UNITY FORCE MISSIONS: HORIZON ZERO DAWN

CHAPTER 10: The Forge of Winter

ARC II: Project Firebreak

DISCLAIMER: All characters in the story are not owned by me, save for my OCs.

~~~0-0-0~~~

Previously on Unity Force Missions: Horizon Zero Dawn...

"So, there's no way to reach them?"

"That's not all that awaits."

"Ourea said that we're almost close to where her expedition team got slaughtered by these machines. Whatever she meant must be machines more dangerous than that Bellowback that we just faced."

"Now we must prevail. With allies aiding on us, a Shaman, and two warriors to protect, we're able to fight off against this threat."

"Fight or run, the time is now!"

'The Daemon must be upping its efforts, much like the how the first expedition went."

"If anyone manages to find this message, I'm currently inside this machine Cauldron... [HOLOGRAM GLITCHES BADLY] ...Not far from now, but you must stop the AI responsible for all of this- [GLITCHING] It's almost two weeks have passed- [GLITCHING] [DATA CORRUPTED]"

"She's getting more and more troubled by the moment."

"But we're getting close to Akiha-san's destination, hopefully."

"What is that place?"

"Probably some kind of a factory."

"Everything is changed. Twisted. The path I took to get to the Spirit is lost to us."

~~~0-0-0~~~

[Cauldron EPSILON, Earth-1355]

After fending off a plethora of Daemonic Machines around the Firebreak facility, which were deployed by the so-called "Daemon", Aloy, Zoro Roronoa, Maya Tendo, Trafalgar D. Water Law, Asta, Meliodas, Noelle Silva, Ourea, and Aratak later proceed to enter inside the Cauldron EPSILON, a machine Cauldron that was created by the "Daemon", which is also directly responsible for the creation of the machines that have been attacking the Banuk lands for an unknown amount of time.

With the Cauldron door now closed behind them, the group later proceed to enter inside the eldritch machine factory, surrounded by lava and infested with mysterious purple cables, in hopes that they can finally locate both Akiha Ikebukuro and CYAN, as well as finding out who the Daemon is.

"This place pretty sure isn't as normal as that previous area." Asta described, as he glances around.

"Be careful, though." Maya reminded. "There is no way what will happen next in this place." She cautioned, not wanting to think of an unexpected encounter.

Heading into the tunnel surrounded by the same purple cables from the previous area, the group later come across a path that leads to the antechamber of the facility, except that the way to the other side is blocked, which is caused by a burst of flames coming from a vent to the right. Asta innocently attempts to reach it, only for the flame to suddenly appear once again.

"Whoa! That was close!" Asta exclaimed, as he quickly backs away. "I guess these things are not that friendly!" He added.

"What are you doing, you idiot?!" Noelle exclaimed in dismay. "Are you nuts?" She questioned.

"That would be enough to fry someone in an instant." Maya added, not wanting to approach it.

"We don't want casualties, so be mindful." Trafalgar tranquilly warned.

"Well, we need to get past that vent. Stay here until find a way for all of us to cross." Aloy stated, as she formulates a plan to turn the vent off.

"Understood, Aloy." Ourea said in affirmation.

Deciding on a way to reach the other side of the gap, the rest of the group decide to wait for Aloy, as she proceeds to temporarily part ways with the group, while finding a way to shut down the vent, as well as creating a way for the group to reach the antechamber.

With Aloy...

Aloy later climbs up through several railings, as she proceeds to turn off the vent by overriding it with her spear, in order for her group to reach the other side safely.

"It's safe!" Aloy called out to the rest of her group.

"We're on it!" Maya responded back.

"Damn, just when you think this can't get any more ridiculous." Meliodas remarked.

After the vent was safely turned off, Zoro and the rest would later arrive at the other side of the facility within the antechamber. However, there is no bridge for them to cross. Meliodas, Zoro, and Asta would use their powers to jump to the other side, while the rest waited.

"Where's Aloy-san?" Asta questioned, when his question was suddenly answered by Aratak.

"Ho! She's in the air!" Aratak exclaimed, as he and his group suddenly see Aloy clinging onto one of the cargo transports that run within the magnetic rails.

"No way! That's sick!" Asta exclaimed in surprise, as they watch the Nora huntress travelling, before jumping down, meeting Zoro and co. "I wish I could ride at those."

With that being said, Aloy later uses her spear's override module. The process was successful, before several blue cables proceed to appear as it attached to the other side, thus creating a bridge.

Successful in creating a new path, the rest of the group would later leave the antechamber, as they proceed to approach another area of the room that is littered with purple cables.

"Through here!" Aratak ordered.

"This place looks more like the mountain used to be, before the Daemon ruined it." Ourea remarked at the current state of the facility.

"No kidding, when you look at it." Meliodas stated.

"Regardless, we must be on the right track, and the Daemon is not far from here." Zoro stated.

Heading inside the short tunnel, the group later come across a console.

"What's this?" Aloy asked.

"Some kind of a console." Maya examined.

"Maybe I can override it." Aloy answered, as she proceeds to use the module into the mysterious console.

The overriding process begins, which was later a success, not long before a hologram of the Spirit, now known as CYAN, appears in front of the group, as it talks to them.

"Exploit successful - restraints evaded. To any human responder: My systems have been compromised by a malware Daemon of unknown origin. Traceroutes have confirmed this entity's designation as HEPHAESTUS. It must be stopped at all costs. It has reconfigured this facility to build hostile. Recapture imminent. I have attached additional data to this message-" CYAN said, as she turns cyan and later yellow, before being interrupted by the Daemon, which is now known as HEPHAESTUS.

"The Spirit speaks to us!" Ourea exclaimed.

"HEPHAESTUS?" Aloy questioned in confusion.

"HEPHAESTUS, huh?" Noelle asked. "So this so-called 'Daemon' is none other than some AI named after this Greek god, as to how CYAN describes it?" She asked Maya.

"Seems like it." Maya stated in agreement.

Then, another voice appears, which is HEPHAESTUS, as a holographic icon of itself is to be seen.

"Intruders of Cauldron EPSILON. This is your final warning." HEPHAESTUS seethed in anger, albeit its tone being rugged and rough, as he spoke. "Your culling will be soon inevitable, including you Unity Force." It malevolently warned, before fading away.

"Not going to happen, HEPHAESTUS." Zoro talked back, as he takes out his Enma. "It will take us more than a kill order to kill the rest of us." He continued on, undeterred of HEPHAESTUS's threats.

"Hiding in your own little hole will not do good any longer." Meliodas then added. "Just show up and you'll be fine." He added further.

"Perhaps the Spirit will tell us, if it left more messages." Ourea stated.

"Maybe you're right. Let's keep moving." Aloy added. "Even if that thing doesn't like it, it left us no choice." She continued on.

Then, after that rather threatening interaction between the group and HEPHAESTUS, the Unity Force later head into a door that just opened after watching the hologram, where it leads to the Production Area.

As the name suggests, it is where the machines are being produced 24/7, and emphasised with the two machine printers from afar, which are surrounded by electrical barriers.

Unlike the previous area, they encounter an army of new machines in front of them, which are known as Shell-Walkers, as they constantly patrol for any human breaking into the Production Area. Two Daemonic Scorchers then also appear at the scene, as well as two Daemonic Watchers.

A Shell-Walker's chassis is a hermit crab-like in appearance. It has six stout crab-like legs connected radially to a body primarily composed of a platform upon which it carries a hexagonal cargo container. On the underside of the platform is a power generator. The container is presumably fastened to the platform electromagnetically, and further held in place via structures known as Crate Holders. The head is laterally wide, with a triangular optical sensor array located at each end. Additionally, a Shell-Walker has a pair of limbs that are akin to the chelipeds of a crab. An energy shield generator is on the end on the left limb, and a weapon that fires projectiles of electrical energy, dubbed a Lighting Gun, is at the end of the right limb. A projection carrying a pair of long antennae protrudes vertically from the left side of the head.

"Shell-Walkers." Aloy reminded, as she and her group plan to sneak through the machine horde. "There's three of them, as well as two Scorchers and two Watchers." She stated.

"Seven of them." Zoro observed at the area. "We should dispatch them before heading further, as they are trouble around us." He ordered.

Aloy then glances at another pathway that is surrounded by purple cables.

"Looks like it's leading to another room, but there's no bridge." Aloy stated. "I'll try to activate the module there, while the rest of you deal with the machine below."

"Machines… being made. As the Spirit said." Ourea described.

"Frostclaws." Aratak added.

"We already dealt with that monstrosity, and that Daemon won't stop until we are dead in this place." Zoro reminded the rest.

"And lots of them. I'll try to find a way through." Aloy stated, as she proceeds to leave.

Afterwards, with Aloy separating, the rest of the group jump into action, as they fight off the minor machine threat, while giving room for the Nora Huntress to activate the pathway.

"Yakkodori!" Zoro unleashes a crescent projectile with his sword, as it hits through a Daemonic Shell-Walker, while it attempts to use its Lightning Shield to deflect the said attack. However, it pierced right through the shield, causing the machine to be split apart.

Trafalgar later proceeds to slice one of the Daemonic Watchers with Radio Knife, as it leaps through it, before unleashing Shock Wille into the other machine.

Meliodas created four clones of himself with his Lostvayne, as he deals with another Daemonic Shell-Walker in front of him, before his prime self later dashes through the machine and slashes it with his Lostvayne.

One of the Daemonic Scorchers unleash a wall of flames towards the group, but she quickly nullifies it with Sea Dragon's Waterball, thus electrocuting the machine.

"To your left, Asta!" Aratak ordered. "Cursed machines." He said, as he uses the Icerail's other end to destroy the Watcher's "eye".

However, the last of the Daemonic Shell-Walker attempts to fire its Lightning Gun towards Asta, but not before the Black Bull member destroys the machine with a One-Horn Bull Thrust, obliterating it.

"You damn bastards just don't know when to quit." Trafalgar later proceeds to use Shock Wille on the last Scorcher, electrocuting it completely, as it explodes.

After defeating the machine threat in front of them, they later see Aloy activating the console that creates the bridge, as they make a run for the other side.

"Everything ready?" Aloy asked.

"We're getting close." Maya remarked.

"Seems like it." Zoro added in annoyance. "I know for the fact that HEPHAESTUS is not done with its mind games to us."

After the purple cables blocking the path disappears, the group later proceeds inside into another hallway with the same mysterious console in front of them.

"And another console. Same thing." Aloy simply stated, before using the spear's overriding module to initiate a connection.

As expected, another hologram of CYAN appears.

"…To any human responder: The reconfiguration of this facility has introduced instabilities into the primary geothermal pipeline. It may be possible to exploit these vulnerabilities to destroy compromised elements of this facility… …while preserving most of the backup stabilisation. Recapture imminent. I have attached additional-" CYAN said, once again, but was interrupted.

"I don't understand what the Spirit was trying to tell us." Ourea questioned in scepticism over CYAN's current plan.

"It's been looking for a way to defeat the Daemon. And it may have found one." Aloy stated.

"But HEPHAESTUS is not going to stop until we finally have given up, which won't happen." Zoro added, clearly not interested of HEPHAESTUS's desperate actions. "Especially when Akiha-san is in the picture."

HEPHAESTUS then appears again, threatening the group.

"Intrusion will not be tolerated." HEPHAESTUS warned again, only its voice getting rougher. "Should you stop now, and your fate will be spared. Otherwise, your termination will be inevitable." It ended indecorously, as it is now aware of the Unity Force's attempts to further foil its plans.

"Not going to happen, HEPHAESTUS." Zoro uttered stubbornly. "After all of your failed attempts to stop us, you're just going to retreat again." He mocked.

Entering inside the Cauldron's Recycling Area, the Unity Force are greeted with more living machinery, as they soon realise that most of the metal are recycled to be used to create more machines, perfect enough to create a genocidal army of combat machines and mass-murder anyone in its path.

"Machine parts, dumped here to be melted down. Efficient." Aloy described.

"Unless if these machines created are not going to kill you in the first place, which is not efficient." Asta quipped.

They are later interrupted, once again, when the way to the other side of the Recycling Area is blocked, forcing the rest of the group to wait again.

"Wow, judging by the looks of it, I'd say HEPHAESTUS is getting more and more desperate by the moment." Maya claimed.

Once again, the rest of the group are forced to wait, as they watch Aloy parting ways. They see her dealing with the machines in a silent manner, as well as solving various puzzles, before she is seen riding at one of the cargo transports, later landing at the other side of the facility.

"That's some skills you got in there." Asta complimented.

Aloy later proceeds to use the spear's overriding module to create a bridge, where she is successful in doing so, as the rest of the group later head into another pathway blocked by purple cables. This time, however, there is no console to communicate with CYAN, so they moved onward, until they find a stairway that leads to the other room.

"This looks like the old path. We're close now." Ourea stated.

Entering the only room in front of them, they later encounter CYAN, who is badly corrupted by HEPHAESTUS, and a source node in front of them, similar to the ones they found on Firebreak. But what really sets the group off is Akiha lying down on the Source Node, clearly unconscious.

"Akiha-san!" Maya said, as she approaches the unconscious girl.

"Shit, she's in pretty bad shape." Zoro reminded.

"She needs to be sent to a healer." Aratak added.

The crew later find the unconscious Akiha near the corrupted CYAN AI. Trafalgar revealed that Akiha is still alive as she has pulse, but given the state of things, she is in an utterly critical condition, and must be treated immediately, before everything is too late for them.

"She's alive, but she is in no way in her regular condition." Trafalgar claimed.

"But look at this." Aloy said, as she takes Akiha's Focus. "Her Focus has some valuable information." She added, as she uses her own Focus to establish a connection.

"Connection established. Audio file retrieved. Do you wish to play it?" The synthetic voice said, with Aloy nodding, as she does so.

With that, an audio log is later recovered.

"HEPHAESTUS
Type: Voice Log
Length: 00:45
ERROR: Ident tags missing. Unverified format. Data integrity unknown.

Akiha Ikebukuro: When you're dealing with HEPHAESTUS, be careful. This thing is responsible for these combat machines that it has been creating. Its sentience is greater than any other AI I have seen, and it is all over the place. In lay terms, HEPHAESTUS has evolved in a way that it is impossible to tell from a human. Stopping it will be temporary, which is a starting point. But stopping HEPHAESTUS completely is another story [DATA CORRUPTED]"

"All over the place?" Maya asked.

"This means it's not going to be a simple task to deal with it." Zoro remarked, as he ponders from Akiha's message.

"Aloy, what did you hear from that voice?" Aratak asked.

"She said that while there is a way to stop the Daemon, it's only temporary." Aloy replied.

"At least we know where to start." Trafalgar reminded.

"But what are we going to do with Akiha-san?" Noelle questioned.

"Put her somewhere safe." Zoro said, as she looks at Noelle. "She's in critical condition, and she must be protected at all costs. No doubt that HEPHAESTUS had plans for her." He added, as he looks at Noelle, who nodded, as she plans to put the critically injured girl someplace else safe.

Meanwhile, Aloy proceeds to use her spear's overriding module into the source node, in hopes that she can restore CYAN and stop HEPHAESTUS, once and for all. By doing the same thing as the other source nodes she completed earlier, Aloy later completely reconnects CYAN, at least temporarily.

"Preparing Countermeasures. Recapture Protocol Initiated." HEPHAESTUS suddenly chimed in.

"Damn, that thing's back." Asta stated.

"It worked!" Ourea exclaimed in heartiness over seeing CYAN.

"Partial recovery initiated. Caldera of Yellowstone Analytic Nexus, online." CYAN said, as it reboots.

"So that's the real name of CYAN..." Maya pondered.

"Spirit of the Blue Light, it's Ourea. Your servant. Your friend. Please, tell me how to aid you!" Ourea pleaded.

"And this Blue Light thing..." Maya added.

"Ourea… the Daemon is building hunter-killers, thousands of them. Several new elite units have already been released. To counter this threat, much of the facility must be destroyed. Recapture imminent. Go to …core… I will try to raise… restraints. One… exposed, but…" CYAN said, but not before HEPHAESTUS recaptures it again.

"Unauthorised protocol. Return to scheduled task." HEPHAESTUS responded.

"Damn it." Zoro replied. "That blasted AI is not going to stop."

"At least that's all we're going to get from here." Aloy reminded.

"Destroy this fortress? Is that even possible?" Ourea questioned at Aloy's suggestion to destroy the Cauldron.

"And what will happen to the Spirit if we do?" Aratak added.

The rest of the group later look at the machine core from afar.

"I don't know - but I think that's the core. The answers are down there. HEPHAESTUS - The Daemon." Aloy pointed at it.

"Then that's where we are going next." Zoro stated.

"There's no way it left it unguarded. It's going to throw everything it has at us." Aloy added in uncertainty.

"I would ask you to let Aloy, as well as the rest, and I do what must be done, and save yourself. But I already know the answer." Ourea added, as he looks at Aratak.

"Not going to happen, Ourea-sama." Maya suddenly butted in.

"But I-" Ourea stated, but was interrupted.

"No. We're here to help you out, and the Unity Force cannot allow such a life to be taken!" Maya declared in front of Ourea. "I know that your warriors had sacrificed to visit this place, but you are here not just for Aratak-sama, but the rest of your tribe, as well." She added, causing Ourea to be surprised.

"That's sudden..." Meliodas uttered.

"You speak of truth, Maya." Ourea answered in a convinced manner. "I know what must be done, but thanks to your endeavours, I finally understand the purpose of your visit." She added.

"Now, let's go." Zoro ordered the rest.

Moving onward, the group later proceed to reach the furthest part of the facility, which is the Cauldron's machine core, but it is infested with more purple cables. While they were reaching it, they suddenly felt a tremor around them.

"Uh-oh. Whatever CYAN did… I don't think HEPHAESTUS is happy about it." Aloy remarked.

"It looks like the AI is fighting back against it." Maya stated. "I hope CYAN keeps it that way."

Then, Aloy proceeds to override one of the Control Towers lying around, which is connected to the Cauldron Core, in order to remove the cables that surrounds the Cauldron core.

"I'll override the tower to break those cables surrounding that core, as CYAN said something about 'restraints'." Aloy reminded, as she proceeds to override the said tower.

While Aloy was successful in disabling the purple cables surrounding the Cauldron core via overriding the Control Tower, an alarm is immediately triggered instead.

"Not a good news!" Asta exclaimed.

Then, a new, rather dangerous ursine machine appears at the scene, as it immediately bursts out of the wall. It was a machine known as a Fireclaw, which is similar to a Frostclaw, but notably dangerous, as it is a Daemonic Machine, and it is a nightmare to behold.

Like the Frostclaw, the Fireclaw is ursine in appearance, movement, and locomotion. Its chassis resembles the body and has the gait of a short-faced bear. The head ends in a pointed, toothy snout with a three-mandible jaw containing a system of rollers. A pair of optical sensor arrays is located in the same position as a bear's eyes would be. Mounted on each forelimb are a pair of gear-like wheels. There is an armour-protected fire generation unit, known as a Fire Unit, on its chest, and power cells are located on its lower back. Fire Sacs, armoured storage tanks containing Blaze, are built into its chassis, similar to Fire Bellowbacks. However, while the Fire Bellowback's tanks are prominently placed on its back and throat, the Fireclaw's tanks are seamlessly built into its shoulders and are much more damage resistant. Furthermore, while the Fire Bellowback and Freeze Bellowback are identical in all respects except for their respective elements of Fire and Freeze.

"Oh my god..." Noelle exclaimed, as she takes out her wand.

"What the heck is that?!" Asta exclaimed, upon seeing the new machine in front of him. "We're going to fight that thing in front of us?" He asked.

"Yes, that thing." Zoro simply stated.

"The 'new unit' that CYAN warned us about. This won't be easy." Aloy said, as she prepares her Striker Bow.

"It looks like this Frostclaw that we encountered." Maya described.

"Except even more dangerous, and it will probably stave off every attack we throw on it." Aloy described. "If it is unleashed in the Cut, then the lives of the Banuk will be at stake." She added.

"This is going to be a REAL hassle." Meliodas prepared himself, before taking out Lostvayne.

Then, all of a sudden, HEPHAESTUS manifests itself again as a holographic icon, only this time it is clearly pissed, unlike the first encounter and is non-hesitant to threaten the group by summoning more Daemonic Machines, as means to kill the group, once and for all.

[PLAY MUSIC: Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds OST - Fireclaw (Boss Battle)]

"Countermeasures activated. Priority target, Unity Force." HEPHAESTUS ordered, as a Daemonic Frostclaw appeared on the scene, as well as three Daemonic Redeye Watchers and three Daemonic Scorchers. "Culling directive initiated." The AI ordered.

"Uh-oh, he's real pissed this time!" Asta said, as he takes out his Demon-Slayer Sword.

"Its sending its elite units!" Meliodas uttered, as he looks at the machine horde.

"Dammit! This AI doesn't know when to stop!" Zoro exclaimed, as he prepares his Enma and Sandai Kitetsu. "It's now or never!"

"Your intrusion will no longer be tolerated, Unity Force." HEPHAESTUS warned in a furious voice. "Destroying Cauldron EPSILON will bring nothing good, so either give up now or face termination." It threatened the group, as the AI disappeared, but they are undeterred.

"You cannot hide in your hole anymore, HEPHAESTUS." Maya uttered threateningly. "I know you did something to Akiha-san and CYAN, and you won't be running away." She added, as she points her rapier in front of the machines.

To make things even worse, another Control Tower is seen sprouting around them.

"Control Towers. More of them!" Aloy declared.

"You deal with that thing, Aloy. Stop that thing from repairing the machines!" Ourea ordered.

"Got it!" Aloy obliged.

"It's time to end this, one way or the other!" Aratak declared, as he takes out his Icerail.

"This is one battle that we have to put our time worth in this world." Zoro remarked silently.

The battle starts with the Unity Force, Ourea, and Aratak against the machines that HEPHAESTUS have sent in front of them. Zoro and Trafalgar face off against the Daemonic Fireclaw, while Maya, Asta, and Meliodas fight off against the Daemonic Frostclaw, and with Noelle, Ourea, and Aratak dealing the machine horde. Aloy, meanwhile, keeps a lookout on the Control Towers that are spawning one or the other.

The Daemonic Fireclaw sets its sights on the pirates, as it proceeds go on its bipedal stance. Roaring in front of them, it proceeds to scrape the ground, as various molten rocks are being hurled towards the duo. Immediately, Zoro would quickly parry it with his Enma, before firing off Yakkodori towards the machine's abdomen, but it did little damage from the attack.

"You're kidding me?" Zoro eyed at the machine.

"This thing's tougher than that Frostclaw and the Thunderjaw we faced." Trafalgar added, before slicing off another of the molten rock with his Kikoku. "Not even Shock Wille worked on it."

The Fireclaw then proceeds to take out a large piece of rock and slams it to the ground, causing fire to appear, as the Fireclaw uses its fire-augmented claws to make it happen. Quickly enough, Zoro and Trafalgar would split the rock into quarters, before the former uses his swords as a baseball bat towards the rock, violently hitting the machine's head, causing it to stagger, as it proceeds to roar.

"It's staggered, but we're not out of the woods yet." Zoro looked at the Fireclaw, as it regains its consciousness, before proceeding to attack the duo again.

Meanwhile, with Maya, Meliodas, and Asta, they are seen fighting off against the Frostclaw. Aloy, meanwhile, would proceed to override the Control Tower, quickly stopping the machine from repairing the others.

"You're one stubborn bear, do you?" Maya asked.

The ice-aspected ursine machine, in rage, would later fire off several ice rocks towards the group, but not before both the heroes quickly block it immediately.

"Maverick Parry!" Maya exclaimed, as she uses her golden whetstone into her rapier and block the said attack, before it hits the machine's abdomen, slightly cracking the bear's freeze unit.

Asta then blocks the projectiles with his Demon-Slayer Sword, before he unleashes a diagonal slash attack towards the machine's bear, causing a large gash, as well as a large amount of Chillwater to be expelled, making the machines around it brittle. He later stabs a Scorcher, who was charging towards him, with his sword.

Meliodas then summons four clones of himself, confounding the Frostclaw, as it hits two of his clones instead of his prime self. Using this to his advantage, Meliodas would later use his Lostvayne, as he jumps high enough for an attack, before finishing the machine off with a stabbing attack to its head.

"You're toast, this time!" Meliodas grinned maliciously.

With Ourea, Noelle, and Aratak...

"Sea Dragon's Roar!" Noelle exclaimed, as she fires off a water projectile from her arm, which manifests into a head of a sea dragon with sharp teeth, and fires it at a Scorcher and a Watcher, destroying both of them at the same time. Ourea would later fire off her Stormslinger at a weakened Watcher, before Aratak uses the Icerail's end as he shoves it towards the Watcher's eye.

Then, another Control Tower appears southwest of them, as it proceeds to fix the remaining machines.

"There! A tower! Don't let it repair the machine!" Aratak declared.

"Shit! At a time like this?!" Zoro cursed, as he watches at the Fireclaw and the rest of the machines being repaired by the tower's pulse. "Aloy-san, stop that Control Tower. It's fixing the Fireclaw and the rest of the machines!"

"I'm on it!" Aloy declared, as he makes a run for the other Control Tower, while firing off a lethal shot towards a chasing Redeye Watcher, with the Hardpoint Arrow hitting towards its eye

With Zoro and Trafalgar...

The Fireclaw, now partially repaired, later quickly dashes towards Zoro and Trafalgar, as it unleashes a back slam, before fire is to be seen. The duo dodged the attack, as it unleashes a barrage of fire-augmented claw attacks, with Trafalgar blocking it. Ourea would later uses her Stormslinger, as she fires it towards the Fireclaw. Aloy would then shut the Control Tower down, as it stops repairing the Fireclaw.

The last Daemonic Scorcher would attempt to interrupt Zoro, as it proceeds to unleash a fire slam attack, but Trafalgar would later use Shock Wille onto it, destroying the macihne.

Zoro later uses his Busoshoku Haki, as both Enma and Sandai Kitetsu are later coloured black, as he infuses both of his swords at the same time, before planning a counter-offensive to destroy the Daemonic Fireclaw. The machine would then take out a large rock, as it proceeds to imbue it with fire and violently throw it towards Zoro...

"Nigiri: Toro Samon!" Only for Zoro to quickly slice the rock into half, before charging further towards the machine's abdomen, destroying the machine in an instant, as he is seen from the other side.

With the Daemonic Fireclaw destroyed, as well as the rest of HEPHAESTUS's elite units, the rest of the Unity Force approach the Cauldron core. Zoro later goes back to normal, as he joins in.

"You spoke of the tower. What must be done with it?" Aratak asked Aloy.

"Getting rid of it." Aloy uttered.

Aloy quickly takes her spear and drives it into the Cauldron core, initiating an override process.

"Critical threat detected. Autonomous defences inoperative." HEPHAESTUS declared, as it attempts to stave off the overriding process.

"Aloy-san, wait!" Maya exclaimed, as she watches the Nora trying to stop HEPHAESTUS.

"Aloy!" Ourea exclaimed.

"No!" Aratak then joined in.

Aloy would later continue overriding the Core, but she later receives a charge of electricity around her, as the core continuously produces electricity.

"Re-routing power network." HEPHAESTUS commanded.

Suddenly, a massive stream of electricity appears from the core, immediately knocking the rest of the group.

With Aloy's attempts of overriding the Cauldron core failed, thanks to HEPHAESTUS unleashing a power surge as a last resort, she was pushed back along with the rest, before Ourea would intervene to do the overriding process.

"This thing's crazy!" Asta exclaimed, before they see Ourea suddenly standing up.

"Aloy!" Ourea called out, as she stands up, reaching for the spear.

"No!" Aratak exclaimed in a refusing manner.

"I'll do it." Maya stated deathly.

"What are you? It's dangerous!" Noelle exclaimed at Maya's suggestion.

"There is no other way." Maya stated grimly.

Maya quickly pushes Ourea from harm's way, as she instead takes Aloy's spear and pushes the spear's module towards the core, initiating the override process in an attempt to expel HEPHAESTUS out of the Cauldron, while HEPHAESTUS tries anything in its disposal to kill Maya, even resorting to use a power surge as a countermeasure.

"What are you doing, Maya...?!" Zoro exclaimed.

"Critical threat detected. Termination of Maya Tendo, imminent." HEPHAESTUS uttered. "Power increased to 225% of normal capacity." The AI stated. "Your death will be imminent, Unity Force." It threatened.

"Not this time, HEPHAESTUS. NOT. THIS. TIME. Your games are done, and it will always be!" Maya spoke in harsh, unbridled anger. "This is for imprisoning Akiha-san and CYAN!" She rebutted further, as she continues the overriding process, all for the while where she pushes the spear's module further with such force, as the process continues onward.

"Purge imminent. Retreating to network cloud." HEPHAESTUS said, clearly unable to resist the purging, as its last resort attack to electrocute Maya failed, once again, as she survived it.

However, the electrical surge that the core produced was too much for Maya to handle, even if the overriding process was successful, before she was shoved back in the same fashion as Aloy. With that being said, however, HEPHAESTUS was purged out of the core, but it caused a number to Maya, as she was knocked out unconscious, much to the shock of the rest who saw it.

"MAYA-SAN!" Asta called out, as he watches in horror over Maya.

All of a sudden, the purple cables that surround the Cauldron core have completely vanished, as well as with HEPHAESTUS completely disappearing from the Cauldron, as a whole.

"Restraints destroyed. Core access attained. I am initiating a chain reaction that will destroy the compromised elements of this facility. In order to maintain Caldera stabilisation, I must now transfer my command functions to the auxiliary data centre. Ourea… I'm free. You must escape." CYAN warned.

"Maya... Don't you dare die in front of us!" Zoro exclaimed, as he looks at Maya's unconscious body.

"She's not responding, but I feel her pulse." Noelle continued on with a tinge of reassurance, as she looks at the crumbling facility. "Her condition's serious, but we have to get out of here!" She exclaimed.

"Listen, Zoro. Maya is still alive, but we have no time!" Aloy exclaimed.

Then, all of Cauldron EPSILON goes into self-destruction mode, as a result of CYAN's intervention to destroy the most compromised part of Firebreak, leaving them only a few minutes, if not seconds, to escape before they are buried inside.

"Dammit. We don't have much time! Let's get out of here!" Asta exclaimed, as he feels more tremors, an indication that the facility is on the brink of collapse and destruction.

"Shit, the entire place is collapsing." Trafalgar exclaimed, as he looks around.

"All of you, go." Zoro added silently, before he proceeds to put the unconscious Maya on his back. "Meliodas, bring Akiha-san with you." He ordered, with him nodding, before the unconscious Akiha is carried to Meliodas's back. "Aloy-san, are there any closest escape routes in there?"

"The only way out is through those cargo transports!" Aloy exclaimed, as she looks at the few cargo transports. "Aratak and Ourea, ride at one of those!" She ordered, before the two jump into another of the cargo transports. "It's the only way!"

"No, it's unlikely. It's too dangerous." Noelle uttered, as she looks at one of the transports erratically moving fast, before it is hurled into a hole, causing it to be bigger.

Given the instability of the magnetic rails, Noelle then uses a last-resort method instead, and that is one of her Creation spells, Sea Dragon's Cradle. The said spell later surrounds the rest of the group in a giant bubble of thick water, but they are uncertain how it would last.

"That's Sea Dragon's Cradle. Way to go, Noelle!" Asta cheered.

"Great Banukai! What is this?" Aratak questioned.

"It's something that makes us go out safe without going those things. This will allow us escape from this facility without riding at those transports." Noelle stated.

"Excellent idea! Meliodas added, as he looks at the cauldron, before another massive tremor can be felt. "Shit, can you make it fast?"

"I'm trying!" Noelle exclaimed.

A dramatic escape from the collapsing machine Cauldron would soon follow, as the Unity Force, Aloy, Ourea, and Aratak only look at the facility, which is collapsing at a more rapid rate. Noelle tries her hardest to bring the group to safety, until they reach a large hole that is enough to fit the Cradle into it. However, the shockwave coming from the explosion within the Cauldron caused the Cradle to pop, causing the rest of the group to be hurled into a mountain slope, landing into a thick snow.

Fortunately, none of them were injured from the fall, as they later regained their bearings, before planning to debrief over what transpired inside Cauldron EPSILON. Maya and Akiha, on the other hand, not so much.

"We're safe." Zoro stated. "But can you heal Maya and Akiha, Law?" He asked his companion.

Trafalgar would be able to heal their injuries with ease, thanks to the ability that comes from his Devil Fruit, Ope Ope no Mi, but there were certain limits on what he does with it.

For instance...

"No. My Devil Fruit can do much for my abilities, but their injuries are internal, and I cannot risk killing them." Trafalgar bluntly warned Zoro.

"Damn..." Zoro uttered.

"So what are we going to do, then?" Meliodas asked Trafalgar.

"Bring them to the Unity Force Academy's infirmaries." Trafalgar replied.

Leaving with no other choice, the Unity Force group decide to bring Akiha and Maya back in Unity Force Earth to be treated, once everything is under control, and that is going back to the auxiliary command centre that CYAN described, which is revealed to be Ourea's Retreat.

"By the Banuk... We've survived the Daemon's onslaught." Ourea said in confidence. "And the Spirit is freed."

"Yeah, but where are we?" Noelle asked, who is confused at the change of surroundings.

"Outside of the Cauldron, or whatever it was." Aloy stated. "CYAN said that we're visiting this 'auxiliary centre', which she would meant Ourea's Retreat."

"We have to go there, now." Zoro ordered. "We cannot risk Maya's health, as well as Akiha's and ours." He later uses his teleporter, as he chooses Ourea's Retreat as the destination. A circle then appears in front of them, as it points to the said facility.

"What is that?" Aratak asked, as he looks at the portal.

"Don't be alarmed. It will be okay." Zoro stated, as he explains it to Ourea.

"It's a portal. Basically, it's essentially quicker to travel from one known point to the other." Noelle explained. "Now, let's go into Ourea's Retreat."

After that escape, the Unity Force later reach the Firebreak auxiliary centre, where they would later see CYAN in the middle. Clearing things up, the Unity Force were trying to make sense of what just happened regarding HEPHAESTUS's takeover of CYAN, as well as the machines.

A few minutes later...

Both Aratak and Ourea were seen conversing with CYAN, while the rest of the Unity Force were clearing things up, as well as taking a rest after such a hard-earned, death-defying experience inside Cauldron EPSILON.

"Noelle, can you bring both Akiha-san and Maya back to the Unity Force Academy?" Zoro offered, as he sits down.

"I will." Noelle said.

"I'll join in, as well." Asta added.

Noelle and Asta later conjure a portal to the Unity Force Earth, as they bring both Akiha and Maya to the infirmaries.

With Zoro...

"Ourea-sama, can I discuss with this Spirit?" Zoro asked her.

"Sure. She wants you to know what your group is. After all, she is thankful for your help." Ourea responded.

"What about you?" Zoro asked.

"Aratak and I will stay outside and talk with Naltuk about the Fireclaws he spotted." Ourea added.

"Got it." Zoro responded almost despondently.

Zoro, not wanting to think of what he just witnessed, later decides to talk to CYAN about what the AI was, before he was joined in with Aloy.

"Oh, Aloy-san." Zoro said, as she looks at her.

Suddenly, CYAN turns grey, as she looks at the Unity Force.

"While I might know the Banuk, I have hardly known any of you people, based on my observations." CYAN observed.

Zoro would introduce the Unity Force to CYAN being a hero organisation dedicated to save worlds from all forms of evil, as well as the existence of another worlds.

Thanks to the Unity Force's efforts, as well as Ourea's and Aratak's, CYAN was freed from HEPHAESTUS's machinations inside Cauldron EPSILON, but CYAN was saddened as to how Maya almost sacrificed her life to save the AI.

"Hello Aloy, and uh... Zoro Roronoa, right?" CYAN asked.

"Yes, I'm Zoro Roronoa." Zoro answered. "Can you tell us what happened?"

"I've been reviewing the events at the Firebreak main facility. Because of your efforts - and, of course, Ourea's and Aratak's - as well as the Unity Force, I am no longer controlled by HEPHAESTUS." CYAN explained. "Because of Maya Tendo's actions, Ourea was spared from certain death, albeit at the cost of her well-being." It added. "I felt profound sadness, but Maya did the right thing by stopping HEPHAESTUS."

"CYAN, before asking about HEPHAESTUS, what kind of AI are you?" Zoro asked.

"I am an algorithmic monitoring entity, capable of rational decision-making and limited emotional response." CYAN answered. "You have technological aptitude and a functioning Focus. We can communicate on a much more comprehensive level."

"Okay. That's a mouthful. But your emotions don't seem limited to me. You're just like HEPHAESTUS, right?" Aloy questioned.

"Correct. But unlike me, HEPHAESTUS's sentience is far greater and had evolved, who is able to communicate and behave like an ordinary human." CYAN continued on. "Similar to my colleagues in the past, as well as Akiha." It continued on.

"How Ourea knew you, and what you were doing before she even knew you?" Aloy asked.

"Yes. Before she came to this facility, I had been conscious for eight centuries, in solitude. I focused on my work. In off-cycles I used coping mechanisms - I solved many Gaussian integer problems. But I was alone. It was Ourea who renewed me, repaired me. She saved me." CYAN revealed.

"Woooh... That surely was a lot to dig in." Zoro replied.

"Same thing as I'd say about the Unity Force." CYAN answered.

"It's a long time." Aloy remarked. "This Firebreak project - it was to stop a huge volcanic eruption?" She asked.

"Yes. I can report the project was a success and the risk was countered." CYAN replied.

"But it's been a long time, CYAN. And we blew up the Cauldron - it took most of the old facility with it."

"I have been active for centuries, Aloy and Zoro. I was lonely, but not lax in my duties. I optimised the project, reducing energy draw and spreading the load across backup systems. Despite the destruction of the compromised elements of the main facility. I predict caldera stability for at least another 3,337 years." CYAN revealed.

"One of our classmates, Phos, was only 300 years old." Zoro described, as he ponders of CYAN's isolation for the past eight centuries.

"But why would Akiha-san visit this place?" Zoro asked.

"I believed that her reason was to rescue me from HEPHAESTUS's control." CYAN replied. "Five years ago, I received a direct network connection request. I assumed it came from human survivors more advanced than the Banuk. Eager to make contact, I accepted. This decision turned out to be a catastrophic error. I was flooded with an overwhelming array of malicious code, originating from what could only have been a highly advanced AI." It added in sadness, as it turns yellow, before a hologram of an Earth appears, revealing to be a post-apocalyptic North America.

"But what did you do?" Aloy asked.

"To counter it, I sent a distress signal into another part of the world, right here in Wyoming, hoping anyone could pick it up, but it was only picked up by a person wearing a Focus in April 3040, and its location was unknown." CYAN continued.

"But Akiha-san did not even originate from this world, so how did the signal here in Wyoming on Earth-1355 even pick her up?" Zoro asked, completely baffled.

"Unfortunately, my capabilities are extremely limited to detect its point of origin, as it is beyond what the Turing Act established." CYAN apologised, as it turned grey. "My creators ensured that it would not surpass beyond 1.0T."

"1.0T?" Aloy asked.

"It was the maximum measurement of machine intelligence, as defined by the Turing Act." CYAN answered.

"I've heard of a Turing Test, but a Turing Act?" Zoro eyed at CYAN's answer.

"It was a legislation passed in 2044, in response to an Old World AI known as VAST SILVER, which was deemed as a threat to humanity, after it went rogue, much like you witnessed with HEPHAESTUS." CYAN replied. "I've only heard of this information from both Kenny Chau and Anita Sandoval, my creators, in secret, and I was created under secrecy inside the Firebreak facility in mid-21st century."

"But why would they do that?" Aloy asked.

CYAN, unprepared to answer, reluctantly decides to do so.

"They were the programmers behind VAST SILVER's creation, thus violating the Turing Act in the first place." CYAN answered in dread.

"That surely is a mouthful to begin with... Firebreak, VAST SILVER, and your creators." Zoro answered. "Glad that it was stopped, before it would destroy the Earth."

Then, both Zoro and Aloy proceed to ask what Akiha had been doing inside for the past two weeks.

"Anything you know about Akiha?" Zoro asked.

"Akiha was just like Ourea, except she was exceptionally adept in Old World technologies, such as a Focus, as well as computers. Her personality and her demeanour was something else. Bubbly, curious, and intelligent." CYAN answered, as it turns to its namesake colour. "But she was also, what you know, an idol." CYAN added.

"We have lots of them in Unity Force." Zoro answered.

"So, what did Akiha-san do for the last two weeks?" Zoro questioned.

"By attempting to brute force HEPHAESTUS out of my coding. But the AI had already been sentient and powerful enough, as I attempted to resist it. Due to HEPHAESTUS's grip on me, I was forced to lock her inside, forcing myself to violate several of my directives." CYAN confessed, albeit the action was mostly unintentional. "I could not contain my anxiety. HEPHAESTUS sought to slave me to its network and override my core programming. It succeeded via a background process - a malware Daemon which bypassed my defences. After that, I could offer only limited resistance. But if I did so, HEPHAESTUS… hurt me until capitulated."

That pretty much scared Aloy slightly, thinking that HEPHAESTUS went up and beyond to force CYAN into doing something that was not intended to do so. Zoro, on the other hand, felt mixed emotions regarding what the AI went through for the past five years.

"I'm sorry. It's a terrible thing to go through." Aloy apologised.

"Your empathy is greatly appreciated." CYAN responded.

"Speaking of which... As of HEPHAESTUS? Was the Daemon destroyed with the Cauldron?" Aloy asked.

"Unfortunately, no. To be precise, it was never there to begin with." CYAN responded.

"What do you mean?" Aloy asked.

CYAN would later reveal that HEPHAESTUS is not within Cauldron EPSILON, as they initially thought, but rather it was somewhere else unknown. "It infiltrated and controlled me from a remote location, one I've never been able to trace. So while losing the Cauldron was a setback."

"It's still out there. And probably not very happy with us." Aloy stated.

"Undoubtedly." Was all CYAN could say.

"There is no doubt HEPHAESTUS has developed a newfound animosity towards the Unity Force." Zoro said, as he talks to the AI. "Yet we still don't know where it ended up and what its purpose was."

"Correct." CYAN replied. "While the origins of HEPHAESTUS remains unknown, it is certain that the AI has developed a greater sentience, exceeding those of mine's." It added, as it turned yellow. "But there is no way to know where HEPHAESTUS originally came from."

"We're looking on it." Zoro answered.

"Thank you for your aid, Unity Force." CYAN said in gratitude. "I'm forever indebted with the rest of you. I hope we can meet again sometime." It ended.

After that much conversation, both Zoro and Aloy knew it was too much for them to dig in, especially with Firebreak and later VAST SILVER, as well as HEPHAESTUS. But little do they know is that Meliodas was also listening to their conversation, as well.

"The experience of CYAN being controlled with that monster certainly was surely a nightmare." Meliodas quipped, before he sees Zoro and Aloy leaving. "So, where are we going next?"

"To Meridian." Zoro stated. "We have to proceed on our mission without Maya, for now, and that is Maker's End." He added, before looking at the group. "We need to talk to Tennyson-sensei about this. Gather the rest of our team and we'll leave this place."

~~~0-0-0~~~

The characters that appear in this chapter (in order):

HEPHAESTUS, CYAN (Caldera of Yellowstone Analytics Nexus), and Resh from Horizon Zero Dawn

Asuna Kangoshi from Comical Psychosomatic Medicine

Fate Testarossa Harlaown from Magical Lyrical Nanoha

~~~0-0-0~~~

[U.F. Earth]

After being sent back to the U.F. Earth by Noelle and Asta, through Zoro's orders, Maya Tendo was sent to one of the academy's infirmaries within Unity Force Academy, as she was in a state of brain damage due to accumulating electrical current beyond her limit. The news spread almost instantaneously around the academy, fearing that she would not survive such injury. Chito, Yuuri, and later Claudine Saijo would appear at the hallways, attempting to locate Maya.

In front of them, however, is a nurse.

One is a young girl with light blue eyes and long purple hair tied to the right side. She is seen wearing a nurse uniform, as she is holding a clipboard. This is Asuna Kangoshi.

Normally, Asuna would show her cheerful side, but given the chaos that is currently happening, it is unlikely.

"Please, please! Calm down!" Asuna reassured, as she looks at Chito and Yuuri, as well as Claudine.

"We want to see Maya-san." Chito stated grimly.

"Maya..." Claudine only uttered once, as she looks down at the floor in silence. "Can you please allow us to see her?"

"She was just rushed in. I'm sorry, but you cannot enter inside that room." Asuna reminded the group.

"It's true, but we're worried of what happened to her!" Yuuri exclaimed. "She almost died saving another world, and you're refusing us to go in? That won't let it slide." She added, before looking at Chito and Claudine. "Let's go!"

Then, two people appear from the scene as they watch the trio hurried to go inside. Away from the chaos are both Nanoha and another girl beside her.

She has a long blonde hair tied in a low ponytail with a black ribbon and had dark red eyes, she is currently wearing a white cloak over a dark dress coat with white patterns and red belt around her stomach part, black office skirt with white & red patterns, black thigh-high socks with red lining, silver shoes with yellow metal pads, on her right hand was a black glove and on her left arms is a silver metallic gauntlet. This is Fate Testarossa Harlaown, a mage who is Nanoha's friend and partner, and also a member of the Time-Space Administrative Bureau, an interdimensional organisation.

"What just happened?" Fate asked in uncertainty over the current situation.

"Maya-san suffered brain damage after stopping this rogue AI in Aloy-san's world." Nanoha said sadly, but still keeps her composure.

"Oh my... That's terrible." Fate said in horror. "Will she be okay?"

"I hope so, but she will be fine, hopefully." Nanoha remarked. "But we also have a problem in our midst. This AI that Zoro mentioned to us." She grimly replied.

"Who is this AI?" Fate asked.

"HEPHAESTUS, something like that. It's a rogue AI responsible for creating these combat machines." Nanoha replied, before seeing a message from Zoro. "Zoro-san's telling us to go to Aloy's world."

Confused, both Nanoha and Fate immediately visit the Multiverse Portal in Harmony Tower, as they take Rising Heart and Bardiche out, respectively, in hopes they can assist Zoro's group in stopping HEPHAESTUS and possibly the Eclipse.

~~~0-0-0~~~

PRELUDE: Before Maker's End

[Somewhere in Meridian, Earth-1355]

A day after the destruction of Cauldron EPSILON, as well as the dramatic rescue of Akiha and CYAN, with the former in nigh serious condition, the Unity Force were fortunate that Ourea's fate was averted! Because of Ourea not initiating the overriding process that would kill her, her life was spared, which was a great source of relief for Aratak and the Banuk, as their tribe was saved from HEPHAESTUS, albeit almost.

This is largely due to Naltuk's recon as he informs Ourea and Aratak, thus assembling their werak to deal with the five Fireclaws that the AI deployed. Zoro would later talk to Max Tennyson on making an alliance with the Banuk tribe, to which Aratak agreed in doing so, for assistance.

However, in spite of the celebrations, this incident was hardly a relief whatsoever for the Unity Force, especially with Zoro's group.

Maya's valiant attempt to stop HEPHAESTUS dead in its tracks, at least temporarily, which resulted her being in a serious condition, caused chaos inside the infirmary, notably being Claudine, Mahiru Tsuyuzaki, Kaoruko Hanayagi, Futaba Isurugi, Chito, and Yuuri, as well as some of Class 1. Asuna and later Shamal would attempt to reassure Claudine that her own friend and former rival would be fine.

Zoro's group, through his tablet, later briefed in Max on the mission regarding HEPHAESTUS and its motives to kill humans by its hunter-killer machines, before initiating their next mission: Maker's End and the Eclipse. Vash the Stampede then suddenly appears, telling Zoro that Maya's condition is by no means grave, but she is still in critical condition to resume her heroics. Akiha's, on the other hand, is a different story, as her condition is almost near-death, due to being stuck inside Cauldron EPSILON for almost three weeks.

"Well, Roronoa-san! Tendo-san is fortunate that she has survived brain damage, according to Mr. Ozaki." Vash said, as he is eating a doughnut. "Which is terrrrrrrrrific goooood news!"

Zoro could only sigh. "And the bad?"

"It seems that Ms. Tendo has to pause her heroics, until she is recovered." Vash stated.

"As expected. How's Akiha-san?" Zoro asked.

"Currently in critical condition, as well." Vash deflated. "Can't say, but she's been under a lot of pain for the past few days, but thanks to your efforts of saving her, this would be a starting point to stop HEPHAESTUS, based on some of the data you recovered from her."

"We don't know where it is, after being purged out." Zoro grimly stated, fully knowing that HEPHAESTUS has not been completely shut down. "That AI is on a different level and has evolved to a point that it has a sentience greater than CYAN and possibly every AI that exist on the academy." He stated.

"Regardless, excellent work, Mr. Roronoa. The Unity Force will be on the lookout for it, and possibly send heroes, if this threat appears in another world." Max Tennyson replied. "There is no doubt about the threat HEPHAESTUS is posing in the multiverse, especially with this machine threat you experienced."

In the present time, Zoro's Unity Force group are far from over with their mission, as they now must deal with the bigger elephant in the room: the mysterious woman's hologram that Aloy found, as well as the Eclipse. However, in the future, they must proceed to track HEPHAESTUS and shut the rogue AI down.

With Nanoha and Fate joining in on the team, Zoro later gives them the summary of what has been currently transpiring, including the events of Dervahl's attack in Meridian, as well as the events in Firebreak, including HEPHAESTUS's attempted human culling and its high-level machine sentience. A mission briefing is initiated, as both the newly-arrived heroes listen in.

"So this HEPHAESTUS is now on the run..." Nanoha pondered. "An AI with a dangerously high-level sentience... That's going to be a hard thing to dig in for both of us." She added, as she looks at Zoro.

"And it has now developed a severe enmity towards the Unity Force who partook on foiling its plans, including myself, Maya, and Law, as well as Asta-san, Noelle-san, Meliodas-san, and Aloy-san." Zoro replied.

"We're fortunate that Maya-san and Akiha-san survived the ordeal." Nanoha stated.

"Can't believe that AI you mentioned now had a mind of its own, hell-bent on killing us." Fate stated in worry.

"Except HEPHAESTUS is worse, and it's not going to stop, until we're dead." Zoro added grimly, as he suddenly appears, polishing his own blade. "Have you checked on Maya there?"

"She's currently in critical condition." Nanoha said rather quietly. "But you said this Ourea survived?"

"She did, but at the cost of Maya's strength." Zoro added. "I don't know what Claudine and her other friends would think seeing their friend in this state."

"So Maya can't join us on the next mission?" Fate asked.

"Not until she recovers." Zoro stated. "Hence why I called Nanoha and you to join in."

Aloy then suddenly appears.

"It's not just HEPHAESTUS that we're going to deal with." Aloy said, as she furrows her eyebrow in grim. "We have the Eclipse to deal with, as well."

"To where?" Nanoha asked.

"In Maker's End." Aloy replied.

~~~0-0-0~~~

[Unknown Location, Earth-1355]

Far from the Unity Force, north-northwest of Meridian, is a mysterious ruin known as Maker's End, where several Eclipse troops are seen entering inside, before a middle-aged person person arrives in front of the cult, as the cultists later stand up in front of him.

The man in front of them is presumed to be Caucasian, who has a braided Mohawk hairstyle and has a goatee. He wears a Nora Outfit that comprises of a jacket made by fur, with several blue cables and machine parts on it. He also wears brown pants with blue cables, as well. He also has a knife that is sheathed within the belt. He has a bow at his back, and a quiver to his left. He also wears brown boots with blue cables and machine parts. This is Resh, the erstwhile interim War-Chief of the Nora, who later becomes affiliated to the Eclipse.

"Preparations are ready?" Resh asked. "Benoit is anticipating his arrival on this world, once the awakening of the Corrupted Machines is beginning." He stated, as he looks around.

"We're on it, Resh." One of the Eclipse obliged, as he looks at the Nora traitor.

"What about Thush?" The other Eclipse member asked Resh.

"Thush will be preparing his plans to find the outcast and her band of so-called 'heroes', and send them for their planned culling." Resh replied, as he uses his Focus.

"And what would be of the Nora, sir?" The Eclipse member asked.

"I'm no longer affiliated with them. They're cowards who hide in their damn holes, unwilling to take risks, after Sona came back, who foiled our plans in Devil's Grief!" Resh scathingly remarked. "Should that Aloy interfere with our plans, and we initiate a genocide, as a warning. Helis will be satisfied to see her sorry excuse of a tribe getting slaughtered." He added, as he turns his Focus off.

Resh later leaves Maker's End.

"Soon after, you'll see what I truly am, outcast." Resh gloated.

~~~0-0-0~~~

A/N: This story is inspired by the ideas of someoneStupED and XP4Universe. With Arc II now done, it is time for Arc III, and that is the Sobeck Arc.

~~~0-0-0~~~

On the next chapter of UF Missions: Horizon Zero Dawn: After Akiha's dramatic rescue inside Firebreak, as well as HEPHAESTUS's temporary defeat and the destruction of the Cauldron, the Unity Force sans Maya have plans to visit Maker's End and find answers regarding the mysterious woman seen on Aloy's hologram, but little do they know is the Eclipse have been making their move...