Living Antiquity

~25~

"Aloy. Y/n. Zo. Please. Someone..."
I bolt upright from the shelter bed, Drakka rolling over beside me as a chorus of mildly annoyed voices wake up across the Focus network.
"Balist!" Rolv yelps, the tone clearly having woken him.
"Overseer Bohai caught us smuggling a woman out. He had suspicions due to our claim that machines ripped through us and took the body... He wants to speak to anyone that can tell him why you're helping us..."
"Tap your focus, and swipe the call in the direction of his, that will add him to the network," I say, bolting to my feet and pacing.
Aloy groans and sits up as a new voice joins.
"I assume this to be one of the Living Ancestors I've been told about?"
"Y/n Tate. And I assume this to be the spineless work thief who is too busy kissing imperial ass to get agead protect to his people."
"Y/n...!" Alva whispers.
"Y/n L/n? The sleeping Ancestor... yes, we recognize your voice from the data- Be careful who you insult, girl."
"Be careful who you take that tone with, little boy, I am a thousand years older than you," I snap, "The plan was to eventually add you to the fold once I could be sure you could be trusted with their safety- due to this, I'm having my doubts."
"And my men having such pristine Focuses?" He asks.
"Freshly made, three days before they were given. We didn't give Alva one in order to not raise suspicions. Rolv is safe with us. Can you say hi, bud? I know its the middle of the night."
"Hello, Overseer..." Rolv says meekly.
"I see... and they've all been alerted to Ted Faro's sins..." Bohai muttered.
"Indeed. Common knowledge on this side of the world. I'm told a certain shitstain is trying to become him?"
"M-Miss Tate..." Rolv says.
"Indeed. He's been losing his sanity at an increased rate... But we've been all but trapped doing his bidding," Bohai frowns.
"... About how well would it go if we were to come do an intervention?" I lean against a tree, seeing Drakka staring at me.
"Our culture is convinced Elisabet Sobeck is Ted Faro's Assistant... To the point that when we even carry her raiment like in her temples back home... I think that if we can get into Thebes- Ted Faro's legendary bunker... He might finally reveal all of his full colors and get himself killed."
"May I make a few personal predictions?... Just based off experience?" I ask, frowning as Drakka trudges over and just leans on me, clearly still tired even though he was listening.
"Of course. The advice of one who lived on the ancient era would be appreciated..." Bohai responds.
"Ted Faro was a selfish jaggoff who was obsessed with power and fame- to the point that his mistake swallowed life on earth. He may have been selfish enough to have someone try to make him immortal. With his lack of foresight, though, it would have gone wrong. We're gonna find something down there so disgusting and cruel that Ceo will make a mistake. And Faro is the kind to set the whole thing ti blow if his life signs cease."
"... You think he's still alive?"
"If some function. If the door is still there, so is he. The pyramid would have also come crumbling down- asshole loved his pyramids. Oh god watch me be right..." I groan and rub my face, "I'm not a prophet. I have a skill called pattern recognition- I'm saying all this based on how he acted in the past..."
"Noted. And how do you suggest we deal with this information and these theories?"
"Find a way to remove as many people to safety as you can," I say, Drakka looking up at me tiredly. Yeah, me too, hun. Didn't ask to be woken up but here we are...
"If I may interject, I'm afraid Y/n may he rught. We detected a functioning reactor under San Fransisco when we landed but got no responses so we ignored it..." Stanley pipes.
"Good lord... The Waterbearer as well?" Bohai sighs.
"Just Stanley, please. I have no interest in being some... deity. Unlike the other Zeniths. Should you have questions about the past world that Y/n cannot answer or is uncomfortable answering, I am willing," Stanley says.
"We can be there in..." I look at Aloy, "What, a few hours hard ride, how long by water?"
"I don't know, I haven't been over there..."
"If I override a Tideripper and we ride on its back or let it pull us..." I point out.
"An hour or two? They're... pretty fast..."
"And then another couple hours on foot to whatever meeting point..." I sigh.
"Balist, how many of the guards have the new Focus?" Bohai asks.
"All of them. Y/n, Zo and Aloy gave us spares and we were instructed to pull the unaware aside and give them a full recap and tell them what to do," Balist responds.
"A hidden mutiny staged by strangers- effective. I'm almost sorry to have discovered it so soon," Bohai sighs.
"Everyone watch your eyes, I'm switching to holo-call mode," I say, switching it over and seeing the full crowd around me.
Drakka just groans.
"S'wrong with him?"
"He's sleepy still. Had a rough day- an entire pack of Clamberjaws crashed camp. Twice." I sigh.
Drakka just groans, "Atekka, I respect your people's claim to the jungle, just make them stop multiplying..."
"That would be something to ask Gaia once she's got HEPHAESTUS under control again," Atekka chuckles.
I nod to everyone, and see Chief Hekarro and Bohai staring each other down while Alva paces, biting her nails.
"Alva, you're alright. If you or the guards get in trouble for this, I'll slap a bitch," I say, walking my avatar to her and grinning.
She lets out a breath and wrings her hands, "I-I know, I just... my family, my people..."
"Let me tell you something," I turn to Bohai, "If I agree to play nice and work with you- you will work with everyone as equals. There are no betters, no worse- sure, many of the ones who currently have a Focus are leaders- Hekarro, Drakka, Atekka, Tekkoteh, Petra, Aloy, Beta, Kotallo, Erend, Olin, Zo in her own damn right, the Chaplains... But they took priority for communication purposes. I won't stand for anyone being treated as lesser or inferior. Information, data, is what will inevitably get us through this. What your people think is lost and forbidden is actually just data their Focuses were too old of a model to read. What you hide from your people will inevitably harm them. If your tribe seeks the truth, seek the truth, not twisted shrapnel of kernels to twist history how you want it. Taking credit for another's research will get you nowhere with me: I will see through you. Bullshitting me will get you nowhere with me, I will slap you senseless. Alva gets any credit needed for finding us. It is only fair, as its my understanding that you've stolen credit for plenty of her discoveries and others. If I find you annoying to talk to, she will be my contact with your people. Am I clear?"
"... Crystal, ma'am." Bohai nods his head, almost visibly setting his jaw.
"You." Drakka mumbles.
"Hm?" I look at him.
"You left yourself out of the leader lineup," Drakka groans.
"That's fair. You've done more co-ordinating than anyone else, Y/n..." Zo says.
"Absolutely." Morlund pipes up.
"You three be careful heading over there. A lot of shards at stake here in Hidden Ember in your honor." Abadund mumbles.
I relax slightly, and look out over the crowd of avatars, taking a breath, "I just want everyone to be able to live without fear of each other... I never got to see a world like that... Why can't this be one..." I whisper, seeing Hekarro nod and stand up straighter.
"The Tenakth stand behind you ready to defend that wish at any time," He says, some of the Quen soldiers standing up straighter at the sound of his voice. Did their own generals have that commanding of a voice? Maybe not even half as gentle, either... "Your dream aligns with the one Fashav presented to me before the Embassy... I will defend it with bow and spear."
Drakka finally manages to stand up straight and looks at everybody, "So then we go kill a crazy bastard?" He asks.
"Or at least get him locked up. Don't know how that will go... The leader of the expedition imprisoned by his own men..." I fold my arms.
"With the evidence mounting against him, and survivors to speak for his insanity... The Emperor will have no choice but to punish him. His punishment will likely fit the crime," Bohai sighs.
"Ah. So then if he makes the bunker go boom, leave him in the bunker, got it," I say, walking to my sleeping roll and starting to pack up, "Give us twenty four to thirty six hours, we will be there. Everybody... Sorry for the unceremonious wakeup call."
"Safe travels, you three," Zo hangs up, avatars disappearing one by one until the call was empty, and I sigh.
"We're off to kill the wizard, the horrible wizard of hell..." I sing under my breath.
Aloy spits the water she'd been drinking from her bottle out, coughing as she covers her mouth and tries to calm down.
"Shit, it wasn't that funny..." I look at her as she laughs, hugging her knees.
"Any more gems, Y/n?" Drakka jokes.
"You'll know when I know," I deadpan, getting my kit together and into the saddlebags as Piglet boots up.
"Sorry, buddy, we gotta head out," I say softly, hopping on as the other two finish getting together, and let their rides loose, following me along the coast and past Thornmarsh, waving to Atekka as she watches us from the arching pathways.
--
By the time we reach the landing dock, I'm feeling all of the impending lack of sleep, and as I hunt down a Tideripper to override, I instead find a Snapmaw.
"Your name is Crockie." I say as I sit on its back on the way back to shore, seeing Drakka and Aloy groan, "Sorry, couldn't find a Tideripper. Found Crockie though."
"Its already named," they chorused in the same dejected tone as Crockie tilts his head.
"Piglet! Go with Racer and Aloy's mount, wait for us in Thornmarsh, ok?"
Piglet chuffs and turns, trudging back the way we came as Drakka and Aloy climb on and we all hold on as Crockie submerges, all three of us pulling out the diving masks I'd been working on.
An improvement on the one I made in Vegas, and able to withstand greater pressure...
The ride was only a couple hours once I showed Crockie where to go.
Finally, we stepped on sand again, letting the water drain from our ears and clothes.
Drakka's face paint survived all that, but not the high-pressure soak in ashblood muddied water... scary.
I lead the way, flowing the coordinated to where Bohai and the guards said to meet them.
A guard waits under a tree, motioning us further out of sight since we'd been sneaking along, "You're here! I'll alert the others. We've smuggled three more just in the wee hours, he tried to kill a mam for snoring..! They're already on a canoe headed for the shore, I called Atekka and her tribesmen..." he says, frowning.
"Wonderful..." I pinch the bridge of my nose.
"How do you plan to do this?" He asks.
"We're going to act like we're searching the island for something for our cause. Aloy is willing, but annoyed, by the idea of having to play dress up if she has to. You guys act the parts of loyal guards, but be ready to flip."
He nods, transmitting the signal with the instructions.
I look at Drakka, "You're gonna get mad, but... I need you to stay hidden. They'll get scared..."
"Y/n..." he frowns.
"I know. But its bad enough for us to go in there. I don't want anything to happen to you..." I look at him, "And before you say 'what about you', you know I'm down to cut a bitch to get out if there if I have to." I pull him down so his forehead was against mine, seeing the restraint on his face- probably trying not to just grab me and walk back the way we came... "Just until we have things settled and then you're in, I swear," I kiss him softly, already knowing how fucking hard this was going to be...
He kisses back, at least, but grits his teeth when I pull away again, "I'll stay in the grass. You tell me as soon as shit's solved, desert flower..."
I nod, turning back to Aloy and the guard.
"I marked his location so they know to expect him on patrols. We can sneak meals if-"
"I got rations. You need your food," Drakka says, slumping down into hiding in the poutiest way possible.
Aloy and I walk out of hiding, following the trails and looking as if we were searching, eventually passing the guards and being welcomed by Bohai, upon being led through the camp to the single creepiest man I have ever laid my eyes on.