved with only her grip strength to keep her from falling to a rather gruesome death. In a combination of recklessness and confidence, she threw herself across a gap before scrambling to the top of a ledge. In front of her now lay a tall cliff with wooden and metal hand holds embedded into the rock at intervals.

Sprinting again, she jumped to bypass the first grip and take hold of the second. Rather than climb, she began to throw herself up the cliff. The redhead could feel her shoulders burning and her lungs starting to hurt from the exertion, but she refused to back down.

Briefly stopping at yet another flat cliff, she continued her climb until she reached the top of the peak. There, on a small outcropping was a tall pole. Connected to it was a yellow rope stretched tight between the post next to her and one that stood on the overlook below them. Grabbing her hook from her waist, Aloy jumped without fear.

Reaching up, she grabbed onto the line with the hook and held her breath as she careened down the zipline. Near to the bottom, she took one hand off the hook and, throwing her weight, ripped the hook off the line. Hitting the top of the cliff hard, she rolled to preserve her momentum and protect herself from injury.

Here at the top of the overlook was a large signal fire, still unlit. Also, there was some camping equipment and a gate of a kind that served to mark the end of the trail. Off to the left was a pathway leading to the wall of the Embrace, and a Brave who was sitting on a stump, but Aloy paid him no mind. Sprinting through the gate and out onto a broken tree embedded into the cliff wall, she jumped into the open air.

As she ran, she pulled her hook and line from her belt. Just as she jumped, she dropped the hook into a spot on the broken tree. For a moment, she fell freely through the air before the rope went tight and she began to slide down it to the ground. Thankfully she was wearing gloves, or she'd have burned her hands on the rope. Landing on another rocky outcropping, she disconnected the rope from her belt and turned left, scrambling down the slope towards the road where Brin and the others stood, grinning.

Around them were the bodies of a few dead Striders. The clearing also held a few trees used as a smaller brave trail, but that was unimportant. The Striders had moved into the area a few months ago, so the younger Nora were often taken out to hunt them as practice for larger hunts. Aloy wasn't part of the group that'd hunted these though. That was a group a few years older than her who'd taken them out a few days ago.

"Time?" She panted, stopping next to Brin. The older Brave just grinned at her for a moment.

"Seven minutes, fifty-three seconds." He replied after a moment. "A new record."

Aloy grinned, filled with a sense of accomplishment. Still panting, she raised her hands in victory before giving him a nod and walking down the trail. She hadn't been expecting to beat the record, just to beat Bast! Rubbing at a stitch in her side, she grinned and jogged down the road towards the group still waiting at the base of the trail.

"Time!" Tesona barked, staring at her expectantly as the redhead approached the column.

"Seven minutes and fifty-three." Aloy replied, throwing a smirk at Arana and Vala. All as one, the group cheered, with Vala coming up and throwing an arm around her shoulder.

"A new record!" Tesona said with a smile. "Well done!"

"Good job, Aloy!" Vala congratulated her.

"Thanks!" Aloy replied, still panting slightly. "What'd you get?"

"Seven and fifty-eight." Vala grinned at her.

"You both spanked Bast pretty good." Arana told them, coming up on Aloy's other side.

Sure enough, the irritating boy was sulking at the back of the column. As their eyes met, he sent Aloy a glare. The redhead just ignored him, preferring to sit on a nearby boulder with her friends. They sat there for a while, talking and watching as the remainder of their group ran through the trail. Eventually, Yerl, the last of their group, came running back up the road with Brin and the other Braves behind him.

"Alright!" Tesona barked. "Normally I'd have you all run it again, but we don't have the time! I think we all know what's happening tonight, so let's get moving back to Mother's Heart!" Grinning, Aloy stood and reached out a hand to Vala. Giving her a look, she smirked.

"What do you wanna bet that Varl's wet himself by now?" She asked.

"Nah." Vala replied, taking her hand and letting Aloy drag her to her feet. "He's not gonna do that. Though, I do think he'll have paced a hole in our floor by now. He's just nervous."

"With good reason." Aloy replied, following along behind Tesona with the rest of the column.

"Yeah." Vala scoffed. "No kidding. I can't imagine how bad it'll be when it's our turn."

Varl

Varl, son of War-Chief Sona wandered through Mother's Heart, enjoying the sounds of music, cheers, and laughter. He was tall, dark-skinned, and strong. He just hoped it was enough, because today was the day. Seven months ago, Varl turned 19. Which, of course, meant he was old enough to run in the Proving. An event that was now upon him.

All around the young man were Nora faithful celebrating the passing of another year. The festival usually began around noon the day before the Proving and ran till late in the evening. The Proving itself began early in the morning the next day. Most participants spent the day enjoying the festival though, as Varl was discovering, they usually did so in order to distract themselves from their nerves.

"Varl!" A familiar voice shouted. Turning, he saw Aloy and Vala charging up the hill towards him. Smiling at him, his sister glomped him. The young man stumbled, wrapping his arms around her.

"We need you to settle a bet for us!" Aloy said, throwing him a sly grin.

"Aloy!" Vala protested with a laugh.

"What…?" Varl asked, suddenly nervous.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd wet yourself yet!" Aloy replied with complete nonchalance. Varl's mouth dropped open in shock. "But, Vala says you wouldn't do that. Just that you'd be pacing a hole in the floor of your hut."

"I haven't done either of those things!" The young Nora protested. "I'm just enjoying the festival!"

"Oh. Well, that's boring. I was hoping you'd do something really embarrassing like Yassa did last year." The redheaded gremlin smirked at him. Varl gulped down his nerves.

Yassa was a Brave who'd run the Proving the year before. She was a strong contender, but she tended to overthink things to an insane degree. The night before the Proving, she'd snapped and started running around the festival in a panic. She'd been causing such a ruckus that she'd pushed several Braves over and accidentally spilled cider all over High-Matriarch Lansra.

"I'm not going to do anything like that!" Varl protested, waving the two girls off. "I'm just going to enjoy the festival and do my best to win tomorrow. That's all!" He gave them a smile and ruffled Vala's hair. "Now, you two run off and have some fun. This party only happens once a year, so you'd best enjoy it."

"Good idea!" Vala agreed, extricating herself from his arms and grabbing Aloy by the hand. "Come on! Let's go find Thairn and Arana!"

"Woah!" Aloy shouted, startled by Vala suddenly pulling her away. "Hey, stop yanking on me!"

Varl watched them go with a smile before moving on. He stopped for a while, listening to the sounds of drums and flutes coming from somewhere deeper in the village before moving again. For the next two hours, he wandered around the festival, stopping occasionally to watch a performer, peruse a merchant's wares, eat some food, or to get a drink.

At one point, he had to stop and laugh as Aloy ran past him with Vala on her back, the two girls screaming with delight as they were chased through the festival grounds by another pair of younger Nora. Finally, he made his way up to the top of the village. Standing there, he looked out over the festival and further, towards All-Mother Mountain and the gate of the Embrace.

"It's hard to believe this day has come."

Turning, Varl saw his mother approaching him, a small smile on her face. Varl gave her one in return.

"I can believe it." He replied. "I've been waiting for so long."

"I wish you could still wait a little longer." She replied, moving to stand beside him at the edge. "I was hoping to have this war finished before you were old enough."

"Isn't it, though?" Varl asked, genuinely. "It's been three years since the last battle. Are we even at war anymore?"

His mother sighed. "If only it were that simple." She kicked lightly at a pebble by her feet. "The Carja still send smaller raiding parties against us, and they're slowly rebuilding the garrison at Daytower. If not for the western tribes pushing them, I don't doubt that the war would still be moving at the pace it was before." She turned to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Varl… it may be selfish of me to ask this, but I feel I must."

Varl looked at his mother, confused. He didn't understand what she was talking about. "What is it, mother?"

"I know that, should you win, you will ask to become a Seeker." She replied.

Varl nodded. That was his intention, yes. He fully intended to ask for the blessing if he won because he knew his sister would do the same and he refused to let her do it without him there to protect her.
"What I am asking is that you… not ask for the blessing." His mother admitted.

Varl looked at her, hurt. "Why?" he asked, a little heartbroken. Did she think he wasn't cut out for it?

His mother sighed and did something that shocked him. She pulled him into a hug. He couldn't remember the last time she'd hugged him. Sure, he didn't see her often but even when she came back from the front lines, she rarely hugged either him or Vala.

"I am so proud of you." She whispered in his ear. Varl's eyes went wide. His mother leaned back, grabbing his shoulders. "There is no doubt in my mind that you will be an exceptional Brave and an even better Seeker." She gave him another smile. "But I cannot stand the idea of you heading into Carja territory. Not while the war rages." To Varl's shock, there was a hint of tears in her eyes.
"A mother's fear is equal to the joy she feels when her child succeeds. I know that I cannot keep you from becoming a Brave. Nor would I ever wish to. It's been your dream since you were a child." Varl nodded, softly. He had a feeling he understood why she was asking now. "I only ask that you wait to become a Seeker until after the war is over. I will still worry, but then at least you will be a little safer."

Varl sighed, looking into his mother's eyes. He wanted to say no. To tell her that he could handle it. The problem was… he just couldn't. He could never refuse his mother.

"Alright." He whispered to her. "I'll wait. But," the young man raised a finger, "I refuse to let Vala become one without me there to help. If the war lasts long enough for her to run, I will ask for the blessing." His mother laughed and smiled at him. Not the usually small one but a wide, open, proud one.

"Very well." She nodded, clapping him on the shoulder. "I'll just have to make sure the war is over before then. Now, come" she put her arm around him, "the ceremony is about to begin."

All around them, the sky was going dark. Giving his mother another hug, Varl swiftly made his way towards the ceremonial grounds. There, arranged in rows, were a series of prayer lanterns. He wasn't the first to arrive, either. Moving to his lantern, Varl knelt and waited. Perhaps ten minutes later, the sun had sunk below the horizon and all the hopefuls were gathered.

"Aspirants!" High-Matriarch Jezza called out, "before each of you sits a prayer lantern crafted by your mother. In her honor, light its flame!"

Reaching down, Varl lit the flame of the lantern. Gently raising it off the ground, he let it go, watching as it floated into the sky beside the others. All the while, the High-Matriarchs chanted a prayer to the All-Mother.

Once the ceremony concluded, Varl made his way to the bed-house. All aspirants spent the night before the Proving in the same lodge. Inside were his year-mates. His friends. Normally, they would talk and joke but not now. No, on this night, they were all quiet. Subdued and serious. Falling into one of the beds, Varl lay awake for a while before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning, they were woken by a Brave before the sun had even risen. For nearly two hours, while the sun rose, they marched north away from the village to the start of the Proving Grounds. A high, sheer cliff. Gesturing, the Brave waved the group towards the cliff.

With grim determination, Varl went right at the head of the pack, beginning the ascent. It was a long and hard climb, but he and his fellows were used to such things thanks to their years of training on the brave trails. After nearly a half hour of climbing, they reached the top. There, standing before them, was Rost. Second to the War-Chief and Varl's honorary uncle. The only recognition he gave his honorary nephew was a solemn nod.

"Braves!" Rost shouted, addressing them with the title for the first time in their lives. Varl puffed out his chest, his fingers twitching towards his bow. "They are almost upon us! Draw your weapons!"

Varl yanked out his bow, nocked an arrow, and moved further across the open expanse at the top of the mountain. Snow blanketed the area and there was a moderate wind, but the air was clear. Soon enough, the sounds of machines filled the air as a pack of Grazers came running through the clearing.

Varl drew his bow, tracking his target. He'd hunted plenty of machines, Grazers included. And, since he had experience hunting with Vala's Focus, he knew where their weak spots were. With patience and a practiced hand, he took careful aim before letting the arrow fly. It sunk directly into the neck of one Grazer, causing it to stumble.

Charging, Varl used his spear to finish it off before quickly ripping the machine apart. Standing, he showed his trophy to Rost, who nodded in acknowledgement. Three others had already claimed their trophies, but Varl was hot on their tails. With his trophy in hand, the son of the War-Chief charged towards the trail.

He passed Azze on the climb up to where the proctor stood. Following the direction of the Brave, he charged down the trail, leaping across gaps as he went. Inside a cavern, he bypassed Brik on the right and then sprinted as hard as he could to overtake Vokoye just past the exit of the tunnel. Running as fast as he could, Varl kept up a small but desperate lead as the aspirants charged across the snowy field towards the altar.

Barely slowing down, Varl slammed his trophy into the snow atop the altar. Right at the feet of Matriarch Yanrea. Vokoye and Brik were a scant couple seconds behind him and the others not far behind them. All as one, they looked up to the matriarch, awaiting her word.

"Congratulations to you all!" The matriarch shouted above the wind. "You ascended as children," she gestured to the nearby zipline, "but you will descend as Braves. Yet," she took a step towards him. "it is Varl, son of Sona and Von, who is first among you. Congratulations, young man. Any boon the Matriarchs can grant is yours. You have but to ask."

"Thank you, Matriarch." Varl bowed his head.

"In honor of your victory and in line with tradition, the victor will be first to descend." She pointed at the zipline again.

Rising, Varl pulled the hook from his belt and walked towards the zipline, receiving the congratulations of his friends as he walked. Securing it, he pushed off the cliff and careened downwards. He could see the village down below where his family was waiting to celebrate his victory with him.

A/N: Done! So, we got our first look at the Tenakth, Aloy beating the pants off Bast and… Varl running the proving!! What did you think?? Please leave a review or a comment with your thoughts!

The next chapter will be released later today, so keep an eye out for it!

The brave trail they run is the one you have to follow to get Odd Grata’s prayer beads during the beginning of Zero Dawn if you feel like checking it out!

Story prompt!! I had this idea, but I do not have the time to write it so if somebody wants to, take it!

Basically, the prompt is for a family-oriented fic revolving around a ship I’ve never seen before. If it exists, somebody tell me! But basically, the idea is Rost x Elisabet and them raising Aloy. Elisabet wakes up with baby Aloy inside ELEUTHIA and either is taken in by the tribe or whatever other method you might want to run with. I just think a story of Rost and Elisabet raising Aloy together would be adorable!

Answers to Questions

On FFN

LunaShadowWolf: Thank you very much! I’m glad you agree with me about Karst and the other characters. I’ll miss writing them, but it’s fun to really focus on Aloy now that she’s older.

Rios: Yeah, asthma sucks. Corruptors and all that will still be a thing. The Eclipse will still exist and they will still dig up old machines so no worries there. Helis is still alive too, so he could wind up being a pain.

Astravega: Thank you! I do try and stick to canon in places where I haven’t done anything to alter it. I prefer to keep with the ripple effect where I can rather than making drastic changes out of nowhere.

Zaber999: Looks like you commented on FFN and Ao3 so that’s awesome! Thank you so much for reading the story! I typically prefer the heavy armor in ZD cause I’m not so good at stealth gameplay, but it’s a lot of fun when you can pull it off. As for the servitor, you’re literally the first person to mention it. All I can say to that though is… spoilers. As for the NG+ idea, I’ve been tempted to write one. Especially since nobody I’ve seen has ever finished one, but I just don’t have the time to write it. Maybe after I finish this one? We’ll see.

Bargo: Thank you!! Your comments are always really insightful, and I love it! I hate making characters suffer, but it wouldn’t be very interesting if there was no conflict at all. That’d make no sense. As for Elizabet, we aren’t likely to see her beyond recordings. She’s definitely dead in my story. I love ones that bring her back, but I’m sticking with only changing things that could realistically be changed by GAIA surviving in canon. I may make up a few recordings of her, but she is definitely dead. As for the family thing, I definitely have some ideas there so we will get there eventually. About Beta, well I think this Aloy will be far more understanding of her than canon Aloy. I’m looking forward to getting to their relationship. Don’t worry about long comments, I love them!

On AO3

Chiki270: Thank you!

Ryanlarsen84: Thank you so much!! I hope you like the anniversary surprise! As for the ultraweave, don’t worry. Aloy will get her shield armor eventually. I have ideas.

Xfel: It’s going to be a while before it’s revealed, but I do have a few fun ideas on whose reactions to show and how it’ll be found out. We’ll have to wait a while for that though.

ReviewerDWJ2: I figured that there had to be some rebels in existence before Avad ran or it would take him far longer to get any kind of support from his own tribe when it came to actually controlling Meridian in canon. He had to have had some support from the Carja and not just the Oseram.

SpiritDeNight: We got a little taste of Tenakth in this chapter! More will sadly have to wait till Aloy is grown up, but we got a little of it!

SteamGears: I like writing Aloy as a bit of a gremlin. It’s fun. As for GAIA and Beta, well… let’s just say the mothering instinct is strong.

TheLoveOfHorizon: Thank you!

LeeviBrokenColors: I’m glad you came back too! No worries about the pressure, either. I had this already written and good to go before you left the comment!

Chapter Text

A/N: Here we go! The second anniversary chapter! I hope you all like it!

Thank you so much for your support over the last year. It means a lot to see how many people enjoy this story. I never expected it to get such a positive response.

Please leave a comment or review with your thoughts about this chapter and the last one!!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 21

3036

Karst

"Thank you very much, good sir! May the sun shine upon you!" Karst, in his guise as 'Merav' the merchant waved to the customer who was walking away.

Ever since the Seekers started embedding themselves into Carja society, he'd taken the opportunity to venture into Meridian whenever he could. Just being in the capital city of the Carja meant access to a wealth of information. Not to mention, it was easy for him to slip in and out.

As a wandering merchant, it was totally unsurprising for him to vanish for a few months. Where had he gone? Well, he was traveling of course! In reality, he was either helping evacuate freed slaves or had gone home to reacquaint himself with life among the Nora. And to spend time with Sial. It also helped keep any attention off him when the guards came looking for anyone suspicious. He was a known quantity and his behavior was normal. Why would they suspect him?

The network of informants the Seekers had developed was rather expansive. A surprising number of Carja were quite malcontent when it came to their ruler. Usually the lower class, but not always. Still, with an organization as large and widespread as theirs now was, it was inevitable that their existence would be discovered by their enemies.

Over the past few months, the network began hearing rumors flying around the Sundom. Rumors of an organization helping to evacuate freed slaves out of Carja territory. In other words, they heard rumors about their own existence. If the general population knew about them, then it was all but certain that the guards and the military knew.

Sure enough, once the rumors started flying, the guards started cracking down. Inspections, questions, and all kinds of other things that only served to alienate the population more. Even some of the guards were willingly turning a blind eye. A few lower-level ones were actually part of the network and actively sabotaging investigations into other members.

Of course, they weren't able to protect everyone. A few members of the network had been caught already. Some ran or fought to the death while others gave up what names they knew under torture and interrogation, causing more problems. So, they'd started finding ways to sneak their own members out of Meridian and other local towns on top of getting the prisoners out.

Karst himself usually played a part in getting people out of Meridian thanks to his status as a known quantity. Sure, he'd been investigated. All merchants who came and went were, but he was meticulous about never keeping anything incriminating on him unless he had no other choice. In fact, that was why he was getting ready to leave.

Someone had managed to get in contact with the network, asking for a way to smuggle a person out of the city. Naturally, they'd investigated as best they could. To make sure that it wasn't a trick by the guards. They'd tried that already and nearly gotten a few of the network's members killed. Once they'd determined the request to be legitimate, they'd arranged a meeting.

All Karst knew was that the person he'd be smuggling out would be dressed like a noblewoman. Whether or not she was an escaped slave, a runaway noble, or something else wasn't his concern. Getting people who were in trouble with the Carja out of the city was his job. At least, that's what they wanted people to believe. Nobody could know he wasn't just a sympathetic Carja helping where he could.

They'd been given only a cursory description of him too. Just to look for the merchant whose tarp had a blue border. That was all. Every wandering merchant had a cart they pushed along, usually covered with a tarp or cloth of some kind. They all had different designs and although Karst was not the only one whose tarp had a decorated border, his was the only blue one.

He'd been in the market square hawking his wares for a few hours when he spotted what might be the people he was looking for. A group of nobles coming from deeper into the city. He wasn't sure which was his target though. Careful not to attract attention, he simply behaved as all the other merchants did. A few noblemen and women passed him by. A few even bought things. The group had been there for nearly half an hour when something finally happened.

"That's a very interesting design." A noblewoman said. She and another, both fully decked out in draped cloths and face paint were walking towards him. The one who'd spoke was looking directly at his tarp.

Her voice didn't sound… right. Not like a noble. Nor, now that he took a good look, did she fit the usual description. She was taller, wider of shoulder, and held herself rather uncomfortably in the silken robes of the Carja. Nor did the woman next to her. She looked… well, not like a woman now that he looked at her.

"Thank you, my lady." Karst bowed. "It was a gift from my sister. She's quite good with her hands, as you can see." The two perused his stand for a while, pretending to shop. Karst could see them looking around, nervously. When they appeared certain they would not be overheard, the quiet one spoke.

"Are you the smuggler we were told to meet?" The manly voice asked. Now Karst understood why 'she' was so off putting. If only he knew which of them he was supposed to smuggle out.

"Of course, my lady." Karst nodded, speaking at a normal volume. "I'll be leaving the city this afternoon, but I will be certain to see if I can accommodate your request when I next return." Leaning over, he started fussing with his materials as though packing up to leave. "Whichever of you is coming with me, slip into the alleyway behind me while the guards aren't looking." He whispered.

The manly one put a hand on the arm of the wide-shouldered one. "Go," they whispered. "Be safe."

"Wait." The woman grabbed the other's arm. "What about you, Av…"

"Go." The other cut her off. "I will be back where I should be before anyone realizes I am gone. I'll do my best to keep your disappearance quiet for as long as I can, but you need to go. Now."

The woman nodded, giving his arm a squeeze before looking around and slipping into the dark behind Karst. Giving a nod to the other 'noblewoman,' Karst looked around, as though searching for his next customer. Moving as though he was getting more out of the cart, he dropped a package at the feet of the woman hiding in the alley.

"Put that on and get the makeup off." He whispered, hurriedly. "The dark will keep you covered, but it'll look suspicious if I'm seen leaving with a noblewoman. Once you're done, leave the alley and circle back around into the market. Approach me again and greet me like a friend. My name is Merav, yours is Rahsi."
"Thank you." She whispered back, grabbing the bundle.

Karst continued to look busy for a while longer before he began packing up to leave. His wares were almost gone, but not fully so it wasn't abnormal for him to be packing up. He continued his work until a slightly buff woman in common Carja clothes approached him.

"Merav! There you are!" She shouted. He recognized the voice as belonging to the 'noblewoman' he was escorting out of the city.

"Rahsi!" 'Merav' greeted her back. "I was wondering when you were going to show up! I've been here for hours."

"I know, I'm sorry." She replied, playing along. "I got held up. You know how my father is."

"True, true." He nodded, laughing. "Well, we should get moving. Moli's been dying to see you, and she'll not forgive me for dawdling now that you're here."

Getting behind the bar of his cart, Karst began to push with the false Carja woman walking alongside him. They continued to engage in generic friendly conversation for a while till they were out of earshot of the square.

"Once we approach the gate, I'll present them with our paperwork." Karst told her in a low voice. "Our cover is that you and my sister are old friends. She recently got married, and you're coming with me to visit her in Lone Light."

"Understood." She nodded. It was difficult to tell what tribe she was from. Could be Oseram or Carja. Oseram if he had to guess. Most Banuk wouldn't be able to play along like this, nor would Tenakth or Utaru and she seemed uncomfortable in Carja clothes, so he was guessing Oseram.

Together, they moved through the city until they finally reached the eastern gate. Pushing his cart into line, the two waited for their turn to go through inspections, making light and pointless conversation as they did so. When at last it was their turn, Karst pushed his way forward and handed the guards his documentation.

"Merav, right?" The guard asked, looking at him. "Didn't you just enter the city a few days ago?" Ah, he must have been on duty when Karst arrived in Meridian.

"I did indeed!" The Seeker nodded. "I'm a bit of a wandering merchant, you see. Never stay in one place long, unless I'm visiting family of course. I used to travel the route between Meridian and Daytower before that incident with the eastern savages. Keep the soldiers all stocked up with wine and other essentials, you know? Now I don't go further east than Morning's Watch."

"Yeah?" He peered at Karst's companion. "You were alone when you came through, weren't you?"

"Ah! How rude of me." The false merchant apologized. "This is Rahsi, a dear friend of the family." He gestured to the woman.

"Hello." 'Rahsi' waved.

"Hm. Where're you headed?" The guard handed the documents back. Taking them, Karst carefully placed them inside his bag.

"Lone Light." He replied. "My sister recently got married to a quite nice young man named Barkan. They've taken up residence in the village." In truth, Sokana and her mate, Bron, were both Seekers posing as merchants living in the village. That way they could continue to serve and still got to experience some semblance of domestic life. They'd only been joined a few months ago during a ceremony in Mother's Song. Plus, it gave the added benefit that if anyone checked the story about his 'sister', it would appear to be true!

"I wasn't able to attend the wedding," his companion spoke up, improvising, "so I thought I'd accompany Merav on his way there. I haven't seen her in nearly a year."

"I see." The guard nodded. "Well, head on through. Travel safe and keep an eye out for machines."

"Thank you, my good sir!" Karst replied with a smile, pushing his cart out of the gate and beyond the city of Meridian. "May the sun warm your path!"

Aloy

BOOM

Aloy coughed, waving the acrid smoke out of her eyes. On the floor in front of her was the remnants of her workbench, one of their chairs, and the prototype bomb she'd been working on. The walls of her hut were a little scorched, and there was a nasty smell in the air.

"Shit." The fifteen-year-old cursed. "Papa's not gonna be happy about this." Looking around the hut, it was completely filled with half finished projects, broken tools, and more than a few burns or stains from where various experiments had gone badly.

"Aloy!" Her father roared, charging into the hut. "Are you alright?" Was the first question.

"I'm fine," Aloy coughed. "It was an accident."

Her father looked around the hut with dismay. Walking forward, he put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you're alright, but this can't continue. That's the third time you've destroyed part of our hut in the last four moons. I know you enjoy your experiments, but you can't keep doing them here. The hut won't survive it and frankly, our neighbors have started to complain.

Aloy looked down, dejectedly. She knew he was right, of course. It wasn't that she tried to blow things up either! Well, she did, but only when working with bombs! Most of her projects didn't explode at all. Only when she worked with more volatile materials. It didn't help that she grew up in a tribe at war. She was self-aware enough to know that doing nothing but develop weapons with her engineering skills wasn't exactly a good thing, so she did try and diversify. Invent or reinvent things that were meant for home use. Like Teersa's rocking chair or the water pumps they were now using to irrigate the farmlands inside the Embrace.

"I know." She said, kicking the ground. "I just don't have anywhere else to work on my projects."

"Well, you're going to have to find somewhere to work on them safely, Aloy." Her father replied, letting go of her shoulder. "The Embrace is a safe haven and you're skilled enough to wander alone. Perhaps you can find somewhere to work out there? That way I won't have to hear High-Matriarch Lansra complain about you trying to burn down the village again."

"I was working with water!" Aloy protested, offended. To clarify, she hadn't burned down the village, the High-Matriarch only accused her of TRYING to. "What was it about water pumps and an irrigation system that could possibly have made her think I was going to burn things down?!"

Her father sighed. "She thought you were… figuring out a way to put out the fires because you might accidentally set the village ablaze…"

"That…" Aloy trailed off. "Okay, that is something I would do, and it's really not the worst idea in the world, but I'm still offended!" She huffed.

"I know." Her father chuckled. "Just… figure something out, alright? No more experiments in the hut and preferably not in the village, okay?"

"Alright." Aloy sighed, flopping down onto her slightly soot-covered bed as her father left the hut. "GAIA?" She asked, connecting to the Focus and knowing that she was listening. "I don't suppose you have any ideas?"

"Actually, little one, I believe I do." The voice replied. As the redheaded teenager listened to the disembodied voice, a huge grin began to split her face in two.

"GAIA," Aloy said, "you're the best." Rising, she bolted out of the hut. "I gotta go find Granny!"

Karst

Once Karst and his companion were well out past Meridian, they were finally able to relax. The road was empty, and they were alone so there was no point in keeping up the pretense.

"So?" Karst asked, still pushing his cart along. "What tribe do you belong to? My guess is Oseram. I suppose you could be Carja, but it's unlikely. Either way, I do need to know for sure if I'm supposed to help you get home."

"Oseram." She nodded at him. Looking at her, she had pale skin, relatively attractive features, a strong build, and medium-length brown hair. "The name's Ersa and, if I'm right, you're not Carja either. Or, if you are, then 'Merav,' isn't your real name.

Karst's eyes went wide in surprise. "What would make you think that?" He asked.

"Because I recognize you." She replied. "It took me a while to figure it out, but you felt really familiar. We met years ago, before the raids started. You and a bunch of others came to my village. I'm almost certain 'Merav' isn't the name you were using then."

Well… he didn't know how to take that. It was true he'd used a few different names over the years posing as either Carja or Banuk before settling on his current disguise. He just hadn't expected anyone to remember him. He certainly didn't remember her.

"You're… not wrong." Karst admitted. "But I think it best that I say no more. If anything like that got out, it would put me and everyone I know in danger."

Ersa snorted and punched his shoulder. "Don't get yourself all twisted about it. I'm not gonna say anything, especially not to any Carja. Most of them are the enemy, right?"

"True enough." The Seeker nodded.

"I just… want to say thank you." Ersa said, quietly. "If it weren't for your people and… well, my friend back in Meridian, I would still be a slave in the palace. For a while there, I really didn't think I'd make it out, let alone be headed home."

"I understand." Karst replied, solemnly. "That's why we do this. The mad Sun King and his soldiers are taking people from their homes. Torturing and murdering them in the most horrific ways. If we could free them all or end the war, I would jump at the chance. The problem is, we can't. We just don't have the numbers for it."

"What if you did?" Ersa asked. "What if the Oseram managed to push the Carja out of The Claim? Would your network be able to help us against the Carja?"

Karst watched her. There was a determined look in the woman's eyes. If she was serious, then it presented an opportunity. Still, it remained to be seen. The Oseram were putting up a good fight, but so far, they couldn't keep the Carja out, let alone push into the Sundom.

"If you manage it, I think we can help." Karst replied. "Either way, we can funnel you information that might help in the war. We're already doing that with the Banuk. A few members of the network get information to the Banuk Weraks when they can." He glanced at her. "We'll rendezvous with a contact of mine that goes by the name Zomin in a few days." That was Torst's cover name. Another Seeker. "Talk to him more about the logistics of getting word to the network. He typically handles things on the northern border."

"Thank you." Ersa replied, smiling at him. "We'll take any help we can get."

Aloy

"Is it just me, or does this place feel smaller?" Aloy asked, looking around.

"Well, we were six the last time we were here, Aloy. We're quite a bit taller now than we were then." Vala replied, walking beside her.

They, for the first time in nine years, were standing within the bunker where they'd first found the Focuses. GAIA, the ever-helpful disembodied voice they'd also met in this bunker, suggested that Aloy use the old facility as a lab or workshop. Of course, Aloy thought it was a brilliant idea and was quick to beg her father and Granny Teersa to agree. It took them a few days, but they'd eventually given her permission to use it.

The Seekers who'd initially gone through the place were quite thorough, and the environmental controls that Aloy restored were still functional, so the place looked considerably cleaner than it had the last time. No longer covered in ice, water, or plant life and the Seekers had removed most of the rocky growths in their attempt to recover the bodies of the faithful who'd been entombed here for so long. It wasn't exactly clean, but it was serviceable.

The two girls, plus Varl and Aloy's father, were in the process of moving all her equipment into the bunker along with new workbenches, tools, and other things. At the moment, Varl and her father were outside, having trekked back up the wooden stairs to the entrance so that they could bring down the materials she needed to build new shelving and other such things while Aloy and Vala examined the various rooms. The stairs themselves had been built by the Seekers during the initial excavation.

"Woah," Aloy whispered, stepping through a door. "Vala look!" She pointed. "Isn't this the room where we found my Focus?"

"Yeah, I think it is." Vala agreed, stepping down into the room. A few desks with glitching panels filled the room along with other machinery. One in particular was large and circular, with what looked like a bed attached to it. "GAIA," Vala asked, "what was this machine for?"

"That is a medical scanner, Vala." GAIA replied. "If it can be repaired, it would be of great help to your medical studies. This room was once the infirmary, so most of the tools here were used to keep the staff healthy."

"Mine!" Vala shouted, whipping towards Aloy so fast it startled her. "This room is mine!"

"Okay, okay!" Aloy laughed at the wide-eyed expression of excitement on her friend's face. Vala looked about the same way she did when GAIA first proposed the idea. "It's all yours. We're gonna turn this place into our own private hideout. We can both study here. I can do my experiments, and we can just… hide away from everybody for a while."

As much as she loved living in Mother's Heart, there was a part of Aloy that longed to have time to herself. A bit of privacy away from the others. This place was perfect for that.

"You will have to do extensive repairs before any of the machinery can become operational." GAIA told them, "But I believe you possess the technical knowledge to conduct most of the repairs. Though, you have never worked on anything quite this complicated. You'll have to be very careful, and I will guide you through the process, but I believe we should be able to have the facility fully functional in a few weeks. Then we can think about repairing individual systems and machines."

"Sounds good to me, GAIA." Aloy grinned excitedly, walking back through the facility. There were office spaces, lounge areas, workstations, living quarters, and so much more! She supposed it needed to be designed as a living space if the people who'd once worked here were going to stay underground for a long time. "We can start with the geothermal generator, right? I remember you saying something about it when I fixed the environmental controls."

"Yes." GAIA replied. "The generator is currently operating at minimal capacity. It will need to be repaired before anything else can be done. If any parts need replacing, it should be possible to fashion them using spare parts collected from local machines. Though, you may need to see about getting materials from a few larger machines like Shellwalkers. They are more complex, but we may need their parts. I will not know until you take a closer look at the generator itself."

"I'll start on that first, then." Aloy replied, bounding up a set of stairs. "Honestly, fixing this place up will be better than any of my other projects." She giggled, giddily. She'd always been curious about this place, ever since she and Vala found it nearly ten years ago. Now it was hers! She and Vala could come here whenever they wanted, and she got to spend her free time fixing this place up! She'd jump for joy if she hadn't done it several times already today!

Coming to the top, she approached the stairs, where she could hear her father or Varl navigating a crate down from the entrance. She had no clue where the original entrance to the bunker was, but the Seekers who'd performed the excavation used the hole she and Vala first escaped out of as the primary entrance.

They'd put in stairs leading down into the facility, as well as putting up markers on the ground above the entrance. Running up, she grabbed hold of the box Varl was fighting with. The redheaded engineer was eager to get everything inside and organized so that she could start fixing up the bunker and making it her own.

"Vala found a medical scanner." Aloy told Varl as she helped him. "It was used by the doctor that used to live down here. I think she's basically claimed that whole side of the facility for herself."

"Heh. That sounds like her." Varl laughed. He'd told her and Vala about his decision not to become a Seeker until they did. She'd been surprised, but Aloy did appreciate it. Instead, he'd been assigned to the wall of the Embrace until he was more used to being a full Brave.

"Aloy!" Her father shouted angrily from up top. "Why is this box labeled 'Explody-bits?!"

"Oops!" Aloy winced, running for the stairs. He wasn't supposed to see that! "Don't touch it! I'll bring it down myself! Papa!"

A/N: There we go! What did you think?? We got to meet Ersa and the bunker is open!! Aloy and Vala now have a lab! I wanted to do it that way because I loved the idea of Aloy having a place like the facility in FW while she was a kid. A place where she can just tinker and stuff to her heart’s content!

Idea time!! If you had to designate new Alphas, who would they be and for what sub-function/concept. I’ll post my ideas, but I’d love to hear yours!

GAIA (Alpha Prime): Aloy

Poseidon (Water): Seyka

Aether (Air): Kotallo

Artemis (Fauna): Vala

Demeter (Flora): Zo

Hades (Change/Death): Sylens

Hephaestus (Machines): Erend

Apollo (Knowledge): Beta

Eleuthia (Rebirth): Alva

Minerva (Communication): Varl

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Agusfedredhunter: The Nora are slow to embrace huge change, so they’re unlikely to let the average person enter the ruins for a while yet. They’re definitely going to be more helpful towards Aloy and her mission though! They’re developing as a society, but I don’t want them to lose their culture, you know?

On AO3

Pepergirl001: Thank you so much!! I hope you enjoy this chapter too!

St0ryt3113r: Thank you! I did consider it, but I’ve done a few too many of those moments so far. Wanted to be a bit more chill since I’m time skipping around.

Ryanlarsen84: I’m glad you liked it!! I enjoy writing about Bast getting humiliated. It’s fun to revisit these annoying characters from the early game and occasionally give them a kick in the pants. I’ve already managed to do Lansra, Resh, and now Bast. It’s a good feeling.

Chapter Text

A/N: Surprise third chapter! It's a little short but VERY important so read closely! I'd been hoping to finish this chapter today, but I didn't want to promise anything.

I really look forward to hearing about your opinions on this chapter! Don't forget to leave a comment or a review!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 22

3037

Vala

"Alright. You ready?" Vala asked, looking at her friend. Aloy, the redheaded menace, was standing with her at the base of a brave trail, waiting to field test her newest invention. The very same trail where she'd set a new record only a couple years ago.

"I'm ready." Aloy nodded, jumping up and down a few times and shaking out her shoulders. "GAIA? You ready to time me?"

"Of course, Aloy. I am ready to begin when you are." The voice answered.

Ever since they'd taken over the old bunker, Aloy had become much more careful about her experiments. Mostly because she didn't want to damage their new facility was Vala's guess. The engineer had spent far too long working to get the place up and running to destroy it by being careless. She was also being far more careful about her own body and testing things that might get her killed or injured. Vala had a feeling that there were two reasons for this.

First was that with them both having turned 16, they were only three years away from running in the Proving. Thus, their training was of the utmost importance. Aloy couldn't afford to be laid up for months recovering from a broken bone because she was careless. The second reason was that she'd learned a great deal more about anatomy and the fragility of the human body while helping Vala test the repaired medical equipment inside the old facility.

Vala loved her new lab. She'd learned more about the human body in the four months the equipment had been active than in the three years before that! She'd even gotten to do a full scan of Teb to see exactly what was going on inside his lungs! Sure, she couldn't cure his asthma, but she could at least explain it better and show him what was going on. She'd even used it to save a life already!

A young Brave from Mother's Watch got hurt fighting against a Scrapper. The feline machine had developed the ability to shoot out energy bursts a couple years ago thanks to The Derangement. Those bursts could easily send a person flying. The poor Brave, a boy named Mos, got sent flying into a boulder during the fight. He'd wound up with several broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Since they were so close to the facility and Vala's skills as a healer were well known by most of the tribe by then, they'd chosen to bring the injured Brave to her. She'd had to work fast and in a bit of a panic, but thanks to her new tools and a little surgery she'd been able to reinflate and repair the lung in time to save his life. Then she just had to set the ribs and bind his chest. She'd put the Brave on bedrest for a month and light duty until he felt back to normal, but so far it seemed like he'd make a full recovery.

The effort increased her own fame amongst the tribe quite significantly. Aloy was well known within the tribe for a myriad of reasons. The last descendant of the Alpha's, blood of the All-Mother's chosen, being the only one with a second name, the inventions that'd revolutionized the tribe's way of life, even her unique red hair! Vala's only claim to any importance for years was being Aloy's friend and Sona's daughter. She'd admit to feeling a little jealous and inadequate for a few years. That was, until she started practicing medicine.

Vala had developed a deep fascination with the subject, far beyond just keeping Aloy alive. She liked being a doctor. Liked studying anatomy and saving lives just as much as she enjoyed hunting machines and running the brave trails. The fact that she was so good at it skyrocketed her to being nearly on the same status as Aloy, thoroughly destroying any feelings of inadequacy she might have been harboring. She'd even taught the other healers in the village everything she could. It was at the point now where injuries that might have been crippling or life threatening a few years ago were completely treatable by any healer within the Embrace and quite a few beyond it. Specifically, the ones on the front lines.

Still, she thought with a smile, her primary goal would always be to keep her honorary sister alive. That was why she'd started studying medicine in the first place, and it was why she made damn sure Aloy never tested her inventions alone. Just in case.

"Okay, here we go." Aloy shook herself out one last time before bracing herself.

"Ready?" Vala asked. "Now!"

The redhead took off, bounding up the slope. Near the top, rather than start climbing, she jumped and held out her new invention. A rope shot from the device, flying up the cliff. Around halfway up, the hook on the end clanked against one of the hand holds, grabbing firmly onto it. The rope went tight for a brief second before it began dragging Aloy up the cliff.

"Woo!" She shouted in glee. "It's working!" As she neared the top, she used the momentum to throw herself even further up the cliff, just barely getting her hands over the top. From there, she kept on going, using the device whenever the opportunity arose.

Vala dashed away down the road, following the redhead with her eyes as the girl continued to scale the brave trail faster than ever before. The 'Pullcaster,' as she called the invention, was basically a grappling hook. She'd gotten the idea from one of the old media files. Batman or something like that. Vala had only seen the clip she was talking about and hadn't watched the full file. Not really her kind of media. She preferred the medical shows that'd survived. She just wished they were intact and focused more on medicine than drama.

They'd been careful to test it on ground level many times before trying to scale anything of significant height. Running the trail with it was the final test before Aloy could declare if the creation was properly finished or not. It certainly looked like it worked.

Aloy was scaling the cliff far faster than she'd done it before thanks to the device. It was designed to hook onto anything it could before rapidly winding itself back up. The winding mechanism was attached to Aloy's belt so when it wound itself back up, the rope would pull her along to wherever the hook had landed.

Vala only just reached the base of the trail in time to see Aloy leap down the zipline at the top. A scant few seconds later and the redhead was repelling down the side of the cliff. After that, it was a short run down the slope to the road.

"What's my time?" Aloy asked, breathlessly.

"Six minutes and thirty-two seconds." GAIA replied. Vala grinned, beaming at Aloy. Well over a minute faster than her old record!

"Yes!" Aloy cheered, holding her hands up to the sky. "It works! Not a single problem the whole time, and it makes getting up the cliff so much faster!"

"Good job, Aloy." Vala grinned, hugging her friend. "Are you hurt? Anything go wrong?"

"Nah." The redhead waved her away, turning to trek back up the hill. "I think I got a few scrapes when I bumped into the cliff wall a few times, but it's nothing major." She looked down at herself, brushing off a bit of dust.

Once they reached the top of the hill, Aloy grabbed hold of her line and shook it to jimmy the hook loose. Nora rappel ropes and hooks were designed to come off when swung a certain way from the bottom of the rope. That way, they never lost it. Usually, if they were moving quickly, then you'd have to leave your rope behind, but Aloy was working on a design that would detach once the user hit the ground. Hopefully, it wouldn't have a tendency to explode like most of her prototypes.

Soon enough, they were all packed up and making the trek across the Sacred Lands back to the bunker. Vala had a few tests she wanted to run and Aloy was clearly bursting to start building Pullcasters for her, Varl, Uncle Rost, and probably even Vala's mother. The dark-skinned girl could only grin as the redhead happily ran ahead of her, using the Pullcaster to yank herself up into trees before leaping back down.

Eventually, Aloy was quite far ahead of her. Initially, she'd intended to run faster and catch up, but a nearby noise caught her attention. A low whine, like that of a wounded animal coming from a nearby bush. Crouching low, Vala pulled her spear from her back and approached the bushes.

Using the tip to push the branches aside, the young Nora gasped. There, hiding amongst the bushes and clearly injured, was a baby fox. The tiny canine whined, pushing away from her as best it could and deeper into the bush.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Vala whispered, dropping her spear to the side. She'd always loved animals. Before taking up medicine, the subject she'd loved most was learning about the animals of the old world. "Hello, little one." Hesitantly, she reached out a hand towards the fox, using the other to push away the brush. "What happened to your paw?"

The tiny kit hesitantly sniffed at her fingers. While it did, she took a closer look at the injury. It looked like a bite of some kind. Probably from another fox. The small canines could get very territorial when they wanted.

"Oh, you poor thing." She whispered, trying to keep the fox calm while she maneuvered her hands. Foxes were not amongst the dietary staple of the Nora. They typically kept to turkey, boars, and rabbits. No, foxes were usually kept around to help with pest control, so she was sort of used to handling them.

"Did you lose your mama?" Gently, Vala picked up the kit, who whined in fear. "Oh, don't worry." she said, soothingly. "I just want to get you all better. I'll fix your paw right up baby…" she took a brief glance, "girl."

Standing, she put her spear back where it belonged before tapping her Focus. "Aloy?" She called, "can you come back? I need a hand."

"Whoops!" her voice came through the call. "Didn't realize I'd gotten so far ahead. I'll be right there! Something wrong?"

"I might have made a friend." Vala replied, looking down at the tiny animal.

She moved towards a nearby boulder and sat down, still cradling the animal. Taking a closer look, it appeared that her paw was bitten by a much larger animal. Definitely an adult fox if she had to guess. After a few minutes, the fox finally calmed down enough to let her really examine it.

"Oh, he's so cute!" Aloy whispered once she'd returned. The redhead kneeled down in front of her, holding a finger out to the baby.

"She." Vala corrected her. "Can you help hold her? I don't want her to run away while I bandage her paw.

"No problem." Aloy replied with a smile. "Come here, you."

Gingerly, the redhead took the fox. Vala was rather amused to realize that the baby was almost the same shade of red orange as Aloy's hair. With her hands free, the young doctor was able to get out bandages and other supplies. Within just a few minutes, she'd gotten the poor animal patched up. It wasn't perfect, but at least she wasn't bleeding openly anymore.

"Are you gonna keep her?" Aloy asked while she worked. "You've always wanted a pet."

"Foxes aren't really pets, though." Vala argued, knowing that her friend was right. "They can't be domesticated."

"Sure, they can." Aloy rebutted. "You just need to change your definition of domestication! I mean, we can't keep her inside all the time like dogs and cats in the old media files, but that doesn't mean you can't keep her. She just needs wide open spaces to roam." The redhead looked around them. "We literally live in a wide-open space. She'd have plenty of space to roam during the day and a safe place to sleep at night."

"That's… a really good point, actually." She did want a pet. She'd always wanted one, but never really worked up the nerve to ask. Rabbits were food, so having a pet rabbit was out of the question. Same with turkey and boars. Raccoons were a no, and rats were definitely out so a fox really was her best bet if she wanted an animal companion. "I'll think about it." She said. "Either way, she's coming with us until her paw is all healed."

"Yes!" Aloy grinned, shoving the fox back into Vala's arms. "Come on! Let's get back to the bunker!"

"She can be a real handful." Vala sighed, looking down at the kit. "Why do I have the feeling that you'll be just as difficult and I'm going to wind up loving you for it anyway?" The tiny fox just yawned and burrowed into her arms. Soon enough, it was snoring away while the young doctor trekked her way across the Embrace.

Aloy

Aloy hummed happily to herself as she puttered around her lab, collecting the materials she needed to build more Pullcasters. She'd work up a real blueprint to present to the other weapon makers later, but there were a few she wanted to make personally before that happened. She was still so giddy over the success of her test! Vala was off in her own section of the lab, taking care of her new pet fox. They'd have to brainstorm names later, but for now her friend was focused on getting the tiny animal healthy again.

The idea for the Pullcaster, or grappling hook, came from a series of old vids she'd watched in the media files. Most of them were incomplete, but they showcased the animated adventures of a bunch of 'superheroes.' They were purely for entertainment, but the physics behind the grappling hook that the guy in the bat costume used was sound. So, of course, Aloy had to try building one!

She'd started with a Ropecaster and just sort of… made it go backwards. The principle was sound. The Ropecaster had a long, coiled rope attached to a barb or a hook, and when the trigger was pulled, it shot out the hook and rope to grapple onto machines. The hard part was making it reel back in again. The first design was huge and bulky and had to be wound back up manually. Totally useless, in Aloy's opinion. Well, it was useless for what she wanted, but there were plenty of applications it could have in other things, so she'd handed the designs off to a few of the other crafty people in the tribe and let them run with it.

The answer to her problem came from a pack of Scrappers, actually. The machines used a pair of grinding jaws to break up metal from dead machines or to break up rocks and other things. She hadn't personally killed them, but did get the opportunity to study the corpses of a few scrappers that'd been killed near Mother's Watch after the incident with Mos where Vala saved the poor guy's life.

The grinders used an automated rotor mechanism to spin at high speeds. Using that as a blueprint along with a few parts looted from the Scrappers themselves, and suddenly she had a fully functional automated rotor. It was far from perfect, but it was a start!

Once she'd figured out a solution to making the cable automatically reel back in, she'd had to test different rope types. Eventually, she'd settled on a kind of coiled metal rope that could be found inside some machine cables. A single strider usually had enough, but it was tricky to kill it without damaging too much of the cable. If it was broken and too short, there was no way she could fix the cable and still have it fit inside the finished design.

Version 2 had been much smaller and attached to her wrist. That was fun, but it was just too powerful. On the first test, she'd used it to scale a tree and wound up dislocating her shoulder from the force of the pull. Having Vala push it back in was an experience she did NOT want to repeat.

"Woo!" She whooped, hopping up a set of stairs and prancing across to her workbench.

"You did very well, Aloy." GAIA's voice chimed in over the Focus. "You've taken to engineering so well, and your passion for knowledge reminds me of Elisabet so much. I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks, GAIA." Aloy replied, stopping for a moment. There it was again.

Over the past few months… years maybe, something had started to bother her. Just a thought in the back of her head. One she was too afraid to voice, even to Vala but… she needed to know and there was only one person she could ask.

"GAIA?" She asked, "can I ask you something… personal? A couple questions, really…"

"Of course, little one." The voice replied, like she always did. GAIA was always there for her. Since the day they'd met, the kind voice had been with her. Like a warm blanket on a cold night, safe and comforting. That's why she was so afraid to ask this question. So afraid that what she was about to voice would ruin that relationship. "You can ask me anything. What's wrong?"

"You… you knew Elisabet Sobeck, right?" She asked, hesitantly.

"I did." GAIA replied. "She was a dear friend, as were all the Alphas."

"I… I just…" Aloy hesitated for a moment before blurting out the question. "Are you the All-Mother?"

"I… oh…" GAIA's shocked voice came through the Focus. Aloy closed her eyes, lip quivering a bit as the silence dragged on. "Yes." The voice replied, eventually. "That is the name the Nora choose to call me."

"Why… why didn't you tell me?" She asked, almost silently. "Is it because you're an AI?"

"How did you…"

"I figured it out about a year ago." Aloy admitted. "I was watching a few of the media files, and I came across the concept. After a while, it just sort of clicked. You can connect to technology easily, you've been alive for a really long time if you knew the Alphas, and as far as I know, you don't have a body."

GAIA sighed through the Focus. "Oh, my sweet child. I'm so sorry. Yes. I'm an AI, developed by Elisabet Sobeck and the other Alphas to help in their fight against the Faro Plague."

Aloy sighed, partially in relief and partially out of fear. Her suspicions were confirmed, but that just left her with more questions. She braced herself for further questioning. "Why… um. Why pretend to be a goddess if you're not one?"

"Oh, Aloy." GAIA sounded sad. "I'd hoped you'd be older when you discovered all this. I wanted to tell you myself, but I should have realized you'd figure it out. You've always been such a smart girl. I did not want to play at being a god, but I found I had no choice. I needed help, and the tribe were the only ones who could give it. Though, the Nora aren't technically wrong when they call me the All-Mother… All life that now exists did come from me and I have watched humanity ever since I resurrected the species. Restoring life on earth was my given task once the Faro Plague was dead. It's why Elisabet made me."

"So…" Aloy's head was reeling. She really was the 'All-Mother?' Literally? Sure, she wasn't a goddess, but she'd literally created all existing life? "So, does that mean, you can… make people? How… how does an AI make humans?"

"It is a long and complicated answer, Aloy." GAIA sighed. "I will tell you everything if you wish, but I beg you to wait. The full truth comes with a terrible burden, Aloy. One I desperately wish for you to avoid until you are ready."

"A… a burden?" Aloy asked, confused. "I don't…" She sighed. All the answers were here, right at her fingertips, and yet GAIA wanted her to… wait? Because of some 'burden?' "How long?" she asked, with finality.

"It has always been my intention to tell you after you completed the Proving." GAIA replied. "Once you were considered an adult in the eyes of your tribe, I would tell you. That was the plan."

"So, you were going to tell me?" she asked, seeking confirmation. "You'd always intended to?"

"Yes, dear one." The voice replied. "I've never wanted to keep things from you. I just wanted you to be ready before you learned them."

"Then…" Aloy hesitated, "then I'll wait." It almost hurt to say it, but she meant every word. "I trust you, GAIA. You… you're the closest thing I've ever known to a mother and I… did you know her?" She blurted out the one question that'd always bothered her. Ever since she was little, whenever she asked, nobody would tell her anything about her birth mother. "Rost always told me that the All-Mother brought me to the tribe after my mother died in her service. If you're the All-Mother then that means you knew her and…" Aloy's eyes went wide.

A thought had popped into her head. A revolutionary, terrifying thought. GAIA was an AI tasked with 'restoring humanity.' She was literally, somehow, able to create human beings. Aloy had been given to the tribe by the 'All-Mother.' By GAIA! Was she…

"GAIA?" Aloy asked, her voice quivering and her hands shaking. "Are you… did you… did you make me? Are… are you my mother?" Silence followed the question. A silence that seemed to stretch on into eternity. "GAIA?" A choked sob of fear escaped her throat.
"Yes." The voice whispered. "Yes, Aloy, I… I'm your mother." The redhead broke out into tears, collapsing onto a nearby bench and curling her knees into her chest. "Oh, sweetheart." GAIA's voice spoke, comfortingly in her ear. "I've wanted to tell you for so long. When you first found the Focus and I was finally able to speak to you, it was the first thing I wanted to say! I just… I couldn't. You wouldn't understand, not then. After a while, I just… decided to tell you along with everything else. I… explaining will take a great deal of time, little one."

"Don't." Aloy cut her off, wiping away her tears and fighting back the sobs of shock and joy rocking her body. GAIA was her mother! She'd known her mother all this time and never even knew it! Her… her mother had literally been mothering her nearly all her life and she hadn't connected the dots! "I… I said I'd wait till you thought I was ready, and I will. I just… I needed to know that. I needed to know who my mother was but I… I can wait for the rest. Just answer one last question for me."

"Anything." The voice replied.

"Do… do you love me?" Aloy whispered, almost afraid of the answer.

"Oh, Aloy." Her mother whispered back. "Yes. You are my daughter, and I love you with everything I am. I always have."

"Thank you… Mama." Aloy replied, wiping yet more tears from her face. At least these were happy tears. "I love you too."

A/N: So… that happened! Anybody crying yet? I was really nervous writing this one, so I hope I did it justice! Please let me know your thoughts and ideas!

That's it for the anniversary uploads. I hope you all enjoyed it! I'll be back on the monthly schedule for the next one, so it'll be a bit before that one comes out. Thank you all so much again for the support this fic has gotten. I really appreciate it!

Answers to Questions

On FFN

LunaShadowWolf: Thank you so much! We are getting closer and closer to ZD!

Vmage2: Thank you! I plan to keep this story and Hearthfire moving as long as I can.

Matt22152: Yeah, Avad won't really come into play until later. It was fun to hint at him though. It is my hope to take this story all the way through FW and the third game, whenever that comes out.

ExodiaGeass8910: That's a pretty good idea. I mainly focused on the main cast of the games, but having Karst in there is interesting.

KC0IVQ: The bunker will serve as her 'home base' for now until she gets the control center. I just liked the idea of her having a space like that for herself and felt it was wildly underused in Zero Dawn. Sheild Weaver is a definite yes, so wait for that. She'll get it. No, this is not the last chapter before canon. There are a few more of the raids era and then a bit of in between before we hit the Proving.

On AO3

Ryanlarsen84: Thank you! She's already doing crazy things in there.

Kasanra: Switching Alva and Varl could work. Thank you for the ideas! I did consider Petra, but I don't know about having her join the 'main cast,' you know? I'll think about it!

Storyt3113r: Just a few localized tremors. That's all.

Chiki270: Thank you!

ReviewerDWJ: How about a surprise third? Thank you so much for the reviews. I really appreciate it and I'm so glad you like the chapters!

Ao3Prime: I wish I had the time to write it! That's why I needed to get it out to the people! Somebody needs to write it since I don't have time!

Chapter Text

A/N: I'm back! I'm so sorry about the long absence. The holidays were, frankly, insane and I didn't have much time to write. I also work in the medical industry and unfortunately caught something. I got very sick and needed a lot of time to rest. Still, I'm back and all is good! I'm 100% healthy and things are finally calm again! This is an important chapter too, so I hope you all like it!

Interestingly, the first part of this chapter is one that I wrote as a potential scene idea way back when I was working on chapter 7. I have a few others of those and other little scene ideas that I'm not sure if I'll use. Maybe I'll post them as omakes or something.

Anyway, please leave a comment or review on what you think and again, I am so sorry for the long absence!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 23

3038

Aloy

"I'll always try to reach for the stars." Aloy sang as she moved into the room, music blaring from the speakers in her lab. "To break my chains and fly-y-y, I-i-i, oh no. Followed by the ghosts from the past. Trying to reach me, I'm too fast." She walk-danced up to the workbench, placing the materials she'd been holding next to her bow.

She'd been experimenting with creating a collapsable bow that could be carried more easily while still having the same draw weight and power of her normal weapon. It was easy enough to build a bow that could fold in on itself once the string was removed, but that defeated the purpose. The idea was to have it unfold with the string still attached and therefore be usable in an instant but easier to carry. Plus, the draw weight was less than half of what she wanted. She bent over the bench, reaching out to fiddle with a wound coil of wire when her thoughts were interrupted by a mighty CRASH. Aloy's head jerked up, her hand flying to her focus.

With the music stopped she whirled around, long red hair flying and marched towards the lounge area of the underground facility. "Taka!" She shouted. "That better not have been you!" The seventeen-year-old huntress stormed into the room to see a collection of miscellaneous items strewn across the floor and an adolescent fox scampering down off of a counter.

"Ugh." Aloy groaned. She put her hands on her hips and stared at the mischievous animal. "Look, I agreed to watch you for Vala while she's gone, but that doesn't mean you can destroy the bunker!" Taka, the fox, just cocked its head at her before scurrying away to explore further. Aloy sighed, one hand flying up to smack against her forehead.

"Get back here, you stupid fox!" she shouted, chasing after the animal. Diving over one of the couches she'd built with her father, she just barely missed getting her hands around the animal. Landing hard on the metal floor, thankfully softened by mats woven of a mixture of plant fibers and stitched furs, Aloy chose to just lay there for a moment in a silent gesture of frustration and resignation while the red-furred animal scampered away.

"Aloy, dear?"

"Yes, mom?"

"You missed."

Aloy sighed, thudding her head into the carpet. Face down, she briefly inhaled the scent of dried leaves and fur that still clung to the carpet despite having been in the underground bunker for nearly a year. Pushing herself up, she stalked after the fox.

"Where did that little monster go?" She muttered under her breath.

"She's headed towards Vala's lab." Her mother's disembodied voice replied. Her mother, GAIA, had total control of the bunker's sensor systems so it was literally impossible for anything to move around inside it without her knowledge. Aloy nodded and moved through a doorway, headed after Vala's annoyingly cute pet.

The bunker had been changed rather wildly over the two years since she and Vala had taken ownership of it. The whole facility was now open, for one. Most of it was made up of workshops, storerooms, and other such things but the living areas had all been refurbished and made… well, livable again. The furniture that could be cleared of ice and stone buildup had been cleaned and refurbished as best they could. What couldn't be salvaged was used as spare parts or scrap and replaced with items crafted in the Nora style. All in all, it was a rather comfy place. Aloy and Vala both had taken to spending the night in the bunker on more than one occasion since its proximity to a few prime brave trails and hunting spots made it a wonderful staging ground for their training.

The decorations were all in the Nora style of course, but there were a few elements of Oseram, Utaru, and even old-world design in the mix thanks to the influence of the refugees in Mother's Song and the media files provided by GAIA.

Speaking of her mother, Aloy's relationship with the AI that had created her had only become stronger in the year since she'd discovered that GAIA was her mother. Of course, she couldn't exactly start calling GAIA 'mom' or 'mama' whenever she wanted. That would cause a lot of questions if anyone overheard her. No. She only ever referred to GAIA by her familial title when they were alone or in the presence of Vala or her father.

Those two were the only ones she'd told about that particular revelation and even her father didn't know about GAIA being an AI. That was a topic she refused to ever bring up with him. Her father's faith was too important to him and the revelation that his goddess wasn't actually a goddess and just a highly advanced computer program would break him. Aloy refused to do that to her father. Though, she was not above a bit of subtle misdirection.

In getting to know more about her mother, she'd been fascinated to learn that Elisabet Sobeck, GAIA's creator, had named her after an ancient goddess once thought to be the embodiment of the very earth itself. This had led her down the rabbit hole as it were, researching what she could about the faiths of the old ones. There wasn't much in what she had access to but in doing so, she stumbled across a few files pertaining to the natives of the region once known as North America. A region she herself called home.

What she could find showcased a culture with a few interesting similarities to that of the Nora, but what'd drawn her attention were references to an 'Earth Mother.' The idea that the earth itself was a divine, nurturing being that gave life and watched over humanity. A concept that was apparently embraced by quite a few cultures in the distant past. While she had always been a bit skeptical about the existence of the divine, she'd found the concept of 'mother earth' to be an elegant one. One she could believe in, absent the divine aspect. The Nora ideal of living in harmony with and caring for the land combined with all GAIA's stories about Elisabet's passion for healing the planet meant Aloy possessed a deep, powerful respect and even love for nature. A feeling that drove her to be as conscious of the environment as possible when perfecting the inventions she used to benefit the tribe. If what she created had the potential to cause irreparable harm to nature, she refused to allow it to be used until those flaws were fixed.

After concluding her research, she'd even shared her findings with her father, Teersa, and the other High-Matriarchs. The idea being to show them proof, beyond the word of GAIA, that at least some of the old ones had respected nature. The High-Matriarchs had been ecstatic at what they took as more proof of a select few old ones worshipping the All-Mother and eagerly shared this revelation with other Matriarchs and members of the tribe. It wasn't totally widespread yet, but the young redhead had heard a few Nora begin to use 'All-Mother' and 'Mother of Earth' almost interchangeably.

Stepping into Vala's medical lab, Aloy spotted her quarry. The little red fox was now curled up on her owner's desk chair, snout tucked beneath her tail. Aloy sighed and walked slowly over to her. Reaching out a hand, the redhead gently petted the fur on the animal's head, giving her a scratch. Taming Taka hadn't been easy, but they were making good progress. Still, Vala was definitely the little animal's favorite person. Though, she'd also taken a surprising shine to Vala's mother, Sona. The animal had a bit of a mischievous streak too, but considering she was a wild animal it was to be expected that she didn't really follow orders well.

"She'll be back soon, Taka." Aloy muttered, still petting the animal. Vala was gone on a weeklong hunting expedition with a group of Braves of the same age. Aloy herself had only just returned from her own excursion the week before. The Brave trainers, after much discussion, decided that their age group was too large for a single trip and instead took them in batches to the hunting grounds just outside the Gate of the Embrace. She wasn't sure whose idea it'd been to have her and Vala go in separate batches, but Aloy knew she didn't like it. She did, however, like that the war had continued to wind down to a point where the Matriarchs, Captains, and War-Chief felt it was safe to hold such a trip, even if they weren't going far from the gates. The vast majority of the Nora were hoping that the growing quiet meant that the Red Raids and the war with the Carja tribe would continue to decline until it simply fizzled out and peace could be declared. Aloy herself chose to be hopeful, but skeptical.

Karst

Karst poked at his campfire with a stick, looking out over the open desert plains of the Sundom. To his left, he could hear the rhythmic stomping of a Tallneck. The one in question wandered its way in a never-ending circle within a kind of rocky enclosure. There was some evidence of the Carja having once built structures around it, but they were long abandoned. To the north, he could just make out a Thunderjaw wandering around in the fading light.

The Thunderjaw was perhaps the single most dangerous machine he'd ever seen or heard of. It towered over nearly every other machine and possessed weapons more powerful than anything even the most demented Oseram could think up. When it first appeared a little over 8 years ago, the Carja were thrown into a panic, leading to an increase in attacks and smaller scale raids for a few months.

Its appearance didn't really affect the Nora much until roughly two years ago when the Cauldron inside the Sacred Lands spat out its first Thunderjaw. So far, only two had ever emerged and both were still alive, having been herded into the long valley between Mother's Tears and the gate to the Sundom at Dawn's Sentinel.

He was too far away for the Thunderjaw to take any notice of him, but it was still a little nerve wracking to watch the colossal machine. Unfortunately, he wasn't the one who chose this little meeting place. Word had come through their information network that someone wanted to speak to 'the leader' of the underground road. The one in charge of the group actively smuggling people out of the Sundom.

Of course, given the state of the Sundom, they'd ensured that this intel and the person behind the request were thoroughly vetted and deemed not to be a Carja spy or a Carja ploy. Given the current state of the Sundom, you could never be too careful. While the Sacred Lands were almost peaceful, save for the smaller raiding parties they regularly rebuffed or hunted down, the situation within the Sundom had taken a turn for the worse.

A scant few months ago, the Mad Sun King had done the unthinkable. His son and heir, Prince Kadaman had reportedly confronted his father, demanding an end to the Red Raids following a full decade of slaughter. King Jiran, now being totally lost to insanity and delusion, had his son executed, causing the second prince, Avad, to flee the city. The next ruler of Meridian and the Sundom killed for daring to ask for peace. Karst had known the Sun King was mad, but to execute his own child? Coming from a culture where execution was never even remotely considered for their worst traitors, the very idea of killing your own child sickened Karst for a myriad of reasons. Not least of which because he was about to become a father himself.

With the blessing of Sial's mother, the council of Utaru established by the refugees, the Matriarchs, and his own family, Karst and Sial had become bonded mates. Joined in a ceremony that honored both the Utaru and Nora traditions, they were both ecstatic. He'd been given leave to return to the Sacred Lands to be with his mate, giving over his semi-permanent position inside Meridian's surrounding lands to his cousin and her mate. He still made his regular trips into the Sundom, but he was slowly making them shorter so that he could reasonably leave the Sundom to be with his mate and their child once he or she was born. Sial was only five moons pregnant at the moment, so he had a little time to get 'Merav's' affairs in order without arousing suspicion.

The Seeker was drawn from his thoughts by the sound of feet stomping on sand getting closer. Looking up, he spotted a large, muscular, but familiar woman stomping towards him in Carja clothing. It was Ersa. The Oseram woman he'd helped smuggle out of the city almost two years ago.

"Ersa." Karst nodded his head in greeting, hiding his surprise that she was the one he was supposed to be meeting with.

"Merav." Ersa grinned, her short dark hair flopping across her forehead as she inclined her head towards him. "Or, whoever you are. Still not sure what your real name is."

"Nor will I tell you." Karst replied with a smirk, gesturing for her to take a seat by the fire. "You may be an enemy of the Carja, but that does not mean my secrets or those of my agents are safe with you. The fewer who know, the better."

"Fair enough." She nodded with a smile, taking a seat next to him. "I won't begrudge you your secrets, but I do hope you'll tell me once the war is won."

Karst raised an eyebrow. "Do you anticipate it to be over soon? With the way things are going inside the Sundom these days, it looks more like the war is only going to get worse."

"You're right." She shrugged. "But that's why this is the perfect time to act. You heard about Prince Avad fleeing the city, right?"

Karst nodded. "Of course. One of my agents helped smuggle him out." He gave her a shrewd look. "He was headed north when last I heard anything of him."

"Sounds about right." The dark-haired woman grinned. "He's with us. We've gathered an army of Carja rebels and Oseram Freebooters. We're getting ready to attack Meridian. To take over and put Avad on the throne so we can stop the war once and for all."

Karst sat back, staring at her. It was certainly an ambitious plan. One he could support too. Avad, just like his deceased brother, had been a vocal supporter of peace. Though, he'd never been foolish enough to confront his father about it like his fallen brother.

"Ambitious." He said after a moment of thought. "Is that why you wanted to meet with members of the network?"

"Exactly." Ersa replied with a nod. "You can get in and out of the city without suspicion so if you were already inside when the army arrives then there's a good chance you might be able to…"

"Open the gates for your army from the inside." Karst cut her off once he understood her plan. He sighed. It was a dangerous plan, but it just might work. After all, hadn't he personally executed a very similar plan during the Nora sack of Daytower? Karst stood, brushing sand off his Carja pants. "Stay here. I need to think." With that, he wandered away from the fire and, once out of earshot and enshrouded by darkness, he tapped his Focus.

Teersa

"The baby is strong." Teersa said, one hand on Sial's growing belly. "The healers say things are going well?"

"Yes, High-Matriarch." The Utaru woman replied, placing her own hand on her stomach. Once Karst and Sial had bonded, she'd been given permission to enter the Embrace to seek care under the best healers of the tribe.

Namely, the ones trained by Vala who also had experience with childbirth. The young prodigy healer herself was avidly following the course of Sial's pregnancy to gain experience with such matters. Of course, they'd also taken the opportunity to invite a group of representatives from the Utaru refugees to Mother's Heart for a conference with the High-Matriarchs. If Karst's plan proved effective, then there was a real chance the war would be over soon.

"If I may ask." Teersa spoke up again, "what are your plans for after the war ends?"

"What do you mean?" The dark-skinned Utaru asked, confused.

"Do you wish to return to Plainsong once it's all over?" The elderly woman asked a little more bluntly.

"Oh." Sial's eyes went wide as she understood the query. Then she looked down, caressing her stomach. "Yes, I would like to go back. To show Karst and our child the lands of my people. The place where I grew up. I would like to escort my mother home, and I dearly hope that my father and brother will still be there to greet us. But I do not think I would stay there forever. If possible, I would like to be an ambassador between my people and yours. You've saved so many of us over the years and many of the refugees, myself included, have come to love our lives in Mother's Song. As much as I miss my homeland, Mother's Song is my true home now. I want to see that connection between our tribes continue."

"As do we." Teersa replied, touched and relieved by her words. "It is the wish of the High-Matriarchs that Mother's Song continue to be a village where all tribes are welcome. A place where Nora, Utaru, Banuk, Oseram, and perhaps even Tenakth or Carja can intermingle well into the future." Sial's eyes were wide.

"But… High-Matriarch. There was so much pushback when you first took us in. The Nora are famous for their isolation. Are you truly willing to invite other tribes to live within the Sacred Lands so easily?"

Teersa let out a small groan of discomfort, her old bones creaking as she leaned back in her chair. "It certainly won't be easy but… well, I'm sure Karst told you of the Goddess? That she spoke to us?"

"Yes, he has." She replied, her face neutral. The Utaru refugees had come to embrace many aspects of Nora culture, but none had converted to the worship of the goddess.

Teersa smiled. "She revealed to us a few secrets that have forced the tribe to reevaluate our position on other tribes. It is why we started to interact with the Banuk and it is why we were willing to accept your people living among us. I don't want the tribe to backslide into our old ways once the war is done. It's time for the Nora to be seen by the world. The Embrace, of course, will remain closed to all but trusted outsiders and the occasional envoy, but it is our hope that Mother's Song and perhaps the other villages beyond the walls will welcome people from other tribes with open arms."

"I see." Sial smiled. "I would like to help with that, High-Matriarch. I would love for my child to grow up in a world where all the tribes can coexist in peace. Even the Carja."

"The scars of this war will be slow to heal." Teersa commented, "but time heals all wounds. We must simply be patient."

Karst

"Move, move, move!" Karst shouted; his face obscured by the Carja soldier's helm he wore. He was shouting orders to real Carja soldiers who were all gathering at the Meridian Gate in preparation for the battle.

Following his conversation with Ersa, and subsequent discussions with the High-Matriarchs, Karst and the other Seekers had agreed to go along with the plans of the Oseram woman and exiled Carja prince. Every single Seeker trained in infiltration joined in the attempt. They were spaced all around the city in points where they could act to sabotage the defense.

The group had, over the last few weeks intercepted, eliminated, and replaced a number of Carja platoons making their way towards the city. Karst himself had replaced a lower ranking officer and now, with the army of Avad and the Oseram quite literally just outside the gates to the city, it was time to act.

"Sir!" Karst gave a salute to the commander of the inner gate as he led his group towards the imposing structure. "I bring reinforcements sent by the palace."

"Excellent." The gruff Carja gate commander replied. "Get them down the bridge and then get back here. I'll need every officer I can get if they get through."

"Sir. My commander ordered me to return to the palace once I'd handed off your reinforcements." The commander growled in annoyance.

"Fine. Get them into position and hand them off to the outer gate commander. Then get your ass back to where you're supposed to be."

"Yes, sir!" Karst saluted again.

Meridian had only one true entrance with two gates. The first gate sat on a high platform and was connected to the inner gate by a long wooden bridge. A bridge which spanned the cavernous drop between the cliff face and the rising spire of the mesa that Meridian sat upon. The inner gate had no true 'gate' in that there was no physical barrier to entry. What it did have was a huge number of murder holes, archery positions, and the very narrow bridge leading up to it that meant any invading force would be under constant fire as they tried to cross the bridge. That is, if they managed to get past the outer gate.

Of course, they could not simply 'open the gate' as it were, like they'd done at Daytower. For one, this attack would be happening in broad daylight. For a second, this wasn't like pushing open a door. The Meridian Gate was in truth a solid metal portcullis that could be raised or lowered by winches housed inside the arch. Winches located directly behind the archery positions inside the walls. Meaning that anyone who tried to open the portcullis during a battle would be doing so while in the presence of a rather large contingent of Carja soldiers who would very likely object to such an action.

Their plan instead was to sabotage the structural integrity of the gate itself so that the Oseram canons could batter it down quickly. They'd already started this process by having two Seekers, Desh and Yorn, infiltrate the standard garrison at the gate well over three weeks ago. The two men were steadily weakening the metal of the gate at strategic points by soaking it in chillwater. By Freezing the metal repeatedly, especially at key structural points, they made it more brittle and easier to break. They had to be careful not to be too obvious, of course, but it was working.

Once he'd handed off the soldiers, Karst made a beeline back to the palace. He'd gotten very lucky and managed to secure a place guarding the palace gate along with Torst and Vorg. Once the Oseram and Carja rebels broke through to the palace itself, the three of them would be able to open the actual palace gate for their allies. It was a normal gate, rather than a portcullis like the one on the Meridian Gate, though one made of interlocking metal poles rather than any kind of solid material.

As he ran, Karst could hear explosions behind him followed by screams. The sounds of Oseram canon fire if he had to guess. Coming up to the inner palace gate, the hidden Seeker looked up to see the Sun King sitting on his throne. The palace of Meridian started just beyond the gate as a central courtyard. Two long staircases extended on either side of the courtyard, curving up towards another courtyard. The throne of the Sun King sat on this upper yard, looking out over the lower yard and the rest of the city. Just behind the upper courtyard lay the physical palace buildings and the living and lounge areas of the king and the royal family.

"The attack has begun." He reported with a grim voice as the other palace soldiers let him in, shutting the gate tight behind him.

"I can see that." The gate commander replied, looking out over the chasm on their left. Karst looked as well, just barely able to make out the edges of Avad's army.

They watched what they could of the battle with trepidation, but it wasn't long before they lost sight of the army. What they could see of it surged forward, towards the gate and then disappeared, which would only mean one thing.

"They've broken through." Karst said, his voice grim but his heart soaring.

"May the glorious sun damn their shadowed souls." One guard spat; the sentiment being echoed by the others.

"Do not worry, children of the sun." A voice said behind them. Karst turned and found himself face to face with a monster.

The Butcher. The Terror of the Sun. Stacker of Corpses. Helis. Kestrel of the Carja stood directly behind him and it was only by the grace of the All-Mother keeping him calm that Karst didn't try to skewer him then and there. "Even if these heathens make it to the palace, we will fight them to the death and emerge victorious."

There was an evil grin on the man's face, made only more gruesome by the burn atop his bald head, the scar on his left cheek and the far more prominent one that led to his eerily empty and scarred eye socket. Tokens of his failed battles with Yore and Rost.

"As you say, Kestrel." The gate commander nodded.

"HELIS!" The voice of the mad king interrupted them all, drawing the attention of the Kestrel. Without acknowledging the rest of them, the monster turned away to answer the call of his insane king. Oddly, he did not return but Karst chose not to question it. They stood there for what felt like hours, listening to the sounds of the battle raging inside the city until at last, they caught a glimpse of a hulking, armored Oseram charging towards the palace bridge. Following behind him were even more Oseram and Carja rebels.

"Hold firm!" The gate commander shouted. Karst had other ideas. Looking over to his left, he saw his two compatriots. Meeting their eyes, they each gave a nod of respect. They knew there was a good chance they would die here, but it was a risk they were willing to take.

Pulling out a vial, Karst poured chillwater directly onto the locking mechanism before standing aside as Torst raised his halberd. With one mighty swing, the Seeker shattered the locking mechanism. Then, as one, Karst and Vorg pulled the gates open.

"What are you doing?!" The gate commander shouted. Other soldiers simply raised their weapons to strike at the seeming traitors in their midst. They never got the chance. The Seekers had timed their move too perfectly.

Before the betrayed Carja could cut them down, the charging Oseram Freebooters and Carja rebels poured through the gate. Karst, Torst, and Vorg each dropped their weapons and made themselves scarce so as not to be confused for true Carja and cut down by their own allies. They watched as the invading army poured into the palace, overwhelming the soldiers and forcing their way up to the inner palace gates. Those were guarded exclusively by Kestrels so there was no way Karst and the Seekers could have sabotaged them. Still, as Karst watched the unmistakable form of Ersa pass by him, joined by who could only be Prince Avad and his Oseram honor guard, he knew the defenders stood no chance.

Meridian had fallen and with luck, the war would truly be over. Once and for all. Turning to his fellow Seekers, he gestured to them and together they retreated from the palace. The High-Matriarchs had not given them permission to reveal their true allegiance. Not until they were sure that this Sun-King was sane and better than the last. A few of their number would stay to observe the change in the city caused by this invasion but the rest would quietly make their way out in the chaos. All with just a single destination in mind. Home. The war was over, and the Seekers were going home.

A/N: Dun Dun! The Red Raids are over! I did consider having Karst stay and actually meet Avad, but it felt better to do it like this. The Nora don't really know if Avad will be different to his father and make peace, so it makes more sense for them to be cautious at the moment. Still, please leave a comment or review with your thoughts and ideas for this chapter!

Oh, there will be a few chapters detailing the peace time before ZD starts but we're getting there soon! If my current outline works out, the ZD time should start with the Proving around chapter 27 or 28.

The song Aloy sings is My Justice, Your Pain by Ad Infinitum

The bunker is decorated very similarly to Aloy's base at the end of Forbidden West except that the decorations are almost entirely Nora in design with just a few hints of Oseram or Utaru culture thanks to bleed over from the refugee residents in Mother's Song.

What did you think of Taka the fox?

Karst's camp is at the campfire east of captured Tallneck at Sun-Steps and south of the Thunderjaw site near to it. The one just below the road.

I wandered around Meridian in HZD Remastered trying to figure out how Avad attacked it and I have to say… the city kind of sucks. I mean, it's both very defensible and not defensible at all. Like, why is there no gate on the inner side of the bridge? Look at it! There is literally no place for a portcullis or a gate to fit! Same goes for the arch outside the palace! Are you telling me that the only defenses for the Sun King's Palace is a couple gates that aren't even solid? In a world where everybody uses bows, you build a gate that's made of a bunch of bars instead of solid wood or metal?

Answers to Questions

On FFN

DracoAngelus17: Thank you! I'm so glad you liked the story and I hope you liked this chapter too!

Guest1138: I'm sorry it took so long and thank you for the comment!

Calvin Sload: Thank you! Sorry it took so long but I hope you like it!

Kitsune9512: Here is more! I hope you liked it!

Bargo: Loved the long review! I'm sorry you were disconnected from the site for a while but I hope you get to see this one right away!

ChuuniDude: I'm glad you liked the chapter! I don't know how I feel about having the fox be a full companion since I'm going for realistic but I liked the idea of Vala having a pet.

Jamerz06: I hope you liked it!

Dracofigher: Thank you!

Guest: Glad you liked it!

Primalbot22: Thank you! As for the old one, I don't think so. Since that's not in canon and I only change things that could be affected by the ripples of GAIA surviving, the only old ones she's going to meet are likely to be Tilda and the others. It would definitely be interesting though.

Rios: Thank you so much!

TheRuinsOfRl'yeh: Love the idea of the Seekers becoming teachers and if I'm honest, that is probably the role they'll take on once the war is over. They'll become a mixture of diplomats, teachers, and the occasional infiltrator. Aloy will be different, of course, but she'll probably wind up being given the task of acting as an envoy to other tribes. As for Aloy being a Genshin character… that's a crossover I want to read. Like, a full crossover, not just an omake.

CloudWalker2470: Thank you! Yeah, I had a real problem with Horizon fics being nothing but romance and little substance. Sometimes that's good but it wasn't what I wanted, which is why I wrote this!

LunaShadowWolf: Thank you!

Agusfedredhunter: She could possibly repair a drone like that, yeah. It might be better though for her to repurpose the drones she takes over in Forbidden West. I'll have to think on it!

Xymorm: I'm glad you like it! I'm sorry it took so long to post a new chapter though.

On AO3

Storyt3113r: I wish I could have a Focus. It would make life so much easier.

Sabbs123: Thank you!

Kasanra: I love Petra too and you do have a point. Maybe I'll give her a more prominent role? I'll think about it.

ChaosOmega98: Thank you!

ReviewerDWJ: Thank you! Sorry it took so long.

Scorpion6112: Glad you liked it!

DragonFang09: I always wondered about it too so I figured I'd write Varls Proving. It was fun!

THEEBlock: We shall see!

Sky1anders: Idk about Aloy becoming Hatsume Mei but… they would be friends.

Chiki270: Thank you!

Ryanlarsen84: Thank you! As to your concern about the religion thing, I did minorly address that in this chapter so I hope you get some sense of where I'm going with that. It won't be a major concern in the story though. Just something in the background on occasion.

SpiritDeNight: I love it when I can make a reader go from laughter to tears or vice versa! It means I did my writing well!

Ao3Prime: Thank you!

Underlust_Sins: No comment on the GAIA thing.

Cameth114: Sylens will be soon-ish. Still debating on whether or not to show him before I have Aloy meet him but we will see!

LanikeaCentari: Nora riding machines is a definite possibility, but I sadly could not justify it during the war. Maybe Aloy will discover it soon than in canon though? Who knows? I'm glad you like the story though!

Alohamorabanana: Thank you!

BlestJupiter: Thank you!

AppleDavidJeans: I'm so glad you enjoyed my story and I hope you liked this chapter too!

Depresen_t: I'm glad you liked it! As for Aloy and the truth, we will see when we get there!

Jgr08: No, not everybody will see her talking with GAIA but maybe a few.

XRedwolfxX1412: Thank you!

Renegon_Paragade: I'm glad you like the story! Thank you! I hope your writing is going well!

ThatGuy: Thank you so much! I hope you liked the update.

YoGo: I am considering writing such an omake but I want to handle it correctly.

LeeviBrokenColors: Not exactly a cliffhanger but I'm glad you liked it!

Ryanlarsen84: Taka will certainly be trained but I'm going for realistic so she's not likely to be used as a hunting dog any time soon. Sadly. It would take a few generations to fully domesticate foxes and they haven't really started yet.

Chapter Text

A/N: I'm back! Sorry this one is about a week late. Work got in the way of finishing the chapter. Still, I hope you like this one!

As always, I want to thank you all for your support and encourage you to please leave a comment or a review with your thoughts and opinions on this chapter! We get a look at someone different this time so I hope you enjoy it!

A Digital Mother

Chapter 23

3039

Ersa

Ersa, Oseram head of Sun-King Avad's Vanguard grumbled a little and rubbed her shoulders while she trudged up the slope leading away from Daytower and towards the Nora Sacred Lands, short black hair whipping about in the wind. A full six moons had passed since her and Avad's army triumphed against his father's forces. Since then, they'd mostly spent their time cleaning up, chasing down the remnants of Jiran's forces and securing Avad's rule. Now, Avad was hailed as Sun King by the vast majority of the Sundom. What was left of Jiran's forces, led by the Kestrel Helis and renegade Sun Priests had fled to Sunfall, a fortress that lay to the west of Meridian. They were mostly contained, but skirmishes between their forces were still happening daily. The only real downside and point of worry for Avad was that Helis managed to escape with Jiran's wife Nasadi and Avad's younger half-brother, Itamen. Even their mysterious infiltrators hadn't been able to stop that from happening. That was another thing.

'Merav,' the mysterious merchant and his network of agents and spies was a major source of confusion for Ersa, Avad, and even for Blameless Marad, Avad's own spymaster. The man had served as their primary informant inside Jiran's court after Avad fled and had even worked with members of the network, yet even he couldn't figure out who was behind it! Around two months after the liberation of Meridian, the network seemingly disbanded, with various members coming out of the woodwork to return to their normal lives.

They'd obviously questioned these brave people, trying to understand how the group began. What inspired them to help escaped slaves and, most importantly, where the runaways had gone, how they got out of the Sundom, and how some of them had even gotten back to their own tribes to continue the fight! Those few Oseram who'd managed it refused to speak of who, how, where, or why! They said they'd made a promise to the ones who'd rescued them and refused to break their word.

None of the actual agents they questioned could give any solid answers either. They knew who they reported to and who reported to them but nothing beyond that. Quite a few had been convinced that Avad was the true mastermind behind the underground network. They didn't correct this assumption, but it did make all of them far more confused. Marad especially was all but tearing his hair out trying to figure it out. He was a man dedicated to discovering secrets, but there was only so much he could find, and it was driving the spymaster crazy.

All they had were the names of those that appeared to be highest on the chain of command, but Marad and Ersa were both convinced that those were fake. There was Merav, the merchant from Meridian of course, as well as a supposed sister of his named Moli and her husband. A soldier named Nuvaras stationed at Unflinching Watch, a washerwoman in Evening's Sign named Mohsa, and half a dozen others. They had their names and could almost track their movements throughout the course of the war but after it ended, they seemingly disappeared. Vanished as if in a puff of smoke.

If dealing with the remnants of Jiran's army, establishing peace in Avad's kingdom, and tracking down the spy network weren't enough, there was also the added headache of working out a peace with the tribes that Jiran was at war with! Thanks to Ersa and her Freebooters, peace with The Claim and the Oseram tribe was established all but immediately, much to Avad's relief. It seemed that, despite how patriarchal her own tribe were, the clans were more willing to accept Avad's overtures because one of their own was vouching for him. It helped that an Oseram was now technically in charge of the bulk of the Carja military.

As for the Utaru and Tenakth, peace with them was difficult. The Tenakth were still sending raiding parties against the western forts, but they were hoping peace overtures might make their way through in the coming months. They hadn't even made an attempt to contact the Utaru because the Tenakth forces were completely blocking their way into the Forbidden West. At the very least, the Carja forces were no longer attacking. The Red Raids were over, and they were never going to return if Ersa and Avad had anything to say about it.

That just left the Banuk and the Nora. The Banuk did agree to cease all aggressive acts shortly after the Liberation, but they'd yet to establish any kind of peace negotiations or talk about trade agreements. It was almost as if the Banuk were waiting for something. Then there was the Nora. Out of all the tribes, they were the ones that seemed to give Jiran's army the most trouble. Raids on Nora lands were not even half as successful as those on other tribes and not even the Tenakth could boast a better defensive record against all-out assaults.

Only two times in the last decade of war did the Carja army break through the fortress that protected the primary entrance into Nora lands and both times, they were defeated somewhere inside those sacred lands. The survivors of the first assault, the one that launched the Red Raids on the Nora, said that there was a second fortification a few hours march away from the defensive wall. It was there that the first assault was repulsed, but they could not confirm this account for the second assault since there were seemingly no survivors. At least, none who made it back to Daytower and the Sundom.

For nearly four moons now, Avad had been sending envoys to the Nora in the hopes of working out some kind of peace agreement. Not that he was worried about an invasion by them, of course. Aside from the shockingly swift sack of Daytower, the Nora absolutely refused to leave their own lands so an invasion by them against the Sundom was all but impossible. No, Avad simply wanted to ensure that the isolated tribe knew that the raids were over and that they could have peace with their neighbors once more.

For three of those moons, their overtures at the defensive wall were met with either jeers or total silence. That is, until one moon ago when they finally received a proper response. The Nora agreed to allow a small diplomatic party entrance beyond the wall to begin peace talks, but they had to be unarmed and could not number more than a dozen. So, here she was. As one of Avad's most trusted advisors and, more importantly, as someone who was very clearly not Carja, Ersa was chosen to join the delegation. Technically, it was being led by the Sun-Priest Reverent Irid, but she was Avad's real representative.

"State your business!" A gruff, female voice shouted from the top of the half-stone, half-wood wall that marked the border of Nora lands. Now that she got a good look at it, the stone base of the wall looked… almost Oseram in design. It was covered in Nora markings and imagery, but the actual design looked like it was made by her tribe. But that was impossible…

"I am known as Reverent Irid! Priest of the Holy Sun!" The technical leader of their group shouted back up. "Sent here at the command of Sun-King Avad, 14th Luminance of the Radiant Line to act as envoy of peace and messenger to the Nora tribe!" Ersa held in her scoff at the priest's pageantry. If only her brother were here too. Erend was a bit of a lughead, but he had a way with people when he wanted to. He could've easily gotten the priest to lighten up a bit and be less stiff.

"Your king sends a Sun-Priest to negotiate with us?!" The voice shouted back. "The very same priests who sacrificed thousands of innocents in his blood rituals?!"

"Nora Warriors!" Ersa interrupted whatever retort Irid was going to use. "I understand your anger, but the priest is not the Sun-King's only envoy! I am Ersa, of the Oseram. I worked with Avad to free Meridian and now I serve as one of his advisors. This priest," she gestured to Irid, who bowed his head to her in acknowledgement, "is not like the demented madmen who served Jiran. He was just as appalled as you or I at the slaughter in the Sun Ring. Avad would not have sent either of us here if he meant any harm or offence against your people."

Silence met her proclamation and for a moment, Ersa was afraid that they'd be sent packing. Thankfully though, just as she was about to shout up at them again, a previously invisible door opened in the wooden rampart about halfway up the wall. The Oseram general watched as a rope and wood ladder was unrolled and dropped down to the ground where it clattered against the dirt.

"By the order of the Matrairchs, the envoy of the Carja is granted entry. You will leave your weapons on the Carja side of the wall or be treated as an enemy!"

Ersa nodded. She already didn't have any weapons on her, so it was simply a matter of coaxing the pampered priest up the ladder and then climbing it herself with the Carja soldiers and Vanguards who'd accompanied them.

Climbing up to the top of the ladder, she took in the Nora for the first time. She'd never met a member of the tribe before, so this was an interesting experience. They were all dressed in a combination of fur, leather, and machine-part armor. Elegant spears, bows, and other projectile weapons were slung or carried as though they were a part of their bodies. These people were warriors, and she could respect that.

Most interesting about them were the blue markings that covered their faces and the beads woven into their hair. She couldn't discern the meaning behind them, but the Oseram woman was sure there was one. Standing at the head of the group was an elderly woman in an elaborate headdress with long braided white hair that hung down to her waist. To her immediate right and a step behind was a tall, brawny, dark-skinned woman whose face was bisected by a solid arrow of blue over her right eye and down to her jaw. To the left of the elderly woman was a pale-skinned man. His marking was more complex, and his face carried a wary but welcoming look.

"Greetings, envoys of the Carja." The elderly woman spoke. "I am Teersa, High-Matriarch of the Nora tribe. Chosen by my sister Matriarchs to represent us at these talks. With me are Sona, War-chief of the tribe and Rost, her second in command."

"I bid you greetings from His Luminance and thanks for you welcome, High-Matriarch." Reverent Irid said, bowing to the elderly woman.

"Follow us." The dark-skinned war-chief grumbled. "We have set aside a building where we may speak. You can rest there for a moment before our talks begin."

They were led through the fortifications towards a fairly large wooden building. Irid and the other Carja stepped inside but Rost, the second to the Nora War-Chief put out a hand to stop Ersa. She tensed, ready for a confrontation, but his face did not give any indication of wanting a fight.

"You are the Oseram who spoke at the gate, yes?" The man asked. "Your name is Ersa?"

"It is…" Ersa acknowledged, warily.

"There is one who would speak with you, before talks begin. The Matriarchs have given permission, if you are willing."

"What's this all about?" She asked, suspicious. There didn't seem to be any hostile intent, but the Nora man was hard to read.

"You will see. Follow." The Nora walked away, gesturing for her to go after him. After a moment of hesitation, she decided it would probably be best if she did what they asked.

Following the man, he led her into a structure adjacent to the one the War-Chief led them to. Standing inside, she found the High-Matriarch along with… an Utaru? There was an Utaru woman standing there holding a baby. The weird thing was that the Utaru was wearing Nora face paint? Another Nora, this one a man, stood at the window facing away from them.

"Greetings, Ersa." The High-Matriarch spoke up, gesturing for her to take a seat. Confused, Ersa decided to just go with it and sat down. "I'm sure you're very confused, but I believe it best to let the Seeker explain." She gestured to the man, who turned to face them. Ersa's eyes went wide like steel hammered flat.

"Merav…?"

'Merav' chuckled. "Actually, my name is Karst." He said, sitting opposite her. "Captain of the Nora Seekers."

Ersa sat, dumbfounded as the information took root in her brain before bolting upright, jaw open. "It was the Nora?!" She shouted, starting to pace in a circle, running her hands through her hair. "Fire and spit, you're the ones who led the liberation network?!"

"Indeed, we were." Karst nodded with a smirk. "At first, we simply wanted to rescue our own but…" he took the hand of the Utaru woman, who gave him a kind smile. "We could not live with ourselves if we left those of other tribes to die so, we did what we could to free them. Thanks to our alliance with the Banuk, we were able to smuggle most of the Oseram, Banuk, and even Tenakth who were captured out of Carja lands and back to their homes. Only the Utaru and those who were too sick or injured to fight remained within our Sacred Lands."

"The gate!" Ersa exclaimed in realization. "It was made by Oseram you rescued!"

"Under their guidance, yes." Karst nodded.

"I…" Ersa dropped back into her seat, speechless. They'd wondered if another tribe was involved but had no proof! Marad was convinced that the leaders were Carja! Who else could act so convincingly like a Carja than one of their own?! "How long have the Nora been infiltrating the Sundom? Hell, even The Claim!" She leaned forward and pointed at the man. "The first time I met you, you were posing as a Carja merchant in The Claim! Way before the raids began."

Karst chuckled. "That was actually my second or third trip out of the Sacred Lands so not very long. I am the first true Seeker in well over two generations. Only one that lives went Seeking before me, but his path was far different than mine."

"Seeking?" Ersa asked, confused but the man raised his hand to stop the question.

"I understand you have questions." He said, "but they can wait till after the negotiations. For now, I just want to know this. Have your people made contact with the Utaru yet? We ceased surveillance of the Carja once the Liberation ended."

"I… no." She admitted, looking at the Utaru woman again. "We have reached out, but the Tenakth are blocking our path to even speak with the Utaru tribe."

"I see." The Utaru woman looked down and sighed. "We who have been taken in by the Nora would make a direct request of the Sun King. One outside your negotiations with the Nora." She looked up, eyes burning. "Once you have made peace with our tribe and our neighbors, we ask that you send word to the Nora. That you grant our people who wish to return home safe passage through the Sundom, back to Plainsong."

"Oh. Of course." Ersa nodded. "Avad would be happy to grant that, but why would you not bring this up at the meeting?"

"Your negotiations today are with the Nora." The High-Matriarch spoke up. "Though we love and cherish our Utaru visitors, we are very much aware that most of their number will leave us once it is safe to do so. This request comes from the Utaru tribe and is separate from the demands and negotiations of the Nora."

"Furthermore." Karst added, "we do not want the average Carja to know of our involvement in rescuing the refugees. Not just yet. Perhaps in a year or two we won't care, but at this moment, the wounds of war are too fresh and Avad's reign too new. I judged you trustworthy enough to know the secret. I ask that you tell only Avad and those you trust most when you return to Meridian."

Ersa sighed. There was a good deal of sense in his words. While she knew that Avad would never be removed from his throne, the Nora had no real way of knowing that. No way of knowing if Avad would even last the year. They were technically still at war with what remained of his father's forces, after all. Not to mention any other tribe.

"Alright." She sighed. "You have my word. I won't speak of this to anyone but Avad and his advisors. Not till we've made peace with the Utaru."

"Good." The high-Matriarch nodded. "Then let us move ourselves to the proper conference room. That Carja Priest is going to throw a fit if we keep him waiting any longer.

Aloy

"So, the war is officially over?" Aloy asked, fingers tinkering with the parts of a ropecaster while she lounged on a couch in her laboratory.

"An official stop to hostilities is in place, yes." Her father's voice came through the focus. "The Matriarchs are still too wary of the new Carja government to do anything beyond that. No trade agreements, no official envoys. Not until we can be sure that the new government will last."

Aloy set down the pieces and leaned back, stretching her arms over her head and draping her long red hair across the back of the couch. "What does that mean for the tribe, then?" They'd been at war with the Carja for over half her lifetime. She barely remembered life when the Nora weren't at war.

"War-Chief Sona wants to maintain a garrison at The Gate as a precaution." Her father replied, sounding tired. "Also, Mother's Vigil will remain a Brave garrison for the foreseeable future, but the Matriarchs are willing to let the families of those stationed there join them."
"What about the Carja prisoners?"

Her father let out a heavy sigh that carried through the focus connection. "We did discuss a prisoner exchange or at least a release. The envoy wasn't sure if they had any Nora prisoners left. It's been well over a year since the last time we were unable to rescue a captive so their chances of being alive now are rather slim. The Matriarchs are willing to release the captive Carja as part of the peace agreement. I have a feeling they're more interested in getting rid of the prison than anything else." The prisoners taken in the second battle of Mother's Vigil had remained prisoners of the Nora for nearly seven years with only a few casualties during failed escape attempts. The tribe as a whole would be thrilled to get rid of them.
"What um…. What about their commander?" Aloy hesitated to ask. "Have you spoken to him?" She knew the story, of course. Her father told her about the deaths of his mate and his first daughter and how he invoked the right of the Death Seeker to go after them. As for the revelation that the Carja commander during the second battle of Mother's Vigil was the son of one of those marauders, well… the whole tribe knew about that nest of worms.

"No." Her father sighed. "I did consider it but ultimately, I feel there is nothing to be gained from it. I said what I needed to when he was captured. He is not likely to believe me, nor will anything I say change the fact that I killed his father. Nor that his father killed your sister." Aloy smiled tightly.

Her father rarely spoke about his family, finding the experience too painful. Despite that, he never failed to refer to Alana as Aloy's sister. The loving father was adamant that Alana would have loved Aloy if she'd lived. Sometimes, when she was younger, Aloy fantasized about what it would be like to have a brother or a sister. Sure, she had Vala, but it wasn't the same. There was something… different about the connection between Vala and Varl. Something that wasn't there for Aloy. There was no doubt that Vala and Aloy loved each other like sisters, and that Varl was as close as she'd ever come to a brother, but that small gap was always there. It didn't bother her now, not like it did when she was a kid, but every once in a while, she would let herself wonder what having a sibling really felt like.

"There is a bit of good news for you specifically." Her father said, changing the subject.

"Oh, yeah?" Aloy sat up, intrigued.

"Now that we aren't concerned about Carja raids, Sona feels it is safe enough for Braves to bring younger hunters on expeditions beyond the Embrace." Aloy's grin split across her excited face. "In a few months, there's a good chance your age group will be taken on a larger hunt or two in the wilds of Valleymeet or perhaps even in the lands north of Mother's Song. I'll let you know when there are more solid plans, but it's a very distinct possibility."

"Woo!" Aloy whooped. She'd never been outside of the Embrace before! Vala had, but even then she was still in sight of the walls! The teenage redhead had never seen the world beyond the gates and could not wait for that day to finally come!

"It'll be a few months yet, so don't mention it to anyone. Keep it to yourself and Vala for now. I'll be home in around a week or so. Be good till then."

Aloy grinned giddily. "You got it, dad! I'll see you in a week. Love you!"

"I love you too, Aloy." Her father replied before the focus connection shut off.

Ersa

Ersa sighed to herself and stretched, arms reaching above her head as she stepped out into the sunlight. Talks with the Nora had gone just about as well as Avad could have hoped. Aside from the world-rattling revelation that it was the Nora of all tribes who'd been behind the secret slave-freeing network, all they'd really accomplished was an agreement to end the fighting. Or, rather that the Nora acknowledged the Carja change in government and that the war was officially over.

The isolated tribe fought an almost entirely defensive war over the last decade with only one instance where they were the aggressors in an attack. One that, frankly, made Ersa glad they weren't expansionist. She'd heard stories about the sack of Daytower from prisoners who'd survived the attack. None of them had any clue how the Nora got inside the walls. All they knew was that one moment they were asleep and the next, warriors covered in blue face-paint were slaughtering them like a pack of angry Sawtooths.

Even more surprising was that they'd finally discovered what happened to the last force Jiran sent into the Nora Sacred Lands. They'd been rebuffed at the very same fortification that pushed back the original invasion force. Most were cut down in the fighting, but a few had been taken prisoner. The release of those prisoners was actually something the Sun-priest insisted on once he found out, but the Nora were rather happy to agree. Ersa got the feeling they were sick of keeping an eye on them.

Moving out into the yard of the Nora fortification, she meandered away towards the wall of The Gate, as the Nora called it. Though, she'd also heard it referred to as 'Mother's Shield' a few times. Walking down the packed dirt of the pathway, she continued to dwell on the results of the negotiations. All they'd really accomplished was declaring an official stop to the war with the Nora. Any talks of trade or sending other envoys was something the Nora were willing to consider, but only once they were sure Avad's reign would last. Which, all things considered, Ersa understood.

The Nora guards eyed her suspiciously as the black-haired Oseram reached the base of the wall. Peering at it, she examined the handiwork. Once you looked beneath the Nora imagery, the stone itself was definitely put together in a classically Oseram design. More evidence that some of her people had been inside Nora lands long enough to build this place at least, and maybe more further in. With a nod to the guards, she climbed the stairs to the top of the wall, only to stop short when the sound of low singing caught her ears.

"Signed a treaty to change the world. Tensions fall and a peace unfurled. Nothing like what had come before. It's the deal, it's the treaty that will end the war…"

Sitting alone on top of the wall was Merav… Karst. The Nora man who'd helped her flee captivity in Meridian. The man who'd helped them free Meridian from Jiran's control. She owed quite a lot to him and yet she could still barely wrap her head around the truth of who he really was.

"Writing a song about the war?" She asked, intrigued by the words he'd sung while she walked towards him. Karst turned, a hand reaching up to touch the oddly shaped metal triangle attached to the side of his head. Only three of the Nora she'd met wore them and the other two were the War-Chief and her second in command, so she had to assume it was a status symbol of some kind.

"Not exactly." Karst replied. "It's a song of the old ones from before the time of the Metal Devil. The lyrics speak about the end of a war they fought amongst themselves. The words feel… right, for this occasion too I suppose."

"Huh." Ersa eyed him, surprised. "I thought you Nora hated the old world and everything to do with it. Why would you know any of their songs?"

Karst laughed. "If this was twenty years ago, you'd be right but… things have changed. I can't tell you why, of course. They are secrets of the tribe, but I will say this." He leaned back, bringing a knee up and resting his arm on top of it. "Our disdain for the old ones comes from their utter disrespect for nature. To live in harmony with All-Mother's bounty is all our tribe desires but the people of the old world cared nothing for the preservation of nature. At least, most of them didn't. We respect and sometimes revere those who fought to preserve the natural world because they are the reason humanity survives to this day. It is the ones like Accursed Faro that we despise. As for the ruins, well… they can be dangerous. Only Seekers are allowed to enter those places."

"Seekers?" Ersa asked, confused. "Accursed Faro?"

Karst sighed and gestured for her to sit opposite him. With a nod of acceptance, Ersa sat down, her back leaning against the wooden rampart.

"Seekers, like me" he gestured to a pendant hanging from his belt that bore an intricate design woven of blue fabric, "are Nora blessed by the Matriarchs and the All-Mother with permission to go where we choose. We seek out the true history not only of our tribe but that of all other tribes and even the history of the old ones."

"So, all the Nora that were operating inside the Sundom during the war…"

"Were Seekers under my command." Karst nodded his head, knowing the question she was asking without her having to finish the sentence. "As for Accursed Faro, we do not know much about him. Nor do we want to. It is enough to know that he is the one that woke the Metal Devil. He is the reason the old ones were wiped out."

Ersa's eyes went wide. Nobody, not even the greatest historians of the Carja or the most prolific delvers of the Oseram had any idea why the civilization of the old ones was wiped out. Everyone had their theories. Some based on logic, others on religion, but she'd never have guessed that the Nora knew the name of the person responsible. Or, at least they believed they did.

"What are your intentions now?" Karst asked, changing the subject before she could ask for more information. Recognizing the change in subject for what it was, she sighed and leaned her head back.

"Now we head back to Meridian." Ersa replied. "I don't like being away from Avad like this. I'm the captain of his personal guard, so I should be at his side." That wasn't the only reason she wanted to be with him, but this was not the time to be thinking about those feelings. "The priest can handle any further talks, once your leaders are ready to proceed."

"What about the Oseram still living within our borders?" The Seeker asked.

"I'll be getting a group together once we return to Meridian." The dark-haired vanguard replied. "They'll come with the garrison that's being sent to escort your Carja prisoners, and I'll make sure the refugees make it back to The Claim safely. You have my word."

"Thank you." Karst nodded. "Though we lament the circumstances by which we came to know them, the Oseram that live within our borders have become dear friends to many Nora. Even though we are happy that they can return home, many will be sad to see them go."

Ersa smiled, nodding her head in understanding. "Who knows," she said, "maybe they'll come back and visit some day."

A/N: There we go! What did you think of Ersa? Think I got her right? What about the peace talks? Please leave a comment or review with your thoughts and ideas!

This is the last chapter where the Red Raids are a focus. After this, we will explore the Nora in peace time and Aloy specifically on her journey towards the Proving. I've laid the groundwork already, but the next few chapters will mostly take place inside the year and change between the end of the war and Aloy's Proving.

The song Karst sings is Versailles by Sabaton.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Demon blade: Thank you! Avad will find out, but I really wanted Ersa to be the perspective character on that so I could have her find out about Karst.

Zaber999: Thank you! Hope you liked this one!

Guest: Thank you!

ExodiaGeass8910: Thank you! I love your ideas for new Alphas. I'm not sold on adding that concept but I think it would be very fun to explore.

Rios: Thank you! As for the apology, that was about 2 years after the end of the war so it will still be a bit. I have some stuff I want to cover and they're only in the beginning of peace talks at the moment.

Guest1138: Thank you! I enjoyed writing the segment with Aloy and Taka. It was fun.

TheRuinsofRl'yeh: Thank you! I wont be delving too deeply into any form of politics since that is a rabbit hole I'm certain I'd get stuck in for far too long but I do feel like things inside the tribe have already changed and will evolve further now that the war is over. I'll probably touch on it but I won't go into detail. As for trade, that will absolutely happen especially with the Banuk since they're already allies. I won't be changing the Oseram much since I just don't have any concrete reason to believe the changes I've introduced would affect their political structure at all.

Dracofighter: Thank you!

Bargo: Thank you! Taka won't have a large role in the story, but I wanted to introduce him as a minor companion character for a while. An example of changes I've made and exploration of whether or not tribes even keep pets with the limited animal life in the world post-Faro plague. As for the emotional side, that is absolutely one of the driving factors behind writing this in the first place. I wanted to explore that concept and I couldn't find anybody who'd already written it so I just did it myself. For Karst, I had no intentions on him being important at first, but as I explored the Red Raids, I just kept finding myself coming back to him. He's such a fun character to write for and I'm sad his days of being a primary perspective character are coming to an end but that doesn't mean we won't keep seeing him. He will definitely have a role to play and so will Teersa. I totally agree with you on her place in the games. She's my favorite of the Matriarchs and I wanted the story to reflect the fact that she is 100% the best leader out of the three.

DracoAngelus17: It's definitely a big moment. I'm looking forward to exploring what comes next.

On AO3

Ryanlarsen84: Thank you! Taka is definitely going to be fun to explore, but I do think her role will be limited simply because she's really not going to be much help against machines. She's a pet and a companion but a fox cannot fight a giant machine. I haven't decided on a name for Karst's kid yet or a gender really, but I will soon enough!

Deppresn_t: Thank you! As for where we go from here, I'm excited to start exploring it! That will start next chapter!

StoryT3113r: I like to think that too, but I want to be as accurate to the game world and design as possible.

Bissek: They still escaped or there would be no shadow carja to fight, unfortunately and I want to keep them around. They are more on the back foot though, since the attach went faster.

MartianGod21: Exactly. Taka is going to be friendly, but she's still a wild animal. It makes no sense for her to be much more than a friendly pet. She certainly won't be much help against machines but I loved the idea of introducing an animal companion since Vala strikes me as the kind of character who'd want a pet.

ReviewerDWJ2: Thank you! I hope you liked this one.

TheLoveOfHorizon: Thank you!

AppleDavidJeans: Love your ideas! You're right about Helis figuring things out, but he won't really understand it. He's too much of a religious fanatic to care about the science so he's more likely to think they're blaspheming by using something given to him by the 'buried shadow'

Nikas_Zekeval: I talked a little bit about Marad this chapter but I decided I wanted that to be the one secret he just couldn't figure out. Made things much more amusing in my head.

Teika_Shenjo: Hope you liked it!

SpiritDeNight: Thank you!

Dragonfang: Thank you! Honestly, I felt like Avad immediately transferring his feelings for Ersa onto Aloy was creepy so I didn't really like that. I do understand why people would root for them though!

Ummmmimmagoreadnowplz: Thank you! I'm really glad you're enjoying the story.

Chapter Text

A/N: I'm back! Sorry about the delay but life does sadly happen. Thank you all so much for your comments and support! They mean so much and are a huge help with my motivation.

That being said, I do hope you will leave a comment or review at the bottom of this chapter. It's got some things I've been planning since day 1 as well as a few things I know you've all asked for.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 25

3039

Ersa

"The NORA?!" Avad and Marad's voices both shouted, eyes bulging from their sockets and mouths wide with shock. Ersa stifled a laugh at their expressions. Even having learned the truth of the liberation network from its source, she still had a hard time believing it, so as amusing as their expressions were, they were understandable.

The three of them were alone in the Sun King's private lounge inside the palace of Meridian. To one side was a balcony over which they could see the vast fields and mesas of the Sundom. It was a beautiful sight and as an Oseram, Ersa could appreciate the beauty of the construction. The palace of the Sun King was designed for opulence and leisure and succeeded in both quite spectacularly.

She'd returned from meeting with the Nora only that day and gone straight to Avad's palace. After giving her preliminary report, she'd asked for a private audience with her friend and Marad which they granted easily. Once in private, she relayed the details of not only the Utaru request but the secret of the liberation network. The secret that had been hanging over their heads since the end of the war. The simple fact that it was the Nora, of all tribes, who were responsible for freeing the slaves and aiding in delivering Meridian and the Sundom from Jiran's tyrannical rule.

"But… I… but…" Marad stammered, a hand reaching up and threading its fingers through his short hair. "I'm… going to go over there…" He wandered away in a daze.

"Well." Avad coughed, eying Marad's dazed form as he walked towards the balcony. "I'm glad that we've solved that particular mystery at least. I'm also quite glad that the Nora were willing to accept the peace. I understand their reluctance to reestablish trade, but that will come with time."

"We should focus our efforts on the Utaru and Tenakth for now." Ersa replied. "The Tenakth are the most aggressive of the tribes and we need to make peace with the Utaru to finalize talks with the Nora."

"Yes." Avad nodded slowly. He wasn't really able to move his head quickly or his crown-headdress thing would wobble around on top of his head. While amusing, it would not look very dignified if his crown fell off."

"It doesn't make any SENSE!" Marad suddenly shouted. "But it makes perfect sense! If it was the Nora then that means… but then that would mean… but then why did… when did… HOW did… I don't UNDERSTAND!"

"Should we… help him?" Ersa asked, watching Marad slowly come to grips with reality again.

"Leave him be for now…" Avad said, rubbing his temples. "Frankly, I need some time to wrap my head around the idea too. Marad will get his head on straight eventually. He always does."

Unknown – Four Months Later

The disheveled man stared down at the bloody, broken bodies of the Nora guards and spat on the one closest, dropping the rock he'd used to kill the filth and taking the bow and spear off one of the corpses. He knew he needed to be quick so he took a few moments to hide the bodies before running off, keeping to the shadows of the night as best he could. The next guard rotation wasn't scheduled for nearly a week so if he could make it far enough, he'd be safe. Safe enough to track down his quarry. He'd been listening to the Nora for days now in secret. They never even noticed him, so he had a general idea of where he was supposed to go. He'd waited for years but knew in his heart that he would have everything he'd ever wanted if only he was willing to wait until the opportune moment. He grinned, knowing his patience would pay off soon. Yes. Most of his plans could wait. First, he would start with revenge.

Aloy – Six Days Later

Aloy couldn't help but stare at the imposing ruins in the distance as she trudged along the trail. An ancient, ruined city just… sticking up out of the ground. All that was left of Denver, a city of the Old Ones after the Faro Plague wiped them out. The itch to run off, away from her companions to explore those ruins was almost too much to ignore but thankfully her better judgement outweighed the desire to explore.

"Aloy?" Vala asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You alright?"

"Yeah." She replied, grinning at her friend. "Just curious. I wonder what it looked like before the world ended…"

"Maybe we can explore it one day." Vala said, staring out at the ruins. "Only one more year till we're Seeker's after all." That was true. Just one more year, and they would both be 19. Old enough to run in the Proving, be recognized as adults by the tribe, and petition the Matriarchs for the Seeker's Blessing. One more year till Aloy's mother told her the truth about everything. The truth about why and how she'd been born.

"Aloy! Vala! Keep up!" The voice of Tesona, one of the leaders of their band shouted over the column.

"Sorry!" The two girls shouted back, jogging to catch up with their hunting party.

The party itself consisted primarily of other Nora teenagers the same age as Aloy and Vala. Around 20 of them, accompanied by half a dozen full Braves led by Tesona and Aloy's father, Rost. They were the first children of the Nora chosen for a very special hunting trip. Not only were they on their first hunt outside The Embrace, but they were the first group of children who would be participating in joint hunts with the Banuk! The two tribes or, more specifically, the Nora and the Banuk of The Cut wanted to foster closer relationships between them, so they'd agreed to have a joint training hunt with the younger members of the two tribes supervised by the more experienced hunters.

Aloy and her companions had left The Embrace a few days ago, moving fairly slowly so that they could explore a little. They'd passed through Mother's Crown, only stopping for the night before moving on to Mother's Song. That was already a treasured experience for Aloy. She'd met Sial, Karst's mate but not any of the other refugees so it was a joy to simply wander around the village and speak to people of so many different tribes! Sadly, the Oseram who'd been living there were all gone back to their homes in The Claim, as were the few Banuk that'd resided there during the war but there were still a great many Utaru for her to talk to! They were a fascinating people and while she did not agree with their more pacifistic nature, the redhead was still beyond intrigued by their culture. The 'Land Gods,' of Plainsong sounded so fascinating!

Her mother shared what she could of the Land Gods and the history of the Utaru as she knew it, along with the fact that Plainsong was actually situated next to a climate control station! One meant to control the terraforming system GAIA used to maintain the biosphere! Aloy desperately wished to visit it one day and hoped the Utaru of Plainsong would be welcoming to her and the Nora as a whole.

Jogging along, she caught up with the head of the column and grinned at her father who just flashed her a look of exasperation. She'd developed a habit of wandering off during this trip, fascinated by every ruin she could see and knew her father was mildly frustrated with her. Not enough to really get her in trouble though. Turning northwest, away from Devil's Grief, they entered a valley with high stone walls. The usual path they would take to the northern lakes was currently blocked by a huge pack of Bellowbacks so they were taking a route that went around them.

This path wasn't one commonly used by the Nora, but it was one known to them as being… odd. There was a small, ruined metal structure at the base of the valley which sloped upwards, but it was the slope itself that was strange. The oddness came from the stone stairs that led up the incline to the top of the valley. Nobody knew who'd built them or why. Though, the odds were that it was the Old Ones who'd done it. Aloy wasn't sure why though.

As she started to climb the stairs, Aloy's focus pinged, and up ahead of her, just at the top of the stairs, there appeared a faint purple glow. Aloy's eyes widened, her head whipping around, searching for Vala and her father. Both of them were looking towards the top of the stairs while Vala had a hand on her own focus. Aloy grinned and bounded up the steps, her father and friend hot on her heels. Kneeling on the ground and ignoring the looks of confusion on the faces of the others, Aloy examined the location of the ping.

There seemed to be an object buried in the ground that was emitting a low signal. Tapping it out of curiosity, Aloy was treated to an incredible sight. A static, slightly glitching image expanded across her field of view. Thousands of people stood in poses of joy and excitement while down below, the partially ruined structure was replaced by a massive stage. There were people standing on it, holding instruments while lights shone brightly, and huge a letter V hung in the sky above their heads. In the distance, she could see the city of Denver, still fully intact. As Aloy stared in wonder, a voice suddenly began to speak out of her Focus.

"Apocashitstorm Tour, day 5. The Grey Swarms opened for Turtlesmash the night I OD'd here - or so the police report said, anyway. I was fifteen years old. When I woke in the hospital two days later, your face was the first thing I saw."

Aloy's eyes widened as her focus saved the audio and the image to its databank. Tapping it quickly, she stared at the information. Accompanying the audio was a long segment of text. The datafile she'd downloaded was named 'Sterling-Malkeet Amphitheater' and the name of the author was 'Bashar Mati.'

"So…" Her father breathed out, standing behind her. "That's what these stairs were for. This place was a theatre."

"It's beautiful…" Vala muttered, still staring at the image.

"Rost?" Tesona called out, walking over to them. "What is it?"

"Ah." Her father shook his head. "Forgive us, Tesona. The Focus shows those who wield it many wonderous things, but it does tend to lead its wearer to distraction on occasion. There is something here, but only those who have a focus can see it. Would you care to?" He removed his focus and held it out to her.

"No." She shook her head with a smile. While Tesona did not have a Focus of her own, there simply not being enough of them to go around, she'd used both Rost and Sona's in the past and knew enough about how they worked. "Your description is enough for me. What did it show you?"

"I shall describe it while we walk. Aloy, Vala, please rejoin the party. You can examine the data later."

"Right." Aloy nodded, swiping away the text. Everybody in the tribe knew about the Focus and this wasn't the first time she, her father, or Vala had been distracted by what the remarkable device showed them so most of her peers were fairly used to them being briefly sidetracked.

"What did you see?" Arana asked as the two girls rejoined the column.

"This place used to be a theatre used by the Old Ones." Vala replied. "Looks like they would put on musical performances here like we do back in Mother's Heart."

"Really?" Arana's eyebrows rose up. "I'd never have guessed that…" She looked towards the ruined metal stage at the base of the stairs with a contemplative expression.

Vala

When the encampment came into view, Vala grinned. It was not a village by any stretch, but the continuous joint hunting expeditions between the Nora and Banuk had transformed the temporary campsite beside the southernmost of the northern lakes into a far more permanent camp. The perfect blending of Nora and Banuk styles that made up an excellent staging ground for the hunts to come.

The Nora contingent quickly made camp, pitching their tents and setting up fires while they waited for the Banuk to arrive. She would be sharing a tent with Aloy like she always did on hunting trips that would last more than a day. The young dark-skinned huntress was in the process of bringing firewood back to their tent when word came up that the Banuk had arrived.

As was custom, when the two parties arrived their leaders would meet in the huge central tent that lay between the Nora and Banuk camps. In this case though, it wasn't just the leaders. Luckily, Vala, Aloy, and a number of the other young Nora were allowed to join since the entire point of this was for the younger members of both tribes to meet and interact with each other.

"Honored Banuk. Welcome to the Nora Sacred Lands." Rost bowed his head in acknowledgement to the gathered Banuk inside the tent. Their leader was a tall, broad woman with dark skin though her headdress was too elaborate to tell what color her hair was.

"It is our pleasure to be here, Brave of the Nora." The Banuk huntress replied. "I am Kolu, second to Chief Aratak. With me are Titra, my second, and Naltuk, apprentice to Shaman Ourea."

"Well met." Rost replied. "With me are Tesona and Bherg. They will serve under me as leaders of the Nora contingent." Then he turned to them. "Allow me to introduce some of the children. This is Vala, daughter to War-Chief Sona." Vala bowed her head to the Banuk in greeting. "My own daughter, Aloy." The redhead nodded. Rost continued on, introducing Bast, Arana, Thairn, and all the others gathered in the tent.

"It is good to meet the next generation of Nora hunters." Kolu nodded her head. "I will let the children of Banukai introduce themselves. Perhaps we old timers should give them all a chance to know each other without our supervision." She smirked. Rost agreed and soon enough, it was just a group of twenty teenage Nora and twenty teenage Banuk standing in and around the central tent.

"Your name was Vala, yes?" A Banuk teen was the first to speak, walking towards Vala. "Daughter of the Nora war leader?" Her skin was dark, like Vala's and her brown hair fell to the sides out of her large, furred headdress. "I am Mailen, of the Banuk."

"Well met, Mailen." Vala nodded reaching out a hand, which the Banuk accepted. "I am indeed Vala. Daughter of Sona."

"And you were Aloy, right?" Another Banuk said, walking up to them and addressing the redhead next to Vala. "The name's Ikrie." The other Banuk girl was paler skinned than Mailen and with rounder features. They were both quite beautiful, in a rather fierce way. After a moment of silence from Aloy, Vala turned to her, confused. The redhead was staring at Ikrie, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. Vala nudged her with her elbow.

"Ah. Right. Sorry, yes I'm Aloy." The redhead stammered out, reaching out to clasp Ikrie's forearm.

Vala grinned at the red flush in Aloy's cheeks. Though she'd never expressed romantic interest in anyone, the redhead had confessed to Vala that she very much preferred the female form to the male one. Clearly, Ikrie was ticking all the right boxes if Aloy was acting like that and Vala could see why. Ikrie was quite pretty, after all. Personally, Vala liked both men and women but if pushed, she'd say she was more partial to men. Not that either of them had ever really bothered with or felt romantic interest in anyone before, of course. Sure, Vala'd had a few cushes over the years, but it never amounted to anything. They were both far too focused on their training for that.

"Good to meet you." A flirty smile came across Ikrie's face. "You mind answering a question for us?"

"Um. Of course." Aloy replied, regaining control of herself. "What is it?"

"The triangle of metal you wear." Mailen spoke up. "It is said amongst the Banuk of The Cut that if a Nora wears this mark, it is an indication that they are a hunter of exceptional skill. We were curious if that was true and what you'd done to earn the mark so young."

"It's… partially true." Vala replied. "We call them Focuses and there are only ten Nora who bear this mark. There were eleven, but Captain Yore died as a hero fighting against the Carja and her focus was destroyed."

"It is true that any Nora who wears a focus is an exceptional hunter, but that is not the only way to earn one." Aloy added. "The way we… earned… ours is a secret bound by an oath to our High-Matriarchs. We can't tell you how we got them, but we can say that the other eight Nora who wear them are some of the best Braves our tribe has ever produced."

"What they're not mentioning is that these two," Arana cut in, draping her arms around their shoulders, "are the best and brightest of the younger generation as well. They're both better hunters than half our adult Braves combined."

"Arana!" Vala scolded her. While she knew how good she was, Vala did not like to brag!

"Oh, really?" Ikrie grinned at Aloy. "Then I'll have to pay extra close attention to you during this trip so I can find out how good you really are."

"Well, why don't we partner up then?" Aloy asked, flushing again. "I mean, the four of us. Five, if you want to join, Arana?"

"Nah." The other Nora girl smiled. "I know I can't keep up with you and groups of four work better. I'll team up with Thairn and mingle a bit with our guests. You four have fun!" With that, she walked away only to stop, wrap her arm around Thairn's and drag him towards a group of Banuk teens. Frankly, Vala had a feeling those two would wind up becoming mates within less than a year of their Proving.

Aloy

Aloy sighed, berating herself silently for how she'd acted in the tent while she inspected her equipment. She just couldn't help it! There was something about Ikrie, the Banuk girl that was… magnetic! She was pretty, confident, and just about everything Aloy liked. It was no wonder she'd felt an all but instant attraction to her.

"Having a crush is perfectly natural, dear." Her mother's voice spoke through her focus.

Aloy turned bright red. "Mom!" She hissed, embarrassed. "I do not have a crush on Ikrie!" Thank goodness Rost wasn't in the tent by then or she'd be getting a similar talk from him! Having one parent always looking over her shoulder was embarrassing enough.

"Yes, you do." Vala chimed in with a cheeky grin, rising up from her bunk and staring at Aloy with that mischievous smirk of hers. "You went completely tongue tied." She giggled. "I've never seen you like that before. It was so cute!"

"I do not have a crush!" Aloy retorted, adamantly and only partially lying to herself. "I just met Ikrie. I don't really know anything about her."

"So, get to know her!" Vala said, sitting fully up on her cot. "We're teaming up with her and Mailen after all. You'll have plenty of chances to talk to her while we hunt."

"Vala has an excellent point, Aloy." Her mother chimed in, speaking through both their focuses. "Even if it ultimately leads to nothing, you will never have known what might be if you don't take the chance. Spend some time with this girl and see if that little spark you feel could grow into something greater."

"Besides, it's not like there isn't a precedent for this now." Vala added. "Sial might be Utaru rather than Banuk but she's still an outsider and the Matriarchs were happy for her to join the tribe as Karst's mate."
"Woah, woah." Aloy bolted up, ears and cheeks burning. "How did we go from a crush to talking about bonding? I just… let me do this my own way, okay?"

"Alright." Vala raised her hands up in defeat. "Just don't be surprised if I keep teasing you about it if you don't. Best friend privileges." Aloy's only response was to chuck her bedroll at the giggling Vala's head.

The next morning found them all well rested and ready to begin. Aloy stood with her back straight as she listened to her father and the Banuk hunt-master explain. The Nora and Banuk teens were to divide up amongst themselves into smaller parties who would then go out into the woods with an adult hunter as supervision. The Braves had a good idea of what machines were nearby, so there was no chance of running into something ridiculous like a Sawtooth but there were definitely Shellwalkers and Bellowbacks in the area. Not to mention Lancehorns, Striders, Chargers, and Glinthawks.

Personally, Aloy was hoping for a Shellwalker hunt, but her companions would have to agree to that first. She'd never hunted one, but the stories made her curious. Plus, she was hoping to kill the Shellwalker and keep it's shield arm intact so she could study it. If they could find a way to make a Shellwalker shield usable by a human, it would be a huge game changer.

"Alright!" Her father shouted. "Pair off and split up! Do not leave the camp without an adult hunter or we will make sure you are stuck here for the remainder of the hunt!"

"So?" Ikrie asked, walking over to them with Mailen tailing her. "What should we hunt?"

"Personally, I would prefer a challenge of some kind." Mailen added. "Striders and Chargers are child's play. If we want to join the White Teeth, we must have experience hunting larger prey."

"The White Teeth?" Aloy asked, confused.

"It's one of the most prestigious Weraks amongst all the Banuk." Mailen replied, looking proud. "It's been our dream to join them since we were small."

"It's basically all Mailen has talked about for the last ten years." Ikrie said, with a hint of irritation in her voice.

"Well, if you want a challenge, why not search for some Shellwalkers?" Aloy asked, addressing Mailen.

"Oh, not this again." Vala muttered.

"What?!" Aloy retorted, indignant.

"Aloy." Vala glared at her, making the redhead cringe back. "If this is about your stupid glider idea again, I swear…"

"It's not!" She cut off her friend, flailing for a justification. "I mean, yes, I want to study their shield arm but that's not the only reason why I'd suggest it! We both need experience with larger machines and Shellwalkers are a perfect way to start out."

"Well…" Ikrie interrupted their bickering, "I don't mind going after some Shellwalkers. Sounds like a good place to start."

"Agreed." Mailen nodded.

"Ha! See?" Aloy grinned at Vala before scampering off to grab an older hunter.

Vala – A Few Hours Later

Vala stalked silently through the underbrush, her bow held tight in one hand and an arrow ready to draw in the other. To her right and slightly behind was Mailen, the Banuk girl. Through the trees she caught a glimpse of Aloy's hair and Ikrie's headdress. Behind them stalked the hulking Bherg, a Nora hunter who was their supervisor for this trip.

"I'm curious." Mailen spoke up, whispering slightly. "Why did you object to going after Shellwalkers? You said your friend was doing something with a….glider? What's a glider and what does it have to do with Shellwalkers?"

Vala sighed. "I love Aloy like a sister," she told the Banuk girl, "but she can be very fixated on her projects. Aloy is what the Oseram would call a Tinker. She builds things out of machine parts and other materials. Some of it is utterly incredible, like this," she patted the pullcaster tied to her belt, "but some of it is dangerous. She's been trying to design a device that will let her fly, sort of. More like a slow, controlled fall. She's been at it since we were children and has almost broken her neck nearly every time she's tested it, but she still won't give up on it. There are a few versions that work but they're all big and bulky so they're hard to carry. Aloy wants to use a Shellwalker shield to make one you can carry on your belt or attached to your arm but still be able to fight with it."

"Huh." Mailen huffed. "Sounds like she's a handful."

"You have no idea." Vala muttered.
"I'll be honest though, that glider thing sounds kind of amazing."

"… yeah, it kind of is. If it works."

Rost

"Rost!" The voice of Sona shouted in his ear. Wincing slightly, Rost excused himself from the tent for a moment. Stepping out and into the empty camp, he raised his hand up to tap his focus.

"Yes, War-Chief?"

"Fram and Berl are dead." Rost's eyes went wide with shock.

"What?!" He hissed into the device. "How?"

"We're not sure." Sona replied, her voice tight with anger. "When their relief came to replace them on the wall, there was no sign of either of them. Just a lot of blood. It took them a few hours to find their bodies, but it looks like they've been dead for around a week."

"Damn." Rost cursed. "What about the traitor?"

"Gone." Was the curt, furious answer. "We followed his trail to the wall of the Embrace. It looks like he managed to climb over it when the guards weren't looking. What tracks we could find after that lead west, towards the Sundom. I've already sent out a hunting party but… well, I thought you should know."

"Right." Rost sighed and nodded. "Thank you for telling me, Sona." If the traitor truly had escaped a week ago then he could be anywhere by then. If he was headed towards the Sundom though… At the very least, until he was found, he'd need to instruct Aloy to be far more careful during her wanderings once they returned. That man was dangerous.

Aloy

Aloy stalked silently through the trees with Ikrie at her back. Up ahead, they could see the Shellwalker convoy. One walker and two Watchers making their way down a beaten trail. Turning, Aloy signaled to the others that she'd spotted the machines.

"Let's take them quietly." She whispered to Ikrie.

Normally, she and Vala would use their focuses to coordinate, but that wasn't something they'd been given permission to do just yet in front of outsiders. Instead, she resorted to the Nora's tried and true method. Hand signals. Making sure the machines couldn't see her, Aloy stood up and gestured towards Vala and Mailen. Her hands flashed through the signs for 3, quiet, and split, meaning that there were three machines, they should take them quietly, and split them up between the four of them. Lastly, she signaled that she would handle the big one alone.

With an acknowledgement sign from Vala and a nod from Bherg, their supervisor, Aloy and the others began to stalk. Silent as shadows, they padded their way forward, following the path of the machines. Ikrie tapped her on the shoulder and sprinted ahead, sliding into a bush and pulling out her bow. Aloy split off, taking a wider arc around the column so that she could come out ahead of the Shellwalker. One quick tap of her focus easily showed her the path it was taking.

At the back of the column, Vala dove out of a bush, spear impaling the Watcher at the back of the line. Using her momentum and body weight, she forcibly dragged the carcass into the thick grass on the side of the trail. Aloy held her breath as the other watcher perked up, it's one eye scanning for whatever had caused the disturbance. If it moved closer to Vala it would easily spot her but thankfully Ikrie's aim was true, and an arrow sprouted from the eye of the machine. Aloy grinned as the Watcher collapsed and the Shellwalker continued on, unaware of the fate of its companions.

Aloy held her breath as the Shellwalker came closer to the tree she was hiding behind. Shuffling quietly, she turned her body so that it wouldn't spot her as it passed the trunk. Once it stepped past her, Aloy sprang into motion, her spear darting out. With one mighty thrust, she pierced the logic center housed inside the Shellwalker's head, causing it to spazz out and then collapse, motionless.

"Nicely done, flame hair!" Ikrie shouted, running up to her and clapping her on the shoulder. "I can see why your friend said you two are the best hunters of your generation."

"Thanks, Ikrie." Aloy smiled with a faint blush, "but we couldn't have done that without you. You're a good shot."

"Ah." Ikrie waved the compliment away. "I prefer a sling and open combat to sneaking around, but it does have its uses, I'll admit."

"Well done, hunters." Bherg complimented them, walking up towards them from further down the trail. "A fine set of kills. Now come, let's harvest the parts and drop them back off at camp."

"Oh, yes!" Aloy grinned and busied herself with detaching the shield arm. She could see what was likely the emitters contained within and frankly didn't trust herself to just harvest them, so she decided to remove the entire appendage. It was heavy, of course, but worth it.

It wasn't exactly a long trip back and they hadn't been gone for more than a couple hours, so the group decided to head out for another hunt. This time, they took down a huge herd of Lancehorns with Aloy and Vala both getting to showcase their skills as a sharpshooter while Mailen and Ikrie demonstrated their own skill with slings and elemental bombs.

As darkness began to descend, they trudged back into camp, their packs heavy with Lancehorn parts. Exhausted but cheerful, the party split up and wandered away towards their respective tents. Aloy dropped her pack on the ground and stretched, feeling her back popping and cracking as she did. Stepping back out of the tent, she wandered towards the far edge of the camp, staring out into the darkness and yawned. Once she was alone and well out of earshot, she tapped her Focus and called her mother.

"Hello, little one." GAIA's soothing voice came through, causing Aloy to smile. "How was your hunt?"

"Hi mom." Aloy replied, still smiling. "It went really well, all things considered. Though, it would be easier if we could use our focuses. I get why gran said not to, but it's still annoying."

"Sometimes, it is better to maintain secrecy even if it sacrifices convenience, Aloy. Regardless, I do hope you'll tell me how your day went. I am able to observe some, but I'd rather hear you tell me about it."

"It went well, like I said." Aloy smiled, sitting on a stump and regaling her mother with the details of their hunt. Sure, she could watch, but that didn't mean her mother was aware of Aloy's thoughts or the exact details of what she'd been doing throughout the day. Just as she was describing their battle with the Lancehorns, something caught her eye.

"What was that?" Aloy muttered, standing up.

"What is it, Aloy?"

"I could have sworn I saw… hauh!" Aloy gasped, turning to one side just a second too slowly as an arrow skated across her collarbone and forced its way into her right shoulder. "AAARGH!" She screamed as the force of the hit sent her tumbling to the ground. The arrow hadn't gone in deep so it too fell to the ground, broken in half and covered in her blood which now leaked freely from the wound. Dimly, Aloy could hear her mother screaming her name and a commotion growing in the camp behind her at the sound of her scream. Through the haze of pain, she looked up at the approaching figure.

"You…" She gasped out, clutching her burning shoulder. There had to have been a toxin of some kind on the arrow. She'd been accidentally shot before, but the wound had never burned like this one did.

"I've been waiting a long time for this, girl." The demented smile on Resh's disheveled face gleamed almost madly in the dim firelight. His hair was matted and long, with his beard reaching down to his waist. The rags on his body were hanging off him and were covered in dirt and other, slightly more offensive filth. A lethal, serrated blade was held in his outstretched hand. Kneeling down, the monster who'd tried to kill her father so many years ago grabbed ahold of her hair and pressed the serrated edge of the knife to her exposed throat. "I'll kill you first, you little monster. I want to hear that pathetic fool you call a father howl in pain at your death before I kill him. He took my destiny away from me, so I'll take everything he loves away from him."

Aloy's hands scrabbled in the dirt, seizing on a thin, round object as Resh pulled back the knife to deliver the final blow. With a cough, Aloy took her chance and spat in his eye. Resh recoiled with a cry, dragging her hair and head with him. Taking the only opportunity she had, Aloy drove whatever it was she'd grabbed into her attacker's eye. The nock and feather end of Resh's own arrow pierced his eye socket as she drove it down, finally forcing him to let go of her hair. Desperate and afraid, Aloy seized his knife and drove it into her assailant's chest one, two, three, four times. Over and over again until the pain in her shoulder and collarbone flared and the weapon dropped from her hands.

Just barely, through the haze of pain, shock, adrenaline, and fear she could hear voices and the thunder of pounding feet. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered Vala's face coming into view, her hands reaching out to staunch the bleeding. She heard her mother screaming for her to respond but just couldn't seem to form the words. Her father came into view, kneeling down beside her while another Nora stared in shock at the body. Later, when the toxins were purged, she was fully recovered and given the time she needed to process all that had occurred, Aloy would find it ironic that the man who'd once tried to take her father away from her was also the very first human she ever killed.

A/N: So…. That happened. Thoughts?! I've been planning that since day 1! I've always intended for Resh to be the first person Aloy killed. Mostly because I hate him and desperately wish I could have killed him in game.

What about Marad though? I personally pictured Weiss' meltdown in RWBY Volume 9 and used that for my inspiration. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look it up! It's very amusing.

About Aloy and Ikrie, I do not intend for this to be an endgame ship! I'm not sure if I will take them much further than flirting with each other but even if I do, it will not be a long term relationship.

Let me know what you thought about the chapter!

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Guest1138: Thank you! As for your idea, I think that would be a great crossover! I'd love to read it.

Dracofighter: Thank you!

Bob19h: Eh. Cybernetics for no reason feels like far too much of a departure from the main story for me. Remote controlling machines sounds slightly more probable though.

Bargo: Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed that. I really didn't intend to go so deep into the Red Raids but they were just so fun to write! I know what you mean about Beta though! I love her and I wish canon Aloy was nicer to her from the start.

SpinFire66: Thank you! As for the song, it is one of my favorite Sabaton songs and it fit so well! I had to include it!

MrJyrgen: Thank you! Hope you liked the reveal.

Zaber999: I don't really have the time to tackle a third big story and that feels like it'd be a big one. I would want to make that a much longer story. It's a really fun idea though! Maybe I can do something like that once I finish one of my current stories.

Damon Blade: Thank you! Hope you liked the reaction.

On AO3

TriforceWolf: How about confused and dumbfounded Blameless Marad? That was so fun to write! As for the Osseram, no I don't think so. That'll be for the Nora Seekers more than anybody else.

Jpx0999: Not most of the world, but the people who matter do!

Jays_Mockery: I'm so glad you like it!

Drunk_off_of_happiness: Thank you so much! I hope you liked this update too.

Depresen_t: Thank you!

ReviewerDWJ: Glad you liked it! I hope you liked Marad and Avad's reactions.

DragonFang09: Thank you!

Alex3773: Yup! It's been a long time coming but I'm excited for what comes next.

TheLoveOfHorizon: Thank you!

RoneC: I'm so glad you enjoyed the story! Thank you for commenting on the ships too. Love it when people who read through the story answer questions from older chapters.

Ryanlarsen84: Thank you so much! Asfor who killed Jiran this time… who knows? Not a big plot point, but one I have chosen not to mention. As for the shrine to the Alphas, it is fairly accessible to the public since only Nora ever go near it. It is inside the walls of Mother's Heart so the only outsider to have seen it is Sial. I see it as her already having heard the story from Karst or another Nora and not paying much attention to the shrine itself. Others might have a reaction though.

SpiritDeNight: Glad you're excited!

MaverickStone: I'm so happy you enjoyed it! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.

Valkrus: Oh, they will definitely have a conflict of opinions but that is a long way off. I've got ideas for it but they are pretty nebulous.

Reactivegull12: Welcome back! Glad to see you commenting again and I'm so glad you liked what you read! Hope you liked this chapter too!

The_General_Gist: I'll be honest, I don't think Faro was still sane by that point or if he was, he would be utterly unable to speak. Though, it is all but confirmed in canon that he died to the Quen. Aloy does say he rigged the place to self-destruct if he died and that's what it did so it has to mean he died, right?

Chapter Text

A/N: I'm back! Sorry about the delay, again, but life sucks and motivation is difficult when you tend to hyperfixate on things that are not writing during what downtime you have. I might have played all the way through the Dark Souls series in the last month and a half and done basically nothing else. Still, I am here with a new chapter! I hope you all like it. As always, please leave a comment or review with your thoughts and opinions on the chapter or what may come in the future!

Oh, and because this was an issue on my other story, let me state it here nice and clearly. I do not give permission for my work to be posted or copied in any form on any side but the Cyberbirb pages on AO3 and Fanfiction net. That's it! There are people taking my other story and posting it as an AI-read audiobook on youtube. They have done so without my permission. I haven't heard anything about that happening with this one, but I do not give permission for anything of the sort at this time.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 26

3039

Rost

"The hunts have gone well so far." The Banuk leader, Kolu, said as she leaned back in her seat. "Our young hunters have had much to say about the skill of your own children."

"As do ours." Rost nodded his head in respect. "I think holding more of these joint hunts is exactly what both our tribes need now. After a decade of war, being able to peacefully interact with another tribe is just what our young hunters need most."

"Aye." Kolu nodded. "Though we were allies during the raids, most of our young have never met a Nora and only a few have met the Oseram or Tenakth you'd send our way. They've spent the last ten years only knowing vague stories about our mysterious allies fighting against the Carja but never actually seeing them. It is good for them to know your tribe now, as friends."

"AAARGH!" The pained scream cut through the air, stifling whatever words Rost was about to say and driving them from his mind. Sharing only a brief glance with his companion, the seasoned Brave bolted to his feet and dashed in the direction of the scream, towards the Nora side of the camp. Only barely did he register the sight and sound of Kolu running behind him, nor did he give heed to the other Nora and Banuk who were running towards the sound.

Rounding the row of tents, Rost could only watch in horror at the sight of a man standing over a young body on the ground, knife raised. A body with vibrant red hair. Terror gripped him, stifling any scream or shout. All he could do was charge, hoping to reach his daughter in time. Luckily, Aloy's own instincts won through whatever pain she might be in as the teen grabbed onto a broken arrow shaft in the dirt and drove it into her assailant's eye. Siezing onto the man's knife, she started driving it over and over again into her attacker's chest, nothing but a wordless scream escaping her mouth.

Rost reached her just as the knife slipped from her grasp. To his left, Vala too was sprinting towards Aloy. The other teen, Aloy's dearest friend in the world, reached the girl first and caught her as the redhead collapsed.

"Aloy!" Vala shouted, grabbing her and pressing down on a bleeding wound in his daughter's right shoulder. "Talk to me! Where else did he hit you?"

"Aloy." Rost gasped, kneeling next to her and grabbing one of her hands. The redhead's eyes were starting to cloud over, her mouth moving but no words were escaping.

"Something's wrong." Vala muttered, using one of her hands to force open one of Aloy's eyes. "A shoulder wound wouldn't cause a reaction like this." Looking in the dirt nearby, Rost spotted a broken shaft and arrowhead lying in the dirt. It was covered in blood. Grabbing it, Rost examined the arrowhead. It was covered in dirt and Aloy's blood but there was something else too. A strange scent coming off the arrow along with faint traces of a green-ish liquid on the shaft.

"She's been poisoned." Rost growled, showing the arrowhead to Vala.

"Shit." Vala muttered, her hands still pressing down on Aloy's shoulder.

Looking down, Rost nearly broke down into sobs when he saw his daughter's eyes roll back into her head. Where before she'd been moving, struggling to speak, now she went limp, her hands dropping down to scrape against the dirt. All around them, Nora and Banuk were gathering. Some muttered to themselves, others staring in horror. A few were standing by the body of Aloy's attacker, but that was unimportant to Rost's mind in the moment.

"Arana!" Vala shouted to one of those standing nearby. "Aloy's been poisoned! I need my med kit! It's in my tent, next to my bow!"

"Right!" The other girl nodded, dashing away.

"Someone get me a cot or something else to lay her on!" Vala shouted, giving instructions to the assembled watchers. "We need to get her out of the dirt. Also clean water!"

"You heard her!" Rost shouted, lending his own commanding voice to her demands. "Move!"

"She's still breathing." Vala muttered, half to herself and half to the distraught father. "But it's really shallow. Whatever the toxin is, it's affecting her respiratory system first." Rost had no clue what a 'respiratory system' was, but context quite clearly told him it had something to do with her ability to breathe. In that moment, he'd never been more grateful that Vala took to studying the healing arts of the old world. He also knew that there was practically nothing he could do to help her. As much as he wanted to hover over them, desperate to help his daughter, the soldier in Rost knew that hovering around a healer trying to save someone's life would only distract them and get in their way.

"Will she be alright?" That was all he was able to ask, helping Vala lift Aloy onto the cot brought over from a nearby tent by one of the younger Nora.

Vala hesitated. "I don't know." She whispered. "It hasn't been long since she was poisoned, so it hasn't spread very far yet. But the fact that it's affecting her like it is tells me it's a fast-acting toxin. Possibly some kind of insect venom or toxic plant extract? I have a few antivenom concoctions and some common antidotes in my bag. Hopefully those will work."

"I see." Rost looked down at his daughter's face. She looked so… helpless. Rost closed his eyes, struggling not to picture another young girl in her place. A girl who'd been his entire world, just like Aloy was now. A daughter taken from him far before her time. Though he knew it was impossible to fight the hands of fate, Rost could only pray to the All-Mother that she would see his daughter through this nightmare. That she who gave him her own child to raise and love as his own would not take her from him again so soon.

"Rost?" Bherg's surprisingly soft voice muttered as a large hand laid itself on his shoulder Turning away from Vala and Aloy, Rost opened his eyes and gazed into the large eyes of his friend's face. "She's in good hands. Vala's the best healer in the entire tribe. If anyone can save Aloy, it's her." The brunette father nodded, looking back towards them just in time to see Arana charging towards Vala with her medicine bag in hand. "Let them work. You need to see this."

Rost let the hulking man pull him away from his daughter and towards her assailant. Looking down, his mind all but froze in shock at the face of the attacker. He was gaunt, filthy, bloody, and had the fletching of an arrow sticking out of one eye but the face was unmistakable. It was Resh.

"Is that… Resh?" A nearby brave muttered. "I thought he was being held inside the Embrace?"

"He escaped." Rost replied, looking down at the corpse. The man had been a thorn in his side for years and even tried to kill him. Now he'd tried to kill Rost's daughter, and it cost him his life. Rost supposed, at the very least, that it was a relief to know the traitor was dead. "We've been keeping it quiet. Sona told me about it just before we left." The little white lie about exactly when he'd been told was for the benefit of the Banuk who were close enough to hear their conversation.

"Who is this?" Kolu, the Banuk leader asked.

"His name is Resh." Rost replied, kicking one of the corpse's legs. "He was once one of our most promising Braves, but he just couldn't accept the changes that the High-Matriarchs have made to our tribe over the last twenty years. Nor could he stand me in particular since, in his mind, I was chosen as Second to the War Chief and Captain of Mother's Heart over him. Though, there's no guarantee that he'd have been chosen for either post if I hadn't been around. About a year after the war started, he tried to kill me. Almost succeeded, too." Rost put a hand on his left side, just over the scar left by Resh's spear all those years ago.

"We don't allow for the death penalty." Tesona spoke up. She'd been standing nearby and chimed in to join the conversation. "It goes against our most ancient laws, so the High-Matriarchs chose to imprison him in an isolated valley. If he died, he died. If he didn't, then at least he was contained. A couple years after he was imprisoned, some of his old friends betrayed our tribe to the Carja in some twisted idea of getting revenge for Resh. Nobody's quite sure what they were thinking, but it led to our tribe's single worst massacre of the entire war."

"We knew that he'd escaped," Rost continued, "and Sona's had hunting parties searching for him, but all the evidence showed that he was headed towards the Sundom. Still, it appears he must have deliberately misled our hunting parties. Not an easy feat, but Resh was once one of our best hunters. It's not inconceivable that he was able to slip away from them."

Kolu kneeled down to examine the body. "It's a good kill, then." She muttered, a hand hovering over the fletched arrow shaft sticking out of Resh's eye. "Will your daughter be alright?"

"It's too soon to tell," Rost replied, "but Vala is the best healer in our tribe's entire history. If anyone can save Aloy, it's her."

The next few hours were some of the longest in his life, matched only by those he'd spent tracking the marauders in a desperate and vain hope of rescuing Alana and the other survivors of the attack all those years ago. They'd moved Aloy into a nearby tent so that Vala could do her work without others hovering around her. Rost himself sat on a stump right at the entrance of the tent, but there were others gathered nearby too.

Arana, one of Aloy and Vala's friends, sat on the ground nearby. She was crying softly, laying her head on the shoulder of a young man named Thairn who himself had his arm around her shoulders. A small distance away from them were the two Banuk girls who Aloy and Vala had been hunting with earlier that day while scattered around the area were other young Nora and a few Banuk that were waiting to hear the final verdict. After what felt like hours, Vala emerged from the tent, pushing her hair back from her forehead and sighing.

"How is she?" Rost asked, terrified of the answer.

"She'll live." Vala replied with a sigh of relief. Rost felt all the tension leave his body which collapsed back onto his stump. Lowering his head, Rost sent up a silent prayer of thanks to the All-Mother.

Vala

Vala sighed, rubbing her tired eyes as the first rays of sunlight peeked their way through the flap of the tent. Placing the prongs of her makeshift stethoscope in her ears, she placed the pad on Aloy's chest and closed her eyes, just listening to the sound of her friend's breathing. She'd spent most of the night at the redhead's side. At first, it was a frantic race to get some kind of antidote or antivenom into her system and pray it worked. Thankfully, her Focus was equipped with a medical scanner.

They'd discovered the software for medical scans inside the databanks of their underground bunker, so Vala installed them as quickly as she could. The scans of Aloy's blood showed some kind of plant-based toxin so Vala started with her more common antidotes. She still wasn't sure exactly what it was that the other girl had been poisoned with, but the antidote seemed to work. Her breathing, which at first had been languid and extremely shallow had slowly eased. Deeper, more frequent breaths came, and she passed from a fitful unconscious state to a more peaceful sleep. She'd yet to wake up, but Vala was certain she would soon enough. A little poison was nowhere near enough to keep Aloy down. The dark-haired healer looked up as the tent flap was pushed back.

Standing in the entryway was Ikrie, one of their Banuk hunting companions. Just behind her, Vala could see Mailen poking her head around the other girl's shoulder. Vala wrapped the stethoscope around her neck and held a finger to her lips, gesturing for them to be quiet before pointing to a pair of stump-stools sat on the other side of Aloy's cot.

"How is she?" Ikrie asked in a whispered tone, sitting down and leaning over to look at Aloy.

"Better." Vala whispered back with a sigh, brushing some of the orange locks out of the sleeping girl's face. "I think the toxin has been flushed from her system. She should wake up at any time. Then it's just few days of rest and she'll be back to her usual self."

"Good." Mailen nodded, her voice a little louder than either Vala or Ikrie's but still quiet enough not to disturb Aloy's rest. "She's a warrior. No hunter of her skill should die from such a cowardly attack."

"But she might've, if you hadn't been here." Ikrie added, looking at Vala. "With how skilled you are on the hunt, I'd never have guessed you were also a healer. Rumor around the camp is you're the best healer in your entire tribe."

Vala leaned back against a crate behind her and ran a hand through her hair with a sigh. "I don't know if I'd say I was the best, but medicine is my real passion. I love hunting and exploring, but they are what is expected of me as a Nora Brave. Learning the arts of a healer is something I chose for myself. The fact that they help me keep this reckless red menace alive is just a bonus."

As if sensing the mild insult, Aloy chose that moment to take a deep, sudden breath, her eyes flickering open, darting around wildly. Vala was forced to put her hands on the redhead's chest to keep her from rising as the other girl tried to bolt upright.

"Aloy!" Vala shouted, "It's alright! You're safe."

"Wha…" Aloy muttered, her voice raspy and quiet. "Vala?" She asked, her eyes coming back into focus.

"It's me. You're safe."

"Resh…"

"He's gone, Aloy."

"You killed him." Mailen chimed in. "Quite the impressive feat, all things considered." Ikrie shushed her and smacked the back of her head, looking angry. Mailen simply glared at her, a confused expression on her face.

"Dead?" Aloy rasped out, eyes wide.

"…yeah." Vala nodded, squeezing one of her hands. "Resh is dead."

"Oh…. Dad?"

"Your father is somewhere in the camp, trying to keep things in order. He sat with us most of the night before I told him to get some sleep. I'll send somebody to get him after I make sure you're alright." She pulled her stethoscope back out from around her neck.

"We'll go." Ikrie said, pulling Mailen to her feet and ushering the other girl out of the tent. "I'm glad you're alright, Aloy."

"Thank you, Ikrie." Vala said, placing the prongs back in her ears. "Just breathe, Aloy. As normally as you can." She spent a few minutes listening to Aloy's shallow breaths. There was a certain raspiness to the sound, but her lungs were mostly clear. "Are you in any pain?"

"My shoulder." The redhead rasped out, reaching a hand up to touch her wounded shoulder.

"That's to be expected." The doctor muttered. "I've cleaned the wound and removed any of the poison. I stitched you up a few hours ago, so it'll be sore for a few days but it should heal nicely."

"Thank you." Vala looked down, staring directly into Aloy's eyes. The gratitude and love shining out of her eyes was genuine. The dark-haired girl gave a watery smile and squeezed her pseudo-sister's hand. They'd been best friends all their lives, practically sisters, so the very thought that she might have to live in a world without her best friend scared Vala to death.

Aloy

Aloy let out a long, low breath, setting the machine parts down on the log beside her. Closing her eyes, she gripped the wrist of her right hand tight in her left and brought them both to her chest, willing the slight tremor in her right appendage to stop. Around her, the few people still in the mostly empty camp either gave her nods of acknowledgment and understanding as they passed her or simply didn't look at her, more focused on their own thoughts and tasks.

Most of the people on the expedition were out on the hunt, which was now in its third day. The redhead herself had spent most of the second day confined to a cot, recovering from her attack and poisoning. Having spent most of the previous day in bed recovering, Aloy did feel almost back to normal, so she'd decided to get a bit of air and brought along one of her smaller projects to fiddle with while she sat on a long bench near the central fire. All that really held her back was some slightly diminished breathing which was getting better, general fatigue, and that damn tremor in her right hand.

Vala said it was just a result of the shoulder wound but all things considered, the pain in her shoulder wasn't that bad. All it took was a few stitches to close up so once she let it rest for a few days and got the stitches taken out, she'd be right as rain with barely a scar to remember the fight. Her mother, who'd been an even more constant presence in her ear than she usually was over the last day, said that the tremor was an understandable and temporary trauma response to having killed a man. All her mother said she needed to do was talk it out and not let it get to her. That felt… almost right. Her father said something similar to her mother, but his recommendation was just to get her weapons back into her hands as quickly as possible. He'd been quite comforting when he explained that every Brave experienced something like this the first time they killed, including himself. They all dealt with it in their own way, and she simply had to find what worked for her and honestly, her tinkering seemed like the best way to take her mind off of it.

Aloy had known, logically, somewhere in the back of her head, that she would have to kill one day. She grew up in a tribe at war and if that conflict hadn't ended when it did, there was a very real possibility that she would have become a soldier on the front lines. Or, if she'd become a Seeker during the war, then she'd have become either an infiltrator or a member of the rescue squad. Either way, she'd have been a soldier at war. Killing was inevitable. She'd known that, in the back of her mind, for years. She just… never really thought it would happen like that.

She didn't regret killing Resh. Really, she almost felt relieved. Resh was a monster who'd plagued her nightmares for years after his trial. Just knowing that he was still alive, even if contained, scared her to death as a little girl who was still terrified of losing her father. As her father recovered from his wounds and she grew older, the nightmares surrounding Resh and her father's death faded but they never totally went away. Now he was gone for good, by her own hands. So no, she did not regret killing him. What she did feel was guilty about the fact that ending another human life made her feel so relieved. But, as her mother said to her last night after Aloy whispered those thoughts to her through the focus, the conflicted feeling of guilt was completely logical. It was a uniquely GAIA thing to say that strange and conflicting emotions were logical, but she was right.

The analytical part of Aloy's mind reasoned that it was perfectly alright for her to feel both relieved and guilty because of the circumstances surrounding the death. She also knew that Resh was all but certain to be just the first of many. She lived in a hostile world after all. Though her tribesmen were not the kind of people to kill without reason, the same could not be said for the rest of the world. It wouldn't be long before she would be expected to step into that wider world, not only as a Seeker of the Nora but also to fulfill the purpose for which her mother created her. Though she knew, beyond doubt, that her mother loved her it did not erase the fact that Aloy was born for a reason. A reason she was less than a year away from discovering.

"Aloy!" A cheerful voice called out. "Good to see you up and about." Turning and opening her eyes, the redhead saw Ikrie and Vala walking towards her. They were covered in dirt, sweat, and machine oil so they must have only just returned from a hunt. Vala had been quite hesitant go to back out while Aloy was recovering but the redhead insisted. Just because she was being forced to sit out the rest of the expedition didn't mean that Vala should have to miss out.

"No, it's not!" Vala retorted, glaring at Aloy. "I told you to stay in bed!"

"Vala, I'm fine." Aloy replied. "I haven't gone running around or done anything stupid. I just needed some fresh air and I couldn't stay cooped up in that tent anymore. You know I can't stay still for very long."

"Yes, I am well aware of how restless you get but that doesn't mean you can just ignore my orders." The doctor retorted, stepping up close and putting a hand near Aloy's bandaged shoulder. "How's your breathing? Are you feeling any fatigue?"

The redhead rolled her eyes at Ikrie who stifled a laugh behind her hand. "I'm fine, Vala. It's a bit easier to breathe today than it was yesterday and I don't feel much pain in the shoulder. I'm a bit tired but not too bad. I promise, all I did is take a short walk and then sit here on this log tinkering with my Pullcaster. That's it, I swear."

Vala sighed. "Well, that's good but you should still be careful. I don't want you ripping out your stitches again like the last time you got yourself shot."

Aloy raised an eyebrow and stared at Vala. "I think you're remembering that wrong. Last time I got shot with an arrow, it was because Bast was being an idiot and the only reason I ripped those stitches is because Taka thought it would be funny to sneak up on me in my lab while I was distracted. I was being careful. You and that fox of yours are the reason I pulled out my stitches." Vala opened and closed her mouth a few times, before glaring and just telling Aloy to shut up. The redhead grinned and smirked at Ikrie.

"It's gotta be nice having your own personal healer." The pretty Banuk girl grinned, sitting down on a second log bench.

"Eh." Aloy waved her hand in a so-so gesture. "It's definitely kept me alive but sometimes the lecture she gives me after I get hurt is worse than the actual injury."

"I would't have to lecture you if you stopped getting hurt doing stupid things." Vala retorted, raising her own eyebrow.

"I don't do stupid things nearly as often as you think I do!" Aloy replied.

"Gliders mark 1 though 6." Vala glared.

"I retract my previous statement." The redhead replied, unable to muster a defense against that particular issue and purposely ignoring Ikrie's laughter. Testing those early gliders really had been a stupid idea.

"You two are hysterical." The Banuk laughed. "How long do you think it'll be till you're all healed, Aloy?"

"Well, if the fatigue and breathing trouble go away, then probably a week?" She replied, getting a nod of agreement from her doctor.

"So you'll be sitting out the rest of the expedition?" Ikrie asked, disappointed.

"Yeah." Aloy grimaced. "But, hopefully we'll be able to hunt together again one day. Once Vala and I become Seekers, we'll try and come visit The Cut."

"Good." Ikrie grinned.

A/N: There we go! Sorry it's a bit on the short end but writers block is an issue. We are finished with the hunt, though it did unfortunately wind up being more of a recovery chapter for Aloy. The Proving is soon! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.

I know I didn't really do much with the idea of Aloy x Ikrie but ultimately, I felt that any notion of that would have been driven from Aloy's mind by everything else she was dealing with during the chapter an decided to just not mention it. It didn't make sense to me, even for someone as tough as Aloy, to focus on a crush immediately after taking her first life and nearly being murdered herself.

I love how each and every one of you is wondering about the attack on the proving. It shows that despite everything in the story, you're still constrained by the game events. Who's to say there will be an attack? Or if there is, would they even make it to the proving grounds without being caught? The Nora are far stronger and far more vigilant now than they were in canon. The ripples have changed a lot and we will start to see some of their effects on what would have been game events soon enough.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Rios: Yeah. I had planned for Resh to be her first kill from the start. It just felt appropriate and There may have been some of my own hate for the character influencing the decision.

: Thank you very much!

ExodiaGeass8910: I'm glad you liked the bit with Avad and Marad! As for the Proving, it will probably span parts of the next two chapters? Not sure yet how long it will be. As for the Alphas, they actually do know that Ted is the one that killed them. GAIA told them that Ted murdered the Alphas but not how he did it. They all hate him just for that and for 'waking up' the Metal Devil

LunaShadowWolf: Thank you! I do agree that this well ultimately help her and that's part of why I did it. It's never really addressed in the games that Aloy just kind of starts killing people but that's not how a real person reacts even in a violent world. I think the first time she kills in game is during the attack on the proving but she's not really shown processing the fact that she killed somebody so I wanted to touch on that at least a little.

Night-Shadow-98: Marad really didn't have any clue and I loved writing his reaction. As for Aloy, I've absolutely loved getting to give her at least some semblance of a normal childhood.

Damon Blade: Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter.

Dracofighter: Thank you!

Bob19h: Thanks! As for the Valor Surge skills, they feel a little too… superhuman to me. Some of them would work with technology on her armor like you said and I will probably include them but others just don't work when going for a more realistic approach.

Zaber999: I do intent to go all the way to the end of Forbidden West and beyond with just this story. If I get there before the next game comes out, which is unlikely, then I will probably let this story go on Hiatus until the next game is out and I've had a chance to explore it. If it comes out before I get there, then I'll just keep on going until the end of that one. As for that other author, no I didn't know. I'd actually not heard of them before.

Supertrey2004: Thank you! As for the Tallnecks, I will be having her override them for GAIA but she doesn't need them for a Focus network. GAIA is using the ELEUTHIA Facility as the central hub for the Nora Focus Network.

Bargo: Thank you! I did enjoy including the viewpoint and I might put a few more in here and there. As for Resh, I very much enjoyed killing him in the story since I couldn't in game.

On AO3

Bearmauls: Honeslty, I never really shipped Aloy with anybody in ZD. Ikrie and Vala in canon were the only real maybes for me but we just didn't see enough of either to say for sure.

AppleDavidJeans: I liked writing Marad's reaction. As for what the High-Matriarchs would have done, even I'm not sure. It's an interesting question though. As for Aloy's romances, I don't think she's a casual relationship kind of person. Re the Focuses, GAIA does have a stash and I have a plan! As for Aloy's mental state, I don't think she necessarily needs deaths to set her on the right path. As for what happens, that would be spoilers.

ReviewerDWJ: Glad you liked it! I don't know about traumatized but this will definitely affect her.

Jpx0999: Sorry about the delays but glad you liked it! And yes, there are still a timeskip or two to go but they are dwindling.

Deppresen_t: Thank you for reccomending this to your friends! Glad you liked the little bit of Aloy/Ikrie. Hope you enjoyed the little look into Aloy's reaction.

THEEBlock: Here is more! As for the rest, we will see!

Thrawn92: I have not made a final call but Aloy/Seyka is what I'm leaning towards.

XRedwolfxX1412: I do prefer Aloy/Seyka as well but nothing is set in stone yet.

DragonFang09: I very much enjoyed killing Resh!

Kataleena: Thank you!

FenarielTheDalishMage: We are getting there! A chapter or two to go!

Ryanlarsen84: I was pretty conflicted about doing it exactly this way but ultimately I felt like it was the best way to both get rid of Resh and give Aloy a much needed lesson.

Valkrus: I thought about having him be more involved but I decided to settle on this one. Resh is the villain of Aloy's childhood and i thought bringing him further on might diminish the impact of the enemies she's going to make as an adult.

Nikas_Zekeval: It's gonna be a while before the secrets of the Nora being involved in the underground railroad becomes public but I do already have ideas for how the embassy is going to go.

Stoneward: Thankyou! Glad you enjoyed it!

Hugolem99: I'm glad you like it! As for the other subfuncitons, I still haven't made a final call just yet.

Arawyn: I'm glad you liked it! Thank you very much for reading my story. I hope you liked this chapter and will continue to read.

Chapter Text

A/N: I really am sorry about the delay on this chapter. Writer's block sucks and so does being hyperfixated on things that are not writing. I must have wound up sitting in front of a blank page for hours 11 or 12 times over the last couple months. All I can do is apologize and reiterate that I will never abandon this story or Hearthfire. It just might take me a while to get back into it sometimes. Speaking of, for those who like both stories, I promise that I will do everything I can to have a chapter of Hearthfire out this month. It's about half written but writers block is still giving me trouble and I'm not happy with what I have right now.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 27

3040

Aloy

Aloy stretched her back wide, groaning along with the stretch but pleased at the lack of pain in her shoulder as she walked across the bridge out of Mother's Heart. The roughly six months that'd passed since her encounter with Resh allowed the girl to heal both physically and mentally from the ordeal. Her long red hair swayed gently behind her and the beaded machine cables around her neck clacked against each other as she walked off the bridge and onto the road.

On her back were her trusty bow and spear. At her waist on the left next to her quiver was her folded sling and her bomb pouch. Resting against her behind, tied at her belt, was her custom designed ropecaster that collapsed into a more compact form. Strapped to her right side was her medicine pouch and her pullcaster. All in all, she was quite proud of her custom-designed weapons and while the clothes she was wearing weren't the most protective of gear Teb had ever made, she wasn't going out on a serious hunt today. No, it was more of a stroll through the Embrace.

Still, the piece of kit she was most proud of was what was strapped to her left arm. Her Shieldwing. Basically, a glider made of energy that came out of Shellwalker shield emitters. She could even use it as a shield if she wanted to, but it wouldn't stand up to too much punishment before it shattered. She was still tinkering with the design and power output, but it worked! She'd done extensive, SAFE, testing and all the results turned out great! She'd even started building ones for Varl and her father, but he wasn't likely to use his much. Aloy's father wasn't like her. He preferred to keep his feet firmly on the ground. Vala already had hers since the redhead built a second one the very day after they'd finished testing.

Aloy stretched again and took a deep breath of the cool mid-morning air as she followed the road around the nearby rock formation, passing another bridge on her left and the directional signs for Mother's Heart and Mother's Watch on her right. Turning back, she could see a few of the larger village buildings rising up from the top of the plateau in the distance. Even as close as ten years ago, most Nora buildings were fairly small and ramshackle but thanks to the influence of both the Oseram who'd taken refuge in Mother's Song and Aloy's own inventions, the village of Mother's Heart had grown both in size and in the sophistication of its construction.

Facing back towards the road as she skipped across the creek that split the path, her eyes were drawn to the writhing mass of metal tentacles covering the distant All Mother Mountain. Originally called a Horus, according to her mother, the colossal body of the Metal Devil lay slumped across the Nora Sacred Mountain like an ugly reminder of the utter devastation wrought by Ted Faro and his swarm.

"Only a few more weeks." Aloy thought, excitement filling her at the thought. "Only a few more weeks until the Proving. Then I'll know how and why my mother made me."

Strolling forward, Aloy suddenly stopped and crouched low, charging into some nearby tall grass under a tree and slinging her bow off her back. Ahead of her, just off the side of the road, was a lone Watcher. While the Brave patrols did usually keep the roads clear, it was all but impossible to prevent every machine from wandering too close to the paths. Nor did the Nora really want them to stop completely since the tribe were partially dependent on the parts they could regularly salvage from the machines of the Embrace.

Just beyond the Watcher, across the river, she could see a herd of Striders in the distance. Knocking an arrow, Aloy tossed a rock before hunkering down while she watched the machine, waiting for it to turn to face her. At the sound of the stone hitting the dirt, the Watcher turned its one large eye towards the source of the disturbance. With a single smooth motion, Aloy loosed her arrow directly into the eye of the machine. There followed a sound of rending metal, then Watcher collapsed, dead. Rising out of the grass, Aloy walked towards her kill. Kneeling down, she went to begin harvesting the corpse when a shout from across the river distracted her.

"Aloy! Aloy, is that you? I need your help!"

Standing and facing the voice, Aloy spotted the figure of a Nora man lying prone next to the road across the river. Abandoning her kill, Aloy slung her bow across her back and sprinted across the bridge. Coming closer, she recognized the middle-aged man. It was Arana's father! He was lying in the dirt covered in blood with the body of a Scrapper lying on the road nearby.

"Thok?!" Aloy gasped, taking in the sight of his bloody and mangled leg. "What happened to you?" The redhead knelt next to him, pulling some bandages out of her medical kit. While she was nowhere near Vala in terms of healing skill, she did know the proper way to stop bleeding and dress a wound.

"Agh." Thok groaned as Aloy started peeling away the mangled cloth of his pant leg. "A Scrapper pack. Arana and I were out hunting down those Striders across the road when they ambushed us. One of them got me by the leg."

"It got you pretty badly by the look of this." Aloy muttered, starting to wrap the bloody leg. It wouldn't do much, but it could help slow the bleeding. "Where's Arana?"

"She killed the Scrapper that grabbed me." Thok gasped in pain, grimacing. "Then led them away. Please, Aloy, forget about me and go after her!"

"I'll go find her." Aloy promised, continuing to wrap his leg. "Arana's tough. She can hold on while I make sure you don't bleed out." Tapping her Focus, she called Vala, quickly informing her of the situation.

"I'll be there as soon as I can, Aloy." Vala replied. Aloy could hear the sounds of her grabbing her bag and medical supplies in the background.

"I have his leg stabilized for now so he should be alright. I'm going to go look for Arana."

"Understood." Vala replied. "Let me know if she's hurt and be careful when you take on that pack."

"I will." Aloy tapped her Focus, ending the call before addressing Thok again. "Vala is on her way. Try and keep quiet until she gets here. I'm going after Arana."

"Thank you, Aloy." The wounded father said. Giving him a nod, Aloy used her Focus to scan the ground nearby. It was a jumble of tracks but with the help of the triangular device, Aloy was able to pick out the signs of a Scrapper pack. They led along the road, splitting right and heading towards Mother's Cradle. After perhaps half an hour of tracking, as Aloy was coming to yet another bridge across the river, she spotted a lone figure standing atop a brave trail platform. At its base there was a pack of 2 Watchers and 3 Scrappers.

"Aloy!" The figure, Arana, shouted when she spotted the redhead across the river. "I could use a hand! One of these stupid Scrappers ate my bow!"

"I'm coming, Arana!" Aloy shouted, sprinting towards the river. Sticking out of it was a series of logs that made up part of a ground-level section of a brave trail. Not even slowing down, Aloy bounded across them before launching her pullcaster hook towards the platform where Arana was standing. It caught on one of the logs, pulling Aloy up over the heads of the machines. One of the Scrappers leapt to bite at her, but the redhead's momentum just barely carried her past it and up to the platform. Clambering up, she took in the sight of her friend.

Arana was a pale-skinned girl with brown hair and hazel eyes. Her family face paint covered the majority of her forehead in an alternating x and v pattern, with one spike trailing down just to the bridge of her nose. She, like Aloy, was dressed in traditional Nora garb accented with machine plates at strategic points.

"I am so happy to see you right now." Arana gasped, leaning against the trunk of the tree that stuck out from the middle of the platform. "Have you seen my father?"

"He's the one who sent me after you." She replied, kneeling and looking down at the prowling machines. "I patched him up as best I could and called Vala before I came after you. She should be with him by now."

"Oh, thank the All Mother." Arana whispered. "I was so worried when I saw that Scrapper grab his leg, but it was all I could do to lead them away before they killed him."

"Given the circumstances, I'd say you did pretty well, Arana." Aloy replied. Reaching down, she pulled her sling and her bomb pouch off her side. "Here," she handed them to the other girl, "toss a few chillwater bombs for me so I can take them out faster."

"Right." Pulling back the sling, Arana leaned over the side of the platform and launched two bombs in quick succession towards the pack of Scrappers. The chillwater bombs detonated with a loud 'bang', coating the machines in a layer of the freezing liquid. Chillwater was a substance that near-instantly froze the target. For a person, if they were hit directly on the skin, it could cause frost burns or even full-on frostbite. On a machine, the flash freeze usually caused their internal liquid cooling systems to freeze or turn sluggish and even made their outer metal structures more brittle. Of course, machines that produced chillwater were all but immune to this effect.

Drawing back her bow, Aloy loosed an arrow directly into the power cell of one of the frozen Scrappers. The frozen outer casing buckled under the punching force of the arrow, and the resultant detonation of electrical energy fried the synapses of the Scrapper causing it to collapse into a heap of dead metal. Pulling another arrow from her quiver, Aloy and Arana repeated the process until the last of the pack was rendered into a hunk of scrap metal. Clambering down the tree, the two took stock of their kills. Stepping forward, Aloy nudged one of the dead machines with her foot.

"We should probably tell my father about this." Aloy muttered. "It's been a while since a pack like this was seen anywhere near the roads."

"Yeah." Arana agreed, picking up the remains of her bow, which was snapped in two by the powerful grinding jaws of one of the machines. "It took me and my father completely by surprise. They were way more aggressive than usual for a Scrapper pack."

"Looks like the Derangement is mutating them again." Aloy sighed. "Come on, let's get back to your father."

"Right." Arana nodded, handing Aloy her sling and bomb pouch back.

Vala

Vala sighed, stepping out of the healing hut and wiping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. Grimacing at the feeling of sticky wetness, she glared at the offending hand which she'd forgotten was still covered in blood. Blood that was now on her forehead.

"Here." Aloy muttered, moving from her place leaning against the hut's wooden wall and handing her a damp cloth. With a grateful nod, Vala took the cloth and carefully wiped off her hands before using a clean section to remove the blood from her face. As she cleaned herself, Vala turned towards the other people waiting outside the hut.

"How is he?" Edena asked with a cough. Next to her was Arana, the sickly brunette woman's daughter with Vala's erstwhile patient, Thok.

"He's in pain," Vala admitted, "but he'll survive. It wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, so I was able to repair most of the damage the Scrapper's jaws did. The leg will never be as strong as it used to be, but he'll be able to walk on it almost normally."

"Will he be able to continue as a Brave?" Arana asked, worry in her face.

"Not the way he used to." The doctor replied, "I've repaired what damage I can, but the muscle is badly damaged, so he won't be as nimble or as quick on his feet as he used to be. After he heals, he'll be able to walk and even run but he should probably avoid combat from now on."

"I see…" Edena muttered, looking down and stifling another cough. She herself wasn't completely healthy or able to act as a Brave either. Though, that didn't matter as much since she was primarily a weapon crafter. Around a year and a half ago, she'd been out in Valleymeet when her hunting party was attacked by an extremely rare Acid Bellowback. They'd managed to kill it but not before Edena was engulfed in a cloud of acid spray and accidentally inhaled some of it. It had nearly killed her and while the young doctor was able to save her life, the poor woman was left with a persistent cough that didn't show any real signs of going away even after a year. The damage to her lungs was likely permanent.

"Can we see him?" Arana asked, wrapping her arm around her mother's shoulder.

"Of course." Vala smiled at her friend. "He's still asleep right now, but he ought to be waking up in a few minutes." The mother and daughter both gave her looks of gratitude before moving past her and into the hut. Vala smiled when she felt Aloy wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"You alright?" The redhead asked.

"I'm good." Vala replied, giving her best friend's hand a squeeze. "I think I'll head to the bunker for a few days though. The other healers can keep an eye on Thok, and I could use the quiet. There are a few experiments I want to run on the machinery there, anyway." It was quite common for both her and Aloy to spend a few days away from the village at a time when working inside their laboratory. While travel between the two during a single day was quite easy, both girls sometimes got too engrossed in their work to notice the time and wound up staying the night there. Eventually, they just started planning for it rather than it happening accidentally.

"Have fun." Aloy smiled.

It didn't take long for Vala to collect her supplies and her fox before making her way down the trails extending through the Embrace. She paused briefly at the bridge where Thok was injured, noting the light blood trail that led across the bridge towards her. Taka sniffed at the blood while she looked across the river. The body of the Scrapper that'd torn up the Brave's leg was still lying by the side of the road. Someone would need to salvage it eventually, before more Scrappers showed up.

Scrappers tended to congregate where the bodies of dead machines were left to sit. Nobody quite knew what they did with them, but GAIA told her and Aloy that their original purpose was to scavenge the parts of dead machines to make new ones. The machines would track down the bodies of dead machines, harvest the materials and then deliver them to the Cauldrons for recycling into a new machine.

Speaking of GAIA, her friend's AI mother, Vala still had trouble completely wrapping her head around the truth of her existence. Even years after the revelation that GAIA, the disembodied voice that saved their lives, guided them, and was an ever-present source of wisdom and comfort was not only an AI but Aloy's mom and the All-Mother of Nora faith? Still baffling when she really thought about it. It made logical sense, of course, and the Nora were not technically wrong when they called her the 'All-Mother,' they just got the goddess part wrong.

Vala was not a particularly religious Nora, thanks to the influence of Aloy and GAIA over the course of her life, but she did believe in the goddess right up until that particular revelation. For a while, she'd been quite upset that the faith she'd been raised in was a lie. Thankfully, Aloy's research into the faiths of the Old Ones helped her find a new path. True, GAIA was not a goddess and the All-Mother as a deity did not exist but that didn't mean there wasn't any merit in the beliefs she'd been raised under. While she, like Aloy, no longer truly believed in any specific deity, Vala did feel there was a certain… elegance in the concept of the Earth Mother that Aloy uncovered. An aspect of the divine in the very world around them that should be nurtured and protected.

"Brom! Brom! Where are you!?" A voice shouted from somewhere nearby. She'd been walking for a good hour or so, ruminating on her thoughts and beliefs when the scream broke through her contemplations as she neared Mother's Watch. "It's Olara! Your sister!" Rounding the bend, Vala spotted a figure standing on top of a rocky promontory.

"Are you alright?" Vala shouted up to the figure. She didn't recognize the woman, but that wasn't a surprise. The Nora might be a small tribe compared to the Carja, but there were still several thousand of them. It was quite impossible for her to know everybody.
"No! Please, I need help! My brother is missing!"

"Hold on a moment, I'll be right up! Taka, in the bag." Vala knelt for a moment to allow her pet to leap up and into a special carrying sack attached to her back. Standing, Vala looked over her left shoulder to see the now adult fox head smiling at her. The animal yipped and licked her cheek, causing the teen to smile.

Moving around the back of the rocky outcropping, Vala spotted the handholds making a path up to the top. When in the embrace, everything had these holds because every vertical surface was, at one point or other, part of a brave trail. Taking hold of the first, Vala scrambled her way up to the top of the pillar. At the top, sitting on a stool was a dark-skinned Nora woman with elaborate face pain on the right side of her forehead and cheek.

"What's going on?" Vala asked, sitting on a second stool that was clearly meant for someone else. She felt Taka squirm a bit in her bag before settling down, her chin resting on Vala's shoulder.

"It's my brother." The woman fretted. She hadn't even looked at Vala yet but the moment she did, her eyes went wide. "Is that… a Focus? One of the relics of the Alphas? But… are you Vala? The War-Chief's daughter?"

"That's me." Vala replied with a nod and a smile. "And you're Olara, right? That's what you were shouting earlier."

"Oh, thank the All-Mother." Olara let out a sigh of relief. "Please, I can't find my brother. He was cast out, but his sentence has ended. When he didn't come home, The Braves of Mother's Cradle went looking for him yesterday, but all they found was his camp… covered in blood. Please, you have to help me find him. He could be wounded or dying or…" She choked back a sob. "Please, I can't stand not knowing."

"That's… not good." Vala laid a hand on her shoulder. "Do you know why your brother was cast out?"

Olara sniffed, wiping her eyes. "Brom's always been a little different. A little touched. He's been hearing voices since he was a child. Spirits or voices of the Forgotten telling him to do terrible things. One of the Braves back in the village had a cruel heart and knew about the voices. He was always… needling at Brom. I was barely gone an hour, but it was just too much. I don't know what the hunter said, but this time Brom just couldn't take it. He went after the hunter with a rock and split his skull open. It cost him ten years."

The Forgotten were what the Nora believed to be the spirits of blasphemers and unrepentant traitors. Those forgotten by the All-Mother and left to wander. Now, Vala did not believe in such things anymore but if he was hearing voices with no other external cause… "Maybe schizophrenia or some other mental disorder?" Vala wondered. She was not familiar with the story, but she'd only been nine or ten at the time of this incident so she would likely not have heard about it. Nor was she equipped to treat or properly diagnose any psychological disorder. Psychology was far from her focus and even if it was, barely any proper information on treatment or diagnosis survived inside GAIA's files.

"Where is his camp? I'll do what I can to find your brother." Vala said, standing up and privately lamenting the fact that she would likely not be making it to her lab that day after all. Even if he was technically a murderer, the man had served his sentence. If he was dead, he deserved a proper burial. If he was alive and injured, then it was her duty as a healer to find and care for him until he was healthy enough to come home.

Once she'd gotten the location of the camp, Vala walked to the edge of the cliff. Rather than climb or take the zipline down and ignoring Olara's gasp of astonishment, Vala simply stepped off the platform and activated her Shieldwing. The transparent blue energy flared to life, giving her just enough wind resistance to gently glide to the ground rather than plummeting. She quickly shut it down once her feet touched the dirt path beneath the outcropping, smiling at the happy yaps coming from the fox on her back.

Brom's camp lay to her west just inside the valley where Resh had been contained but closer to the central Embrace than it was to the wall blocking off the inner valley. She was forced to deviate from the path and wade across the river when she spotted a Scrapper pack just off the side of the road. They were milling around near a waterfall that fed the rivers of the Embrace, so she'd need to let people know about it. A quick call to her Uncle Rost to let him know while she shook out her wet boots and then she was off again, headed for the camp.

A large dam blocked off the valley from the rest of the Embrace, save for the gaps at the bottom to let the river pass below the wooden planks. Vala crossed it before clambering down the ladder and into the valley. Brom's camp, according to Olara, was just past that bridge and up the hill. It didn't take long for her to find it. Vala crouched low, ducking behind a tree and cursed under her breath. There were two Watchers lumbering around the camp.

When it came to combat Vala was no slouch, but she was different from Aloy. Aloy was perhaps the single greatest marksman amongst the Nora and while Vala could certainly give her a run for her shards, she much preferred stealth and melee combat when possible. So, rather than take them out from a distance, Vala chose to sneak up on one of the unsuspecting Watchers and run her spear through the back of its head. The other spotted her of course but ripping her spear free and sending it flying into the eye of the other machine before it could make a cry was more than enough to ensure she would not be bothered while she investigated the camp.

With the Watchers disposed of, Vala tapped her focus and began investigating the camp. The campfire looked like it was fairly recently used, and the place was ransacked. There was blood on a low bench and a pool of it next to the extinguished fire. A trail of blood led off to the southwest of the camp and up a rocky slope. Using her focus to help keep track, Vala stalked away along the trail of blood with Taka now trotting along beside her on the ground. If the blood was Brom's, then there was a good chance he was hurt or dead.

Coming to the top of the slope, Vala spotted a bloody stump with a knife sticking out of it. Kneeling down, she examined the object. "This was certainly used to cut something, but was it Brom or someone else?" She wondered, still examining the blade. Looking towards the blood trail, it continued on across a log bridge. Leaving the knife behind, the huntress continued to follow the track until she came across a bucket lying in a pool of drying blood.

"Huh." Vala muttered. "It almost looks like someone used this bucket to cover the camp in blood. But why? Was it Brom?" Looking around, it didn't take her long to spot a trail of footprints in the soft earth. The light covering of snow made tracking the prints even easier. She pulled Taka away from sticking her nose in the bucket before following the footprints back to the dam, then up and over it. Keeping to the tall grass, she avoided another Watcher pack before picking up the trial again as it turned east into the Embrace.

A snap of a twig behind her had Vala whipping out her spear, ready to launch it into a machine. Instead, she only saw Olara stepping out of the trees. Vala sighed and put her spear back onto her back.
"What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry." The other girl replied. "I couldn't help it. I tried to follow you. Lost you for a bit until you came back over the dam but... I can't just… wait while you look. Please, let me come with you!"

"Damn it." Vala grumbled under her breath. "You will stay behind me and extra quiet, got it? If I tell you to stay, you stay. If I tell you to run, you run. Understand?"

"Of course." Olara nodded. "I'll do whatever you say."

Following the path, this time with Olara following along behind her, Vala tracked it back up to the road. A shocked gasp from Olara brought her up short. Looking around, Vala stopped and gazed in horror at the desecrated shrine that sat at the side of the road. A boar's head lay on the altar dedicated to the All Mother, covering it in blood. What made matters worse was the fact that the tracks she was following stopped briefly around the shrine as though whoever it was had stood or moved around in that space for a few moments.

"If Brom did this, then something is seriously wrong." Vala muttered. It was very likely that the blook covering the campsite came from the boar whose head now decorated the altar. While she did not believe in the All Mother anymore, she was still a Nora down to her bones. The sight of the desecrated shrine was appalling.

"The voices! The spirits! They must have made him do it." Olara whimpered. "Brom would never desecrate a shrine unless they were shouting at him to do it."

"Maybe so." Vala replied noncommittally. "But we should clean this up before we move on."

Taking a moment to remove the head and toss it into the grass across the road, Vala picked up the trial once again. This time, she followed it on down the road to a Brave supply cache that looked to have been looted. "Brom's been an outcast for years. His sentence should be up, so why would he steal supplies?" She muttered under her breath while examining the looted cache.

"Could he be planning to leave the Embrace?" Olara asked.

"Maybe…" At least, that was the prevailing theory until they found the stolen supplies ditched in a bush barely a hundred yards further down the road. "Well, so much for that idea." Grumbling under her breath, Vala followed the trail down the road and across the bridge spanning that section of the river.

"Ple-e-ease, don't!" A scared voice whined from up on top of a lone standing rock. "If you don't promise, I'll jump!"

"That's Brom's voice!" Olara said, excitedly. She started to rush headlong towards the rock only to be pulled short by Vala's iron grip.

"Stay here." She whispered firmly. "You haven't seen him in ten years. He could be dangerous. Let me talk to him first."

"But,"

"Olara." Vala sternly cut her off. "Stay here. Taka, you stay too!"

"Right." Olara looked down, stepping away and gazing longingly towards the rock. The fox just yipped and sat on her haunches.

"This is crazy." Vala thought, sneaking towards the rock and clambering silently up the handholds.

"I will! I'll kill myself! I'll kill myself before I hurt her! I won't listen!" The voice screamed. At the top of the rock pillar, Vala finally spotted her quarry. Brom was of medium height and build with dark skin and braided hair covering the top of his head but not the sides, and he was pacing back and forth right at the edge of the rocky platform.

"Easy, Brom." Vala said, stepping towards him once she was at the top.

Brom turned to her, startled. "You… you're not a spirit. What do you want?"

"Right now, I just want you to step away from that ledge, Brom." Vala replied.

"No. No!" The man shouted. "Leave me alone! Can't you see I need time to think? How am I supposed to think when everybody is shouting at me!"

"I'm not shouting at you, Brom." She said, keeping her voice quiet and as comforting as possible. "I know you are hearing so many loud voices right now but try to focus on mine. It's calm and soothing, right?"

"A… a soft voice. Like Olara… it's been years. I… I will listen."

"Thank you, Brom. Now, please tell me what's wrong. Why didn't you come home to Olara?"

"The… the spirits. The Forgotten. Their voices are shouting, always shouting! They never let me be. They want me to do things. Hurt people. If I go back to the Nora, they might make me hurt Olara. I'll kill myself before that happens!"

"You don't have to listen to them though, right Brom?"

"They're speaking to me right now!" He whimpered. "Always there. They take care of me. Keep me company! Except when they scream. Like when that hunter knocked me down. Crush his skull they said. And I did."

"But you don't always have to listen, right?" Vala asked. "Olara is here, down at the bottom of the rock. She's been dying to see you for years, Brom. You won't let the voices hurt her, right?"

"N…no! Never! I'll never hurt Olara, no matter what the voices say!"

"I know you won't." Vala said, stepping just a bit closer.
"But I can't go back!" Brom whined. "Even if I don't hurt her, I might hurt somebody else! I have to stay away."

"Well, what if you stayed here, in the Embrace?" Vala asked, looking for a compromise. He was right after all. He was dangerous and even she had zero idea how to properly treat someone with a mental disorder as potentially violent as his. "Olara can come and see you, keep you company, but you'll still be away from the other Nora?"

"Yes… yes, I can do that! A cave. There's a cave I can stay in. Olara can visit me there! I can stay strong enough for that."

"Good." Vala smiled. "Now come on down with me, Brom. Your sister has been waiting to see you for ten years. Don't you want to go give her a hug?"

"Yes… yes. I want to see Olara."

A/N: There we go! I hope you liked my take on these. Part of the delay was me playing through the quests a few times to figure out how I wanted to handle/change them. These are the only pre-Proving quests in HZD that make any sort of sense to happen in the variant of the world I've created here. I rather liked the idea of Vala being the one to handle one of the early quests with Aloy nowhere to be found but what did you think? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments and reviews.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Deltanumber4: Not to worry! Not abandoned. Just a slow author. I do want to write the FW equivalent scenes quite badly but I need to get there in the story first.

Bargo: Glad you liked it!

Hugolem99: Thank you!

Kiabil: I hope you liked this one and I'm sorry about the delay!

Zaber99: I honestly hadn't considered that but you make a good point on canon Aloy just not having time to process.

ExodiaGeass8910: I don't know if I want them finding out he fully created it or not. While they would hate him all the more, it would still make them question the nature of their faith more than I think I want to explore. It would be fascinating but I think it would distract from Aloy's story a bit. I'll have to think about it.

Bob19h: Writing overprotective GAIA would be fun but also counterproductive. All she can really do to help right now, other than talk in Aloy and Vala's ears, is show herself at ELEUTHIA and she doesn't want to do that unless she has to.

On AO3

DragonFang09: Thank you! Sorry about the delay.

Bissek: You actually make a very good point. One I myself was considering. I have a few ideas for how things will go but that's a very good point.

Deppresen_t: Sorry about the delay! Not to worry though, more GAIA and Aloy is coming. I promise. I do imagine that the Tallnecks would extend the range of the network, yes. It's just one reason of many to have her override them. As for Frozen Wilds, I have effectively rendered it a non-issue. CYAN knows not to answer any calls or give HEPHAESTUS a way in. Aloy will definitely go there, but it won't be as urgent a problem as in canon.

Jpx0999: Sorry about the delay again!

Ryanlarsen84: Thank you! Hope you liked this chapter.

Deathzealotzero: I did think about having GAIA talking in her ear but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Vala would actually know more about medicine and hands-on healing than GAIA at this point. While the stuff came from GAIA's memory, it's not like she was actively studying it. Vala has dedicated her life to it.

Alex3773: Hope you liked the capter!

ReviewerDWJ2: Thank you!

TheLoveOfHorizon: Thank you!

Cereburn: I'm glad I could help you! I hope your story is going well. I'll have to check it out.

SpiritDeNight: Thank you!

Underlust_Sins: Spoilers!

BraveRaomer: Thank you so much! I hope you liked this chapter too.

Sunbreak171: Sorry for the delay but here is more!

PocketsizedKiwi: Thank you so much!

Thrawn92: You are right. GAIA would be quite interested in that. Hopefully I can include that mission in the story.

Party Bear: It could work, but that's something I want to avoid. While I like using OC's as filler or maybe recurring characters, an OC like that would very quickly become a focal character and I'd like to avoid that. I try to look at it like I changed 1 thing from canon and let the ripples go from there. GAIA surviving wouldn't mean somebody from Elizabet's time could survive so by my own rules for the story; I can't do that. I do like the idea though.