Heart Like a Machine

Chapter 97

"S-She's not the same," I whispered, my face in my hands as tears slid down my face.

"Mom," Lis sat next to me, putting her hand on my shoulder. "We're going to get mother back."

"I-I don't know how we're going to."

"She was only after you, which was odd since I look so much like you."

"Your hair is what gives you away that you're different from me."

"Is there anything that we can do that can break her out of that?" Lis asked.

"Well," I pulled my face away from my hands, wiping the tears from my eyes. "She did seem to falter when she saw the necklace."

"What if we show her the things you made her? That could at least break something," Lis said.

"But her ring is gone."

"There has to be another Thunderjaw around here somewhere."

"There is one on an island not too far from here," Seyka said.

"How's your sister?"

"S-She's doing alright. Doing the best she can now that she knows the truth about Londra."

"That's good to hear she's alright."

"I'm sorry to hear about Y/N," Seyka sat beside Lis.

"I really want to drive my spear into Londra's chest now," I sighed, standing up. "The Thunderjaw, which direction is it?"

"That way," she pointed east of Fleet's End.

"Thanks. I-I'll meet you two back where we saw the Horus. I have a feeling that's how he's going to crush us like an insect."

"Let me go with you," Lis said.

I held my hand up and shook my head, "I-I'd rather do this one alone, Lis. Make sure you have everything you need for this final fight."

I headed out of Fleet's End and towards the Thunderjaw. Fighting it wasn't going to be easy since it was in a confined space. But I made do with how tight it was. Salvaging the parts, I tapped on my Focus to see the blueprints I had to make the original one in the first place. Seeing I had everything, I started to get to work on remaking the ring. Once that was finished, I tucked it into a safe spot on me, which was attached to the Thunderjaw tooth necklace.

"Hold on, Y/N. We're coming back for you. Don't worry," I said to myself, heading back the way I came and towards the Horus.

Once I met up with Seyka and Lis, they were waiting for me at the bottom of the hill. Seeing I was ok, we ascended upwards and found the Horus wasn't on yet.

"Well, at least we know it's not on," Lis said.

"But there has to be something we can do to slow it down if it does turn on," I said.

Soon, the eye of the Horus turned red and it turned towards us.

"Oh shit," Lis whispered.

"Time to crush you like an insect!" Londra yelled.

"Mom, t-there's a way to stop that thing, right?" Lis asked.

Tapping my Focus, I scanned the surroundings to find a heat sink.

"There. That's a heat sink. If we get rid of that, the Horus will start to heat up."

"What are we waiting for?" Lis asked and jumped from the cliff, pulling out her rapple.

"Is she always like this?" Seyka asked.

"You should see her mother," I said and rappled down to where we were close to the cooling unit.

"Where did you three go?" Londra asked, an arm coming to life as it was scanning the surroundings for us.

"Lie low, Lis," I said as we crept around the rubble, trying to avoid the giant arm.

It was like this until we were finally able to reach the heat sink. Revealing the part that maintained the heat in the Horus, Seyka shot at both of them, causing steam to come from the unit.

"D-Did we do it?" Lis asked.

"I think so. Look," I said.

The Horus started to move around now, "Thought you had me ladies?! Think again!"

The entire Horus started to move now.

"Lis, call your Waterwing!" I yelled as I called for mine.

The two flying mounts came into view and we jumped onto them, flying after the Horus.

"He's headed towards the bay," I said.

"He's going to use the water to cool down the Horus," Lis said.

"How the hell are we going to stop that?" Seyka asked.

"Mom, look! The underside!" Lis called.

"More heat sinks. We can take those out and cause it to overheat even more. You keep Londra distracted in the air while I attack from below," I said.

"Wait, you want me to fly this thing?"

"You're a fast learner. Besides, Lis will be with you. Right, Lis?"

I turned to see her Waterwing was alone.

"Lis!"

Looking below, she was already running after the Horus.

"Oh my gosh," I sighed.

"Wait! Aloy!"

I jumped down and landed right on top of Lis, which was an accident. We both rolled onto the ground a bit before stopping.

"What are you doing?" Lis asked.

I grabbed onto Lis' shoulders and looked directly into those identical hazel eyes.

"I might have lost your mother. I don't know if I can break her out of whatever brainwashing she was subjected to. But I know this, I can't lose her again. I just can't. But the worst thing about all of this, is the possibility of losing you," I said, tears forming in my eyes.

"Lis, your mother and I waited so long to finally have you and the minute we saw you come from that birthing chamber, we knew we had to do everything to protect you. Upon hearing your cries, we both knew we were ready to become mothers. She was more than myself, but if I lose her and you, I can't use her DNA again to make another one of you. I can't make two of you if you're both gone."

Tears started to stream down Lis' face as I pulled her into a tight embrace, holding onto her as her shoulders shook.

"M-Mom," she whispered.

I pulled away, taking her face in my hands and I wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Please, I can't lose you."

She nodded her head before hugging me once more. Once we parted, she called for her Waterwing which hovered above her before landing. She climbed on and before she flew into the air, we both looked at one another. Even though she mostly looked like me, she still had some facial features of Y/N.

"I love you, Lis."

"I love you, too, mom. Now go kick some Horus ass and save mother!"