Heart Like a Machine

Chapter 94

"Are we ready?" I asked as Lis was situated with her Waterwing and Seyka and I were about to get on ours.

"Yeah, I think so," Seyka said.

"Here," I reached into my pocket and tossed her my diving mask. "Lis had made her own before we came here and I didn't want you to hold your breath."

"What about you, Aloy?"

"I'll be fine."

I climbed onto the back of the Waterwing and Lis strapped the breathing mask to her face, giving me a thumb's up. Seyka put it on and she climbed onto the back of my Waterwing.

"Alright, let's go," I said and flew into the air. "Stay close behind me, Lis."

As we flew into the vicinty of the tower, projectiles started to fly towards us.

"Aloy!"

"I'm on it. Dive, Lis!"

We dove into the water and swam along the current, getting closer to the tower. We breached and I took in a deep breath.

"You ok, mom?" Lis asked.

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

"Incoming fire!" Seyka called.

We dove down once more and swam along the current again, getting closer now. It was back and forth diving and breaching until we reached the beach. However, the tower shot at both of our Waterwings, causing us to go in for a crash landing. We got up from the rough landing and I shook out the sand from my hair.

"Here," Seyka tossed me my diving mask back.

"Thanks," I said.

"You ok?" she asked.

"Yeah. I've had rougher landings."

"Like the first one you had."

"Ok, we don't need to go there," I chuckled.

"Could use some help here!" Lis called.

"Lis!" I rushed towards her to see her leg was wedged underneath the body of the Waterwing.

Seyka and I pushed the machine off of her leg. She stood up and shook out her leg.

"Any injury?" I asked.

"I should be fine," Lis said. "We should be heading to the volcano."

We headed into the park to find that the entire place was crawling with Quen guards.

"Seems we won't be getting in the front way," Seyka said,

"There has to be a backway we can get in," I said and walked around the guards, even though we were going to fight them eventually.

"Londra Productions. At least we're heading in the right direction," I said.

We entered a production area that had cameras and other holograms of dinosaurs and people in there. As we exited the studio, we came across a crossroad that had signs that pointed to different areas of the theme park.

"Look at this," Lis said, seeing a hologram of a dinosaur. "This is so cool! I'd have to come back here when, you know, lives aren't on the line."

"She definitely has your sense of humor," Seyka said.

I chuckled, "Yep. She definitely got that from me."

"There," Lis gestured to a sign that pointed in the direction of the volcano.

We headed there quickly only to find out that it was locked.

"Well, we need a key to get in there."

"Let's start looking around," Lis said and walked off into a direction. "Hey, mom, these look like Clawstriders."

"Lis, don't run off like that," I chased after her.

"Hey, wait up!" Seyka called after us.

We reached a building with a holographic sign that said 'Raptor Raid' on it.

"I hear voices in here," Lis said.

We walked into the building and opened up the door. Sneaking inside, we found people were on this platform talking to one another.

"Try to imagine it's the first time seeing him. The warmth and the glow he gave off," a voice was heard.

"Kina?" Seyka asked and moved closer.

"Wait, Seyka," I followed after her.

"Second squad, you're on escort. The others, you're with me until Walter gives the word to move out."

"That's our guy," I said and pointed to Fedder. "He's got the key to the Armory."

"Right behind you."

"Where's Lis?"

I looked around and found Lis was already a step ahead of me.

"Oh no, Lis," I tried to reach her in time, but she snuck up behind Fedder and drove her spear into his back, the spear head protrudding from his chest.

"I'll just take that, thank you very much," Lis grabbed the key and jumped down without even being spotted.

"I got the key. Let's go!" Lis said and bee-lined to the exit.

"That takes care of that," Seyka said.

"Wait up," I said and followed after them.

Once we left the Raptor Raid building, Lis tossed me the key.

"There you go."

"H-How did you get there so fast?"

"I wasn't paying attention to what they were talking about, other than being the chosen one from Londra. So I just followed that Fedder guy until he stopped talking and stopped moving. Went up behind him and BOOM! stuck my spear into him and then yoinked the key."

I looked over at Seyka as she eyed me.

"What?" Lis asked, a smile on her face.

"You really are like your mother," I said.

"Fearless?" she asked, chuckling as she posed heroically.

"Stupidly fearless," I said. "Come on. Let's go find that Armory. Once we find that, we find a way into the volcano and find Londra."

"I really hope I can reach my sister in time," Seyka said.

"You will, Seyka. I-I fear it might be too late for Y/N," I said.

"What makes you say that?"

"Y/N has been here the longest out of the three of us. She was shot down a day before me and we've been here in the Burning Shores for about a while now. She's probably being put through hell no thanks to Londra and his MSP. We've been without contact with her and she has only contacted once and that was the use of a binary system to give us her coordinates. I-I'm just," tears started to well into my eyes.

I turned away from them and wiped the tears from my eyes, "I-I don't know if I can take losing her again."

"Aloy, I'm sure Y/N is alright," Seyka said. "Even though I've never met her, from what you briefly told me about her, she sounds to be just like you: strong and willing to get things done no matter what. I believe in her. I know you do, too. And I know Lis does as well."

I nodded my head and was greeted by Seyka's warm eyes, "Y-Yeah."

"Oh, mom," Lis walked over and hugged me tightly. "Mother is going to be ok. I know she is."

"I hope so, Lis."