Heart Like a Machine

Chapter 23

The doors opened up and Aloy had walked in. She looked a bit tired and exhausted from her trip. She was wearing something different as well. She had something covering her chest and her forearms. And there was something on her head as well. It appeared to be inspired by one of the machines. Unlike the armor she was wearing before we left for Meridian, it didn't cover her stomach. She was even wearing some tribe markings as well. I didn't even notice the tribe markings on her face since I was only looking down at her abdomen. I realized what I was doing and looked away from her, hoping she didn't see that I was staring. She went into the room where GAIA was, indicating she had gotten one of the subordinate functions. She came back out to see Erend and Varl were talking with one another.

"This is like some concussion music or something. This is great," Erend said as he was jamming out. 

When Aloy walked up to them, he turned off the music.

"Erend, you're here," she said.

"Yeah, I'm all patched up. Varl came back to Barren Light to lead the way here."

"Thanks, Varl," Aloy said.

"We were just doing some training with the Focus," Varl said.

"It's going to get some taking use to with this," Erend said and pointed to the Focus on his head.

"Well, considering that I learned more information about the land gods from GAIA, all of you need more training," Zo chuckled.

"She's a pretty fast learner," I said.

"That's good to hear, but you all learn at your own pace. I'd like to talk a bit more, but GAIA wanted to talk to me about something."

Zo and Varl walked away into a different room while Erend was trying to learn about the Focus.

"Hey, you should come with me," she said and walked to where GAIA was.

I followed her and since I was behind her, I got to see her lower back. I tried not to stare since I thought Aloy would find out one way or another. 

"H-How were the Tenakth?" I asked.

"That was a rough time with them. Regalla and her forces attacked and killed some people. I had to put a stop to them and they had a Slitherfang."

"That must have been fun to see that machine again," I said.

"I'm pretty tired from that fight, but I need to get back out there."

"You need your rest, Aloy."

"I can rest whenever this gets finished."

I let out a sigh and the doors opened up and revealed GAIA. This was the first time I had ever seen GAIA. I was in awe with how amazing she looked even though she was an AI. 

"Greetings, Aloy," GAIA said. "It this Y/N?"

"Yes it is."

"Hello, Y/N."

"Hello, GAIA."

"There was something you wanted to talk to me about."

"I had received a message from a soruce I have never seen from."

"What do you think it might be?"

"I don't know, but it was a distress message."

"Someone must be out there," Aloy said. "We better hurry,"

"I am sending the coordinates to both of your Focuses now."

"Thank you, GAIA," I said and we headed back to the main part of the base.

"We're going to need all the man power we can get," Aloy said.

"Erend and Varl, can you meet Y/N and I in the main part of the base? We need your help with something."

"Yeah, we'll be right there, Aloy," Varl said.

"I'm coming in a second," Erend said.

They came in and Aloy explained the situation. They grabbed their weapons and we were off to where the coordinates were. It was on a snowy mountain high not too far from the Sky Clan of the Tenakth. When we got to the top, there was a Far Zenith person fighting someone. They wore masks and they had this weapon that they shot at the Zenith. The shields came down and they were killed. 

"That's interesting," I said to Aloy. "I thought you said that nothing could penetrate their shields."

"Nothing can. That weapon they had took down the shield so that they were able to get past their defenses," Aloy said.

But the weapon exploded, killing the people who had used it. We were in the clear and we came out from where we were, only to be interrupted by this new looking machine. It didn't look like a machine HEPHAESTUS would make. Both Aloy and I scanned it to see it was called a Specter.

"It was from Far Zenith. That technology is way too advanced for HEPHAESTUS to make," Aloy said.

"Well, no time like the present," I said and shot at these new creatures.

They were faster than the machines we have faced before. But we had each other's back and we fought the Specters until they were finished. Aloy went to go examine the weapon, but it was still hot from when it was fired. So we walked over to the opening and looked down to see it was underground.

"Erend and Varl, do you mind staying up here while Y/N and I go check it out?" Aloy asked.

"Yep. We'll call you if something happens."

Aloy looked over at me and I nodded to her. We headed down to wherever this led to and followed it into a facility. 

"What do you think sent the distress call?" I asked.

"More like who," Aloy said as we continued going further down, reaching some sort of area that had these capsules.

We walked out and headed over to the console that was there. Upon reaching the console, Aloy had to put in a number. She typed it in and the capsules were flying all over the place until one came down and landed right at our feets. It opened up and revealed the girl who looked like Aloy.

"She's the one who looks like you," I said and reached over and grabbed something. I handed it to Aloy and she scanned it.

A hologram of the girl came up and she started speaking.

"Elisabet, sorry I don't know what to call you. I'm Beta. I came to warn you that the Far Zeniths are a force to be reckoned with. They have APOLLO, ARTEMIS, and ELEUTHIA, but they don't have the GAIA kernal to merge it with."

I looked down and saw it was still in the little glass case. I handed it to Aloy and she kept it safe with the other things I presumed she had.

"If you see this message, I'm most likely dead. Please, do whatever you can to stop them. Thank you and this is goodbye."

The hologram cut out and I reached over and pressed my fingers against her neck.

"She's still alive."

"We need to get her out of here."

"A-Aloy?" Erend came in from the Focus. "Can you hear me through this?"

"What's the matter, Erend?"

"Two of those Specter things flew out of the sky. One is heading down towards you."

"Stay out of sight and we'll be up as soon as we can."

"Y/N, can you do me the biggest favor for me?"

"What is it?"

"Let me deal with the Specters. You watch after Beta."

I nodded my head, "I'll protect her with my life."