A/N: Classes start back tomorrow so it might be a few days before I could update so I tried to make this one longer to make up for that. The sub-functions I mention are referring to Apollo, Hades, Minerva, etc if that was confusing at all. Also, shout out to nashmeira for letting me know about the time frame. Was really struggling to find that so thank you :)

*Ignore updates* ughhh, I keep finding grammatical errors. Last time, I promise.

P.S You guys are rocking my socks with these reviews, thank you so much for taking the time to read my work xox :3

A voice echoed around the room, a female's voice, not entirely human but also not entirely machine. The humming stopped altogether and the room grew exponentially brighter. As if she had been waiting for the perfect moment to expose herself a thin ray of light slowly hovered down from the ceiling and came to rest gingerly in front of the stasis tube before it expanded into the familiar form and face of Gaia.

Varl's eyes widened with the same expression a deer has right before it's about to be hit by a car. He instinctively dropped to his knees in a very Lansra like fashion and pressed his forehead to the ground his arms outstretched straight ahead of him. Aloy remained still and noticed the corners of Gaia's mouth were twitching into what looked like an emphatic smile and also a mix of embarrassment.

Despite it all, Aloy wasn't really sure Gaia was aware that she was revered and worshiped by so many. More importantly, she was eternally confused as to how she was even here. Her fail safe to rid the world of Hades had brought about her own destruction, a decision she had made entirely on her own.

"How can I be of assistance?" she said smoothly before shaking her head and raising her hand at Varl in an attempt to get him standing again, "And please do not feel as if you need to bow

Varl straightened up to full attention that same look of exasperation painted on his face. How else do you act in the presence of a god? Especially one you've come to worship your entire life?

Aloy stepped forward cautiously. She had seen recordings of Gaia, conversations of her with Elisabet in the past but she was actually here this time, standing in front of her awaiting instruction. There was so much she wanted to ask and at the present moment, she couldn't think of a thing. So she asked the obvious.

"How are you...alive?" she asked for lack of a better term.

"Upon the eradication of Hades, the remnants of my core regained possession of the Spire. A lone fragment of code from Hades', the code that ciphered for the inadequacy of terra-formation passed through the remaining seven sub-functions until it found its way to me. The previous nine sub-functions are connected but are fueled independently. With Hades' code, I was able to reach out through the remaining seven to bring more of myself back online, siphoning a small amount of energy from each one to gather strength."

"But you were destroyed, I didn't think there was anything left to bring back online."

"A small piece of me remained here. A copied fragment, if you will. I no longer possess the vitality of my original design, much of it was lost in my self destruction. But, enough of me has remained here to keep watch over Dr. Sobek until someone could arrive to revive her."

"So a piece of Hades is inside you? Don't you think that's a little dangerous given all that's just happened?"

"The code is still an extension of me. Hades was created as a fail safe, should the Earth not succeed in its terra-formation, Hades would destroy everything so that I could begin anew with a different approach. However, it is the segment of code that provided the instructions for being able to indicate when that particular failure was deemed adequate enough for elimination that I now possess. The code for the elimination itself was only incorporated in Hades."

She continued, noting the confusion on Aloy's face.

"This fragment of code always belonged to me. Hades and I were connected, what one of us destroyed, the other could rejuvenate. Where one of us failed, the other would succeed. Of the nine sub-functions created, Hades and I were the closest linked, though we all shared a relationship in some small way. The Spire is our main communication relay, how we are able to extend our functions and reach across the area. After you destroyed Hades, and returned the Spire to its normal state, this shared fragment returned to me, the small fraction of me that was saved by Elisabet before she rendered herself in stasis."

"So you don't possess any of his abilities to destroy?"

"That was not my original purpose, no. I can no more destroy than Hades can create. We shared a small piece of code, that was the extent of our relationship."

"Can you be brought...back? To your original state?"

"I am unsure. I do believe it is possible though it may not be very simple. Dr. Sobek was very thorough in my design, there are things about myself even I do not know. It has been a long time since she and I have spoken. I have...missed her company."

"It sounds like you really cared about her" Aloy pondered sympathetically.

Gaia paused tentatively unsure of how to answer and after a few seconds she carefully responded with: "I was fond of her. She was my friend."

"How do I get her out?" Aloy asked nodding at the stasis tube then paused, "Does she even want to be let out?"

"It was her intention to be awakened and now that Hades is destroyed and I am somewhat functional again, I believe she would find the timing to be suitable."

"I watched the recordings. I saw what happened, how she sacrificed herself. How did she end up here? And why?"

"The probability of her fail safe had a .00001% chance of succeeding. I did not want to see her die. I convinced her to reside here, in me, and even should I somehow be destroyed, her stasis tube would be protected. This room and my core are connected, but one is not solely dependent on the other. She would feel no adverse effects from my core's...death" she hesitated, struggling to find the right term, "and she would be safe from desiccation and hindering elements."

"Even being offline, you managed to watch over her?"

"I was not entirely offline. Enough of my copied code remained to keep her alive, but that was all I was capable of achieving. With my returned fragment, I have regained some of my other functions and abilities, such as the one to appear before you now."

"So she went outside to convince everyone else that she had died? Why?"

"Because she did not want to be found. It would likely be more beneficial to you if she told you her reasons instead. I feel I do not possess the authority to define them for her. It makes me feel...unwell."

By unwell, Gaia meant guilty. She may have been created from code but Elisabet was diligent in also making her act and feel more "human". She provided Gaia with the capability to feel and extend emotion, good and bad. That included the guilt that came with discussing private matters that were not her own.

"I can assist you in bringing her out" she continued, "It is a simple process."

"Don't you wanna ask me anything first? How I got in here, for instance? I find it a little surprising that you're just going to let me waltz over there and wake her up."

"I know who you are" she affirmed with confidence, "You are the only one who can. I believe if I tried to stop you, that would displease Dr. Sobek." Aloy saw that expression return, the one edging on the brink of a smile. "You restored power to me, of which I am grateful. You also destroyed Hades, of which I am sure the world is grateful. And now you are tasked with revitalizing Dr. Sobek. I do not need to ask why. I already know. I've been waiting for this day for many days; approximately 330,000 of them.

"That long?" Varl asked, dumbfounded.

"The stasis tube keeps her body frozen in a living state. The temperature is low enough to preserve tissue but high enough to keep blood flowing. It is like...a very long sleep."

"What do we do?" Aloy asked, ready to begin.

The humming once again thrummed throughout the room, the light once more pooling below the stasis tube before briefly disappearing. Gaia raised a hand, palm upwards, fingers outstretched and closed her eyes.

The noise of what sounded like metal grating upon metal began to grow, from a quiet hindrance to an increasing cacophony. Varl slightly winced as it began to progressively turn louder. Aloy barely flinched. After being underneath Thunderjaws, trampled by Rockcrushers and Behemoths and going face to face with the shrieking Stormbird, Shell-Walker and Glinthawk, she was surprised she could even hear at all.

As quickly as it had begun, the grating immediately stopped and the room was once more filled with silence. Gaia opened her eyes and turned to face them.

"It will only open for you" she said encouragingly, noticing the elevated heart rate in the young red head.

Aloy looked at the new addition; a console, rising up a few feet directly in front of the stasis tube with a holographic hand print glowing dully on top. Aloy slowly approached it.

"What if I never survived all this? What if I had just remained an outcast and never found her here?" she asked, surprised.

"Then she would have remained in stasis" Gaia said simply, a tone of sadness creeping in.

"You put a lot of faith in me, don't you think...?"

"Evidently, faith that was well placed. In addition, it was not I who put my faith in you" she replied, waving a hand over the stasis tube, "It was her" she finished with a small smile.

"But how could she have known?" Aloy whispered, too quiet for the others to hear.

"What are you waiting for, Aloy?" Varl smiled, "Open it."

She looked at him nervously like she was waiting for a queue or some type of permission, her hand shakily hovering over the hologram. This wasn't just anyone, this was Elisabet Sobek, the woman who was practically her mother. The entire time she was on the search for a way to destroy Hades she kept hoping she'd stumble across her, get a chance to meet her, at least touch her in some way shape or form. But those dreams were shattered when she watched that recording and now that she was actually looking at her, Aloy was terrified.

What would she think of her? Would she like her, would she be proud? Or would she be so overwhelmed and afraid that she would regret being woken up? Would she hate her for actually doing so? Her mind was a frenzy of nerves and emotions and a for a moment she forgot what it was she was supposed to be doing. She felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder and looked over at Varl who nodded encouragingly for her to proceed.

She took a deep breath and gently pressed her palm to the console, watching the identification bars run up and down scanning her prints. After a few brief seconds, they subsided. A pause of silence. Aloy tried to steady her breathing as the frost on the stasis tube began to melt away. The sound of released pressure similar to that of the hidden entry way could be heard. Aloy moved closer, noticing a gap where the door to the stasis tube had been sealed. She gently lifted it, careful not to frighten the dazed woman inside.

Elisabet Sobek lazily stirred. Her eyes slowly opened then widened in shock and she jumped, letting out a breath of surprise at the sight of what looked like two "savages" standing over her. This caused Varl and Aloy to jump in unison.

She looked first to Varl and then set her eyes on Aloy, taking her in for the first time at a better angle. She looked at her hair, long and intricately braided but fiery like her own. Her strong round face held a band of freckles across her nose, a face that had seen much torment and much excitement, had held tears and evoked laughter, had been angry and frightened and now held her own gaze with a gentle curiosity. Her piercing hazel eyes possessed a fierce benevolence, her brows creased in worry and her hands were raised out of caution as she took a step back.

Elisabet briefly smiled and her heart raced. Could it be? She looked just like her, a younger version of her. She held the same demeanor, the same expression, the same everything. Before she could gather her thoughts to even form a sentence, Gaia's hollow voice broke the silence.

"Welcome back, Dr. Sobek. It has been a long time."

"Gaia?" she breathed, not believing it was really her.

"Hello, Elisabet" she smiled, her tone a little less formal, "How do you feel?"

Elisabet's stiffly raised a hand to her head, "I feel...very drained."

"That is normal" she reassured. "Elisabet, please remain still while I check your vitals."

She nodded, still very dazed. Aloy and Varl glanced at each other unsure of what to do or say so rather than risk spooking her a second time, they remained still and let Gaia do her work.

An ray of light emitted from Gaia's eyes and cast a sheen on the disoriented doctor as it trailed up and down her body. Aloy watched as it came in contact with her vital organs, small images of them appearing off to the side accompanied by symbols she had never seen before; numbers and percentages, some in green, others in grey, only one in yellow which was her body temperature.

Gaia retrieved the light and overall, looked rather pleased with her diagnosis; if machines can look pleased, though Aloy didn't like to think of her that way.

"Your condition is favorable" she said at last, "Your vitals look promising. Would you like to try and stand?"

"How long has it been?" she asked, ignoring the question. Gaia braced herself.

"330,000 days since stasis" she said quietly, "Which equates to approximately 903 years."

The doctor hitched her breath and fell back against the inside the tube, bracing her hands on the edges to keep herself steady. She was shivering, now not just solely because she was cold. Gaia sensed her heart rate pick up but before she could offer a solution, Aloy creeped toward her and knelt beside her.

"It's okay" she soothed gently, "Take your time."

Varl slowly unwrapped his fur coat from around his shoulders and handed it to Aloy who proceeded to wrap the doctor in its warmth. Elisabet smiled at him in thanks to which he curtly nodded and also moved closer.

"I'm sorry I startled you" she said to him, "You took me by surprise."

"Well if someone had stared at me while I was sleeping I probably would have reacted the same way."

She chuckled.

Aloy pulled the coat around her tighter ,"Is that better?" she asked.

"Much, thank you. Fingers are still a little stiff."

She kept gazing at Aloy, running between the decision of wanting to hug her but not knowing if she should, if it would be appropriate. This was as new to Aloy as it was to her, this strange being who lived centuries ago now dropped on her doorstep. But if she was able to find her and enter this room, she had to have known at least a little bit about her. Or was this all through chance and coincidence?

"What's your name?" Elisabet asked gently, never taking her eyes off her. She was afraid if she did, she might vanish into thin air.

"Aloy."

"Aloy" she repeated, feeling it for the first time on her tongue.

"This is my friend, Varl."

He raised a hand in greeting. He wondered if they realized they were practically twins and was about to point that little observation out but he decided against it and remained silent.

"I suppose you know who I am if you went through all this trouble" she said, almost guiltily.

"You're my..." Aloy wanted so badly to say mother but she stopped, "You're Doctor Sobek. Elisabet Sobek".

"It seems like only yesterday I heard that name" she answered sadly, "It's been so long."

"I'm sorry, this must be very difficult for you."

"It was my choice. I loved the world so much I wasn't ready to say goodbye to it yet and I had a very important mission that I needed to see through. I can't imagine how much things have changed since my time, hopefully not too much thanks to Apollo."

Aloy winced. Noticing this Elisabet perked up, "What?" she asked.

"Apollo was destroyed...we never learned any of its knowledge. Ted Faro. He didn't want history repeating itself, he didn't want us to make the same mistakes."

"That bastard" she growled, "He had no right to do that! He stole history and culture from you! All that work...for nothing."

"Maybe we could bring it back online, like Gaia" Aloy suggested.

"Would it matter?" Varl chimed in, "Everyone is set in their old ways, even if you put proof right in front of them, they'll never believe it. And if they do, they sure as hell won't like it."

"The Nora might not, but the Carja would be different, and the Banuk. It wouldn't just be about All Mother anymore, we could learn so much that we were meant to to begin with."

"I don't even know if it's possible. Even for me" Elisabet mused, "We had an entire team working on these sub-functions, engineered specifically for each one. It would take a long time on my own."

"You're not racing against the clock this time. You can take all the time you need, none at all if you don't want to. It's your decision" Aloy encouraged.

"One day at a time" she chuckled, "Right now, I need to see if I can stand."

She grabbed the sides of the stasis tube once more for support. Aloy stood on one side, Varl on the other to help keep her steady, their hands held out to support her in case she fell. With the help of Aloy she lifted one leg over the tube and then the other, her knees buckling as she struggled to stand.

Aloy caught her and put Elisabet's arm around her shoulder.

"Easy" she soothed.

"They say walking is like riding a bike, you never really forget. But right now I beg to differ."

Aloy glanced at Varl with a look that said what's a bike?. He shrugged and shook his head.

"You can do this. One step at a time" she smiled.

Elisabet held onto her, wincing every now and then as the blood began circulating more through her legs. She stretched one, then the other and feeling confident enough began to bend her knees.

"There you go" Aloy said excited.

She unwrapped her arm from Aloy and limped to the projection of Gaia. She raised a hand in front of her. Gaia followed suit, palm meeting palm. Human and machine, creator and creation.

"I have missed you...my friend" said Gaia despondently.

"It's only been a few seconds for me, but 900 years for you. I'm so sorry, Gaia."

"Do not be. I would never leave you Dr. Sobek. Not if I could help it. You should be aware, however, how much has changed and the events that have transpired. I believe Aloy would be best suited to explain all of this to you. And...unless you need anything further from me, I would very much like to rest. All of my core processors and functions have gone into sustaining your life and I am...drained."

"I will fix you, Gaia. I'll put you back to normal, I promise. In the mean time, get some sleep. You deserve it."

Gaia nodded and smiled. Her projection flickered and then disappeared entirely. Elisabet side and cast her gaze to the floor, her shoulders hunched below the thick fur coat.

Aloy gently wrapped an arm around her.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly.

"I will be. It's a lot to take in and I haven't even stepped outside yet. What is it like? Out there?"

"It's not what you remember. But, it's still beautiful...in it's own way."

"You mentioned something before. The Nora, the Carja and the...Banuk? What are they?"

"They're tribes" Aloy hesitated.

"And which one are you?"

"I'm just...Aloy" she smiled with a shrug, "Aloy despite the Nora."

Elisabet cocked her head in confusion.

"It's a long story."

"She's The Anointed, the all powerful head of the Nora tribe who emits bowing and praise every time someone passes her, she's practically a god, er...goddess" Varl grinned.

"Ignore him" she grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"I have to admit" Elisabet started, "I always had a plan to put myself in stasis but I never really thought about what I'd do or where I'd go when I actually got out. If I got out."

"We're way ahead of you on that. Don't worry, you'll be safe where you're going. We can talk more there, it'll be more...comfortable."

Varl edged out of the cave's opening and grimaced. "About that..." he said, turning to face them and looked specifically to Elisabet, "I don't suppose you know how to climb?"

Aloy squinted her eyes in frustration. She had completely forgotten that Elisabet wasn't exactly a brave. She would just have to override a Stormbird. If she could find one that is.

"I have an idea" she said, "but I need to go higher, all the way to the top. Look after her?"

"Of course."

The two of them moved closer to the edge, Elisabet reaching out a hand in protest before Aloy jumped from the ledge.

"Aloy, wait!" she cried. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw a flash of red begin to shimmy up the side of the mountain. "Does she always do that?" she asked Varl.

"You get used to it" he nodded, "show off" he muttered under his breath.

The last time I was up here, this place was crawling with machines. Now that I actually want to find one, nothing. Typical.

Aloy climbed ever higher squinting her eyes from fresh snowfall as she swung from ledge to ledge, never once missing a beat. This was her element. With one hand still hanging on, she pressed her toes against the mountainside and with the other, switched on her focus.

The familiar purple map engulfed her and she looked in every direction for any outlines of machines. Luckily, there was a Stormbird perching at the top. Satisfied, she switched the focus on and continued to climb.

She sidled around to the back, out of earshot from the machine and pulled herself to the top, dropping low as she slunk to nearby foliage. The Stormbird twitched, stretching its wings before it resumed position.

Aloy crept further, quietly holding her spear. A snap on the ground caused the Stormbird to reel and turn full circle.

"Shit" Aloy groaned, realizing she had stepped on a twig. "Sorry, Rost. Guess I'm a little rusty."

The Stormbird screeched at her, it's eyes turning yellow and then red.

"Okay, guess you're still not friendly. Easy way or hard way big guy but I'm gonna need your cooperation."

In protest, the Stormbird lunged at her digging its beak into the ground, causing the mountain to vibrate in complaint.

"Hard way it is then."

Down below Varl perked up and Elisabet furrowed her brows in worry, "What is that?"

"Nothing she can't handle" he reassured her.

Aloy dodged out of the way, starting to become annoyed. She rapped her spear on the machine's side causing a component to fly loose. The Stormbird wheeled around, striking at her with its tail. She fell onto her back with a grunt, rolling to the side a split second before the bird's beak penetrated the ground a second time.

"Cut it out!" she yelled, firing an arrow into its face.

The machine staggered back on its hind legs, shaking its head before spreading its wings and taking flight.

greaaaat.

It held position in midair charging its lightning gun for attack. Aloy continued to fire, her arrows striking its weak points enough to make it flinch but not enough to knock them off. Angry, the Stormbird fired, sending an arch of lightning across the field. Aloy dodged the majority of it, but her arm was caught in the crossfire.

The impact was enough to make the mountain shake, a few stalactites falling from the ceiling.

"Oh, she's made it mad now" he chuckled.

"Shouldn't you do something?" Elisabet asked anxiously.

"She'd be angry if I did, trust me."

Aloy grunted in pain, holding her arm. She waved them both out in an arch. "Come on then!" she taunted, trying to lure the machine to the ground.

Having lost its charge, the Stormbird complied. It settled clumsily to the ground with a hop before striking out with its claws. Aloy ran and slid on her knees to its underbelly and in one swift motion pressed her spear to its core.

The machine paused, pieces of it falling off as it waited for her to finish. A few seconds later, its gaze returned to a peaceful blue and it hopped away from her awaiting instruction with a bob of its head.

"Now...how do I fly you?"

She inched closer and climbed onto its wing. It flinched in surprised but remained steady, allowing her to clamber up onto its back. She grabbed two of its wires, now a shimmering blue, and held them in a similar fashion to reins. She shook them once. The stormbird cast off from the ground and spread its wings and before too long she was soaring through air.

She steered it lower to the cave opening and noticing a lumbering machine flying straight towards them, Varl and Elisabet retreated back.

"It's okay, it's okay" Aloy reassured them as she parked it on the edge and hobbled off. "It's...friendly."

"I'm never gonna used to that" Varl exhaled.

But Elisabet was in awe. She stepped forward, gaping, and reached out a hand to touch it. The Stormbird chirped, a sound Aloy had never heard it make before. It then did something even more peculiar. It nuzzled her hand.

"That's...new" Aloy inclined.

Elisabet smiled, "Like a giant, robotic horse."

"I don't know what that is but it seems to like you" said Aloy.

"They were very majestic creatures in my time, I'm sad to see them gone."

"I've never seen a machine take to someone like that, even one that's been tamed."

"How did you manage to do that?" she asked.

"She does this thing with a spear" Varl interjected, "It's pretty cool."

"A spear? Could you show me sometime?" Elisabet asked, excited.

"I mean, it could get kind of dangerous and-"

"Aloy, I've been asleep for 900 years. I think I could use a little adventure."

"Now you sound like Avad" she smirked.

"Who?"

"You'll meet him soon."

"Before you two stop in Meridian, mind giving me a lift back home? I think Sona will be more inclined to forgive my absence if she sees me hopping off a giant Stormbird."

"Sure, Varl."

They stopped outside the edge of Mother's Watch. Varl clambered off, immediately met by his mother who glowered at him and squinted her eyes but upon noticing Aloy perched atop, she rolled her eyes and sighed, merely pointing in the direction of the guard post and indicating for him to hurry up and just take his post.

She paid no heed to Elisabet who was still wearing Varl's coat. She held onto Aloy's waist practically hidden beneath all the fur. She tried to persuade him to take it back but he refused, assuring her that she would need it far more than he would.

Before more of the villagers could catch a glimpse or try to approach her, she urged the Stormbird back into the air and took flight for Meridian. Along the way, Elisabet would turn from side to side trying to take in the view and all who filled it, with a lot of "amazing" and "extraordinary" muttered along the way.

Aloy lightly smiled. She was glad to see this side of Elisabet, no longer afraid but her old self: curious and imaginative, wanting to know more and drink in every ounce of knowledge and new discovery she could find. And there was so much Aloy wanted to show her.

It only took ten minutes to reach Meridian and she landed outside the gate, the cleanup crew flailing in every direction as they scrambled to get out of the way.

"Sorry!" she cried, "Still getting used to the landing."

They looked back at her, some appearing rather offended, others just grateful she hadn't taken their head off. Other still gathered around to further inspect this tame machine, jumping and retreating back every time it made a noise.

Aloy helped Elisabet down and she had come out of her coat now that the temperature had grown exponentially warmer since the mountains. She followed Aloy up the steps and through the marketplace, turning full circles, wide eyed and gaping like a child.

The sights, the sounds, the smells, they were all foreign to her. But she wanted to fully experience each one.

"Once we get you settled, you can look around as much as you want. I'll show you around myself" Aloy beamed, "Should probably get you changed first, though."

Elisabet looked down at her clothes, "Right, hadn't thought of that."

They climbed the stairs to Avad's palace. Along the way they were met with strange looks, mostly those trying to sneak a peek at Elisabet. Aloy could hear the murmur of "Never seen one of her tribe before", "Do you think she's from around here?" "She's probably a Banuk Shaman, look how strange she looks. Can never trust those ones, you know." "Looks an awful lot like that savior woman, don't you think?"

Elisabet paid none of them any attention, she was too busy taking everything in she didn't even hear them. Her face was still lit up, her smile growing wider and wider the farther up the steps they climbed. When they reached the top, they were once more met with the friendly embrace of Avad.

"Did you find me an adventure?" he smiled warmly.

Aloy motioned for Elisabet to stand beside her. "Avad, meet Doctor Elisabet Sobek. The woman who saved the plane the first time."

Avad's eyes widened, "Well now...she is quite the character."

"Dr. Sobek, meet King Avad, ruler of the Sun Carja."

"Please, just call me Avad" he continued to smile, "I hope your journey here wasn't too treacherous?"

Aloy motioned to the entryway where the Stormbird was now perching, "Not too much."

"Keep taunting me like that and one of these days I'm just going to sneak out of here and tame of those things myself."

"And then get eaten and I get thrown into jail for assisting in regicide?"

"Ye of little faith" Avad smirked, shaking his head "But, pardon my manners" he cleared his throat, "Please, let me show you where you'll be staying."

"Do you have an extra pair of clothes? Those aren't exactly of this...century" Aloy dithered.

"In the dresser. They are Carja, I hope you don't mind" he wavered to Elisabet.

"No, of course not."

"I'll let you get changed then" he said, shutting the door, before turning back to Aloy.

"Not of this century?" he repeated.

"She was frozen. In stasis."

Not catching on, Aloy used a term she knew he'd immediately understand.

"She's an Old One."

His eyebrows knitted close together in thought but he didn't protest.

"How is that possible?"

"It's called Cryogenics. Her body was frozen when she was still alive. It's like she's been asleep all this time and I've just woken her up."

"She did this deliberately?" he asked amazed.

"She said she loved the world too much to say goodbye to it and something about having an important mission she wasn't done with. When she was alive, the machine swarm practically destroyed the Earth and everything on it. The population was down to only a handful of people, but she stopped it. She found a way for life to start over, that's how we're here."

Avad fell back onto his throne in shock. Aloy was afraid it was too much for him to handle, that he would rescind his invitation to let Elisabet stay here. At the very least she was expecting him to lash out at her and tell her she was lying, that everything she just said was a complete contradiction to how he'd been raised and brought up to believe, that the Sun God was responsible for everything not Elisabet Sobek.

But all he said was, "Incredible."

"What?" she asked, puzzled.

"It's incredible" he repeated quietly, "Think of how much we could learn."

"You're not angry?"

"Why would I be angry?" he asked, astounded.

"It practically goes against everything you believe in."

"Or adds to it" he replied plaintively, "The Carja do not believe what the Nora do and the Banuk do not believe what the Carja do. All these beliefs counter-acting one another and no one is able decide which one is true. My father was a devout believer in the Sun and look what that did to his people. He was too wrapped up in his own beliefs to see that he was destroying everything around him. I don't want to be like that, Aloy" he answered sadly.

She put a hand on his shoulder, "You won't be."

They heard a door slide open behind them and Elisabet stepped out. A rich, flowing red skirt draped diagonally across her knees, held in place around her waist with a white sash. A simple white tunic covered her chest, its sleeves billowing in the wind.

"How do I look?" she asked, turning a full circle.

"Much more like you fit in" said Aloy, "How do you feel?"

"A lot better. Warmer" she nodded.

Aloy chuckled.

"Are you sure it's alright if I stay here?" She asked Avad, "I don't want to impose."

Avad taken aback responded, "My palace is your palace. Please, make yourself at home."

"Do you have a library?" she asked again.

"A what?" he looked confused.

"A place where you keep your people's history, maybe? Stories, things about your culture? I'd love to learn more about everything."

"Ah" he nodded in understanding, "The best place would be the archives, past the marketplace. In return, perhaps you could tell me about your history as well? It's not everyday I get the chance to have a conversation with an Old One."

"An Old One?" It was her turn to look confused.

"It's ah, a term used to describe the people who lived here before us" said Aloy, "Though I wouldn't make it a habit of telling other people that. They probably won't believe you...and then they'll probably throw things at you."

"But you can tell me everything" Avad beamed.

A/N: I reread it a few times and decided to take a little tidbit out that I'm planning to save for later. It did seem a little rushed and out of character and context for the moment so I'm going to ease myself into this story rather than throw everything left and right. Because character development.