When Kiara awoke she was numb, she couldn't feel anything. All she could do was stare at the ceiling, it appears that she had been moved to her bed. Kiara turned her head when Teersa walked in.

"Oh! My child, you are finally awake!"

Kiara just stared at her emotionless, she couldn't handle the thought of losing Aloy, She was all she had left. Aloy was her everything, without her she couldn't cope.

"My child, she is alive."

Kiara looked up at her then, lips slightly parted and a sliver of hope in her eyes.

"We had got word of her whereabouts, she wasn't there when the blast struck, she was a ways down the mountain. Her throat was cut but she will make it, it will leave a scar though. Aloy is alive, Kiara."

Kiara had tears rolling down her face, she was overcome with so many emotions. It was like she could breathe, she had a broken smile as she sat up.

"She's alive?"

"Yes, my child."

"She's ok?"

Teersa smiled and held onto Kiara, she rubbed her back as she cried.

"Yes, my child. Worry not, Aloy is fine. It's alright, let it out. You'll be ok, I'm right here."

After a few minutes Kiara was able to pull herself together, she let go of Teersa and dried her eyes and cleaned up her face.

"Where is she? I need to see her."

Teersa frowned.

"I'm afraid you can't, Aloy is with her mother."

"W-what?"

"When we found her, Aloy was very close to death. Everyone needs to be with or near their mother when they die, so when we found her we took her to her mother."

Kiara was still struggling to think coherently, it took a moment for what Teersa said to register with her. She looked up confused when she realized what Teersa meant.

"But, I thought she didn't have a mother? That's why she was cast out and sent to Rost."

"It's complicated my child, and I am unfortunately not at liberty to say anything. Aloy is the only person I can share that information with, she won the Proving so that will be her prize if she so wishes it. Only she could tell you anything."

Kiara wiped her eyes again as she wrapped her head around Teersa's words, she stood up and grabbed her weapons and satchel.

"Take me as far as you can to her, I know you won't let me be wherever she is right now.. but I need to see her as soon as possible. So please, take me as far as you can."

"I had already planned for that my child, a lot has happened since the two of you have slept. Your world is about to change, and so is Aloy's. Come, we must go."

Kiara was anxious to get to Aloy, the heavy feeling in her heart wouldn't lift until she saw for herself that she was alive and well. Kiara grew confused as she realized where they were going.

"Why are we going to All-Mother?"

"That's where Aloy is, I can't say anymore Kiara. I am sorry."

Kiara was still confused but nodded and kept walking. That would explain why she couldn't be where Aloy was, only the Matriarchs are allowed there. It took all of her strength and willpower to not break down again and Teersa left her to go see Aloy inside All-Mother. Kiara never liked being alone at the best of times, let alone after thinking the person she loves most had died. After what felt like centuries, she saw Teersa exit All Mother and behind her was..

"Aloy!"

Kiara couldn't help herself, she ran the rest of the distance between her and Aloy and held onto her for dear life. After a moment Kiara realized she had been crying again, Aloy was rubbing her back and comforting her.

"It's alright, I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

"I-I thought.. I saw the blast.. I couldn't find you.. I-I thought it was happening all over again.."

"Hey now, I made you a promise remember? I promised I'd never make you go through that kind of pain ever again. I always keep my promises, don't I?"

Kiara smiled and nodded, after a few moments she was able to let go of Aloy. She still held onto one of her hands though, she needed to feel her to make sure she was real. After Aloy wiped the tears from Kiara's face they walked over to Teersa and the other Matriarchs, they seemed to be in a serious discussion.

"Is it done?"

"Yes, I showed her. Sisters - the Goddess spoke to Aloy! Told her to heal the corruption!"

"Hmmph."

"But, how is she to do that?"

"She will have to journey beyond our Sacred Land."

"A Seeker. If the Goddess Spoke... it must be so."

"You would name this thing a Seeker?"

"Sister!"

Kiara Glared daggers at Lansra. She never liked her to begin with, she and many others who knew of her heritage preferred to speak of her as a dirty mut. Since she was a mix of Nora, Carja, and Oseram she could never hold true or belong with any of them, she was forever a wanderer. Coming after Aloy in such a manner and calling her a thing was something else entirely to Kiara, she bawled her fists and clenched her teeth. She was held back by Aloy grabbing her hand again, she turned to her and sighed. Kiara begrudgingly backed off and relaxed herself and turned back the Matriarchs.

"For once, Lansra, join with us."

"This will be your sin, not mine! Send her seeking and may she never be seen again."

Teersa and Jezza then turned to the girls.

"Aloy, by the holy grace of the one Goddess, we hereby anoint you a Seeker of the Nora Tribe."

"No barrier can now stay you from your sacred task. May All-Mother protect you, and sustain you. Stay true. I will make ready for the Hymn. Our hopes lie with you."

Jezza then went off to join Lansra, Teersa stayed behind to speak with a confused Aloy and a beaming Kiara. She stepped back and stayed quiet so Aloy could question Teersa about Seekers and the like, Kiara knew about Seekers and was overjoyed at Aloy becoming one. She would finally be able to fulfill her promise to Aloy, to show her everywhere she had traveled and

show her the world beyond the Embrace. Kiara frowned in confusion when she heard them speak about Rost in the past tense.

"Why are you two speaking as if Rost was no longer here?"

Teersa frowned and Aloy looked away.

"You didn't tell her?"

"She was in no state to be told, I was afraid she would shut down again. Kiara, come."

Kiara stepped forward but she had a feeling she knew what they were about to say.

"He.. he's ok, right?"

Aloy took her hand and told her about how Rost had been watching over her during the Proving, she told Kiara that when she had been snuck up on and was about to be killed that Rost showed up. He had been injured after fighting the leader of the killers, he then threw her down the mountain so she could escape the blast. Rost hadn't made it out, he sacrificed himself to save her. Kiara was able to stop herself from crying but she wrapped her arms around Aloy again, she then whispered in her ear.

"I love you, so much. I'm here for you, always."

Aloy pulled away and smiled. Kiara knew she was hurting but knew she wouldn't talk about it, Aloy will forever be the opposite of her. When Kiara would cry and shut down from grief, Aloy would push it aside and go for vengeance. They both turned to Teersa when she spoke up.

"Aloy, I know better than to think Kiara would stay here where she was safe, please watch after her."

Aloy gave a small salute and Kiara chuckled. Teersa smiled and hugged Kiara tightly.

"Take care of each other, the outside world is full of new dangers and obstacles. You both always have a place to stay here, please take advantage of that. Now go, fulfill your destiny!"

They both nodded and began walking down the path to the gate.

"Are you really ok?"

Kiara turned to Aloy, she put her hand in hers and smiled.

"I am now, but please.. Don't ever do that to me again."

"Not like I planned that, but I'll try my best."

Kiara gave a small smile.

"Thanks. Heads up, there's this guy called Resh-"

"He absolutely despises me, I've met him."

"Oh dear, you have? He's a git. If it makes you feel any better, he hates me too."

"Not really encouraging."

"Meh, but that's besides the point. Teersa had to explain it to me when we crossed the gate to get here, he's the new War Chief. Sona apparently went looking for the killers after the Proving, her daughter died in the attack and she's looking for vengeance along with most of the Braves, they've been missing ever since. Resh only let me in because Teersa was with me, so we should expect trouble when we get there."

"Maybe it won't be so bad, I'm a Seeker now so that should give us an edge over him. Don't you think?"

"I like the way you think, love."

After running into Teb by the gate they made their way to Resh, he turned to them in disgust.

"Get out of my sight."

"We need the gate open."

"Since when has any mut or outcast's "need" been my concern?"

"Since she was made a Seeker, you foul little git!"

Kiara spat, Resh looked at her in fury then turned to Aloy.

"You - a Seeker? Have Teersa and Jezza gone insane?! Bad enough that they let you run in the Proving! But to nurse you back to health inside the Sacred Mountain? No wonder a curse is upon us, and children be dead under cairns of stone."

"How can you be so heartless? I fought beside those children, shoulder to shoulder and back to back. I saw them fall."

"If even one of them had been true Nora, they would've put an arrow in your back!"

Kiara saw red, if it wasn't for Aloy holding her back and the Brave stationed next to them stepping between her and Resh she would've attacked. The Brave turned to Resh.

"Resh! Come on, back off."

"Silence! I am your War Chief!"

Aloy let go of Kiara and stepped up, she spoke with a stern tone.

"And I am a Seeker, anointed by the High Matriarchs. So open the gate, and we will be on our way."

Resh's face turned red and he sputtered, he begrudgingly turned his back to them and motioned for the gate to be opened.

"The sooner you two are gone from here, the better."

As the two started to head for the gate, the ground started to rumble and a booming noise was heading for them.

"What's going on?"

"I'm not sure, get your weapon out!"

Kiara did as Aloy instructed, they saw the Braves take cover and did the same. Just then the gate was broken down by a group of striders accompanied by a new machine, and it was big.

"What the hell?"

"Try to get a scan on it for weaknesses, I'll watch your back and take care of the striders."

Kiara nodded and started trying to get in close, She froze it with her freeze arrows and dodged through the striders. When she was able to scan it she ducked behind a cabin, she took a breath and contacted Aloy.

"It's called a corruptor, I can't use my corruption arrows because that only makes it stronger. It can take control of machines, it's like nothing I've seen before. The hold is permanent, it makes them its own. Definitely something we need to look into."

"We can look at that later Kiara, we're under attack right now. How do we kill it?"

"Oh shit! Sorry! It has no elemental weaknesses. The two cylinders on either side of its head are weak points, strike them with all the damage you have. As always, eyes are good targets."

"Got it, I'll take over the corruptor."

"I got your back."

"Don't use corruption, I scanned the striders to get more information on the red corruption. Your corruption arrows will only piss them off."

"Thanks for the tip, let's move."

Aloy began to solely target the corruptor while Kiara and the other Braves took down the rest of the striders. Kiara had to be dragged away by a Brave, she had taken down the last strider with her lance because it had gotten too close, the red corruption oozed out of it and made her vomit uncontrollably. Once the sickness passed the Brave helped her up and gave her a red elixir, she drank it and felt better immediately. She returned to the fight just in time to see Aloy take down the corruptor, she ran over to her as she saw her stripping the carcass.

"Hey, you good?"

"More than good! Look at this!"

Aloy stood up and showed Kiara a device, she scanned it with her focus and discovered it was called an override.

"Do you think that's how it used the striders?"

"I'm willing to bet."

"There's a strider site down the path, wanna try it out?"

"That's the plan, let me attach it to my spear."

"Alright, I'm gonna get us some elixir, that red corruption made me weak and vomit my guts out. A Brave gave me an elixir and I was back to normal, I have a feeling we'll be dealing with that red corruption again. Better to be prepared, meet up by the river?"

"As usual."

Ten minutes passed and they regrouped by the river, Kiara started luring a strider away from the herd as Aloy snuck up on it from behind. Kiara held her breath as she watched Aloy jab her spear into the strider, if this didn't work it was going to be pissed and kick her with its hind legs. She watched it amazement as the strider became overcome with blue light and calmed, she stood up from her hiding place as Aloy jumped on the strider.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm catching a ride! Come on!"

Kiara laughed as she took Aloy's outstretched hand and climbed behind her. She wrapped her arms around Aloy as the strider picked up pace. She smiled as she saw Aloy smile laugh, she was clearly enjoying this.

"We should try overriding other types of machines! Probably can't ride them all, but we might find a use for them!"

"Definitely! I really need one of those!"

"Hahaha! I'm sure we'll come across another corruptor, we'll get you one. We also need to figure out how to override more machines, my focus says I can only override broadheads, chargers, control towers, redeye watchers, striders, tallnecks, and watchers."

"Wait, we can override tallnecks?"

"That's what it says, why?"

"When my parents and I left after I got my focus, we'd pass by tallnecks and I always got this reading from them. I could never go and explore it because it was at the very top of their heads, but I wonder if it's connected to the override?"

"Hm, that's interesting. We'll have to check it out. Hey, do you know what a control tower is?"

"No idea, I've never come across one or even heard of it before. I'm sure we'll find out though, we just have to be patient."

As they approached the gate they heard shouting and sounds of battle, they ran out just in time to see Braves taking down a corrupted sawtooth. One of the Braves noticed them and came to speak, Kiara recognized him.

"You're Varl, Sona's son. I'm sorry about your sister."

"Vala died saving others. There is no better death."

Aloy spoke up then.

"Your sister was Vala? ...I'm very sorry. I... liked her. I think we might even have become friends… If we'd had a chance."

"Thank you, that means a lot coming from you."

They spent a few minutes relaying information to each other, Kiara knew the way to Meridian but Varl knew of the recent changes and dangers. He also asked them to find his mother, War chief Sona. He had gotten reports that she was still alive but was forbidden to go after her, they promised to find her. After they said their goodbyes Kiara and Aloy climbed back onto the strider and headed off.

"What do you want to do first, go to Meridian? Or find Sona?"

"Sona. I want revenge against the killers as much as anyone and her trail dwindles every second. I'm sure Errend will be more than happy to help us find Olin when we get to Meridian, no matter when we get there."

"Olin?"

"Oh! I haven't told you yet.

Aloy began retelling of the events inside All-Mother, of the killers seeing Aloy through Olin's focus, of the woman in the recording, of the ruins inside All-Mother, and of what Teersa had told her.

"That son of a bitch! Wait till I get my hands on that piece of shit! He knew they were coming after you!"

"Calm down Kiara. I'm just as pissed as you are, but we need to think rationally about this. Olin has information we need, first we question him and then comes judgment."

Kiara sighed.

"Fine."

"Good. Any other questions?"

"Yes, the Matriarchs think All-Mother is your mother?"

"Yep, but I think it's that woman from the killer's focus. Here, look."

Aloy transferred the recording to Kiara's focus.

"Oh, wow. The resemblance is uncanny."

"Exactly. We need to find a way to fix the ruin inside All-Mother so I can get inside.

"You think she's there?"

"Maybe. Only one way to find out, right?"

"Right. Hey, the massacre site is up ahead."

"I see it, let's go."