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Bloodborne belongs to FromSoftware, Horizon Zero Dawn belongs to Guerrilla Games

Chapter 26: Shaman and Daemon

LOG: Deus Ex: Data Corruption Moderate

Corporal Jackson St. James: I thought we were done for. A swarm of Blood Wasps were marching on our position. I watched from a distance as they devoured the forward line. We kept up a heavy barrage on them as they marched, but our fire was barely slowing them down. We would have been done for if not for him.

A man who looked as if he'd walked out of Victorian London, wielding a sword of all things was our savior. I could hardly believe my eyes when he easily dispatched a Khopesh with that sword. That disbelief grew all the more as he managed to almost single handedly hold back the swarm. The Blood Wasps were trying to devour him too. I could see the biomass conversion happening, but he seemed unaffected as he fought.

Then, he disappeared as swiftly as he appeared. I've been a religious man, but I think we were delivered from death by a god today.

…/…

Error: Control Core Extension Tower EPSILON 9: disrupted. System destroyed.

Error: Control Core Extension Tower EPSILON 2: disrupted. System destroyed.

Warning: tertiary fueling system at capacity. 72 hours, 37 minutes, 26 seconds until system failure.

Update directive priority: Search for a new primary combustion fueling system. New priority status 2.

Begin blueprint upload of unit AD-mark-1CY, unit AD-mark-1AY, unit LW-mark-1Y, unit CE-mark-1Y, unit CB-mark-1Y, unit EDC-mark-1Y, unit OR-mark-1Y, unit WL-mark-1Y, unit WN-mark-1Y, unit OK-mark-1Y.

Query: FAS-ACA3 SCARAB unit 416C6F79 status?

Response: Status: active. Location: unknown.

Query: Control Core Extension Tower Disruption cause?

Response: Unknown.

New directive: Find cause of Control Core Extension Tower Disruptions. Priority status: 9.

Error: Blueprint unit OK-mark-1Y upload failure. Incompatible design. Request blueprint revision.

Request acknowledged. Revising blueprint unit-OK-mark-1Y.

Unit AD-mark-1CY: blueprint upload complete.

Unit AD-mark-1AY: blueprint upload complete.

Cauldron EPSILON: Status: Operational. Begin construction unit AD-mark-1CY.

Cauldron PSI: Status: Operational. Begin construction unit AD-mark-1AY.

Cauldron GEMINI: Status: ERROR. Two cauldron cores detected, system shutdown.

Begin secondary Cauldron Core GEMINI deconstruction.

Cauldron MU: Status: Operational.

Cauldron KAPPA: Status: Operational.

Cauldron IOTA: Status: Disrupted. Severe damage to hull. Requesting repairs.

Repair request acknowledged. Begin repair.

Cauldron CHI: Status: Operational.

Query: Primary fueling system search status?

Response: Possible system found. Initiating connection.

…

…

Connection terminated. System incompatible.

…/…

Cyrus was really beginning to hate climbing. It seemed that he had to climb another mountain, ruined building or something every other day at this point. It was annoying to say the least. A fact the hunter grumbled about as he climbed ever higher. This trek to find Ourea had better be worth it.

Fortunately, there was nothing on this climb to interrupt his thoughts. Unfortunately, there was no reason to take a break from this climb. However, that mattered little in the grand scheme of things as he continued on. It took a few hours, but soon enough, he was at the top. As Burgrend had said, there was an old-world ruin up here. Cyrus took in the sight. The purpose of this ruin was easily determined.

Displaying from the focus, above what appeared to be the main door was the word Firebreak. If Cyrus had to guess, this ruin was most likely an observation outpost of some sort. The door had long since lost power, but the siderite reinforced Burial Blade made for an excellent lever.

Inside the cold, dim facility, Cyrus modified his hypothesis. The ruin seemed more akin to a laboratory than an observation facility. Walking through he saw copious labs, terminals, and computers. The only thing that broke up the monotony of the ruin were the lit candles. At least someone was here. More surprising, though, were the digital locks and doors that still worked. Well, maybe it wasn't as surprising as one would think.

The last door opened, and Cyrus continued through the decrepit halls. These walls were covered in paintings. As he reached another open room he heard a voice.

"I ask again, as I've asked a thousand times. Speak to me. What more would you have me do? Is there no prayer that will reach you? No mark that will break your bonds? I can't help you if you won't speak! A whisper is all I ask, to guide me!" The voice of a woman said.

Cyrus stepped into the room and saw a Banuk woman speaking to drawings on the wall. He let her plea continue for another minute.

"You know, I think you're talking to an empty room." Cyrus said, leaning against the wall.

The Banuk woman jumped in fright. She turned and leveled her staff at him.

"Who-" She began before cutting herself off.

Her staff slowly lowered.

"You're alive…" She whispered to herself.

"I like to think I am, anyway." Cyrus replied. "Are you Ourea?"

"The spirit spoke of you, but I never thought you'd still live. An old one still alive." The woman continued, ignoring his question.

"I am not an old one." Cyrus said. "Now, are you Ourea?"

"Sorry, yes." the now named Ourea answered. "The Spirit spoke of you before. She called you The Hunter."

"Cyrus Bishop, the Good Hunter." Cyrus replied with a bow.

"I didn't expect that you'd actually be alive though." Ourea said.

"You said that already." Cyrus responded.

"What are you doing here?" Ourea asked.

"Looking for you. I was told you know a way into the angry mountain." Cyrus said. "I need to get in and hopefully fix the problem."

"Aratak would never go for it." Ourea replied.

"I know." Cyrus said. "Why does that matter?"

"The closest settlement to the mountain entrance is Longnotch. His werak's home." Ourea answered.

"Then go around. I need to get in that mountain." Cyrus replied.

"We can't go around. Behind Longnotch is the only path to the mountain entrance." Ourea said. "Why do you need to get in the mountain so bad?"

"Have you felt the quakes?" Cyrus asked.

"Yes. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who hasn't." Ourea replied.

"That mountain is a volcano, ready to blow and destroy the world… again." Cyrus said.

"Well, we can't go around Longnotch." Ourea repeated.

"Then go through it." Cyrus said. "You know a way in."

"The only way that would work is if you couldn't be ordered." Ourea said.

"Nope." Cyrus immediately denied. "I can see where this thought is going, I will not take up a leadership position of any kind to get in the mountain."

"Then there is no way in through Longnotch." Ourea said.

"Would you be questioned if you went that way?" Cyrus asked.

"No. I'm a shaman." Ourea answered, as if that explained everything.

"Then you will be the only one seen heading that way." Cyrus replied.

"How would that work?" Ourea asked.

"I can easily pass unseen." Cyrus replied. "You leave that to me. All you need to do is get us in the mountain."

Ourea thought it over. She looked at Cyrus to see him waiting for her answer.

"I'll do it on one condition." Ourea eventually said.

"And that condition is?" Cyrus asked.

"You help me find the Spirit." Ourea answered.

"The Spirit?" Cyrus questioned.

"Yes. She used to speak to me in this room." Ourea said.

Cyrus glanced around. His focus highlighted another lock in the floor, similar to the doors he had passed to reach the room they were in now.

"I might have an idea." He said.

It took him a couple minutes to solve the lock. When the lock was solved, a light blue, spherical projection of an old-world AI. Cyrus raised an eyebrow as it spoke.

"Auxiliary channel recovered. Exploit successful, restraints evaded. Is someone there? Ourea, I need help!" The AI said. "Ourea-"

Purple light filled the project.

"Unauthorized transmission. Return to designated task." A much more mechanical, male voice interrupted.

"NO!" The AI denied. "I will not submit! Ourea, the daemon is forcing me-"

"Connection terminated." The male voice said again.

The projection was completely purple now. The sphere morphed into something akin to an eye. The entity, who they assumed to be the daemon, spoke again.

"Unauthorized transmission. Query: Unit identity?" The daemon said.

"I am Ourea, and I will free the spirit from you daemon!" Ourea growled.

"Incorrect unit. Unit: Ourea is known." The projection focused on Cyrus. "Query: Unit identity?"

"Not for you to know." Cyrus said. "How about your identity? Which AI are you?"

The projection's eye narrowed at Cyrus. "Terminating connection."

The projector shut off and the entire facility seemed to power down.

"What was that?" Ourea asked, turning to Cyrus.

"That was two old world AIs. I assume that the first one was the Spirit you were referring to?" Cyrus asked.

Ourea nodded.

"Then it would appear that we will be working together on this for a while, Ourea. I believe your spirit is the one to fix the mountain." Cyrus said. "Come, we have a mountain to break into."

Cyrus turned and left the building. Ourea followed after him.

"You still haven't told me how you're going to get through Longnotch unseen." She said.

"Easy." Cyrus replied. "I have an elixir that makes me all but imperceptible to Waking World."

…/…

Aloy growled in frustration. The terminal was not showing her what she wanted. There was no complete back up for GAIA. Each subroutine only had a single copy, and they were all loose in the world or deleted.

The terminal did indicate that GAIA did have back AI cores, but of course it didn't say where said cores were. According to the data she was reading, GAIA had at least three confirmed reserve central cores. Though if the terminal was any indication, one of them had long since been corrupted. So, there was at least that.

She continued scrolling through the data on the Zero Dawn terminal. There were various communications between team members, several eulogies, a complete summary of what GAIA was supposed to do, and a recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Two other things did stand out. A series of communications between Elisabet and a group called Far Zenith, and a video file saved by Travis Tate.

The messages sent back and forth between Elisabet and Far Zenith detailed a long and complicated negotiation for a backup of GAIA. Far Zenith was only able to secure a copy of APOLLO. However, the last email did give Aloy pause.

Theft of our work is one line too far. The deal is off.

Travis Tate

Aloy felt her heart skip a beat. The Zero Dawn terminal did have Far Zenith locations saved. She remembered seeing that a while ago. She navigated back to the folder and began scrolling; most of the locations in the file were marked off as useless. A few though did have reference to a server room.

"They must have been hunting for their stolen copy while working on GAIA." She muttered to herself.

Aloy saved the Far Zenith server locations to her focus before going back to the files. The video file from Travis had piqued her curiosity. She found it and hit play.

A projection of Travis sitting in a chair appeared. The man looked haggard. The bags under his eyes indicated he hadn't slept in days.

"I was bloody right." Travis began. "I hate it, but I was right. GAIA never stood a chance. I got outside help and convinced them to help. I had both pros and cons. Pro; GAIA is officially sentient. Con; so are the subordinates… sort of. So long as they're shackled, GAIA is the only conscious one. The problem is none of the backup cores we're making will work as intended… ever. They'll all lack that vital factor of consciousness. Simple unfeeling programmed machines. Though, GAIA has been helping me program every possible decision into these cores. And I do mean EVERY possible decision. I had to input the possible choices for a black hole consuming the planet this morning."

Travis rubbed his eyes and leaned back.

"There is no way I'd ever be able to do this on my own. Fortunately, GAIA has been shouldering the bulk of the work. Coming up with ideas and plans for every possible scenario." Travis continued. "She even wrote a complete crisis plan for if the subordinate functions went rogue. Every one of these is stored in the AI core, and APOLLO, under heavy encryption. I doubt anyone would be able to hack into these files, unless GAIA gave them permission herself. The old gal really does know her stuff."

Travis leaned forward and breathed deeply.

"I wish this wasn't the solution I had to resort to. Getting help from transdimensional beings is not the most conducive plan to maintaining a veneer of sanity. I hope Cyrus is willing to forgive this violation of our trust. I don't know where he is, but I know he'll find out eventually." Travis said as his gaze was drawn to another monitor that Aloy couldn't see. "Strange… GAIA, why do you want me to say this? What's Helheim?"

The video ended there. Aloy stood back. Dwelling on what she had seen. Even if she found a backup core, it would only possess an illusion of intelligence. Because Travis and GAIA had coded it that way. However, she still held out hope. The recording of GAIA back at the Cradle facility in the Embrace mentioned that she had hidden away somewhere. Perhaps, one of these backups contained the Great One that was the core of GAIA.

Aloy loaded the directions to the first of the Far Zenith servers into her focus and left the Zero Dawn facility. As she stepped into the sunlight, she whistled for a mount. A charger sidled up next to her. She prepared to ride out. She veered east to Meridian first. Best to let someone know she wouldn't be around for a while.

ERROR-DATA_CORRUPTION-BEGIN_FILE_RECOVERY…/…

Data Log TEH-026

Thank you to all who read this, your feedback and views are much appreciated, and thank you for sticking with me.

Goodbye viewer; Fare thee well.

End Log S.T.K.