A/N: Hello! So, I guess I'm continuing this? The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and you have no idea how much I appreciate it! I've still got fun ideas and I'm pretty amped about this one so I'm gonna forge ahead!

I do want to make things clear though. Especially for those who haven't read my main story. A few facts about me. I have a full-time job, and my schedule can be draining. My motivation is dictated by my mood, so it can be sporadic. Finally, this will be a side project.

That's not to say I won't try to update regularly, only that my other fic, Hearthfire, is my priority. If you haven't read it, please do so. It's a Skyrim x Danmachi fic that, at time of writing this, has 32 chapters.

Thanks to work (I recently started a new job) I usually update about once a month, but I am trying to update more now that I'm getting used to my schedule. Still, there should be at least one chapter out a month for both works if I can manage it. More if I have high motivation and forego playing games for a bit.

My chapters are likely to be in the 4-5k word range since that's the most comfortable length to me, but I have been known to write longer ones if the mood takes me and the chapter warrants it.

I like to write from multiple perspectives in my stories. Usually demarcated by the name of the perspective character appearing in bold just before that section begins. I am most comfortable writing in third person limited, but if I switch to omniscient, there will be a warning, I promise.

Also, I like to leave my answers to your questions or ask for your ideas/opinions at the bottom of each chapter, so check that out once you're done! I'll occasionally answer directly on Ao3 if I'm at my computer when a comment comes in, but usually my response will be at the bottom of the chapter. I like to keep my beginning notes short (This long one is an abnormality, I promise!)

Lastly, I want to thank everybody who read my first chapter and commented. I really appreciate your comments and it looks like you enjoyed it, so I'm doing more! Please keep the comments and review coming. They help me think and are a huge part of my motivation to keep writing.

A Digital Mother

Chapter 2

Teersa

Teersa could only contain her tremors by holding the precious babe tightly to her chest. Tremors of fear, joy, and religious rapture wracked her body as, after one final remark to Lansra, the glorious vision of the All-Mother faded. The All-Mother! The goddess had spoken to them! To her! The Mother of All had graced the Nora tribe with her own child. A blessing among blessings!

But oh, how Teersa could weep at why the All-Mother had been forced to reveal herself! That Lansra would try to murder a child, regardless of their origin, had been unthinkable until a few short moments ago. Even with the forgiveness of the All-Mother, there had been warning. If Lansra stepped even a toe out of line, there would have to be severe consequences if only to spare the tribe the All-Mother's wrath.

Yet even her anger at Lansra's actions could not contain Teersa's joy at all that had been revealed to them! The very existence of the 'Alpha's,' the All-Mother's chosen had been a secret from the tribe! Or… perhaps they had simply been forgotten? Teersa knew that much of their history had been forgotten to the sands of time over the long history of the Nora. Perhaps the story of the All-Mother's chosen and Elisabet Sobeck, her favorite, had been one of those things lost to time? Teersa could only hope the All-Mother would appear again to reveal the rest of that history.

And yet more! The All-Mother had sent them a warning of a coming crisis! They could prepare! Teersa knew not what the coming crisis would be, only that the young infant in her arms would be the one to aid the All-Mother in resolving it. Teersa looked down at the precious girl. Her skin was pale and the small tuft of hair on her head was a bright red orange. To think that she held the daughter of their goddess in her arms. That this girl was born of two mothers! The All-Mother had loved her chosen so much that, even centuries after her death, she would give that chosen a child. A child destined to aid the All-Mother, just as her mortal mother had done.

As Teersa entered the antechamber where she had first heard the girl's cries, she stopped. Jezza stepped closer, examining the baby, and smiling softly. Lansra was hesitant, hanging back but still observing the blessing she had tried to murder.

"We have much to do, sisters." Teersa said. "We must convene the Matriarchs and tell them of the miracle we have witnessed." Matriarchs were women who had two generations of living progeny. High-Matriarchs like herself were those who had three generations of living progeny. Teersa was quite proud of her great-granddaughter. She was shaping up to be a skilled hunter.

"But what do we tell them?" Jezza asked. "The All-Mother forbade us from revealing that the girl is her child. We are only allowed to speak of the girl's mortal mother."

"Ah." Teersa smiled. "But she also revealed to us a part of our history that we had forgotten. The Alpha's! We must tell the Matriarchs, and then the tribe, that the All-Mother has seen fit to restore that part of our history to us."

"It is, indeed, a wonderous blessing." Jezza nodded. "What shall we tell the others?"

"We will tell them what we can. That they existed and that the All-Mother has seen fit to bless the Nora with the child of her most beloved. We must also tell them of her warning. That a crisis will soon rise to challenge the tribe."

"There are many who will ask questions or be skeptical as Lansra was." Jezza warned.

"Not if we all stand together." Teersa shook her head, before looking at Lansra. "To all but the Matriarchs, the girl is just that. A girl whose mother died in the service of the All-Mother. Only we and perhaps Rost, if the All-Mother allows it, will know that she was created by the All-Mother's hand."

"That would be for the best." Lansra agreed, subdued. She was still shaking in terror at having faced the All-Mother's wrath. "It is… safe to say that those who follow me closest will be those most skeptical. If we stand together, they will have no ground to argue."

"We must still speak of your actions, Lansra." Teersa said, sternly. The other woman only bowed her head lower, in shame.

"The All-Mother has seen fit to forgive you, Lansra." Jezza's quiet voice began, "but only through Teersa's pleas. You cannot stray from the path again." Lansra only nodded, her head bowed low.

"We shall speak to none of Lansra's actions." Teersa decided. "To know that a High-Matriarch had incurred the All-Mother's wrath in such a way would cause chaos within the tribe. You were forgiven, Lansra," Teersa laid her free hand on the other woman's shoulder, "but also warned. There will have to be consequences if you do not heed the All-Mother's warning. You must learn to control yourself and your fear." Lansra could only nod once again.

"I shall summon the Matriarchs of the other villages to Mother's Watch." Jezza said, firmly. She referred, of course, to the village just outside the doors to All Mother Mountain. Mother's Watch was their most holy settlement, but Mother's Heart was the… heart of the Nora tribe. It was their capital village and housed the largest population. "You should bring the child to Rost… and bring Rost home."

Teersa nodded in agreement, before pausing. The All-Mother had been adamant that Rost must choose to care for the babe. Not be forced to do so. "Making that trek with a child is unsafe," she admitted, "especially at my age. I will leave the girl with young Sona. She has only just given birth to a young one herself and is a trusted Brave." Braves were the warriors of the Nora tribe and Sona was one of their best. She was next in line to become War Chief, the tribe's military leader, should anything happen to War Chief Furn.

Jezza nodded in agreement. "That is wise, but do not tell her over much. She is not a Matriarch, nor is she yet the War Chief. Only so much should be revealed at this time." Teersa nodded in agreement.

Soon enough, the three High-Matriarchs had left the mountain and informed the Braves who were stationed in Mother's Watch that they were calling a meeting of all Nora Matriarchs. It was only a few hours later, that Teersa was on the road to Mother's Heart. The roads and paths within the Embrace, as the deepest part of the Sacred Land was called, were safe even for an old woman like herself. She was accompanied by a team of Braves, one of whom pulled her along in a cart. Just because Mother's Heart and Mother's Watch were only a few hours easy journey apart, didn't mean her old bones could handle that trip on foot!

Things were becoming slightly more dangerous though. The machines that dotted the landscape had begun to act strangely. Striders, a four-legged type of machine, had become far more aggressive over the better part of the last year. What is more, there had been rumors of dangerous machines cropping up outside the Embrace. Not normal machines being aggressive but new, ferocious kinds that had not been… seen… before. Could this be the crisis the All-Mother warned of?!

Teersa sat upright in her cart, eyes wide. If the machines were becoming more aggressive, it would mean danger to the tribe! She looked down at the bundle. It would be nearly twenty years before the baby would be ready to aid the All-Mother but if the crisis had already begun, then the Nora would need to be prepared!

"High-Matriarch?" One of her guardian Braves spoke up. She was still young, only in her twenty-first year, with deep brown hair and sky-blue eyes. Like all braves she was dressed in traditional Nora garb, furs decorated with colored threads and cloth. She also possessed armor made from machine parts that covered vital areas. "Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh! Yes, Enoa, I'm alright." Teersa said, hurriedly.

"Is it the baby?" Enoa, the Brave asked. "Where did she come from?"

"Ah." Teersa looked down at the precious, sleeping bundle. "I'm afraid her tale is a difficult one to tell, and for now there is much that only the Matriarchs may know. Suffice to say, her mother gave her life in service to the All-Mother, but by the grace of the goddess, her daughter was brought safely to us in Mother's Watch."

"Oh," Enoa looked down in sorrow. "May her mother be welcomed into the embrace of the goddess." She let out a whispered prayer.

"She has been, child." Teersa reached from the cart to cup Enoa's cheek. "The All-Mother accepts all who serve into her loving embrace."

The shadows had begun to lengthen when they finally arrived in Mother's Heart. For now, Teersa would remand the infant into Sona's care and strike out to search for Rost in the morning. She moved through the village, taking it in. Nora villages consisted mostly of wooden buildings. The majority were communal lodges where many Nora slept in the same room. As time passed, some individual lodges were taken up by the many branches of a single family. Others housed those adults who had yet to take a mate or have children. Still others were taken up by single family branches. These were usually reserved for newly mated couples who were still having children, to give them some privacy. There were houses for just the guards to sleep in near the gates, and ones for the Matriarchs deeper into the settlement. There were also areas for meetings, teaching, the performance of rituals, and even a market square. She moved deeper into the village until she came upon the longhouse she sought. Knocking on the door, she was amused to see that it was young Varl, Sona's five-year-old son, who opened the door.

"High-Matriarch!" Young Varl squeaked.

"What?" Sona's voice said from inside.

"Hello, young one." Teersa smiled at the boy. She loved children. "I'm afraid I must speak with your mother."

"High-Matriarch Teersa." Sona bowed her head as she came to the door. She was a beautiful, dark-skinned woman with black hair. Her body, honed through a lifetime of training and hunting, was strong but she looked tired. It had only been three months since the birth of her daughter, who did not yet have a name. Babies were only given a name during a sacred ceremony performed six months after their birth.

"Greetings, Sona." Teersa bowed her head in greeting. "Might I come in for a moment? We need to talk."

Sona let the High-Matriarch into the bunkhouse and led her to the closest thing a Nora lodge had to a lounge area. There were a few fur-covered seats, one of which Teersa sat on. She could see a cradle in the corner with Sona's little newborn daughter resting snugly within it.

"How might I be of service, High-Matriarch?" Sona asked, sitting in one of the other seats. Her little boy, Varl, scrambled to sit in his mother's lap.

Teersa smiled at the boy's antics before explaining. "I'm afraid I must ask for your help to care for this little one." She raised the baby in her arms to show Sona. "There is a task I must perform in the morning, and I would rather she be cared for by one who is most trusted while I am away."

"I would gladly do this, High-Matriarch," Sona responded, "but… where is the girl's mother? Her family?"
"Alas," Teersa shook her head, "the girl's mother gave her life in service to the All-Mother and she has no other family. There is one who the High-Matriarchs have agreed is best to care for her, but it is his retrieval that I must see to tomorrow."

"Such a shame," Sona shook her head, sadly. "Who is it that shall raise her?" She reached out to touch the girl's cheek. The baby gave a small smile as the gentle hand caressed her.

"Rost, if he agrees." Teersa said, smiling down at the child.

"The girl is to be outcast?" Sona gasped in horror.

"No!" Teersa's voice was stern but softened. She looked down at Varl. "Could you give us some privacy, young one? Perhaps you should go to the market and procure a gift for your sister?"

Varl's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes, High-Matriarch!" he said with a grin and rushed out of the door. Teersa turned back to Sona.

"I tell you this only because you are trusted, Sona." Her voice was grave. "The rest of the tribe shall know in due course, but it cannot be spoken of until the Matriarchs have decreed it."

"I will hold my silence, High-Matriarch." Sona replied, her voice as hard as any battle-hardened soldier.

"A miracle has occurred within All Mother Mountain." Teersa explained. "Just this morning, the All-Mother herself appeared before the High-Matriarchs. She brought to us both blessing and warning, and we have much to do before all is said."

"The All-Mother herself?" Sona's awed voice whispered. Teersa nodded.

"Amongst all else that she revealed to us, she decreed that Rost's banishment was to be rescinded. I will not speak of why he went into willing exile, but the All-Mother has decreed that he has committed no crime in her eyes and is to be welcomed back with open arms."

"She is truly benevolent, and we are truly blessed. Rost is one of the greatest Braves I have ever known." Sona's voice was glad.

"That he is." Teersa nodded. "It is my hope that he will return and that caring for the girl will heal his spirit."

"I wish you luck, High-Matriarch." Sona told her. "I swear to you that I will treat this babe as if she were my own, whilst she is in my care." The Brave reached out and took the young girl from Teersa's arms. Practiced hands cradled the infant perfectly, with Sona grinning down at her.

"Thank you, Sona. I shall rest easy knowing she is in your hands. Should any ask, tell them what I have told you. The girl's mother gave her life in service to the All-Mother and in gratitude for that, I have sworn that she will be cared for with all the love that can be mustered. She is remanded to your care only until a permanent arrangement can be made."

"I will do as you say, High-Matriarch." Sona bowed her head. "The girl is clearly far too young to have a name but… what was her mother's name?"

"Elisabet." Teersa said. "A strange name, I know, but I can assure you Sona. She was beloved of the All-Mother."

"I have never met someone named Elisabet," Sona shrugged, "but then I am not one to claim that I know the names of all Nora. I shall care for this child in Elisabet's place, for as long as she is in my charge."

Soon enough, Teersa took her leave of Sona. Her last glimpse of the babe for the night was of Sona gently placing the now sleeping child into the same crib as Sona's own unnamed daughter.

Rost

The Outcast, Rost, trudged his way along the path back to his hut. Set high on a hill overlooking the Embrace, its vantage allowed him to see the village of Mother's Heart and, on a fogless day, Mother's Watch and All Mother Mountain. Those were always good days.

Rost was a devout believer in the All-Mother and her ways. It was why he had willingly chosen exile. It was not so long ago, only a few years, that he had been living in Mother's Vigil, a now abandoned village outside the Embrace. That was where everything went so wrong. A group of unknown outlanders had snuck into the Sacred Land and attacked the village for reasons known only to themselves.

Rost's own mate was killed in the slaughter… oh, how he missed her smile. The outlanders had retreated, taking several hostages with them, Rost's daughter Alana among them. Rost had, of course, joined the war party sent after them but killed a hostage every time a Brave got too close. They'd tracked them for weeks. The party waited outside Devil's Thirst for days because the outlanders knew the faithful Nora would not venture into the forbidden ruins. When at last they left, the war party followed them all the way to the border between the Nora Sacred Lands and the Carja Sundom.

There, they slaughtered the hostages… Alana among them, and left the bodies just beyond the border to taunt the war party. The Nora were forbidden from leaving the Sacred Land, even to retrieve their dead. The outlanders thought themselves clever. They had not counted on Rost. He would not accept his mate and daughter's murder going unpunished. He would not accept leaving the body of his child to rot in the sun outside the Sacred Land!

Rost had gone to the Matriarch's and invoked the right of the Death Seeker. To do so is to become dead in the eyes of the All-Mother. The body moves, the mind thinks, the heart beats, but the spirit has passed into the All-Mother's embrace. So armed with the Death Seeker's blessing, Rost left the Sacred Land.

First, he returned the bodies of the fallen, allowing them to be buried according to Nora custom. Then he left to track their murderers. From the Sacred Land to Meridian, then Ban-Ur, Plainsong, all the way to Tenakth lands in the Forbidden West he tracked his quarry. The last of them he faced within a ruin of the old ones near to the Burning Shores.

The last of the murderers nearly got the better of him, but he survived. Determined to die as close to the Sacred Land as possible, he made the long trek back. He made no effort to heal himself beyond what was necessary to make it back to the border. Rost would die as close to the graves of his mate and child as he could. He hoped only to rest within sight of Nora lands.

When at last he returned to the border, Rost let himself collapse. He did not expect one of the border guards to break taboo and drag him back across. Nor did he expect to be nursed back to health. Then, the High-Matriarch's blessed him beyond his wildest hopes. They allowed him to live in the Sacred Lands as an outcast. Within the Embrace, even! It was more than he could ever have hoped for. Each day, he let himself gaze towards the place where the ashes of his mate and daughter were interred. Then he gave thanks to the goddess for allowing him to live what life remained to him within the Embrace.

The rest of his time was spent walking the Sacred Land. He would occasionally aid other outcasts, though never the murderers or violent ones, but he would never speak to them. To do so would break the law and even as an outcast, Rost was a law-abiding Nora. Because of this, it had been nearly two years since he had last spoken to another human. Now, he spoke only to the All-Mother and the memory of his family. He would hunt machines or animals when needed and he would make renovations to his hut, but he never said a word when in earshot of another person.

It was from one of his morning hunts that Rost was now returning, musing on the events of his life. He would go out just before dawn at the beginning of each week to hunt for food. He'd been quite successful today. A brace of rabbits was slung over his shoulder as he trudged the now well-worn path. Normally he would make his way into the hut alone, leave his bow and quiver by the door, then exit to skin his kill and prepare the meat.

Evidently though, today was not a normal day for as he came within sight of his hut, he spotted a person standing outside the door. Not just any person either, but High-Matriarch Teersa! Rost bowed his head and knelt before the High-Matriarch, his mind racing. Why was she here? Had she come to rescind their blessing and force him to leave the Sacred Land? He would weep to do so but would leave if she commanded him to do so.

"It's good to see you, Rost." The High-Matriarch smiled at him. "Rise, please, and let us step indoors." She moved to enter the hut before stopping and turning back to him. "Oh," she raised her hand, one finger pointed skyward, "and yes. You may speak to me."

"I…" his voice was hesitant. "Yes, High-Matriarch." He fell back on his ingrained respect for her to cover for his shock at being allowed to speak. Leaving the rabbits outside, Rost followed Teersa into the hut where the two sat at the table he'd built in the center of the room. "What… brings you here, High-Matriarch?"

"A joyous blessing." Teersa replied with a wide grin, "and to reveal something that, for now, must remain secret to all others."

"A blessing, High-Matriarch?"

"Yes." He could see the joy practically radiating off of her. "Only one day ago, a miracle among miracles occurred. Rost, the All-Mother revealed herself to the High-Matriarchs! She appeared before us in golden raiment. We were permitted to gaze upon her! To speak with her and hear her words!"

Rost's mouth could only hang open in shock. The All-Mother had revealed herself? She had spoken? The last records of the All-Mother speaking to the tribe were little more than legends now! "You were truly blessed, High-Matriarch," he said with awe.

"There was much said," Teersa continued, "and much to do. Most of it should, at present, only be revealed to the Matriarchs, but some of what she said to us concerns you."

"Me?!" He gasped, astonished. The All-Mother, during her first appearance in centuries, had mentioned him?!

"Yes." Teersa nodded, the beads on her headdress clacking. "Allow me to explain. The All-Mother revealed to us a small portion of our forgotten history. The existence of a group called the Alpha's. Long ago, they were her chosen. Her most faithful. It was they who aided her in averting the destruction of the world. She did not say it explicitly, but I can only assume she meant that this occurred during the age of the Metal Devil."

Rost could barely process what he was hearing. A group of, presumably old ones, who had stood with the goddess against the Metal Devil? He had always believed the old ones to be faithless, but the revelation of this group cast that into doubt.

"She also gave us two other gifts." Teersa continued. Rost focused on her intently. "First, a warning of a coming crisis. I believe that to be related to the rumors of the machines becoming more aggressive, but that is my own speculation. Second though, and far more precious, was a child."

"A child?" He was dumbfounded.

"Yes. A little girl. The goddess remanded her into our care and revealed that the child I held in my arms was the last who bore the blood of the Alpha's. Specifically, she is the daughter of their leader, Elisabet Sobeck. The goddess' most beloved." Rost was unsure if his mouth would ever close again.

"I cannot reveal how she was brought to us, though her mother has been dead for centuries, for the goddess has sworn the High-Matriarch's to silence. Most among the tribe will be told that she is simply descended from the Alpha's and that her mother was named Elisabet after her ancestor. You need to know more though."

"But… why me?"

"The goddess is adamant that the girl be raised as a normal member of the tribe. When she asked who we would choose to care for the girl, you were my first thought."

Him?! Rost could hardly believe that. The idea of taking in a child… she would be an outcast! Besides, he had not even held a baby since… Alana… He did like children, but Rost was not sure his heart could love again, and a child brought forth by the goddess deserved to be raised with love.

"I could not do this, High-Matriarch." Rost shook his head. "For me to raise her would be to cast her from the tribe, and that goes against the goddess' wishes."

"Lansra said the same, but the goddess contradicted her." Teersa's smile was radiant. "She said, and I quote, 'You say that to be a Death Seeker is to be dead in my eyes, yet I see Rost living."' His eyes went wide, heart thumping painfully beneath his chest. This could not be happening. '"He sought death but returned alive. If that is his only crime, then in my eyes, he has committed no crime. Let him come home."'

Rost nearly collapsed in his seat. He could not believe it! The goddess herself had declared him living! Had she returned his spirit to him? Rost was filled with a sudden vigor. He felt more alive than he had since the death of his family! Moving from his chair, he knelt in front of the High-Matriarch, tears of joy pouring from his face as he thanked her for bringing this news to him.

"Rise, Rost." Teersa said, gently stroking his hair. "It is the goddess you should thank, not I." It took him a moment to regain his composure, but Rost eventually returned to his seat. "The goddess was very clear." The High-Matriarch continued to speak once he was settled. "You should choose to take the girl in of our own volition. If your heart cannot take it, we will make other arrangements. Regardless of whether or not you choose to raise the girl, you will be welcomed home with open arms and restored to your status as a Brave. All I ask is that you meet the girl, before you decide."

"I will do as you ask, High-Matriarch." Rost could only rely on ingrained courtesy and respect to keep his voice from cracking in joy and astonishment.

High-Matriarch Teersa smiled at him. "Tomorrow, a great meeting of the Matriarchs is to be held at Mother's Watch. I want you to come, for it is there that we will reveal all the goddess told us and officially welcome you back to the tribe. I have left the girl in the care of young Sona for the moment, but I will be brining her to the meeting so that you and the Matriarch's may meet her."

"I will be there, High-Matriarch." Rost said with fierce determination. He was going home!

GAIA

GAIA knew that her primary focus should be finding Hades and the other sub-functions but that was certainly not what she was focusing on. No, she was focused on her frustrating lack of ability to hear what was being said around her daughter! How much she could see and hear of the Nora depended on where they were. In the wilds, near the machines? No problem. Though weakened without Hephaestus, she could still take control of the sensors each machine used to broadcast telemetry to the Cauldron Network through the Tallnecks.

Near the mountain? Also easy! It was riddled with sensors. Frustratingly, however, she could not see or hear much that happened in the villages of Mother's Heart or Mother's Cradle at present. Outside where avian machines could look from afar? No problem. Indoors though? Problem.

She, sadly, could not fully override a machine remotely. It would be easy to design an override device that would work on individual machines in person but without Hephaestus, her control was limited. If only the Nora had Focuses. The Focus was a device that looked like a simple silver triangle with a light in the center. It was the primary method of data storage and communication used by humans before the Faro Plague. There were hundreds of pristine Focuses simply waiting to be claimed within the ELEUTHIA-9 facility, but GAIA doubted the Nora would willingly use them, since they thought the technology of the old world was cursed.

Perhaps… she could change their attitude? She had already revealed herself and broken protocol so what did it matter? If playing a god would let her keep a closer eye on her baby girl, she'd do it. Plus, it would help if the girl was used to looser rules when she finally met GAIA! It would not do for her to be afraid of curses or worshipping her mother as a god! No! It would not do!

GAIA would need to be careful though. She couldn't rely on interpretation, so she'd need to make sure as many people heard her exact words as possible. The coming meeting was a good time for that. She'd just need to make sure Teersa knew she wanted the Matriarch's and Rost brought into the mountain, where she could project herself.

She would also have to start small. The machines were already becoming more aggressive. She could, at present, only access the telemetry from the closest Tallneck. The data from it though, had revealed a breakdown in machine behavior and new variants of existing models that were more dangerous. Could Hephaestus already be altering the machines? Doing a quick calculation, the probability of Hephaestus doing so came out to 96.4439%. A perfect excuse, and a worrying development.

She could tell the tribe that, in light of the coming crisis, she was rescinding the taboo on entering the ruins. If she told them more of the Alpha's and Elisabet, careful not to cause a crisis of faith, and tried to convince them that not all old-world tech was bad it might slowly change their stance on such things. She could also start with the younger generations. Perhaps she could tell the tribe that from now on, all who passed the Proving were to automatically be granted a permanent Seeker blessing? That way, each consecutive generation would become more and more used to the idea of it being acceptable to venture out of their lands and into the ruins.

GAIA would need to be careful not to make things worse. She had calculations to do, plans to make, and simulations to execute. Also, she needed to connect with what remained of the computer systems in the nearby ruins. It wouldn't do to have the Nora enter them if she didn't have at least some idea of what they might find there.

A/N: There we go! Chapter 2! What did you think? You like it? Everybody in character? Please leave me a comment or review saying what you thought! I'd really appreciate it. I really want to keep writing this, but I need your feedback. It helps motivate me if I know people enjoy my work.

So! I'd like to hear your opinions. Should Aloy meet GAIA early? Should GAIA interact with the tribe more? Should GAIA lift the ban on entering the Old-World ruins? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments!

If anybody is curious, I invented Furn and Enoa! I have no clue what the name of the War Chief before Sona is, or if its even been revealed but I just couldn't justify her being War Chief when she could only have just given birth to Vala. Varl would only be 5 so she's probably going to become War Chief soon.

They're not the only ones I'm going to be making up since so few named Nora exist that are Rost and Sona's age.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

DragonStallion55: Thank you for being the first to comment on FFN! Also, I hope you liked that I posted for Hearthfire the day after A Digital Mother. That won't happen this time, because of work, but I hope it'll be soon!

Kadraphan97: I hope this chapter kept your interest!

D3Diton: Thanks! I hope I do the idea justice.

On Ao3

MadCraftyFox: Thank you for being the first to comment on Ao3!

Kasanra: I don't know exactly how involved she'll be. I'm torn between them meeting when Aloy first gets a focus (planning that now) or after the proving. What do you think?

Reactivegull12: I literally had the idea for this fic when I was playing Zero Dawn and binging Futurama. It just struck me as such a Travis kind of show and then I started thinking about GAIA backups and it spiraled from there.

LK1A1_4510: I've been curious about what she would be like if raised in the tribe since I first played Zero Dawn. I can't find many fics like that, so I'm writing one!

Knight2000uk: There are so few fics where Lansra gets what she deserves! I had to write GAIA going all momma bear on Lansra!

Aleza: Rost always struck me as War Chief material. Like, if he'd been part of the tribe and hadn't been dead when Sona went missing it would have been him and not Resh who became Acting War Chief.

Lord_Vortex: I think I covered GAIA's current capabilities at the end of this chapter. Like the GAIA copy of Forbidden West, she's kind of limited right now, but that can change with time and if she has human help.